August Wilson

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Today I made a routine stop at the Post Office.  An afterthought: we needed some stamps.  I looked at the display at the window, and a commemorative caught my eye, a bit too small to make out who it was.  “August Wilson” said the clerk; “I knew him personally”, I said.  I bought a couple of sheets and was on my way.

The clerk was impressed.  Now, August Wilson was never a BFF, but the encounter with a stamp caused me to revisit my “encounters” with one of America’s greatest playwrights over the years.

Thanks to Laura, a long-time teacher friend, who first caused me to meet her friend, August, in person back in 1978.  I will just give a thumbnail.

When I met August, he was a cook for a Southside Minneapolis group, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.  I have only one vivid memory of August, there, and it was in his capacity as cook; a brief chat in the Little Brothers kitchen.  Coincidentally, I likely met him not long after he arrived in the Twin Cities.

He’d moved here from his native Pittsburgh, and I think the cook job was mostly a good fit for his passion, which was his writing, some of which took place at a restaurant just down the street.

Little Brothers was a fine group of idealists, whose mission was  to the elderly in their area.  This was over 40 years ago, and folks move on.  Thad is the one person I keep tabs on – then he was developing the then-technology for fund-raising mailing list; it became his business, which I link here.

A few years later I got some junk mail while living in Hibbing MN.  It was for a theater in St. Paul called Penumbra.  It was at Penumbra that I saw my first, and most, of August Wilson’s famous plays, including a small theater staging of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a recent movie on Netflix.  Laura told me that she sat with August at Penumbra at the premier of one of his earliest plays.  This was long before he became famous.

Once I met August in person at some fundraiser in St. Paul.  He was probably doing a favor for a friend.  His element was not to be a celebrity at such events, though he was already very well known.  I sensed he’d rather have been most anywhere else.

Out of this connection, I connected with August’s sister, Freda, in their hometown of Pittsburgh PA.  In April, 1998, I was in Pittsburgh for a conference and Freda gave my daughter Joni and I a several hour tour of August Wilson’s neighborhood, including the small Bedford Ave apartment where they lived as kids, and the booth at Eddie’s Restaurant where he had done his early writing.  We had a piece of pie in a booth where he probably wrote.

Eddie’s Restaurant with Eddie, April, 1998, Pittsburgh PA

I understand that Eddie’s and the entire neighborhood has been redeveloped in recent years, so I saw part of the authentic history before it was renewed – a sad fate, but inevitable.

In 2011, Freda and her daughter, Kimberley, came to Minneapolis for  performance of one of August’s plays at the Guthrie Theatre.  In part of that trip, I took them to see Little Brothers, still at its old location near Lake Street and Cedar Ave.

Kimberley and Freda Ellis at Little Brothers, Minneapolis, March 2011

A short time later, I was at another conference, this of retired teacher members of the National Education Association, in Pittsburgh.  I had been invited to speak there, and gave much of my time to Freda, who talked about her brother and their experience.  She was very engaging.

Freda died in 2015, 10 years after her brother, August, died at age 60.

I had one last brush with August perhaps three years ago.  Well known speaker Kevin Kling entertained us at a church event.  During Kevin’s earliest days, he was part of a group of aspiring writers, including August Wilson, who supported each other at the Minneapolis Playwright Center.  This was during the time that August was completing and did a reading of his first play, possibly Jitney, the first of the well known ones in what is now called The Pittsburgh Cycle.  I seem to recall Laura mentioning it might have been his very first effort, called “Black Bart and the Sacred Hills” or such, which probably was inspired by a vacant lot on a hillside near his Pittsburgh home in the Hill district.  I’m not sure of that.

I’m grateful to Laura for introducing me to August Wilson, even though she wasn’t with me in the times I met August and part of his family and saw his neighborhood.

Thanks, Laura.

COMMENTS (see also, end of post)

from Kevin: Thank you Dick.  What a great story. This is the side of August I remember too. I think when you meet someone before knowing their work they always live as a person first. August would like that too I believe. Thanks again. This is a great tribute..

Utah Philips, Black History

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It’s Black History month.

Long-time friend, Peter Barus, out in rural Vermont, sent the following along on Feb. 1.  Carve out the 55 minutes to listen to this, while in the midst of all the junk we’re dealing with these days.

I knew of, but little about, Philips.  You can read more about him on-line if you wish.  I listened to the entire link, and found it a fascinating piece of history, and think you will too.

Thanks, Peter.

Peter: This is a link to a file you can download (right click and choose “download linked file”) or just play, of U. Utah Phillips old radio show.

U. Utah was the real thing, a veteran, a hobo, a Wobbly, a follk singer and raconteur, a friend of Pete Seeger and everyone else you could want to have met. He was a good friend of Ani Defranco.

(Sorry, I can’t help imagining a friend introducing him to U Thant, former UN Secretary General: “U., have you met U? U, U.” But Phillips would understand, being also a comic of rare subtlety.)

He brings all these people alive, and plays recordings of their songs and stories and words. Gene Autry singing “The Death of Mother Jones.”

Louis Farrakhan playing Mendelssohn on the violin.

This show is his Black History Month offering, and I, with my intimate memories of the movement, was profoundly moved. Phillips introduces it with the forceful admonishment that white people cannot define “racism”: instead we must listen to those most affected, to learn how it really works.

One thing that stood out for me was the simple ordinariness of the message conveyed by people who had been painted so inaccurately, to this day. Hang together, or hang separately. And we learn about the larger context too: about Abel Meeropol, the Rosenbergs, and “Strange Fruit.”

We learn that the Chisholm Trail was named for a Black cowboy, and another invented steer-wrestling.

Did you know Louis Farrakhan played the violin? He not only did that, but was given a rave review in the NYT. And this was recent.

Mumia Abu Jamal speaks. Old gandy-dancers carry actual rails into a concert hall for their performance of track-lining chants. MLK and Malcolm X speak, and seldom do we hear the words Utah Phillips gives us, somehow sidestepping the media filters and revealing wise, prescient leaders that make the present crop of wannabes cringe and slink into the background.

Worth getting a warm beverage and just sitting for an hour. It will ring through the days that follow, as if you had just stepped out of time into this new reality, and can see the contrasts and samenesses as never before. And get a new purchase on the persistent stupidity that still plagues us all.

POSTNOTE: A commentary in today’s Washington Post seems a relevant fit.  You can access it here.

Covid-19, a year

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We’re in the midst of many serious troubles in our country, and it’s really important to be engaged in the struggle for sanity for our present and for our future.

Today is about one year since Covid-19 started to enter the world vocabulary.  The first case in the U.S. was Jan. 2020.  The first death was in February.  The most recent death count for the U.S. as recorded by Johns Hopkins is 439,536.  (to compare: there were about 450,000 U.S. war deaths in WWII, 291,000 military.  The U.S. population then was 132-140 million, compared with 330 million current U.S. population.)

Life is serious business these days in the U.S. and Covid-19 is only one issue, and at my little corner I’ll keep focused on important issues as I see them, nowadays basically political and economic.  But all isn’t dismal, and every day something comes in my mail, e- and otherwise that’s brighter.  Here are some positive things from just this past week.

Friday evening CBS evening news had a great piece, which I saw and Molly later passed along.  You can view it here.  Molly: “Wow–talk about creativity!!  And–put yourself in the place of the drivers! What would you do if someone came up to you in your stranded car  and said…”.hey, want a free covid shot right now?”

Dick: Friday, we took our 91 year old neighbor to get his Covid-19 shot.  The process at the clinic was very efficient and well organized.  It is good to see such a process in person.  My spouse, who was with Don, totally unexpectedly also got her shot, offered by the Director, and received with gratitude.  (I don’t qualify till after February 2 due to a recent unrelated vaccination.  But it’s coming.)

A few days ago,  a  homemade greeting card came from a Catholic Priest responding to a question I’d asked.  The card cover speaks for itself.  I don’t know the Priest; I was simply asking a question in behalf of the same elderly friend whose mother grew up in the Priests parish over 100 years ago.

Homemade Greeting Card using poetry of Laura Kelly Fanucci.

Such gifts are worth thanks.   I’m sure the author doesn’t mind her website being shared – that’s why she has a website.  Here it is.

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And, finally, you can’t pass on this YouTube offering sent by a retired teacher.  Trust me.  It’s only three minutes or so.

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In the same time frame, I was ‘talking’ on-line with a friend, Brian, in Brooklyn NY.  Brian sent along a drone view of his area of Brooklyn.  I asked to share, and he said ‘fine’, and here it is.  I told him that I had never been to Brooklyn, and only once to NYC, so Brooklyn exists only in my minds-eye.  Here is the accompanying note from Brian:

HERE IS AN UNDER 14-MINUTE VIDEO OF THREE NEAT THINGS IN BROOKLYN 

1) St. Barbara’s RC Church,

2) The First Church of God in Christ; and,

3) The Williamsburgh (with an “h”) Savings Bank Tower. 

All are less than a 20-25 minute bike ride from our condo.  Actually the First Church of God is just a block away, catty-corner from Broward Park. It was built in 1923. And it’s strange: it used to be a synagogue.  Usually in Brooklyn it’s the other way, churches become synagogues.  (Up in Williamsburg, for example.)

I first became aware of St. Barbara’s in 2005 working at a nearby credit union.  I took pictures of it back then (in the video), and now have followed up. It was built in 1910.

And the Williamsburgh Savings Bank tower is higher than Hollie the drone can fly.  She can go only to 400 feet but the tower is over 500’ high.  It was the highest building in Brooklyn until 2010 in fact!  You’ll be able to see in the drone’s video how that has changed, now.  It was built in 1927.

Some Wiki:

THE CHURCH OF ST. BARBARA is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, located in northern Brooklyn, New York, in the Bushwick-Ridgewood neighborhood. 

Address: 138 Bleecker St, Brooklyn, NY 11221

Opened: 1910

Style: Baroque Revival architecture

The Historic First Church of God in Christ building was constructed in 1923 as a synagogue, known as Shaari Zedek, for a wealthy German Jewish population.[1] Purchasing the house of worship in 1969, the Historic First Church of God in Christ retained most of the building’s architectural heritage in spite of its ecclesiastic transformation

THE WILLIAMSBURGH SAVINGS BANK TOWER is a skyscraper located in downtown Brooklyn., Located at 1 Hanson Place between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street, the tower is one of the borough’s architectural icons. The tower was constructed from 1927 to 1929 as the new headquarters for the Williamsburgh Savings Bank.

Prior to 2010, when it was surpassed by the Brooklyner, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower was the tallest building in Brooklyn at 37 stories and 512 feet (156 m) tall.  It is among the tallest four-sided clock towers in the world, and contains clock faces that are 17 feet (5.2 m) in diameter. Since 2007, the building has been converted into luxury condominium apartments under the name 1 Hanson Place.

Author Jonathan Ames created a “Most Phallic Building” contest which followed an article he wrote for Slate magazine, in which he claimed that the Tower was the most phallic building he’d ever seen. The character of the same name in his HBO show Bored to Death moves into the building in the third season.

The tower or its interior has been seen in the films Prizzi’s Honor, Catch Me if You Can, Going in Style (2017 ), John Wick, the music videos “Empire State of Mind” and “No Stylist”, as well the TV shows Pan Am, Law & Order, Bored to Death, White Collar, Gossip Girl, and Boardwalk Empire.

I shared with Brian a snapshot of my own: one by my brother, John, via drone, of one of our growing up towns, Sykeston ND, the other taken by myself enroute to or back from the Statue of Liberty in late June, 1972, 49 years go.  The Twin Towers were just being completed then, and as I recall only one had opened.

Enjoy.

Late June, 1972, snap by Dick Bernard

Sykeston ND pop ca 125 by drone 2018 by John Bernard

POSTNOTE AND PERTINENT: I would encourage taking the time, later, to read this post I filed Jan. 27, relating the upcoming impeachment trial.  It is comments from several persons about the current state of affairs in our United States.

 

Insurgency and Counterinsurgency….

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POSTNOTE Jan. 30, 2021:  On or about Feb. 8, 2021, the Impeachment trial will begin in the U.S. Senate, relating to events including Jan. 6.  The most comprehensive summary on the issue I have thus far seen is this post, filed overnight, Jan. 30.

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This post is an invitation to consider where we, as individuals, stand in this divided nation at this point in our history.  Following are several diverse opinions which came to me this month, which I think are worthy of your time to read.  They speak for themselves.  Where do you fit in this big picture?

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This chilly morning in Minnesota I elected to do my walk indoors at the nearby community sports center.

This day the normal quarter-mile route was split in two.  Next door was a group of perhaps 30 police practicing.  “Move back” was the tactic being practiced when I walked by the first few times.  It was mindful of the unrest we’ve witnessed recently.  I’m sure it was not a coincidental activity – the recent events at our Capitols have focused on relationships of all sorts and the roles of law enforcement and government in these.

On our walking path, which was fairly crowded partly because of reduced space, four old guys (my age group) sauntered along, abreast, chatting.  All were moving slowly, causing the rest of us to have to go around them.  Envision two cars driving slowly and abreast on one side of a busy four lane highway.  The only alternatives for others are to stay behind the cars, or to pass on the shoulders.  I don’t think it even occurred to the men, all friends, that they were not respectful to the rest of us.  (They did wear masks, which are required.  They didn’t keep social distance.  They were basically oblivious to us.  No one suggested to them they were a problem; we had the luxury of being able to go around them.)

Back home, an e-mail from Jeff included a link to a column in today’s New York Times.  Here is the pdf version: Robert Grenier NYTimes 1/27/21 “How to Defeat America’s Homegrown Insurgency”

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Here are the “homegrown” opinions from my inbox in recent days:

1 – from D, Jan 15: I suspect that many, if not most, of the people who attended Trump’s rally on the morning of Jan. 6 were simply there to support him. Among those folks, a certain percentage believed that Trump won the election but “they” stole it from him. They weren’t happy about it, but knew that Biden would take office and they would work to further the Trump agenda and help him retake the White House in 2024.

A smaller, much more dangerous, subset of the rally attendees, were the TRUE true believers. They believed that Trump not only won the election but that he absolutely would continue in office after the inauguration. Further, they believed that they had support from people in congress, the vice president, and law enforcement. All they had to do, they believed, was show up at the capitol and they would be welcomed with open arms. When met with resistance, they were shocked. Kind of like the religious end-of-world predictors who simply cannot believe that the world is still intact after their date certain. A woman who had been maced was incredulous that once she’d forced her way into the capitol, the police maced her. These people feel betrayed and won’t simply go away. No one knows what they do next. Hopefully, they will be marginalized and Republicans who know better will finally put country before self interest and work to repair the damage done by four years of lying incompetence and malevolence.

2 – from KB, Jan 20: Interesting line in the David Ignatius piece you linked in postnote 2:

“But even as the Biden administration attacks the most seditious members of the insurrection, it should consider a tactic that’s quite radical in the current political climate — listening to the other side.”

Immediately after Trump’s surprising 2016 victory there was a lot of talk among the pundits about their collective failure to understand the mood of America and anticipate that result. I wonder if the pundits, or political leaders, have become wiser since then? Listening couldn’t hurt.

Thoughts towards a better world.

3 – from K, Jan 21: Mr. Biden is being naive to think his election can bring unity back to our country.  Half the voters are joyous while half feel betrayed and saddened.  For more than 4 years Dems and their media acolytes have been filled with bigotry, hatred, and spewed vicious verbal venom at Trump and have repeatedly called him an illegal president, setting the stage for the ensuing civil unrest which plagues us today. Remember the “peaceful” ? transfer of power Trump received for 4 years after his election? There is such profound hatred in Dems they even want to silence the 75 million Trump voters and have even mentioned deprogramming them!  Democrats and the media would scream to high heaven if they were purged from all social web sites. So much for free speech!  Notice the liberal ACLU is silent!  Have you noticed since the election the overtly biased media have sidelined their offensive team and have sent in their defensive team?   Several million Americans expect Mr. Biden to screw up our country so bad that the 2022 election will be a retributive bloodbath for Dems, with even many moderate Dems voting to oust many liberal Dem socialists.  With Biden and or the media crowd calling Trump voters thugs, racists, deplorables, white nationalists, and terrorists they now expect unity from Trump voters?!?!?!  In 2020 Trump campaigned TO the people (note his huge crowds), while Biden avoided campaigns and interviews and hid in his basement and let his vengeful friends talk DOWN to Trump voters and engaged mainly in electioneering.  Biden will achieve national unity when pigs fly, or maybe possibly when Dems utter a SINCERE mea culpa to purge their hatred and bigotry for people on the other side of the fence.  The Dems not only have knocked Trump down, they kicked him while down and now want to rub salt in his wounds. This disrespectful bigotry by the left may even cause Trump and his half of the country in 2022 to rise like a Phoenix out of the ashes from the Dem’s dumpster and quell the Dem egotistic power trip.  Please spare me any (usual liberal slay the messenger) response and instead call for a genuine peace treaty and extend an olive branch as kind of mind changing atonement meds to the swamp leftists in an attempt to purge their chronic systemic bigotry, systemic hatred, and systemic intolerance of American citizens who walk along a different path towards a free great productive country, while carefully and thoughtfully avoiding socialistic leg hold traps and the bottomless puddles of liberal quicksand. We can now watch for a rising China and a sinking United States, many more “Made in China” and less “Made in America” products in our stores; more illegal aliens; increasing American employee layoffs; jobs and companies moving to China; more citizen victimization; higher taxes; increasing homelessness; more goofy gender classifications to de-sex or re-sex   the population; higher gasoline prices if even available; continued contempt for American history, and the green light for the destructive cancel culture crowd.  One area which Biden certainly will excel will be in the sheer number of vindictive dystopian bass ackward executive orders he will sign.  Trump built a wall at the southern border to keep out illegal aliens, but Biden built a fence around the Capital Building with 25,000 armed guards to keep out legal American citizens.  For several months Dem mayors and Governors let protestors riot, brutalize police, destroy, burn, and pillage many cities with impunity while police were ordered to stand down.  Anyone arrested went to jails with the revolving door type of Democrat justice. But when Republicans rained on the Dem’s parade police had to arrest as many as possible, take them to jail and throw away the keys. One green goon suggested Iowa corn fields be converted to windmill farms that won’t produce during calm weather, or solar farms that won’t produce at night. Imagine enduring Iowa’s July and August weather without air conditioning when the temp and humidity hover in the high 90’s, also what are we going to eat, tofu, rice, and raw fish produced in non-unionized China wet sweatshops?
PS: Unity may return when Dem’s offer atonement for their incessant uncivil behavior, and promise to govern to the center rather than just for the aspiring Banana Republic leftists.

4 – from L, Jan 22: What an incredibly uplifting [Inauguration] day!!II

…. the Devil is finally gone .  Yet we know  his vestiges will live on… And we need realize that
So sad to say, no family support here. Just so sad. My [family members] supported that devil. I believe it’s all about the dollar, again, so sad to say. Not even discussable…
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5 – from JP, Jan 26: So…my thoughts on GOP and Dems and 2022 and 2024
The Republicans are going to have a purge or some type of reckoning. However mainstream media folks seem to think that the moderates/never trumpers/financials will purge the Trumpist/authoritarians from the party.  Personally I think it will be the opposite.
After 30 years of pandering to a narrowing demographic and outright engaging in blatant or mild racism and Christian nationalism….the base of the party is obviously Trumpist.
So the moderates need somewhere to go…do they set up a 3rd party?  Or does Trump set up his Patriot Party and essentially take 70-80 percent of the current GOP with him?
One way or another there has to be a home for that increment … which even with Stacey Abrams increasing diverse turnout… is really a major reason for victories in Georgia and Arizona. (and WI and MI).
This leads next to the Dems… they have their own problem… the progressive Left and the rest of the party.  If the progressive left is allowed to be ascendant, then those GOP moderates and independents may quickly go back to the other side in 2022, 2024.  So, strangely, it stands to reason that hopefully Schumer, etc. understand that [Sens] Manchin and Sinema (yes yes DINOs) have a place in the party.  If they have to run against a fractured GOP , they have chance to win.
So, I say as I said before, do what FDR and others did before, aa) deliver results for the hoi polloi,   bb) succeed with Covd-19  cc) co-opt the Left’s ideas and make them palatable to the middle.
An Example: Universal Health insurance. I saw someone say that it is in fact a capitalist friendly idea…because it enables workers to make upward mobility and advance to new jobs and companies and states without having to worry about insurance.  It also allows entrepreneurs (been there, done that) and small businesses to remove a huge cost and time efficiency consumer from their overhead.  Even big business would benefit from the lower overhead of HR costs……  the main losers are essentially the drug companies and the insurance companies…..and to some extent the big medical service corporations and medical device manufacturers…..that is the 30% $$$ that could be recaptured.
The kicker is making the benefit exceed the cost (new taxes)……
I see this similar problem in messaging with the new “Green Economy”…. by and large when I hear Dem strategists and progressives talk about it they talk about new jobs that will be created.  They sound a lot like the new jobs created in high tech.   And we know where that left the “hillbilly elegy” crowd in the Rust Belt and rural/small towns.  I aint against the Green Economy, but the pie in the sky bit gets a bit tired ……
Forward.
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6 – Jan. 30 from Annelee, who grew up and lived in what became Nazi Germany (1926 till 1947), and is now 94, and very troubled by recent events in her long time home in Minnesota.  Here is a letter received from her today, shared with her permission: Annelee Jan 30 2021
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POSTNOTE, comment from Dick:   Most of my career was in labor relations as a Union staff person in a collective bargaining and grievance processing position.
My experience taught me that dispute resolution always was superior to “win-lose”.  It was never perfect; indeed, a good agreement had positives and negatives for both sides.  But even strikes were temporary speed bumps.  Both sides learned from their shared experience.
So, I lobby for deep conversation and compromise always.
In the current division in our country I am not so sure that this will work.   As I mentioned to a friend on the opposing side recently, the Democrats seem to be a more inclusive group; the current “Republicans” (yes, RINO) have an exclusive view.  The distinction is “me” vs “we”; “mine vs ours”; “belief” vs “fact” and on and on.  I articulated my own philosophy on the parties August 1 and 2, 2020, “D’s” and “T’s”.
Succinctly, for many years, the now-T’s have incessantly played hardball, which has reaped what we all are now experiencing: bitterness and division.  Getting back to some equilibrium will probably have to take a hard-ball tack, rather than compromise.  I don’t like saying this, but this is how I see it.  Trump was an ugly teacher and his acolytes will carry on until stopped.
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COMMENTS:

response from Carol to K:

This is in response to K who sadly is oozing with hatred but then blames the Democrats for being haters…
I hated Trump and who he was before he ever won in 2016.  I knew I did not care for presidents who said a female interviewer had “blood coming out of her wherever,” or who bragged about the size of his genitals in a campaign debate.  But I, like many others, did try to give him a grace period.  After all, he assured us he was going to pivot to being “presidential.”  But of course, he hit the ground lying about his inauguration crowd – and never stopped lying.  (I also have a “thing” against being lied to.)
(And I remind K that a number of Republicans have stated that their party leaders, led by McConnell, met in 2008 and agreed to oppose literally everything that President Obama did – before he took office.)
My hatred and alarm only grew as Trump trashed our democratic norms, trashed our foreign alliances, and in fact trashed each and every person who didn’t worship him.  But it wasn’t until AFTER the November election that I fully realized he was either 1) totally evil, or 2) totally insane.  (I think I still haven’t really decided which.  Possibly both?)  I will never forgive him for what he did to me, and my country, over what was already a difficult holiday season because of “social distancing” and the like, with his nonstop tantrums over bogus election claims, recounts and lawsuits.
No, Democrats and the media did not “set the stage for the ensuing civil unrest.”  Trump set his own stage, piece by harmful piece.  Anybody who cannot see that he was totally responsible for the abhorrent Jan. 6th attack on our Capitol – well, they have no eyes.  Daily they are tracking down and arresting participants in that riot who say, “Well, our commander-in-chief TOLD us it was our duty to do it.”  I do think that he overplayed his hand, and only wanted violence in the streets that day so that he could call out “his” militia and hopefully overturn the election.  But this is what happens when you carefully groom and nurture a monster – sometimes they grow bigger than you planned.
Folks like K evidently blame all Democrats for anything one Democrat does or says.  “Deprogramming”?  Come on.  But then they hurry to let us know that they don’t personally support what happened in the Capitol…
Biden won the election fair and square.  Even kids in Little League learn to accept defeat without trying to destroy everything and everybody in their sight.
some factchecking:
“Remember the ‘peaceful’ transfer of power Trump received,” K asks.  Well, yes, in fact I do.  Obama I’m sure was sick at heart that Trump had been elected; however, he and his staff bent over backward to share information and help the incoming administration.  For the good of the country that he loved.  Trump’s administration?  Not so much.  For weeks they stonewalled, not even providing Biden’s team with what he needed during the transfer period.  And I’m pretty sure I saw Barack and Michelle there on Trump’s Inauguration Day, putting on a brave face.  For the good of the country.  (By the time of the Biden’s inauguration, Trump was probably golfing.)
“Trump built a wall at the southern border.”  Actually, no, he didn’t.  Apart from scheduled replacement of wall that was already up, they built a piddling amount.  “Biden built a fence around the Capital[sic] Building.”  Actually, no, the fence went up before Biden became president…
K says: “For several months Dem mayors and Governors let protestors riot, brutalize police, destroy, burn, and pillage many cities with impunity…”  I’m curious about that.  Could he/she please list those “many cities” that were pillaged for “several months”?  My son lives in South Minneapolis, and the unfortunate riots there after Floyd’s murder lasted three or four days before the National Guard and additional law enforcement that the mayor and governor called in had it under control.
Oh, and as far as “Made in China”?  Does K not know that Biden just decreed that government vehicles would be made in America?
Etc.
I don’t expect folks like K to ever attempt “unity.” Their buy-in on hatred and lies, unfortunately, is too strong.  Deep down they have to know Trump used them, but will never admit it.  I think it really is a cult.
If they refuse to even care about facts, they should not be surprised when they are disparaged by the other side.  Because if we no longer have a mutual respect for facts and the truth, our country is toast.

Haiti, et al

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We’re in the Age of Zoom (my apologies to competitors).  Even as a retiree with 21 years seniority, I have at least 3 Zoom events this week.  Two are listed below, and worth checking out..

  1.  Coffee Hour on Haiti, Sat Jan 30, 10 to noon CST.  All details here.
  2. Today, was a very stimulating full day brought to us by Global Minnesota, who said: “Global Minnesota’s International Day of Education Symposium. Today we tackled urgent questions about how we design the future of learning in a world now highly aware of both pandemics – Covid-19 and Climate Disruption. Thank you for tuning in. So much depends on us. We hope you left feeling inspired, informed and engaged. In the coming days, a full replay will be available on [Global Minnesota’s website].  Please note: the “full replay” is not yet available.  Simply check back every few days.  The entire agenda was very interesting, particularly for anyone interested in education policy and practice in these days of Covid-19.
  3. I am very willing to forward via this means notice of other virtual events which seem relevant.  Send adequate detail.

Impeachment (2)

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The U.S. House of Representatives formally delivered the article of impeachment to the U.S. Senate at about 7 p.m. this evening.  The Trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 8.  I will reserve this space for opinion, as this matter develops.

The originating blog post was Jan. 13, 2021.  Is is here.

UPDATE Jan. 26: Washington Post Editorial Board: “The Trump era’s predations are still emerging”

Commentary on Jan 25: Just Above Sunset “The Formalities” here.

 

Resurrection

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PRENOTE: Tomorrow, Monday Jan 25 is the International Day of Education Symposium, presented by UNESCO.  Details here (scroll down to first item).  I’m registered.

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Most every day I take an “abstract-random” drive, just to get out of the house for a bit.  It’s my Covid-19 daily therapy.  It works.

Yesterday, my spur-of-the moment drive was back to 27th at E. Lake St. in Minneapolis to see my place, where the Gandhi Mahal restaurant used to be.  Gandhi Mahal was one of the many victims after George Floyd’s murder Memorial Day 2020.

Here’s yesterday’s photo.  Gandhi Mahal, indeed the entire block on which it stood, is still a vacant hole in the ground.

site of Gandhi Mahal, Jan 23, 2021, about 3 p.m.

Today’s Minneapolis Sunday StarTribune had an intriguing headline on the bottom of page 1: “RIOT AID NOWHERE TO BE SEEN” about the aftermath of Memorial Day week in Minneapolis.  I read on to see if any mention was made of Gandhi Mahal and its owner, my friend, Ruhel Islam.  There was specific reference near the end of the article on page A10:

“Ruhel Islam said he is forking out $80,000 to clear away the site of his destroyed restaurant, Gandhi Mahal.  He said city officials have not offered to reimburse him any of those funds.

“Just make it easy for us,” Islam say.  “Don’t make so much process.  We’re dealing with so many things in our lives right now.”

[Steve] Poor [Minneapolis director of development services]. said he is not sure if any of those owners will receive assistance since they hired their own contractors.  He said city officials are still ironing out those details.

“We can’t just give people money,” Poor said, “It’s illegal.”

Personal opinion: all of these comments, by both Islam and Poor, make sense.  This process isn’t, and cannot, and will not be, easy.

Eight months later, almost to the day, Gandhi Mahal is still a hole in the ground; its entire block a vacant lot.  But it’s neighborhood, including Gandhi Mahal, is being resurrected.

Over the months I’ve heard most of the “yah, buts…”

But I’ll make some suggestions anyway:

I’ll be sending another $100 to Ruhel Islam, no strings, to assist as he rebuilds.  I invite your participation.  Send me a check or other non-cash method, in whatever amount, made/payable to  Ruhel Islam, and I’ll get your letter, unopened, to him, two weeks from now.  Send to Dick Bernard, PO Box 25384, Woodbury MN 55125.  On the envelope put “RI” or similar in the lower left corner.

If you’re in the south Minneapolis area stop in at his interim location, “Curry in a Hurry” at the corner of 31st and Franklin Ave.

Or, alternatively, do something similar for someone else similarly affected in these last eight months.

I was back to that corner this morning, to take a few more photos.  Resurrection is happening.  Recovery is more than simply a soundbite.  Find some way to get involved.

Ruhel and his many fellow victims will appreciate it.  .

27th Ave at E. Lake St Minneapolis Jan. 24, 2021.  Gandhi Mahal would have been at the near center left between the traffic light and the snow-covered pile of dirt.  Every building on that side of the street has now been demolished and removed.

Gandhi Mahal as it was Nov. 13, 2016.  This photo was taken in the meeting room area.  The restaurant was a popular community gathering place.

Jan. 24, 2021: New building under construction two blocks north of Gandhi Mahal near the now reopened Aldi’s.

Ruhel Islam with my friend and peace and justice advocate Lynn Elling Dec. 2, 2015. Lynn was nearing the end of his life, and Ruhel and singer Larry Long and I went down to the Nursing Home where Lynn was then resident. Ruhel brought lunch from Gandhi Mahal. Lynn died in February, 2016, and Ruhel was at the Memorial Service in May.

POSTNOTE: So, who did the mayhem in Minneapolis-St. Paul and other places, like Portland and Kenosha and on and on?  There were protests, but that is different than mayhem – burning buildings, breaking windows and on and on.  So, re the local versions of the U.S. Capitol assault of Jan. 6, 2021.

My opinion:  Other than those already arrested and identified by media, I have no idea, of the specifics, but you can believe that the culprits will be brought to justice, though it will be more months and perhaps even longer.

The violence was perfect for ThePastMan, who went on the “law and order” offensive – until the U.S. Capitol disaster occurred.

Be patient.

Last night we watched the strangely addictive 48-hours – which specializes in real-life whodunnits sometimes many years old.

Last nights laid out a 30 year old murder in a small town in Alabama.  It was a true cold case which happened in the days before things like DNA.  In this case, it was a lady who had first-hand knowledge of what happened (but was not involved in the case itself), who finally came forward and told a story nobody had heard earlier.   Perhaps it can be watched at the programs website.  The town was Ozark Alabama.  The key word is Beasley.

Those involved in the Capitol mayhem are learning quickly the possible consequences.  Minneapolis was the pioneer, and the element of surprise has slowed down justice.  Just wait.

COMMENTS (More at end of post):

from Rebecca: Dick: Thanks for writing about my neighborhood and our mutual friend Ruhel Islam. I have not yet ordered from Curry in a Hurry, but I will. And make a donation online.Scott and I love Ruhel, supported him through his expansion 2 blocks from our house, the disaster that destroyed his place and Migizi’s just as they were creating an every-expanding presence of hope and unity in Longfellow at 27th and E. Lake St. We hope  that he can stay in this area. He is a really hard-working, spiritual activist and people-person. I guess that he isn’t a saint or a perfect man, no one is, but many of us, like you and me, call him brother.

from Maria: Thank you Dick for your today’s reflections on ‘resurrection’ and photos. I have vivid and fond memories of our meetings with various peace and justice groups at the Gandhi Mahal, especially with members of the Advocates for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. I still contribute to them.

So moving the photo with Lynn Elling…
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from Jeff: interesting that two more guilty pleas for the police precinct arson shows both right wing and left wing radicals involved.

I tend to think people discount the ability of the mob mentality at night to embolden young males to do crazy things……less politics and more frenzy.
[Do] you know that Gandhi Mahal was attacked for sure by right wingers?
response from Dick:  to the preceding sentence, no, I don’t know.  As previously noted, however, the truth will out.  I do know that Ruhel Islam was well respected by the community, and made many civic contributions.  His restaurant would be a very unlikely target.
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from Dennis: Dick, thanks for sharing this update and interesting, important Resurrection story — much appreciated! I’m pleased to mail you a check in the morning.

 

We “…of…by…for….”

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PRENOTE: Monday Jan 25 is the International Day of Education Symposium, presented by UNESCO.  Details here (scroll down to first item).  I’m registered.

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Call to Action: The last phrase of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, Nov. 18, 1863, says it all: “…government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The supreme authority of this Democracy, our Republic, the United States of America, is articulated in the very first sentence of the Constitution of the U.S., “We, the people….”

We, the people, own the success, or the failure, of this complex system called the United States, and the planet of which we are only a small but very significant part.  This is truer now than it has ever been.  We will determine what we are, and what we will be.

What the future will be now is in the hands of my children’s generation (ages 40s and 50s).  There are big risks…and opportunities…in their near and more distant future.  We elders can advise them; but they will decide their fate, and that of their children.

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We have now seen the beginning of the 2021 New Year and the change in government in a way few of us have likely ever seen.  2021 reminds me of the late 1960s.

Monday, Jan. 25, basically begins the New Year of our U.S. government.  Of course, there have been actions of that government in the last few days, but for reasons we all had an opportunity to observe in real time, we are off to a particularly ragged start with multiple and very serious issues facing us.

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So, where do you stand as this New Year begins?  And how do you make sure your voice is heard by those who make decisions as your representative at the local, state and national level?

Do you know who has been elected to represent you at all levels, from local to national?  And do you know how to effectively reach them, all of them?   If you were in their shoes, how much would they appreciate your way of communication with them?  

Your “circles” are important too…the people you know, and who know you.

Write down their names and how to connect with them…and connect, if nothing more than a brief note to begin.  They will notice.

Sure, you’re only one, but you are one.

Identify a hero, somebody who you think has made a positive difference. Here are a few Gandhi quotations to start with.

You can’t impact on the system by yelling at the television; or saying to yourself that your opinion doesn’t matter anyway; or that those who surround you in various ways – family, etc. – are fools; or that your lawmaker must listen only to your opinion; or that the winner takes all, and the loser has no voice.

President Biden’s mantra “build back better” is not an idle phrase.

You..and me…and everyone…are a voice of one.  That is what a democracy is.  You are the future.

POSTNOTE: Just Above Sunset: Thinly Veiled Innuendo; George Conway in today”s Washington Post.

COMMENTS:

from Fred:  A friend sent a concise Washington Post review of our ex-prez.

“We didn’t need to go through all this. We really didn’t. The economy and stock market would have soared with or without Trump. In fact, it would have done even better without him. We didn’t need to lose 400,000 Americans to delay and denial. We could have collaborated and found early solutions. We could have built a much stronger country over the last four years by encouraging diversity and international cooperation and networking, rather than chaos, divisiveness and isolation, and we could have been working on climate change for four years, instead of wasting precious time. All this waste, all the squandered opportunities and possibilities simply to feed one man’s ego. It is lucky that America has such a superabundance of resources and benefit of geographical location that we can afford to be so reckless with our democracy. A lesser country would have gone under. Let’s never again take our democracy for granted.”
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response from Dick: when this disastrous four years began in 2017, the United States had less than 5% of the world’s population, and about 23% of the World’s wealth. Here’s the data: Wealth of UN Countries.  Quite certainly the disequity of wealth within the U.S. itself is now far worse than it was then, a result of major tax cuts which disproportionately benefited the already richest Americans; and the pandemic which has disproportionately impacted the least wealthy.

Inauguration

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The first event of Inauguration Day happened at about 5:30 p.m., a memorial to the now-400,000 Covid-19 deaths since last January.  There were 400 lights, each signifiying one-thousand deaths.  It was brief and very impressive.  A nurse sang “Amazing Grace” – her singing has gone viral.  Here’s tonight on YouTube.  Note the second song at the same space, sung at the same event.

TV Screen Shot Jan. 19, 2021

3:30 a.m. Jan. 20: This initial comment on soon-president Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris will be very brief.

They are the perfect team to lead this country at a time of incredible crisis in many areas.  There’s will be an extremely difficult job.  All presidents have extremely difficult jobs – impossible to please everyone – but Jan. 20, 2021, is near the top of any list I can imagine, including WWII.  But that’s a conversation for later.

I have liked Joe Biden since the beginning.  His strengths are just exactly what our country needs.  I’ve mentioned them before: he’ll change the tone of our country; he has far more relevant experience than most anyone who’s ever run for the office, local office, U.S. Senate, Vice-President.

His life experience has amplified his empathy for others.

His mantra will be, I think, helping the United States of America, which includes all states and all of us.

I don’t know as much about Kamala Harris, but the fact that Mr. Biden chose her has great meaning; and she is the first woman, to have ever held the office and for this and many other reasons everyone knows will bring a new and fresh perspective to governing this country.

The critical link, now, will be every single one of us.  To continue to be for, and not against.  As the sidewalk sign I saw at the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic said so well on April 8, 2020: “Smile.  We will get through this Together!”

Forward.

At entrance to Carver Park walking trail, Woodbury MN April 8, 2020.

POSTNOTE: Yesterday, I took the hour and 50 minutes to watch, on-line, the 2011 film “The Wave”, about a high school teacher who did an experiment with autocracy.  The film is German, subtitled, and is very powerful and appropriate, especially for today’s unrest in the U.S.  I rented it through Amazon for $3.99.  I think it is available at other places as well.  Tomorrow night a group of us will do an on-line conversation about it.  If you are interested, check the website for Global Solutions MN, and scroll down to Third Thursday films.  This is a continuing program and you are invited to participate from wherever you live.

POSTNOTE 2: One of the headlines in The Washington Post columns this morning says “Joe Biden’s fundamental challenge is to root out the domestic insurgency” by David Ignatius.  I agree, but only to the extent that the task really falls to each and every one of we citizens where we live.  We know these people in our own environments.

COMMENTS (more at end of post):

From Mary K: Smile, we will get through this. God Bless America  I will look for “The Wave”. Ciao.

from Fred: Nicely stated. I agree with your depiction of Joe Biden and, as the shadow from the last four years lifts, look hopefully to the future.

from Lydia: [See] link to April 1961 Speech by JFK on the press (you can read or listen to it). I immediately thought you’d find it of interest/inspiration.

from CNN’s “Reliable Sources” for Jan. 17, 2021: Remember how presidents used to speak?

With Biden about to take over, it’s a good day to read or re-read inaugural speeches, and other compelling addresses by past presidents. I re-read John F. Kennedy’s 1961 speech to newspaper publishers, which contains a lot of wisdom about democracy, national security, and the power of the press. Kennedy spoke of “our obligation” — both his and the news media’s — “to inform and alert the American people, to make certain that they possess all the facts that they need, and understand them as well — the perils, the prospects, the purposes of our program and the choices that we face.” Read or listen to the speech here…

Screen Shots: Jan 20, 2020, White House, Bidens

Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband. about to enter the Vice-Presidents office, Jan. 20, 2021

White House, Jan. 20, 2021

Martin Luther King Jr.

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Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day, the Third Monday in January.

MLK was born Jan. 15, 1929 and died by assassination Apr. 4, 1968, at the age of 39.

I remember where I was when I heard of his death.  I would guess you do, too.

This is a good day to reintroduce six lectures on racism given by six white professors from St. Thomas University, St. Paul, in February and March, 2020.  I think they are still accessible here.  Scroll down to “Featured Resources, Becoming Human….” for the brief descriptor and viewing information.

I saw the first three presentations in person In February at the Basilica of St. Mary.  The remaining three were the first cancellations due to Covid-19, but the professors elected to continue them on-line.

Have a great day.

NOTE: While at the Global Solutions website note some other events upcoming in the near future, and visit there once in awhile.

COMMENTS (more at end of post):

from Gail: Thanks, Dick.  I just listened to MLK’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech, and also the one he gave in Memphis the day he was assassinated.  “Democracy Now” airs them every year on MLK Day.  We should remember that his “Beyond Vietnam” speech was given a year to the day before he was assassinated.  I suspect that the date was selected to send a message that that’s what happens to prominent people who claim that “The United States is the biggest purveyor of violence in the world today.”  I am quite sure that if he were alive, King would make the same claim.

from Kristin: I subscribe to the “Anti-Racism Newsletter” (here) and yesterday’s message included audio, transcript and other links to several MLK’s speeches. I recommend subscribing!