Just got home from ten days of condo/cat sitting.
Coming home, I had so much stuff, rather than bike home loaded lopsided, I put my bike on the bus--all buses have a rack on front for bikes.
Feeling wobbly about the world?
"Look for the helpers," as Mr Rogers's mother said.
________________________
I. Stand in the Place...
Someone commented that they're glad they don't live here, what with the crazy police on the loose, crime on the rise, and all.
Yeah, it's wild, but I don't feel that way (that I don't want to live here).
I WANT to be in this city, which is my home...
I don't want to ignore the bad, sad, and scary things in my city, my country, the world;
I don't want to move somewhere calmer. (Well, maybe sometimes I do...)
I've never understood Americans of my class & race (relatively safe, that is) who've said they'd move to Canada or New Zealand if so-and-so got elected.
Unless you're in active danger yourself, don't you want to stay and help?
And also, while it can be scary and wearing here, sometimes (not that I'm in active danger, I hope, but there are a lotta guns & frayed nerves around)––not to sound like I'm cold blooded (I might wish I were...!)–– but it's pretty damn interesting. I've got ringside seats to History.
When I read too much political philosophy about the downfall of democracies, however, I do feel stunned, deer-in-the-headlights. It helps to remember to take heart from the helpers.
Keep 'er movin'! **
II. Cottagecore Revolutionary
One of my favorite helpers is Marcia Howard, one of the main helpers (organizers/leaders) at George Floyd Square.
She is brave. On her Instagram www.instagram.com/marciahoward38thstreet
she offsets the scary stuff with inspirational/educational stuff and... COTTAGE CORE!!! ("Nostalgic countryside scenes and peasant dresses with eyelet lace", like at the Renaissance Festival.)
OMG, so unexpected, it's hilarious... Like, Marxist Jane Austen frolicking in a frock.
Screencap of MH from one of her videos (her TikTok is here), from today's IG:
"Cottagecore", from Architectural Digest:
"While the activities and aesthetics that cottagecore embraces are wide-ranging and complex, covering everything from fashion to gardening, cooking to frolicking, so too are its origins.And from yesterday--Marcia Howard reporting on being pointed out by name by "mercenaries from CRG* with AMs" [automatic weapons] at a vigil for Winston Smith.
"It’s in part a reaction against capitalism and our increasing time spent in front of a screen, but also related to ongoing interests in wellness and sustainability, and more broadly the idea of social consciousness."
*CRG is a private security firm, like private cops who operate with few checks and balances--like how the army more and more hires private firms...
I know little about this, except it's happening--here's a blog post with an activist's POV on CRG.
III. Help the Helpers
I haven't tidied the George Floyd Square Community Library for a few weeks.
The city DID try to force the square open in early September, as expected--sent in bulldozers.
I'd gone away expecting it would end, but the people held it!
Put homemade barricades back up. The city doesn't push it--doesn't want a flare up.
I'm so proud of the people holding GFS, and a little ashamed that I'd gone away. I'd felt I couldn't stand the heartbreak of it...
(Well. I have my limits, but not being there wouldn't have made me feel better.)
Now I'm back home, I intend to start tending to the Community Library at the square again.
I want to be a helper too.
4 comments:
RIVER: Yes, I see--thanks for explaining further.
It IS scary and dangerous--there's a lot of lawlessness out there--car jackings and so forth...
The condo where I was cat sitting is for people 55 and up. For their newsletter, they interiewed residents--many said they are afraid to go out.
I feel a desire to be involved, but many don't.
I understand the fear, but I also think it's maybe a little sad because they could be helpful--and maybe they would feel energized by being involved... But maybe not!
Anyway, each to her own!
Glad Charlie Berens provided a laugh--we all need a little of that!
Helping the helpers.
That's good
STEVE: Well, the people I see living in front of the store (or now, two blocks away), dying from drugs and violence, are not abstractions and theories.
The police murdering three black men (George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Winston Smith) in my city in the past year is not an abstraction.
The vast majority wanting "peace and reasonable decision making" is not a helpful guide.
The Midwest Nice skit was right on! The WI bit is really the church beer crawl...but certainly that's been my Catholic experience too.
Reading the comments...Steve, the majority of people may want 'peace, love, and understanding' along with rational decision making but that's the abstraction theory: which has zippo to do with the way the world works and the places most people live in. Saying that is about as useful as saying you're going to wave a magic wand, or kiss a boo-boo and make it better. People's lives are broken and wishful, denial, thinking is not helpful.
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