Saturday, March 13, 2004
THERE MUST BE A PLACE AT THE TABLE FOR EVERYONE. That is not the actual agenda of Democratic Party centrist faux-liberalism, but it is the essence of the Christian Liberal point-of-view (It's not radical theology, see Sojourners) - Against capital punishment. Against imperialism. Against exploitative capitalism in all forms large & small. For a human right to shelter, food, clothing, health care, education. & for these to be administered compassionately & impartially at the most local level possible. Rahway, by the way, followed many other Union County towns in passing off welfare services to the County. I opposed this, even as a cost-cutting move, as counter-productive, because a community ought to keep account of it's own poor. I would at least like to see caseworkers from Social Services schedule regular hours in the city halls of all Union County towns so that clients do not have to travel to Elizabeth or Plainfield (often using gas guzzling jitneys as free taxis) for Family First & other crucial benefits. Mount Laurel affordable housing has to be built where it is needed, in cities like Rahway, Woodbridge & Linden, & not farmed out, scattered & ghetto-ized in monstrous, impersonal suburban apartment complexes where people must own cars & travel long distances to jobs.
Usually, I react to political party apologists, the nozzle-noses or the jackasses, with bemusement. But I've looked over the edge of the abyss once too often, & I know who pulled me back, & why. A couple of weeks ago I slapped down a "bugger-the-needy conservative" Republican acquaintance who mistook empathy with his personal problems for agreement with the conclusions he's drawn from them. I suggest that overly-pragmatic "liberals are your only friends" Democrats also begin showing some discretion &/or creative thought in what they say to me. Because my poet vocation demands that I perform two duties: Pointing to the sacred presence, even when nobody knows what I'm doing* - the "mystical mode." & calling Established Authority to repentence & reform, even at risk of being scorned or exiled**- the "prophetic mode." For some years now a large daily dosage of Zoloft suppressed a desire to perform these duties, & other unfortunate situations distracted me from them. I did not, I hope, break the faith.
*Paraphrase from Williams Carlos Williams
**Immumerable poets from Isaiah to Ginsberg
By the end of 2004 I will be doing some kind of useful work; pay off or down some manageable debts; be putting a few bucks in the bank every month (I'm quite capable of frugality, yes); pedaling a reliable bike; giving more volunteer time to WFMU (Think of WFMU as non-profit club, not a charity); & assembling a book (already in-progress). I hope to make a long overdue visit an old friend in West Virginia & gaze upon the Ohio River (the California journey has to wait), & do something special for a special friend in Indiana, without whose unexpected generosity I would have become homeless in Rahway, for real. & most middle class people cannot imagine the reality of being homeless, so far it is from their realm of experience. The antidote to this is to talk to homeless people - talk to lots of them, especially those who live in cardboard boxes in one's own community.
We begin by taking a stand on what we believe, not on what we believe is possible.
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"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
Usually, I react to political party apologists, the nozzle-noses or the jackasses, with bemusement. But I've looked over the edge of the abyss once too often, & I know who pulled me back, & why. A couple of weeks ago I slapped down a "bugger-the-needy conservative" Republican acquaintance who mistook empathy with his personal problems for agreement with the conclusions he's drawn from them. I suggest that overly-pragmatic "liberals are your only friends" Democrats also begin showing some discretion &/or creative thought in what they say to me. Because my poet vocation demands that I perform two duties: Pointing to the sacred presence, even when nobody knows what I'm doing* - the "mystical mode." & calling Established Authority to repentence & reform, even at risk of being scorned or exiled**- the "prophetic mode." For some years now a large daily dosage of Zoloft suppressed a desire to perform these duties, & other unfortunate situations distracted me from them. I did not, I hope, break the faith.
*Paraphrase from Williams Carlos Williams
**Immumerable poets from Isaiah to Ginsberg
By the end of 2004 I will be doing some kind of useful work; pay off or down some manageable debts; be putting a few bucks in the bank every month (I'm quite capable of frugality, yes); pedaling a reliable bike; giving more volunteer time to WFMU (Think of WFMU as non-profit club, not a charity); & assembling a book (already in-progress). I hope to make a long overdue visit an old friend in West Virginia & gaze upon the Ohio River (the California journey has to wait), & do something special for a special friend in Indiana, without whose unexpected generosity I would have become homeless in Rahway, for real. & most middle class people cannot imagine the reality of being homeless, so far it is from their realm of experience. The antidote to this is to talk to homeless people - talk to lots of them, especially those who live in cardboard boxes in one's own community.
We begin by taking a stand on what we believe, not on what we believe is possible.
Add YOUR comments here
