Good news

I've broken my informal rule about no politics on the blog a few times and I'm going to break it again today. In the past, I've mentioned my friend, Spesh, and the work he does in Israel for "the cause." Those are his words and I know what he means but sometimes people ask, "What cause?" I'm never quite sure how to answer but usually I'll say "peace" and other times I'll say, "to end the occupation." I also think the answer is to end the oppression and disenfranchisement of the Palestinians.

The group that Spesh works with is called Anarchists Against the Wall. They work with Palestinian villages and engage in direct action against the wall being built by the Israeli government in the West Bank. A lot of this wall is already built and it furthers the social and economic isolation of the Palestinians.

Recently, they've won a high court decision to re-route part of the wall around the village of Bil'in:

A victory for the anarchists
By Meron Rapoport
Last Update: 07/09/2007 11:57

"I remember the moment I marched among a crowd of Palestinians," said one of the Israeli activists who participated in the ongoing demonstrations near the village of Bil'in, this week. Those demonstrations led to a High Court decision a few days ago ordering the rerouting of the separation fence near the village. "I served in the army, and my first instinct was to look for the signal operator and to check if we were marching properly spaced. The Palestinians shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' which is supposed to be the nightmare of every Israeli soldier, but I suddenly realized that I was with them, that they weren't my enemies."

Click here for the full story.

If this is an issue you care about, please take a look at the full story and the AAW website. If you care to donate, it would be much appreciated. If you want to debate, we can do that in the comments.

Thanks for your patience. I'll return to the regularly scheduled content tomorrow.

Grateful for: those working for the cause.

Porn!

Last week, I had occasion to take the metro to participate in a focus group about politics...a bit more on that later. I got on the train around 5:30 and it was crowded with a mix of confused tourists and annoyed workers. Some folks were going home, others to the airport and probably others, like me, were on their way to an appointment, either for business or pleasure.

I stood for most of the trip and moved to the middle of the car as soon as I had the opportunity. In my middle spot, I could read over the shoulders of at least four different people. Most were reading books or magazines, one read the newspaper, and one middle-aged man was reading an unbound document that looked like it might be a draft report. He was tall and holding the document right in front of his face, not down on his lap, so I had a clear view of it even though I was not standing directly behind him. In fact, the document was tilted slightly in the direction of his young, attractive, female seatmate.

The man himself was unremarkable. Your typical federal worker-- meaning button down shirt, tie, no jacket, lanyard with ID around his neck. He was a little rumpled but it was a long, hot Thursday, so everyone looked a little sweaty and untucked. As I glanced around the car, my eyes rested on his document and I read a few lines.

It sure wasn't the kind of report we get in my office.

After I read the first line, I looked around to see if anyone else had caught a glimpse of what was on the page. No one met my eyes or looked in his direction. Even his seatmate looked unperturbed and totally absorbed in her paperback book.

Was I crazy? I read another line.

Nope. Not crazy.

I was reading porn. Dirty, filthy…did you see the movie The Aristocrats ? Well, it was kind of like that, but no incest so far as I could tell.

I stopped reading. Did he know how easy it was for everyone in his near vicinity to see what he was reading? Had he no shame? What about that young woman sitting next to him? It was beyond rude. It was disturbing.

It occurred to me that he wanted the woman sitting next to him to read. Maybe this was how he got his kicks. However, he never glanced at her, or me, for that matter. So strange.

We actually got off the train at the same stop. I gave him another close look but there was nothing remarkable or disturbing in his appearance. I shook my head and wondered what he was thinking. I probably don't want to know.

---

At the focus group, something possibly even stranger occurred

In the opening round of questions we were asked if we'd picked a candidate for the 2008 elections. Several people raised their hands and explained who they were supporting and why. Some were for Hillary Clinton, one for John Edwards and one for Barak Obama. On the Republican side folks chose Mitt Romney, John McCain and, this is where it gets shocking, TWO people picked Fred Thompson . TWO. I thought that it wasn't possible to meet otherwise normal seeming people who would support Thompson. The best part is the woman who supported him because he was "an outsider" and not involved in all that "Washington muck." Um, hello, one-term Senator! Insider! Or maybe he's a Hollywood insider and that's ok? Or maybe they just like his Tennessee accent--I agree that it's appealing (seriously), but it's hardly a political platform.

Our group included the usual suspects who wanted programs without funding and seemed to think that the government was some alien entity over which they had no control. Fine, I've heard all that before. But Fred Thompson for president? That was a head scratcher.

While I'm sure all vote Democratic in the next election, I have a hard time picking between Clinton, Edwards and Obama. None of them have as much legislative/ government/administrative experience as I'd like. As little as I like them, Gore and Kerry are better in that respect. Policywise, it's a wash. They'll be very similar on social issues. It comes down to who will get us of Iraq fastest and with the least bad consequences and whose negotiation/communication style will be more effective in pressing a progressive agenda, including universal healthcare. I can’t imagine that what they say on the campaign trail will make that clearer, but anything is possible.

Grateful for: freedom of speech.

The good fight...or film

Many months ago, I had a discussion with Spesh about movies with good politics. A film's politics are primary to Spesh. I care but to a much lessor extent. A movie with a good plot, acting, writing and no message at all is fine with me. When I go to the movies, I want to be entertained. I don't want to work. The best films, even if they're serious and have good politics, make the work (aka "thinking") easy. But when I am not in the mood to think, I go see Wedding Crashers or Dude, Where's My Car? I can laugh and forget myself for a while. Spesh wouldn't be caught dead at either of those films, but I've willingly and happily seen both. 

While I see a lot of entertaining crap, Spesh and I mostly agree on what is good. We have similar tastes--in both low and high culture films--as evidenced by all the sub-par movies we couldn't stop watching on cable when I visited him in Israel.

We started to make a list of the best films with good politics. We came up with five:
Salt of the Earth
Matewan
Norma Rae
The Grapes of Wrath
Bullworth

I'd add:
The Battle of Algiers

I remember how we felt after seeing Bullworth. We (I think C-money was there too) were blown away by the sheer audacity of the picture--the outrageousness of old, white, Beatty rapping about socialized medicine. It was extraordinary. Spesh was ready to vote for Beatty for president right then.

I saw Norma Rae when I was 10, living in Knoxville, TN. It was screened on campus and despite the "adult" content, my parents took me. (That wasn't unusual--they often took me to films inappropriate for my age.) I'll always I remember how I felt the first time I saw it. How sad Norma Rae was and how exciting it was when she stood up in the mill and held her "UNION" sign. Even though I didn't really understand what it meant, it brought tears to my eyes. That film may have made me a life-long union supporter (or maybe it was my left-wing parents).

The Grapes of Wrath is a great, classic film. Its visual language is so compelling, the characters hardly need to speak. It's probably one of the best things Henry Fonda ever did.

Matewan is a good film. Unfortunately, like most of Sayles work, it could have been better if a little more attention was paid to the characters. He gets that right, for once, in Lone Star (which has good politics, but might not meet the Spesh test). Despite the important and interesting topics he covers--and his courage in filming them--his work always just misses the mark for me. Still, Matewan clearly belongs on the list.

I don't know if Spesh would agree with me about The Battle of Algiers, but it fits. It's a powerful and disturbing film. Given the current situation in Iraq--or any situation where there is "terrorism"--it's quite instructive. If you get a chance, do see it. You have to think, but it's worth it.

That's what we came up with, but I'm sure there are more...any suggestions?

Grateful for: movie thinking.

Drop me a line.

Every blogger's dream

Or nightmare.

Yesterday, for the first time, I was linked by the powerful and popular Wonkette. What an honor! Except they linked to the piece of frippery I wrote about today's anti-war protest.

I got two comments that took me to the woodshed for my supercilious ways. I am chagrined. I am on the defensive. I am a little disappointed in myself.

This is a blog about my personal journey. It's not about my politics or my activism.

It's tempting to list my resume of good works--volunteering, protesting, political organizing. It's even more tempting to roll out my unpopular ultra left-wing views. But it would be defensive--even more defensive than claiming such a resume exists. It wouldn't convince anyone and there will always be someone who could find fault. I could do more. And it's true that I'm not willing to sacrifice my day-to-day life for any cause, unlike my friend Spesh.

I told Spesh I was on the fence about going to the protest and he said, "you must go."

So I must. And I will.

Grateful for: my conscience.

Drop me a line.

Anti-War Rally

Did you know that a "massive anti-war rally" is planned for Saturday? I didn't until a couple of days ago. I had my entire weekend mapped out and now I have to go and add a protest to the mix? How wrong would it be to make yoga a higher priority than an anti-war rally?

I feel like a dope because I was fairly politically active while I was in grad school. I was totally out of the loop on this one. Since I've moved to DC, the degree to which I'm active is directly proportional to my contact with my friend Spesh. When he's in town, he keeps me involved. When he's not, I fall out of touch with the various movements. If I have friends who come to town for a protest, I join them. That's happened three or four times, but not recently.

When I contemplate going to a rally/march/protest/demo on my own, I balk. It's overwhelming. In fact, I don't think I've ever done it. I'm not sure I'll do it this weekend. But I do want to see a movie at the National Gallery and the rally is right there on the mall so maybe I can combine efforts. Maybe I'll stand there for a while and try to be counted.

I think rallies/protests/marches/demos are important. I hope this rally and others like it has the same effect such rallies had during Vietnam: making it clear to the pols who pay attention that the public wants the madness to end. It may turn out that I'll want to say I was there.

I know it's more important than yoga. I can take the early class at the "regular" studio and skip hot yoga on Saturday.

Grateful for: a sunny day.

Drop me a line.