Category: People

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People Political

We lost a good one

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife and daughter and three staff members and two pilots died in a plane crash today.

Their deaths are horribly tragic and my sympathies go out to their families and friends. But in these times, the loss is made doubly worse when you realize Senator Wellstone was one of few senators that opposed the resolution that gave President Bush what amounts to war powers:

Anti-war activists were conducting a three-day sit-in at his St. Paul office, even as his Republican challenger was pummeling him as wobbly on national security. For Sen. Paul D. Wellstone (D-Minn.), the Iraq war resolution before Congress presented a lose-lose proposition likely to anger voters he needs in his tight reelection bid.

But to Wellstone there was never really much of a choice.

The 58-year-old professor-turned-senator had built a political career on standing by his convictions, which included a decided preference for international cooperation and diplomacy over war. He was not about to abandon them now, he said on a recent morning, as he put the finishing touches on a speech he was about to deliver opposing the resolution that would authorize President Bush to use force against Iraq, with or without a United Nations mandate.

“Just putting it in self-interest terms, how would I have had the enthusiasm and the fight if I had actually cast a vote I didn’t believe in?” he asked. “I couldn’t do that.”

This man was a good one, and will be missed. As a person and as a senator.

From a purely political perspective, this tragedy puts the Democratic control of the Senate at risk. If the Republicans win control of the Senate, and they maintain control of the House, Bush will have unfettered access to as much power as he wants, to use as he wants. It will be next to impossible to control him and his cabinet at this point.

Serious, serious times.

Categories
People Political

Bali/Australian help

In addition to donations to help Chris’ friend, Rick, you can also help the Australian victims of the Bali explosions by donating to the Australian Red Cross. This same money will also be used to help with recovery efforts in Bali itself.

I know there was an issue with the Red Cross in regards to their handling of monies for the WTC victims in this country, primarily because the Red Cross uses whatever money isn’t needed for the aid of the victims for future disasters. This isn’t stealing from those in need and giving to the rich — this is smart fiscal management. And as you can see in the Australian Red Cross page, they very carefully note that any unused monies go to help in future disasters.

And, unfortunately, the money will most likely be needed in the future. Our world is changing.

Categories
Connecting People

Slow waking from a nightmare

Chris’ weblog has become a clearing house for information about his friend, Rick who was seriously hurt in the Bali explosion. As people who knew Rick leave comments, the person who Chris knows becomes someone we know. He’s isn’t faceless. There is no insulation from the pain and the horror of the Bali blast through emotionless news broadcasts, and political speeches.

Our sorrow and our grief for the families of those impacted by this act against humanity transcends old, stale borders of “warblogger” and “peace blogger”, and when I read Meryl and Dawn I am reminded that we all ultimately want the same thing in the end: peace.

Jonathon wrote today:

I can hardly bear to watch TV. Every time I switch on a television news or current affairs program, I cry.

And I read that, and I wanted to cry again.

Now is not the time to talk of war and revenge and anger and hatred. Now is the time to grieve and sorrow and hold each other and give each other comfort. Next week is next week, and we’ll go our politically separate ways, again.

But for today, today, it’s time to grieve.

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People

Morning ritual

I love to get up early in the morning and sit at my desk and watch the morning ritual unfold. From my window on the second floor I can see the entire neighborhood, watch the people go about their lives.

Every morning, between 8 and 8:30, an elderly couple take their morning walk, he in the same lightweight gray suit, she in layers of bright colorful wrappings; he in the lead, she always walking at least four feet back. Always crossing the road in the exact same spot, never speaking.

He wore a hat at first but lately has been going bare headed. She would hold her outer robe between her teeth to hide her lower face, but lately she’s allowed her face to show, though her head is always covered — bright pink and green. Perhaps its my imagination, but it seems as if the distance between them is growing less, ever so slightly, by inches.

Yesterday, I was astonished when at the corner, he turned around and spoke to his wife. At that moment, they were almost side by side. As if aware of this unseemly display of public affection, they widened the distance between themselves, and she adjusted the covering on her head to make sure no hair was showing.

I wonder if he’ll be wearing a hat again today?

Categories
People

When friendships fade

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Loves come and go, but a friendship should last forever. Well, so the story goes, but we know that in reality, this doesn’t happen.

Over time people change and friends grow apart and the connectivity you once shared with a friend fades away — daily calls giving way to weekly giving way to monthly and eventually being replaced by an occasional note.

Even in this threaded void, connectivity waxes and wanes like myriad new moons; except in this universe, the moons are free to pull up their orbit and move about. And let me tell you, this plays havoc with the tides.

Loss is a part of life, including the loss of a friendship, but still, there’s a tiny little hole in your life that used to be named Friend. No matter how rich your life is, no matter the number of new people you meet, that hole doesn’t go away.