Nevertheless, this has still been a meditative time for me. I've turned inward a lot this month, and I feel like I'm preparing for a lot of changes--some that I'm initiating, and some that are hurtling my way
Category: politics and culture
a capitol transformed
The Capitol has been occupied by peaceful protestors 24/7 for a couple of weeks now. I know many people who have chosen to sleep over at the Capitol as part of the occupation effort. The Capitol has always been open to the public, and people routinely cut through the Capitol to get from one side of the Square to the other. But I've never seen it look like this before...
battleground Wisconsin, Madison’ Capitol Square ground zero
Last week, I found myself constantly checking the news on my Android phone to keep up with the latest developments with the revolution in Egypt. This week, I've found myself constantly checking the news on my Android phone to keep up with the latest developments here in Madison.
when dealt a hand from a stacked deck of cards, do you keep playing hoping you’ll win anyway?
Many of my friends worry about how the Tea Party can be held at bay. As for me, though, I wonder whether participating in political activism is akin to drilling for oil while the dinosaurs are still alive and roaming the earth.
proof that God works in mysterious ways has now been captured on video
And Autotuned!
co-op member, humble thyself
So, as I sat at the dinner table by myself eating my dinner, I really found myself comparing the moment I was in with the efforts my friend's Eritrean community was making on behalf of a bereaved family. In my more cynical moments, I found myself thinking that maybe the best efforts that white Americans could muster in such a situation would be to form a committee.
a dream–and a monty python skit–shine lights on my feelings about religion
A few of us quickly eluded our pursuers and found a temporary safe haven in the temple's kitchen. We looked out the back window of the kitchen and could see see other members of our group being carried out by police. They were passively resisting arrest by going limp, remaining cross-legged and smiling, making it necessary for two cops to carry each group member by the shoulders.
the finer points of Islam and a joke about a person’s anatomy
As I write this, there are now 145,000 people on Facebook who have said that they will participate in this event.
the dj set from the other night…and a defense of hip-hop
But it's also true that a lot of people have a visceral reaction to hip-hop, particularly here in Madison, and I feel like I need to say something about that. As for the people who left the comments at the Barefoot Boogie, I don't know what the basis of their objection is. But a lot of people view hip-hop as a negative force in our society--as if all of it celebrated misogyny, violence, gang life, and the like.
it was twenty years ago today–an anniversary of ‘Global Walk’ proportions
It was twenty years ago today that over a hundred people from all over the country travelled to L.A. via bus and airplane (and perhaps even thumb) and gathered together in a large field behind a church in Simi Valley, CA. The purpose was to convene and prepare themselves for the Global Walk for A Livable World.