…well, this gives new meaning to the song. As someone said in the comments– I wonder what Tom Petty thinks of that title?
It’s absolutely stunning how driven these warped individuals are–they cannot fathom a world where they don’t have ultimate control. Good Grief.
DN! has a report up from Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Public Teachers Union. She is saying that the biggest thing that got applause for the new contract was the clause that the teachers could write their own lesson plans. Woot!!
I saw how much the stupid No Child Left a Mind law did for teacher’s ability to conduct their classrooms according to their own intellectual, creative, and intuitive talents. As Karen Lewis stated, teachers have been micromanaged in the classroom for things they know are harmful to their kids.
The anti-bullying clause is stunning–principals who were setting up teachers to fail. This has been in the back of my mind with this whole evaluation process putting the full load on the teacher’s shoulders. A school administrator could easily set a teacher up to fail by loading her/his class with students who are slow learners or have behavioral problems, etc. Then she/he would have a failing classroom, by the impossible standards set up by these draconian laws.
The best thing that Karen Lewis spoke of was not only a longer school day, but a higher quality school day including a more well-rounded curriculum with arts, etc. From my own experience as a substitute teacher, I could see how myopic the math and reading curriculum was–and how mind-numbing it was for kids. The creative thought is what creates intelligence…anyone can recite numbers and facts, but to truly be able to problem-solve, one needs creative thought to look at all factors influencing the problem.
It’s very telling that President Obama, a Democrat, did not lend his support to the union. Also very telling, but not surprising, is the Romney/Ryan ticket supporting Rahm Emanuel, a democrat in name only. That should raise red flags as to what this is all about.
What also should raise red flags is Lewis’ assertion that the school closings are about real estate–and a school board that did not attend the school closing hearings. See, they frame it to be about the kids, while making land deals behind the scenes.
And as Karen Lewis asks, “Where is the accountability?” The “Accountability Movement” is geared towards one goal and one view. God Bless her for her courage and strength.
Texas would like all likely Dem voters to just dry up and blow away.
Here’s a story on the continuing fight for sacred sites and the environment. Another story about it here.
Why are they making fake snow? And why are they occupying a sacred space?
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Story here on the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous. I’m glad that the U.S. has finally signed on. Special Rappoteur statement here.
One of the problems is that with my generation, the Boomers, we grew up with “Cowboys and Indians” …with the Indians being the “bad guys”. Along with that, we had John Wayne movies (and others) that also portrayed them as the bad guys. Then, when we studied history, we were told of all the brave settlers and how they were to be commended for “settling” the West…we were never told of the other side, or if there was, it was only when the “good Indians” helped whites to settle the land.
It was only when I began reading the Native Americans own account of their history that I began to realize how one-sided my history book had been. This would also include women’s history, by the way, but that is another topic for another day.
I would learn that they were in many ways just the opposite of what I had been told: they were spiritual; they were compassionate; they cared deeply for the environment (the “wilderness” of America was actually a carefully cultivated ecosystem); they respected their elders; they looked out for one another; they were not greedy–they took only what they needed.
We lost so much when we sought to impose our own beliefs on the Native Americans instead of trying to understand their culture.
Adidas is not paying workers of a factory closed even though they have promised to adhere to a code of conduct.
After I became aware of the use of sweatshops for clothing, I started to deny my kids certain clothing they wanted because it was made in a country operating sweatshops. I recall yelling matches with one of my daughters because she couldn’t have the “cool” clothes these stores were selling.
At my university, there was a hunger-strike because the university was using sweatshops for its apparel. There was a lively discussion on it in one of the classes (a rare thing, believe me, because classes were set up to have lecture-only–rarely did we have meaningful discussions) –angry students were going to grill some steaks by the hunger-strikers. These folks had done nothing to them–they were protesting mistreatment to other human beings—so why would that anger them? Unbelievable.
I used to own several shirts with the university’s logo on it. I threw them out when I learned of the sweatshops. What still boggles me is when people find out that the chic clothing they’re wearing is made by someone earning a $1 per day, they merely shrug their shoulders and go on with their lives.
As it became harder and harder to buy non-sweatshop clothing, I thought I could just sew all my clothes, but when went to the fabric stores and looked at the place of manufacture–yep, you can guess it–China, Guatemala, etc. I couldn’t even buy fabric made in the U.S. to sew with.
Here’s a website of stuff still made in the U.S.A. I can’t make any claims to know about the fair wage practices of the manufacturers, so enter at your own risk.
Rev. John Dear has this up on Sister Anne Montgomery, and her work for peace.
I was raised to believe that peace would only be attained if we were all Christians. After studying Buddhism, Hinduism, Tao and Confucious in college, I discovered that all religions said the same thing–they all say, in so many words, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” All of them say it…so in my view, it isn’t that we should all have the same way that we worship, but that we actually follow that simple sentence.
I think peace will only be attained when we put it into action…not as easy as it seems…it takes actively thinking about it with every action/every decision we make–and not believing that we all have to have the same religion. I truly believe that we are individuals led along a certain path and those experiences along that path lead us to our spirituality–and no one has a right to interfere with that or impose their own beliefs upon another. That’s just wrong to me.
Paul Krugman has this up on Chris Christie…*fiscally conservative* towards the 99%…but a whole ‘nother view towards the one percenters…
….and this on Paul Ryan...
You just can’t make this stuff up:
In March, explaining his cuts in aid for the unfortunate, he declared, “We don’t want to turn the safety net into a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into lives of dependency and complacency, that drains them of their will and their incentive to make the most of their lives.”
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…while ignoring that most people who are dependent on not only food stamps but are dependent on disability/social security are there because of a health issue?
So if someone is on disability from a stroke, how is that person a moocher? Or someone who is on oxygen and cannot work? I see a building full of people with health issues…so tell me again how we can get these damn moochers off of welfare/disability and working until they freaking drop?! /snark
I personally got a college degree so I would not be in the situation I’m in now…I got mercury poisoning and had undiagnosed Celiac that caused my health to deteriorate, which had a domino effect on the disaster that is my life. I drove up and down a two lane highway for three and a half years, through wind and rain and dark of night so I could get my degree. I studied every night for two to three hours after taking my kids to baseball, softball, ballet, etc., and fixing dinner and whatever else needed to be done…so don’t tell me that I’m lazy or unmotivated.
LG said it best:
I always wondered why people always become “dependent and complacent” and lose “their will and their incentive to make the most of their lives” right after a financial crises…
commondreams has this up on the women of Togo protesting the government by a sex strike. They will refuse to have relations with their men for one week.
…I’m not sure a week is long enough, ladies…better count on making it longer…
I forget how long it took the Greek women in Lysistrata…
Good Grief. Food Stamp army’s?? Seriously?
A thoughtful article here. This is probably the best summary of the weirdness of someone, like Ryan and Thurmond, whose actions speak louder than their personal lives–they have that mental blind spot where they don’t carry over.
Eagle 
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