Silence is Power

Societal shifts happen explosively and expressively, in an instant, sometimes taking everyone by surprise with the suddenness of the collective togetherness of an event, such is the Occupy Movement.

This has morphed beyond the limited borders of left-right politics, despite the more "leftist" leaning concerns for our societal responsibility for our fellow man, perhaps we have all realized that the 99% has much more in common than the 1% has spend centuries making us believe we did not.

The universal outrage at the university police at UC Davis pepper spraying sitting students sent many of us into protective mode and expressing our anger at them for hurting children.  This movement is about the young people, it is their future that the 1%, the Wall Streeters, squandered for the thrill of yet another dollar that they can not possibly spend in a lifetime.  When is enough ever enough that the protect the moneyed-classes, even the 99% would turn on the 99%, waiting on the cops, the university police to realize that they have more in common with the protestors than the steel and granite they are trying to "protect."

I've kept up with the Occupy Movement, even lecturing on the management implications of it with my students, and I have been applauding.  I may not agree with all of the people there and their particular issue, but I do agree with all of our rights to be able to peacefully protest what is such a grievance, how can the moneyed classes think that this vast ocean between the haves and have-nots can continue in silence?  We have seen what we have known all along, they do not care, they would like it to go back to the ownership classes where they owned people for their profits, where one group truly was enslaved for the benefit of another.

This movement will not end without change that benefits the majority.  Too many people, intelligent, talented, eager people are wanting to contribute to society but being blocked because those with the means have moved the opportunity to another country.  It is not even about just that if they, the moneyed classes, were being fair, they are not, they are not helping the people in the other countries, they are exploiting, like Shell Oil in Nigeria, they are not benefiting the people overseas who make the Gap jeans!

It is a wave, a moment, that affects us all, I, at forty-seven, am so proud of the young people, it is their future, their voice, and we must listen.  They are enacting their rights, the rights my generation and the ones before me fought for them to have, the rights to have a promise, a hope, a future, the pursuit of happiness.

The students at UC Davis sat in silence as the Chancellor walked to her car, a walk of shame for her, a walk of power for the students, they realized that sometimes the right thing to do is be quiet, collectively, and let it be seen how wrong the powers have been.

In this silence, there is power.

To Sick To Write

I looked at my sons and remembered when they were younger, when I was super busy and would have welcomed help with them, and then remembered why I kept them close to me...Sandusky and men like him.

My sons were never sent off to be in football camps or other activities where I wasn't allowed to go.  I protected them with my life and my soul.  Every decision I have made for the last thirty years has been for my children.

It is why this business with Penn State and Sandusky et al, and the national obsession with organized sports has me sick at what happened to these young boys.

I wanted to beat the then GA who witnessed a grown man raping, sodomizing, an eight year old in the locker room!  What part of pull the naked man off the boy, grab the naked boy, run out to the car, put the child in the car, race to the hospital while calling 911 for the police, was too hard for him?  I do not understand the coverup.

Then for the kids at Penn State to flood the streets in droves to protest the firing of "JoePa" because of this scandal is beyond me.  They should have been protesting because young boys, economically deprived boys who were promised opportunity by this supposed "charity" that is more of a "pimping" station, were robbed of their innocence, this is what they should have been protesting.

I couldn't write about this for a week, the first news report that described what the graduate assistant saw left me sick to my stomach, I didn't want to read the rest of the "graphic" charges because it would have made me angrier.

There should be a national outrage, all of the university officials involved should be ashamed.  The judge who gave Sandusky a slap-on-the-wrist, easy-out, no-bail, pass should be impeached or whatever they do with judges.

Then to find that the prosecutor tried to bring charges or was going to bring charges but has been missing for years, why isn't all of State College PA upset over this?  Or is the coverup because of the money involved in college sports?  The supposed legend of Joe Paterno and the Penn State football program?  Young boys sacrificed for the 1%, because, yes, Sandusky and his rich buddies, pedophiles, were and are wealthy.

I want to take my girls, my teenage son, and get away from the sickness that is America right now.  What happened to this country?

Remembering My Angel

November 1st, not my most favorite day of the year, neither is October 31st.

29 years ago, right now, in fact, my beloved angel breathed his last breath.  He was here just a short time, his life meant everything to me and I will always cherish my short seven months.  His essence is why I am mothering still, to honor his presence and that his life had meaning.

I remember my angel today, mama loves you, Cory!