‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
Democracy and the Wizard of Oz
RAISE YOUR VOICE By PETER MOLENAAR A few blocks east of Cedar on Riverside Avenue is the People's Center where, at age 70, I received the Moderna Vaccine. Given that my father died of COVID-19 at age 99, I look forward to voting in seven more presidential elections. Right? Looking back, at age 20, I was actually fit enough to assist in voter registration in Carthage, Mississippi. Mrs. Hudson was our guardian while the three of us faced down a comparable gathering of hostile young men. Subsequently, for fear of a lynch mob, we wisely deflected a deployment of flirtatious southern belles. Then, at age 32, I would tour the Soviet Union in the midst of electoral activity. To facilitate the voting process, everyone there had the day off with pay! Fast forward to this country... major sections of the working class remain captivated by Trumpism, and are imprisoned by racist thinking. Do you remember the Wizard of Oz and the associated cast of [...]
CCC: Applause, Applause
Raise Your Voice By PETER MOLENAAR Yes, yes, yes”¦! In response to decades of popular mass action and the concerted effort of such stalwarts as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, President Biden has signed an executive order to create a Civilian Climate Corps. This CCC, reminiscent of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the Great Depression, will train and employ (hopefully) millions of people in environmental careers. The restoration of public lands, parks, and waters”¦ storm water management systems, solar panel installations, toxic waste clean up, and urban garden development is foreseen. Hey, with this new impetus, will the East Phillips Urban Farm proposal advance to transform the Roof Depot building? Better believe it! Cautionary note: “Small government”™ voices and associated militias will denounce this New Deal as “socialist tyranny.” Again from the local front: Our Powderhorn headquartered Land Stewardship [...]
Path of the Lemming
Raise Your Voice By PETER MOLENAAR Gardeners in the Phillips Community are probably familiar with the vole. Like all rodents, voles are highly intelligent within their own realm. However, within the span of a day, one of them might take down every red beet sprout. “Oh”, they smile sheepishly, “I couldn”™t help it”, before scurrying back to the hole. Sadly, compassionate gardeners are compelled to purchase traps. I purchased mine from Welna Hardware. Living low in the northern tundra is a species of vole called the lemming. Lemmings are famous for their periodic mass “suicides”. Are there bigots in our neighborhood? Actually, I did meet one once. The poor white man was ranting about a display of Native regalia at the American Indian Center, and was disdainfully whining about similar expressions in Africa. Hey, I have a Sudanese immigrant friend who celebrates his traditional regalia in a series of smart phone [...]
