The Court

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Overnight: “The Real Loss Now“.

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A letter writer, a health care worker, responding to Saturday’s post, “Ruthless Now”   lamented the instant national pivot to the Supreme Court issue at the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at the same time as we collectively seem to forget 200,000 Covid-19 deaths now reached in the United States, far and away the world leader in death from the disease.

We can’t pretend the two issues don’t exist, and we need to deal with both, at the same time.  Once again, Just Above Sunset, in “The Sum of Us”, effectively sums up the national uproar developing.  It is worth the time to read.

In addition:

Here is the history of confirmation of Supreme Court Justices of the United States, as recorded by the United States Senate.

Most any position you want to argue begins somewhere within this timeline of appointees to the Supreme Court.  (You’ll see the letters “V” and “C” fairly often.  “V” = Voice Vote; “C” = Confirmed.  In other words V/C represented a consensus confirmation in a U.S. Senate which has always been divided by party.  (Scroll to end of list for the glossary of what other letters mean.)

There are lots of things to talk about: the refusal to grant Obama Supreme Court nominee Marrick Garland even an introduction in early 2016 will come up, as it should.  There was and is rank hypocrisy, if anyone cares.

In conversation the Reid Rule, aka “nuclear option”, might be brought up.  Harry Reid was Democrat Senate Majority leader who changed the rules for confirmation of candidates for certain judgeships and Cabinet officers because of minority party obstruction.  This Ballotpedia article from early 2017 seems to give a fair reading to what and why led to Reids frustration….  For sure read the short background section.

Most likely Roosevelt’s bit concluded attempt to pack the Supreme Court’ in 1937 will be a ‘yah but’.  History.com provides a couple of articles about this initiative during the worst days of the Great Depression.  (Roosevelts idea never reached conclusion – it was not pursued.)

In my opinion, we are witness to a legitimate crisis which has been developing since before Harry Reid responded to obstruction by the other party on judicial appointment matters in 2013.

And on and on.  I don’t know what will happen.  I submit that nobody knows, not even the most powerful people in Washington.  This is time to take action, as an individual or as part of a group or a movement.  Get on the court.

Sunday, I took a time-out to revisit an old neighborhood I had last visited about 1970, featured in the Minneapolis paper on Saturday.  I’ll do a blog later about that delightful walking tour of two blocks of what once was called “22 1/2 Avenue”, but first, one photograph of a sign seen at one house there:

Minneapolis, September 20, 2020

Later in the day came an unexpected and delightful photo from a North Dakota neighbor of my Uncle and Aunt Vince and Edithe.

It’s text: “my RBG cup”

We are, as a country, again at the point of crisis, as we were when Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address in 1863.  It’s a good time to re-recite those few scribbled words, and apply them to today.

IMPORTANT POSTNOTE: About a year ago I was subject to a vicious and malicious hack attack of both e-mail and website.  The apparent point of origin was Ukraine.  Lately, there have been no indications of malicious mischief.  However, if any of my communications seem unusual for me, or even if they disappear, it is not my doing.  Just be aware of the possibility.

“Ruthless Now”

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Late yesterday afternoon I was driving down a street in our near neighborhood, and saw a vivid sight, inadequately captured by my camera in this snapshot:

Sep. 18, 2020

An hour or so later I first heard the news of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Overnight came my favorite commentary on national events, Just Above Sunset,  “Ruthless Now”, with commentaries  about Justice Ginsburg.  There will be a deserved and endless series of reports and analyses.

“Ruthless Now” is a very good place to get grounded. The “ball” is now in every one of our “Court”.  I invite comments…and action.  Some years ago, my friend, Kathy, sent me a little 2007 book picked up “at the Library sale.  It looked interesting.”  And especially pertinent now.
Here’s the cover.  Probably you can still find this little book on line….
COMMENTS:
from an old  friend: That Just Above Sunset article is a phenomenal article, just as RBG was a phenomenal person.  She had planned to retire in 2017 to have a replacement selected by the first women president, but that plan failed when the rug was pulled out from under it by the antiquated Electoral College and a suburban women’s voting block which might now be motivated to return to supporting Trump.  It would be ironic that losses in women’s rights would be associated with a block of women voters, while RBG was struggling so hard to make it through four more years to at least have a chance of being replaced by a decent centrist president with continued efforts towards women’s rights.  ??????  What more can be said? ??????

The Bus

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Sunday’s Opinion section had a very interesting commentary by Mike Miles.  More below in “The Bus”.

First: In Minnesota, absentee voting begins on Friday, Sep 18.  All details are at the website of the Minnesota Secretary of State.  For other states, The Washington Post provides what seems to be an excellent and easily used link, here.  I saw this in a most interesting commentary by Dana Milbank of the Post.  I never thought we’d reach this point of near chaos in our democracy.  We have, we’re the only solution, one person at a time.

ALSO, Friday begins the annual Twin Cities Nonviolent program (Minnesota).  All details are available here.   This is an important ten days dedicated to nonviolence in our lives.  Check the program and participate and share this information with others. This is a serious venture, of a global program on Nonviolence.

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The Bus: It was a real, and pleasant, surprise to see the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune feature opinion on Sunday: “Extremism is not what we believe, but how” by Mike Miles.  Here’s the pdf of the article: Mike Miles STrib Sep 13, 2020

Peaceful protestors have been taking an abundance of false cheap shots, lately, as if they are thugs, which they definitely are not.  I’ve known the movement since shortly after 9-11-01.

I think I met Mike Miles once, a brief time on August 29, 2008, here in Woodbury.  [Please note Mike’s comment at the end of this post.]  I would not have known that but for the comment, in his column, about driving a peace bus accompanying Kathy Kelly and peace activists who walked from Chicago to St. Paul with planned arrival to coincide with a big peace march coincident with the beginning of the 2008 Republican Convention in St. Paul – the one where John McCain was nominated for President by his party.  Oh, how time flies by….

Here’s a photo of the bus and the walkers on August 29, 2008, at Ojibway Park in Woodbury:

Peace Bus, Aug 29, 2008, Ojibway Park, Woodbury MN photo: Dick Bernard

The Peace bus in Woodbury August 29, 2008

The bus was a support vehicle.  The activists walked the entire route.  At the end, Kathy Kelly, spoke at the Peace Island Conference, sponsored and put together by the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers.  We competed with the GOP Convention a couple of miles away, the convention receiving most of the attention, but was an amazing conference, nonetheless.

Here’s a dialogue at the Woodbury Library with local residents the evening the bus arrived:

Group discussing the bus trip at Woodbury Public Library Aug 29, 2008

Here’s Kathy doing her talk at Peace Island:

Kathy Kelly at Peace Island Conference, St. Paul MN, Sep. 3, 2008

There remain seven weeks to election.  Get to work.

COMMENTS:

from Bill: Thanks Dick for the remembrance.  Back then David Harris and me and others joined Kathy’s group outside of of Red Wing and walked wither into town.  They spent the night in Red Wing where they helped us prepare for the VFP march on Sunday night on the march from the capital to the RNC.

On the walk into Red Wing I was stopped by a young man in a large pickup truck who motioned me  with my peace sign to approach him.  He said: “you are disrespecting my service to my country!  See the lanyard on my rear view mirror?”  I said “yes”.
He said “ I earned that by serving my country as a Marine in Iraq.”  I said “ thank you for your service but I am very sorry you worked for the wrong commander-in-chief.”
Peace
from Mike, the author of the column: I actually was not the driver for this. I spent 10 years doing the bus so I can’t always remember specific bus outings. Bill Hill was the driver at that time. The bus would not have made it to Minneapolis if I hadn’t gone to Chicago to oversee an emergency replacement of the transmission which broke the first day of the walk. In 2008 we were hosting a street medics training at Anathoth for the RNC protests. We were also working with the folks who were serving free meals to protestors. Eventually details come back. Mostly.

Fire.

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Postnote Sep 15, 2020:  Just Above Sunset “Only Science”.

from Greg Sep 15, seen in MinnPost: Megafires.

Davis Ca August 19, 2020 by John.

It’s a beautiful day here in the Twin Cities.  At mid-afternoon, the temp was 69.  bright sunshiny day.  I visited the historic Dowling Community Garden in south Minneapolis.  The scenery is typical near-fall flowers and foliage.  Summer is winding down.

When the Garden first appeared, in the heat of WWII, gardeners would be hard-pressed to even imagine the scene on the west coast, many savage wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington state.

These days, most all of us can easily stay up to date through many media, including personal.  For myself, I have a half dozen people in the three states each directly affected in one way or another.

Plus a year ago we AMTRAKed through much of Washington and Oregon and Northern California, so we saw the environment on the ground.  Two folks we dined with, from rural OR south of Portland, especially concern me.  Their farm is in the affected area.  We didn’t keep in touch with them, but we know where they live.

The west coast is not an abstract place to me, or to most of us.  We are not isolated as we might have been in long ago history.

We dismiss what is going on in the west, and in other places, at our peril.  The consequences are coming forward in bits and pieces – more severe weather: hurricanes, heat, etc.

We can argue that the science is not accurate; that all of this is just natural, that human behavior doesn’t impact all that much, and on and on.

Best we pay very close attention, and open our minds to the possibility that we may well be cause in the matter of the increasingly severe weather and change in climate patterns.

That’s all I’ll say about it.

Dowling Garden Minneapolis Sep 12, 2020.

Voting

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Today is 9-11, 19 years after 9-11-01.  I took a photo of the Twin Towers when they were just opening, at the end of June, 1972.

World Trade Center at the end of June, 1972 photo Dick Bernard from Statue of Liberty area

2,977 died on 9-11-01.  The death toll from Covid-19 so far is nearing 200,000 on this date.  At Shanksville memorial today the President noted “radical Islamist terrorists” and the “heroes” on the plane.  Earlier in the week the Presidents talk about other “losers” and “suckers” made headlines.  This mornings paper headlines this years terrorist attack: Russian hackers once again interfering with this years election, and the White House attempting to disappear this, or minimize it, blaming the Chinese and Iranians, and blocking full access to data by Congress to intelligence.  Yesterday news was of a whistle-blower about information control about who and how outside interference in the 2020 election is taking place.  Woodward’s book, and Peter Strzok’s…the Post Office fiasco.  The beat goes on and on.  Have we learned nothing in the past 19 years?

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Voting in Minnesota begins September 18, 2020.  Everything you need to know is here.

I reached voting age (then 21) in 1961 seven months after the election of John Kennedy as President of the United States.

All elections have consequences; in my own life as a voter, none more so than this year.  On my 2020 ballot, there will be 34 offices for which I can cast a ballot.  I plan to vote here at home, as soon as my absentee ballot is received.

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August 20, I wrote why I support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for President and Vice-President.

More than anything else, we need to change the Tone of our country.  Recovery will be exceedingly difficult: Biden, Harris and the Democrats are up to the task.  Last week on this screen I saw the three words that effectively speak about the needed change: “Empathy, Kindness, Humility”, the  essential qualities in a united nation.  The words preceded an on-line statements by seven people, six women, six persons of color, including Kamala Harris, MN Lieutenant Government Peggy Flanagan and U.S. Senator Tina Smith.  The topic was the 2020 school year.  It was a powerful hour, hosted by Democrat’s leaders at local, state and national levels.

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This is a stark year.

I can think of no election in which the American people face such a stark and crucial choice as this year: the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the crucial decennial year of the U.S.census, the year when the Republican Party has de facto become the Party of Trump, throughout the ballot, everywhere.  And on and on and on.

Back on June 13, I wrote on national politics to a friend:  “My one statement for this letter is this: in the last 62 years only in the last three have I felt totally excluded – and in 35 of these years a Republican was President.“   Politics has always been a rough game, but never like now.  We are in an unannounced Civil War.  Change is up to us.

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How I personally will vote is no secret; nor is the why.

This year I will vote by mail, as early as possible.  Normally, I’ve gone to vote on the day of the election.

As always, I try to cast a well-informed vote.  This is not difficult, but it does take time to be informed.

We contribute quite a lot to assorted political campaigns.  The most important thing any one of us can do is to network out our information to people in our own networks.

My incumbent state Senator is being challenged by the former mayor.  The Senator has become a state leader in her eight years in the State Senate (Minority Leader), and I’m impressed with how she’s done her job representing about 140,000 constituents in her diverse district.  Representing a diverse constituency is very hard work.  Obviously her Senate colleagues agree she knows the political process.  She gets my vote.  The challenger was a good mayor, to my knowledge, but she’s on the Trump side of the ticket…not a salable commodity to me, for certain.  I see her lawn signs cropping up, just emphasizing her first name – common tactic, which says nothing about her and what she stands for.

Down ballot races are as important to me as for President.  Many of the 34 positions on my ballot are for Judges of one sort or another.  There is a single contested race.  The Minnesota State Bar Association has a process where it’s members can weigh in on such.  You can read the poll result here.  You will note the poll shows 91% of respondents prefer the incumbent.  There is plenty of internet information about the challenger for anyone. wishing to ‘deep dive’.  The incumbent has my vote.

My towns city council has eight candidates for two positions on the city council.  One is incumbent; another incumbent is apparently not running again; a second candidate has impressed me with her energy and her qualifications.  I generally think my town is well run, and that is a strong motivator.

POSTNOTE: My plans are to have no further ‘political’ posts until the election.  I’ve said everything I can say.  I hope, in coming weeks, to do more retrospective things, largely based on a Covid-19 era project of looking through and classifying thousands of photographs taken over the years.  It has been an enlightening process, remembering assorted things from years ago.

A few days ago, Sep. 5, I did a blog, Road to Abilene. I said I’d watched only the first 40 minutes of the two hour talk.  Since then I’ve watched the entire workshop, and a good friend has offered a long comment to which I responded.  I really recommend taking the couple of hours to watch the entire workshop, which seems to have been presented to a military group in suburban Washington D.C. in 1981.  It is worth your time, in my opinion.

Late June, 1972, New York City. Photo by Dick Bernard

POSTNOTE: I planned this blog for Friday, but didn’t pay attention to the date, 9-11, till today.

I’ve noted, most, the dissonance with the continuing recognition of the tragedy of 9-11-01, as opposed to the relative disconnect with the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic in which we are now enmeshed, and the disastrous fires in the west, and so forth.

I won’t go into any detail other than sharing with you my own feelings about 9-11-01 at the time of 9-11-01.  You can read it here:9-11-01 Aftermath001and Post 9-11-01001 (click on each to enlarge).  There seems a dramatic difference in emphasis between today’s catastrophes in many areas, and today’s reverence for yesterday.

[in rereading the Post 9-11-01 memo, I note an item I did not forward, of, allegedly, Palestinians cheering the collapse of the Twin Towers.  At that time, 20 years ago, we were not yet besieged with misinformation – there was no such thing as YouTube or Facebook or Twitter – people were more trusting of sources.  Of course, I no longer have that source document, so I have no idea whether what I saw was correctly labeled, or where the photograph originated.  Lots of people look exactly like Palestinians, of course, including Israelis.  I am much more careful these days when nothing can be accepted at face value.  I always welcome fact-checking,]

POSTNOTE 2: 6 a.m. Sep 12: Overnight came Just Above Sunset, “The Chaos Agent” focusing on disinformation in the tragic fires in the western U.S.  It is worth your time.

Since the first reports of Minneapolis fires in the wake. of George Floyd’s death, I’ve had my suspicions about the perpetrators of the damage, and it has not been on the folks living in the affected neighborhoods, nor on Trumps favored invisible villain: “antifa”.

It will probably take a year or more, but the truth will out on who did what, when and where.  By then, it will be too late for the people who succumbed to rumors and fear and loathing.

As my writings right after 9-11-01 point out, our national response to 9-11-01 led to my becoming and remaining an activist.  19 years later we’re in the midst of an even greater disaster, aided and abetted by a President we freely elected, who is now shamelessly seeking reelection.

I repeat the too often used words: “caveat emptor”.  Let the buyers beware.

COMMENTS (More at end of this post):

from Jermitt: I appreciate your sharing of your reactions to the news regarding trump and the up-coming elections.  The latest disgusting information about trump should be a strong lesson for everyone.  Unfortunately, many people will dismiss it.    I’ve seen and used the Road to Abilene in some of my workshops.  It provides a lesson  for all of us.   Thank you.

from Kathy:  Glad you included link for voting info.  The environment is so easily confusing for folks…registered, not registered, can I check if my vote has been received?  etc.

I am an election judge and talking to everyone that will listen as to options to vote.

from DH: The person who used the terms “losers” and “suckers” was NOT Pres Trump.   The person who used the terms has admitted such but of course the media won’t publish the error.   It is a repeated tactic to place blame hoping some will believe the lies (reminds of the tactics that Jr High students use when caught).

I know where you stand and I am on the opposing side.   Have been Dem in the past but not any more.   I will vote for Capitalism which I believe is an issue on the ballot.   Biden is for Socialism / Communism as Obama said, “Biden and Bernie think the same.”    I will vote Absentee as an informed voter.   I have listened to both sides of the issues and agree with the Republicans.   Biden looks better on TV because they have factored in an old picture.   I do know that is possible — my friends in Canada have been photo manipulation for 40 yrs.

 

Reflecting on “Unions”

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Earlier this week, on Labor Day, we had one of our periodic Zoom family gatherings.  My sister asked me a question that was hard to answer on spur of the moment.  I took a stab at it with the below letter, which I sent the next day and in which you might have an interest or an opinion.

“Mary, your question about the guy who said he was a member of eight unions (or some such) caught me flat-footed.  I thought a lot about it this [Tuesday] morning on my walk.

Perhaps the confusion begins because the comment came on Labor Day, which celebrates Labor, and thus often incorporates unions of workers, like the AFL-CIO.  Of course, there are many other “Unions” which don’t have particular affection for organized labor.  Like, perhaps, the US Chamber of Commerce, or the National Association of Manufacturers and on and on and on.

I just looked up “Union” in my old unabridged dictionary – the paper version of 2129 pages.  The first definition (of 13) under “Union” is “1. A uniting or being united; combination; junction; fusion.”  (emphasis added)

The very first sentence of the United States Constitution talks about forming “…a more perfect union….”  The Charter of the United Nations doesn’t get as specific, but the intent is exactly the same.  You can read it online here.  

Of course, “united” is a difficult concept to practice, as is “union”, but the purpose for each union is exactly the same – a group of disparate people/philosophies attempting to cobble together a somewhat workable coalition.  As you know, I lived within the labor part of Union for many years.

I got to thinking of my own personal experience which I will try to define briefly.

At this moment in history I am affiliated with the following “unions”:

  1. On the Board of French-American Heritage Foundation (active member/leader)
  2. On the Board of Citizens for Global Solutions MN (active member/leader)
  3. Life Member of National Education Association (since late 1960s), Education Minnesota (since 2000).  As part of Education Minnesota, I think I am also a retired member of the Minnesota AFL-CIO.  I pay no dues to any of these, and other than perusing newsletters and absentee voting for officers, I’m not active.
  4. There are other affiliations as well: Homeowners Association since 2000 (which is a union as well); American Legion (since 1994); etc.

I could get creative and easily come up with at least eight unions I am currently a participating part of.

As you know, I’ve been more than a passive part of many assorted groups over the years, often as President (or like position); for 27 years Executive Director [we were called “field representatives”] representing usually 1000 or more teachers in locals of sizes varying from a dozen to over 1500 members.  Every one of them were very similar and very different, dependent on the personalities that made them up.  (There is no ‘cookie cutter’ union, trust me.)

Probably my most unique experience was as President of the teachers union staff union, the Professional Staff Association. which went on strike against the employer Minnesota Education Association in 1979 or so.  In that time period I represented my state in a new group called National Staff Organization which was comprised of probably more than 1,000 union staff around the U.S.  We were truly unique.  There was no central office, just an informal organization that had one conference a year, and had no particular dues that I can remember.  We were a head-scratching operation, to say the least, an organization of organizers which wasn’t sufficiently organized to attract any attention.  A mutual support group, shall I say.

My most recent experience, not always pleasant, was Trustee for [our uncle] before and after his death.  Before he died I represented what I believed were his interests.  The minute he died, all of his 32 or so designated heirs in a legal sense became my boss, which was not always a comfortable position to be in – not all heirs think alike – just like in a union local. 

I could go on at great length about this point of commonality within the family we share, but will pass on the opportunity.  Try not to pretend that you’ll live forever.  That’s my temporal advice as we participate in the last season of each of our lives.

Anyway, let’s start with that.

Our national and international “unions” of which we are all members – the U.S. and the World itself – are deeply stressed at this moment.  We’re all in different places and circumstances.  Be engaged.

POSTNOTE: After the George Floyd killing on May 25, I reflected on police unions, and there were several comments.  You can read that here.

I shared the above letter with a retired colleague union rep in Wisconsin, and he commented: Your definition of “union” is right on.   I have often used the same description, but you have taken it somewhat deeper.  The key is “Be engaged”.  Each of us has an opportunity to be engaged in one way or another.  Like you, I’ve been engaged in many different ways in many different organizations.  

The First Day of School

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Sep. 10, 2020, from The Washington Post, comments from readers on school opening.

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Sep 8, 2020: Today, students at the Middle School.  First time since March.

Not until the end of this week will anyone have any real notion of how many students will actually report in this time of Covid-19.  Similarly, only the future will tell which unusual bumps in the road there will be – Covid’s continuing impact on our lives.

I took the four-mile drive to the Middle School twice today, once about 8:30 and then another trip back about 1 p.m.  Neither trip did I even think of trying to touch base with my daughter, the schools Principal.  Anyone who has ever taught knows the dynamics of the first day; few of us can even comprehend how the Covid-19 Crisis makes Day One even harder.

The second trip a staff person was directing traffic at the entrance to the parking lot; there were school buses gathering; and traffic was being directed to the back of the school, apparently for 6th grade arrivals.  In the parking area were two signs, “7” and “8”, apparently for 7th and 8th grade, later.

My understanding is that today and tomorrow are orientation days for the 6th graders; Thursday the 7th and 8th graders make their appearance.  Everything was orderly.  I’m aware that today’s information may be outdated and superseded by tomorrow.  That’s how it is at this point in history.

The staff person and I chatted, but very briefly – his business was attending to parent traffic, probably some parents new to the school, as their oldest graduates to Middle School.

Years ago I was a junior high teacher, in the days when grades 7-9 were in junior high school.

Jumping from “Top of the Heap” in 5th grade, to “Bottom of the Barrel” in 6th grade is a major change in a youngsters life.  We all know this from our life experience.

I really applaud the apparent staged transition from elementary to middle school such as I was witnessing today.

There are lots of challenges ahead, no doubt.  But I think the faculty and staff are equal to the task at Oltman and the other schools now beginning.

I wish everyone well.

At some point I hope to be able to fill in the blanks about how it went today and this week and this month….

Oltman Middle School Sep. 3, 2020

Uncle Vincent’s Onions

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A friend in LaMoure County ND saw my recent post featuring Uncle Vincent’s mailbox, and in part replied:  “As a member of the LaMoure Farmers Market, I remember him bringing onions and a few other vegetables to the market to sell.”

This brought to mind a memory or two of Vince, who died five years ago, and was the last of the Busch’s who had occupied and worked the home farm since 1905.

The onion comment caused me to remember this photo I took  May 17, 2013.  

By this day, Vincent’s sister, Edithe, had been in the Nursing Home for some months.  Neither ever married, but really depended on each other.  Part of Vince – Edithe – was missing this May day in their garden, and his own condition was deteriorating rather rapidly;  A few months later his own destination was the same Nursing Home, down the hall from his sister.  She died a few months later.

Their garden space was almost an acre, less and less used as their circumstances changed.  It had once served a large family in a time when canning, rather than canned goods and frozen foods, was customary.  It was always a place to visit.  Sometimes a “crop” was spectacular flowers, specifically planted there.

Each winter, Vince and Edithe got the seed catalogs in the mail, and ordered some seed, planting it in the garden.  Some crops, like sweet corn, were prized by raccoons and deer.  Such crops dropped off the list.  The rhubarb and a couple of apple trees flourished on their own – no help needed.  The garden space was always too large, and each year less and less was planted.

One year, Vincent ordered some sweet onions, and he picked a winner.  We can attest, they were delicious.  They became an annual crop.  Apparently he set up a space at the Farmers Market and sold some of them in the summer.  His “brand” at the Farmers Market.

By the time of the photo, Vincents general health was failing quickly, so nothing had been planted in a timely manner.  It would be the first year of no garden.  But he was insistent on planting his sweet onions, probably knowing, deep down, that he wouldn’t be able to nurture or harvest them.  But planting them he did.

At Vincents funeral in Feb. 2015, a few of his farmer neighbors were sharing stories.  One of them remembered a time when he was over to help Vince with something or other.  They took a break and Vincent made a sandwich for his neighbor who, on taking a large bite, found it to be an onion sandwich – not quite what he expected.  But it was a sweet onion, and quite okay.

The group had a good laugh, and I wondered how Vince would have taken the good humor.  He was a quiet sort of fellow; on the other hand, I think at the end he would have been okay with the story, which the others found hilarious.

We all have our stories, and this one, on Labor Day, is dedicated to a farmer who loved his farm and his community.

He’s at peace, and the world is the better for Vincent Busch and the other Busch’s and Bernings having been part of it.

“The Road to Abilene”

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An idea for Labor Day weekend….

The week just passed, I was involved in three Zoom meetings.  Another is scheduled for Labor Day.  In my world, Zoom seems to have become the paradigm for the future.

Yesterday I got to thinking back to a film I had seen at some staff workshop way back in the 1980s.  I couldn’t remember the exact name, but it was about a road to somewhere, and a parable of how we humans get stuck in stupidity (my interpretation).

I kept thinking about the film, in the way I think about things, and finally, about 5 p.m., “Bingo”.  “The Road to Abilene” was resurrected.

I found several renditions on YouTube, not the film itself, but the one that seemed most pertinent was “The Abilene Paradox“, an actual two hour workshop in 1981 conducted by  Jerry Harvey, the PhD who’d coined the phrase.  “The Road to Abilene”, is based on a real family story.  Harvey was a professor at George Washington University, and most likely the venue for this talk was Washington D.C.  (If you have trouble accessing, at YouTube search “Abilene Paradox, Dr. Jerry Harvey, 1981”)

As I write, I’ve watched only the first 40 minutes, but I’ll do the entire two hours this weekend.  It is well worth the time.

At minimum, watch the first 20 minutes, and watch it in context with the world you inhabit today, right now.  You can frame it anyway you want, but watch it as if you were sitting in that auditorium today, in 2020, facing a national election in less than two months.  You will relate to it, I can assure you.

Have a good day.

POSTNOTE:  When I watched the actual film (on a 16mm reel to reel).   I was teacher union staff during particularly turbulent times in the teacher union movement.  It was half a lifetime ago for me.  I’m now 80.

This week, these were the Zoom calls:

Monday, helping a friend by watching him practice his very first Zoom talk, which he’ll present on Zoom next Monday night.  This first one was just he and I.

Wednesday, a one hour Zoom with seven people, from Vice-President candidate Kamala Harris, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, MN Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan to four grass roots folks: a lady who’s a parent; two MN state legislators, a child advocate in special education; and a Service Employees Union leader.  The topic was the 2020-21 school year in the age of Covid-19: safety, schedules, technology and child care (as I recall).  It had the usual imperfection anyone who’s zoomed has come to expect, and there’s only so much that can be done in 45 minutes.  This is new.  But it was very much worth the time, and I’m grateful I learned about it.

The session opened with the words: “Kindness, Empathy and Humility”, and the participants reflected these words.

Thursday, was a regular organization meeting of a group I’ve been part of for years, who’s had to put on the shelf in-person meetings for an indeterminate, and possibly permanent time.

At the Thursday meeting, one of the “youngsters” proposed that all of us watch a movie on-line on our special interest focus, and let the rest know within a week.  Abilene will be my choice, though on Thursday I had not even thought of the topic at the time.

POSTNOTE 2:  August, 2020 (see archive) was my “politics month”.

This month I’m going to endeavor to publish no more than one political theme per week, this being the first.  I would suggest the last two September posts, which were not posted until the end of the month are worth your time. (Trusting In Dishonest Times, 8/30, and School Opening, 8/31.)

Labor Day, I have a family recollection: Uncle Vincent’s Onions.

There won’t be regular reminders, but if you’re an off-and-on reader, something will likely motivate me to write a couple of times a week.  Just call up the archive by the current month.

We’re in troubled times.  Do your best (often, times of crisis bring out the best.)

COMMENTS (more at end of post.)

from Brian: Dick,  yes we saw that film at the Univ. of Houston in a management class.  I remember it well!

from Annelee: Annelee Woodstrom grew up in Adolf Hitler’s Germany and has lived in rural Minnesota for almost 75 years.  Her book, War Child, and two others, remain available and are excellent and from the heart primers on how life was for a young person who grew up in tyranny.  I comment at the end of her words:

Sep 5: “Dick, I am really pensive lately, when I think about our children , grand- and great-grandchildren’s future.
What are we leaving behind? Presently, the country is torn asunder, will we heal in time? I  have seen and lived much.
I am almost glad that I am nearing the end of my life. Today I thought of Uncle Pepp and what he told me in 1945.
  You find the article beginning on third paragraph, page 122, WAR CHILD
  If you read it, and want to add anything, feel free to do so.”
Earlier, Sep 5: “Dick,
I read your blog on the Road to Abilene, it got me thinking:
You know I live in a community of many Trump supporters. I feel we are somewhat ahead of 2018 because we state our differences when we discuss Trump vs. Biden.
However, we haven’t learned to listen to each other and try to reach a meeting point.
It is most evident when one looks at the demonstration that presently destroy our cities, and reach a point of no return.  [Dick: see my comments at end of this letter]
The “Black Lives Matter” organization  feels they have a cause and they must fight for it until they win.
If it takes destruction to make a point, so be it! We need to defund our police force, we need to have committees that select who protects us.
Surely these are valid points, but those actions at the demonstration have so far offered no resolution.
What I offer, let us speak not as Democrat or Republican, let us speak as human beings.
Surely, I am with BLACK LIVES MATTER. BUT I FEEL NOT JUST BLACK LIVES MATTER, ALL LIVES MATTER.
MY LIFE SHOULD MATTER AS MUCH AS YOURS.  WE ALL WERE CREATED BY GOD, OR YOU MAY SAY OUR MAKER—
DID HE MAKE ONE LIFE WORTH MORE THAN THE OTHER?  I DON’T THINK SO.
I offer my Uncle Pepp’s analysis of humanity:…….. (I just take some of his reflections, opinions that apply to our time
as well  as they did in 1945.
“We learn a lot in a lifetime, but no one in the world learns about keeping peace. every time there is a war, they say it is for
some cause and then it will bring peace forever. The human species is the dumbest species there is. For thousands of years they have fought, maimed and killed each other for one cause or another.”
Uncle Pepp’s eyes bored into mine, “ You think this war is the last war?  Anneliese, don’t mind my laughing. Someday you may have a son who will get his draft notice to fight in another war. Again, they’ll  promise you. ‘This is the last of all wars.’
On the other side there is a mother who will have to send her son for the same reason.  To stop war!
What we have not yet learned is the simple truth: Wars lay the seeds and breed another more horrible war than the ones before.”
Uncle Pepp came close to me,” maybe you will make it through this war.  You will if you are lucky and have say about it.”
He kissed me on the forehead , “Now go and do come back..”
It is hard to brlieve that was 75 years ago. 
I am thinking: how much have we learned since, and how much has changed?
At my count, America has been in five major wars, and smaller skirmishes.”
Dick in response Sep. 6:  Annelee, you and I have known each other for 17 years, and we’ve been to your town in northwest Minnesota quite a number of times.  I feel I know your community quite well – a county seat of 1,700 people surrounded by rich farmland.  As you know, your community would be strong “Trump country”, though as you also know, you and many (but not enough) will and have voted Democrat in the past, and will again.  .
I also know well the city, Minneapolis,  that was visited by violence in the wake of George Floyd’s death on May 25.  Where he died is a half mile from where your son worked for an entire career.  Your son knew and respected the character of this neighborhood far better than I could know directly.  He was there every day..
And, of course, you grew up in small town Germany from your birth till age 20.
There is, of course, a great disconnect between small town and city, geographic distance and all the rest.  I wonder how to make an equivalence that is understandable in your town.
Just for thought: imagine your towns business district, in both Minnesota and earlier in Germany.  Just visualize it.
Consider that on a late spring night the entire business district was attacked by some unknown people with many buildings destroyed and many more damaged.  Many people were masked. It is unknown to this day who the perpetrators actually were, though this is coming to be known in bits and pieces.  It does not appear to be the neighbors who live in the neighborhood.
Imagine further what I saw in this neighborhood from the day after the violence to this day.  None of the homes within the community – at least none to my knowledge – were touched by the violence.  These are the same people who depended on the businesses that were torched and vandalized.  These were ordinary working people such as live on your own street today.
The violence after May 25 was directed at businesses that served the community.  It makes absolutely no sense that the residents of those homes would destroy their own business district.
It would be like saying that your town was attacked by someone, and the businesses were destroyed, and none of your homes were touched by the violence.
It is just a thought: whoever did the violence after May 25 may well not have been even an active part of groups like Black Lives Matter.  These were others from elsewhere much more involved.
Just a thought.

School opening.

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“Where are you?”, I asked my daughter when she answered the phone on Sunday morning.  “At school.”  “I’m at Caribou.  Can I stop by for a couple of minutes?”  “Sure, but I’m busy.”

I dropped by and rendezvoused for a very short visit.  And for sure she was busy.  I borrowed one of her Grandpa’s many mantras “do your best”, and departed.

Joni is Middle School Principal of a large suburban Middle School four miles from where I type.  It’s essentially a brand new school – this is to be its third year, I think – and it has all the ‘bells and whistles’ of today’s technology.

It also has the dilemma shared by every school anywhere in the U.S. today.  The lurking possibility of Covid-19.

So…the previous time I talked to Joni, today was to be the first day of school, welcoming anybody who could get a ride from parents or other – no bus service, I gathered.  Possibly half of the students might come.

Sunday: no school yet today, at least for Middle School.  These are all higher level policy decisions: state recommendations, school board, etc.  And of course, if parents don’t allow their kids to go to school in the midst of a pandemic, there’s not a truant officer in the world that will be sent out to drag them into an environment they don’t feel is safe.

There is one constant in all of this, however.  In the 1960s I was an eighth grade teacher; in 1953-54 I was an eighth grade.  The species called “eighth grader” in 2020 is still about 14 years old, albeit armed with more technology and the like.

While there have been advances of all sorts, the kids are still the kids, though more packed into larger and fancier building than my mother attended in her eighth grade country school about 1921-22.

Since the school is so close, I’ll probably take a drive down there today, no stopping in.  It’s raining here today, so it would be an especially difficult day to start anyway.

I’ll just take a drive around the local area – there’s elementary and high school nearby – just to see what the parking lots look like.  And report back at this space a little later.

If you know a teacher, give them some love…they, their administrators, their colleague staff, and yes, their administrators, are going to need it, this year more than ever.

Joni’s “place called school” – Oltman Middle School, Sep 3, 2020