Liberty-- and the burp of a turtle

Webster’s Definition of LIBERTY

: the quality or state of being free: a : the power to do as one pleases b : freedom from physical restraint c : freedom from arbitrary or despotic control d : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges e : the power of choice

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Through electing our first African-American president, “we the people,” have been given the illusion of inclusion and participation in the political process. Instead "we" have become more oppressed by the rich white right, who have been controlling Washington since our country's inception. "We" are not considered or included in the decisions affecting our quality of life. Instead, the decisions are made by the money grabbing right, and the power of money ,sadly has become stronger than the power of "we".

"We", are not being heard. Our voices are being lost, swept under a tide of economic and political oppression that means "we" must work harder and longer-- for less. "We," as a result, are tired and downtrodden-- unable to find the time or energy to become part of the discussion. "We" are not heard.

A strong nation (or economy), cannot be built on the backs of others. The pressure becomes too great for the lowest rung of the totem pole, and the whole structure collapses. Instead, “WE” --the left, right, and everyone in between, must begin to work shoulder to shoulder and share our resources in order for our society to survive.

Quantum physics says that when you change the way you look at something, what you look at changes.

It is time to go back to the beginning, to look at and explore the true meaning of liberty—a meaning that is free of all the isms imposed on us by our forefathers. What "WE" truly need is, a paradigm shift that sees all of us as interconnected and valuable, inviting all of our voices to be heard. Creating a world where “WE” truly have a nation whose foundation is built on the guiding principle of liberty for all.

Yertle the Turttle - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FFfbSWbLWw&feature=related

poem about race

This was inspired by LaDon, Coutrni, and our class discussion about growing up in Mart.

Segregated.

Separated.

The color of our skin determines where we fit in.

I see you, can you see me?

If so, then together we can find a way to be free.

Political statement of the day/ or shall I say decade.

Ageism/ Driving Miss Lula

My dear friend Lula, she is a 95-year-old African-American woman, who has lived in the same house in East Austin for over 50 years. Lula is an amazing human being, and I am honored to have her insight, wisdom, humor, and friendship as part of my life. Wednesday after class I had a date with Lula, to go to the DPS office to renew her driver's license. I thought it was funny that the date was on the same day we were talking about ageism :-) Lula lives alone and her closest relatives are in the Houston area, and since her daughter passed away about 10 years ago, I have assumed many roles that her daughter once played.

Lula did not need to renew her license until December 10, and it would've worked so much better for me to wait until after classes were over, but she was so anxious about being denied her drivers license. So, I bit the bullet and just went ahead and did it whenever it would work best for her. I know that she is nervous about not being able to take care of herself, and dislikes having to rely on people to take care of her. Having her license allows her to drive three blocks to her church and about a mile to the closest grocery store.

Lula does have two other friends who are retired who often take her to the grocery, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and to Goodwill. I suggested several times that one of those ladies take her to the DPS office. She just kept saying "No. Carol, I'd rather you take me". when I asked her why, she said that the other two women kept telling her that she wouldn't be able to get her license again... I was shocked because one is in her early 60s and the other one is almost 70 and they are extremely active and independent women.

I just couldn't fathom why they would say those things, because not only is upsetting to Lula, but like it or not they are in the same category of "elderly". I'm pretty sure as long as they are physically and cognitively able they will want to remain independent and drive themselves. When she told me what they said, I completely understood why she did not want them to go with her. It also encouraged me to clear a few hours from my schedule, because I wanted to help Ms. Lula prove them wrong.

Lula was so happy and empowered when we walked out of the DPS office, with her drivers license renewed. While we were there, I also asked questions about how and when people are denied their license due to aging, in the hopes that it will help alleviate her anxiety in the future.

I hope that over the next two years Lula's health will remain the same, and we will celebrate her 97th birthday-- by taking another trip to the DPS office.

Ageism

I must be honest, last week when I saw in the syllabus we would be discussing ageism-- I assumed that meant we would be discussing issues surrounding the elderly. It did not occur to me that young people were oppressed by adults, until I heard people discussing it just last Saturday. And, as I look back on my own childhood, I know that I was expected to be a young adult-- and like other only children I know, except for school, most of my interactions were with adults.

Over the weekend I attended the New Politics Forum at the LBJ School. One of the lecturers spoke about the five main misconceptions about today's youth, they are;

1) Millennial’s are disengaged-- not true many are concerned about social justice issues

Examples: Hollaback.com, catchfire.com, and the Awesome Foundation.

2) Millennial’s prefer virtual connection to human connection-- not true, but social networking is embraced

3) Millennial’s are lazy—I’ll just use you guys as an example I wouldn't call any of you lazy

4) Millennial’s are predictable-- my personal experience says this is not true and I'm sure yours reflect that as well, I personally feel that we are under a paradigm shift in how can you predict that? Who Will be leading the way? You will.

5) Millennial’s are motivated by money-- this is an old paradigm baby boomer idea, and I see that shifting even in my own generation, and in a new paradigm-- shift values change.

I actually found a link to the article the speaker had quoted, if you want to read more: http://theyounggunsblog.com/2011/08/26/5-misconceptions-on-todays-youth/

The Power of Words

This short film illustrates the power of words to radically change your message and your effect upon the world.

I found it to be poignant and powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgi0t2ap-us

2 mins. to change your perspective

enjoy the shift ;)

Coutrni Boozer

I love that you have found such a powerful role model in Assata, I relate with your obsession. She is a trail blazer and is showing you that more is possible. I hope that your life is a succession of such discoveries ;) It has been a while since I've had a role model... but, have found a few this year, and it has been inspirational.

I am Able!

--Back when we were talking about classism there was an article on page 179 about financial aid policy issues for students with disabilities, and I feel like it speaks to the misconception surrounding people with disabilities (PWD) abusing the system. If you didn’t read it, it is a quickie.

Disability quotes :

1)"The most striking fact about the disabled population is that it is the most inclusive. I will never be black, and I will never be a woman, but I could become disabled on the drive home tonight."
- George Will

2) Play write Neil Marcus (A PWD) once said: “DISABILITY IS NOT A 'BRAVE STRUGGLE' OR ‘COURAGE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY’. DISABILITY IS AN ART. IT’S AN INGENIOUS WAY TO LIVE.”

3) "I decided after 41 years of battling this curse that attacks children of all ages (Muscular Dystorphy), I would put myself in that chair, that steel imprisonment that long has been deemed the dystrophic child's plight. . . . I realize my life is half, so I must learn to do things halfway. I just have to learn to try to be good at being half a person."
From "What if I had Muscular Dystrophy?" Parade magazine, Sept. 2, 1990

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This is my response to Jerry Lewis, written after becoming a PWD and hearing the quote again this past summer. You may want to listen to this song cuz it’s mentioned: Gloria Gaynor I will Survive http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBR2G-iI3-I

I remember watching the in the MDA telethon when I was about eight years old. I was moved to tears by Gloria Gaynor singing I will survive while a montage of poor little crippled kids flashed across the TV screen. I was so moved and motivated to make a difference that I decorated a coffee can and dumped all my piggy bank savings into it and hit the streets.

I knocked on my neighbor's doors asking for donations, asked my mom to take me to the grocery store where I pan-handled in the parking lot and I even asked motorists for donations at the red light for the entrance of my subdivision. I ended up collecting somewhere around $500, and I had my mother drive me to the local affiliate television station broadcasting the telethon to drop off the money I collected. I remember being interviewed by a recognizable TV news anchor (who I greatly admired and wanted to grow up to be), and I remember being patted on the head and told that I was an inspiration.

That was a proud moment for me because I knew that I could make a difference in someone's life who was far less fortunate than me. But, I always wondered why I felt so empty and hollow as I poured the contents of my coffee can into a giant barrel of money that other people had collected. The more I read about and talked to other people with disabilities about telethons and how they impact the way our culture sees disability, I'm transported back to that moment when I poured all of my hope for a better tomorrow in the form of pennies, nickels, and dimes into a patronizing pit of pity.

As an adult it's very clear to me how the language that Jerry Lewis uses to elicit a response in the able-bodied population, could have a negative impact on the lives of the people he attempts to help. Back when I collected the money I was an able-bodied eight year old and aside from the disappointment of having a pat on the head for a job well done from someone I looked up to I didn't think much about it until almost 20 years later when I was diagnosed with RA. I could not get the images of those poor little crippled kids out of my mind, and I will survive was on a constant loop in my head. Along with the idea that Jerry had planted, that from then on I would be half a person living half a life. Because I could also hear Jerry’s voice saying “I just have to learn to try to be good at being half a person."

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Great resource by Mom of child with disab. http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/

Love Rolls On: Disability and Marriage- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lQX_irgy7A

Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project -http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/projects/artistsdis/

Ron White - Homophobic

I LOVE this joke... and our discussion about homophobia made me think of it.

It's a bit naughty, so be warned.

http://comedians.jokes.com/ron-white/videos/ron-white---homosexuality

augustine monroe

Augustine,

I realized this morning that I've never visited your blog, and enjoyed reading all of your entries-- especially the cookie monster photo. I enjoyed your perspective, and the fact that this week you brought Steve Jobs into the realm of Social Justice. I agree that in order to be a creative genius, you need to have a certain understanding of people, but I often think about Apple products as status symbols that delineate class.

I would be interested to hear her thoughts about this, if you want to share.

Transgender Revolution

I loved reading about the Compton Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco back in 1966. I thought the first riot of the gay rights movement was the Stonewall riot in New York that happened in the summer of 1969. Reading about the riot sparked by police clashing with transgendered individuals of course made me think about the Occupied Movement and what's going on in Oakland. Susan Stryker points out that riots don't happen in a bubble, the Compton riots were spurred by discrimination in housing and employment among other injustices-- which is reminiscent of the 99%.

Great Documentary from PBS: Stonewall Uprising--- watch the trailer http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/trailer/stonewall-trailer/

Christine Jorgensen is a name that I've heard for a long time; however I had never been inspired to Google her until reading about transgender oppression in our text (links below). One of my great friends is a documentary filmmaker Kerthy Fix ,who lives in New York, she has been working on a film about Christine for years-- and I have a performance art friend named Paul who named his raunchy alter ego performance persona CHRISTEENE (link below) in Jorgensen's honor. After reading and researching more about Jorgensen I understand why she is such a hero of my friends, she's a trailblazer who pushed against cultural boundaries that still have not been broken. .. and I have to say she's now a hero of mine to.

Christine Jorgensen on Joe Pyne 1966 or 1967

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyh8BxPxtnw&feature=related

Christine Jorgensen - Hour Magazine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlGUeF1Bg0&feature=related

The Reluctant Transgender Role Model—Chaz Bono

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/fashion/08CHAZ.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=fashion

"Worlds Youngest Transsexual" Kim Petras on "This Morning"- 16 yrs old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDJXR1wXofA&feature=related

WARNING!!! Not for everyone… Naughty words and lovely Raunchiness from CHRISTEEN. If you want to witness the wacky raunch for yourself, type in CHRISTEEN for Music videos on Funny or Die: Titles include: “Fix my D**k”, and “Tears from My P**sy”. http://www.funnyordie.com/

Of course the essay, “Calling All Restroom Revolutionaries!” rocked my world and I loved their acronym PISSAR!!! I didn't realize that was already a movement (pardon the pun), but I constantly prop the doors open to the restrooms in the School of Social Work, because as a woman with a disability (who is much less disabled now than I used to be) I know how frigg’en difficult those doors are open. As the chairperson of the Disability Visibility Initiative, I am working on getting automatic door openers installed, but UT is a bureaucracy and it will take a while.. so help meet with the revolution and keep the doors open. You can be a restroom revolutionary too! Do your part to help make the restrooms in the School of Social Work more accessible to your fellow students with disabilities. It's simple—PLEASE, any time you see the restroom doors closed just take a moment and prop them open, I guarantee you will make a difference in someone's day. Take it from someone who knows, not being able to open the bathroom door is a real PISSAR J