‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
The Red Word
By Peter Molenaar The good news is: My left hip joint is, at long last, scheduled to be replaced. However, the day the Washington “Redskins” came to town, I was in some serious pain after laboring eight hours behind the grinding wheel. To make matters worse, it was a cold day and evidently the barometric pressure was low. But, neighbors, the indigenous core of our community had issued a call to protest. Happily, my resolve to participate prevailed over the forces of inertia. When I arrived a tad late, the crowd had already formed outside the Ancient Traders Market. The scent of burning sage united our spirits as the combined radiance of flesh dispersed the cold. There was no pain felt by being there. Clyde”'s voice was amplified. “Warrior Woman” Betty McCollum declared that hate speech has no place in this country. Six-Pro-Bowls (Joey Browner) invoked his indigenous aspect while commending the sentience of Native youth. Our new Mayor Betsy Hodges [...]
Who Should We Vote For?
By Peter Molenaar For the fun of it, I”'d like readers to take a Wikipedia adventure. Start with the 17th century philosopher named Baruch Spinoza. Follow the links. A history of philosophy and theology will be revealed. For entertainment, this course almost competes with post season baseball. Trust me. As it happened, owing to his contemplative prescience, our good Spinoza found matter and mind to be of one and the same substance. He was then a ”˜monist”' as opposed to a mind-body ”˜dualist”'. In his view, God and nature are pantheistically synonymous. However, in my view: 1.) ”˜Matter”' is all that exists independent of and outside of consciousness 2.) Matter is primary, i.e., consciousness is a product of the evolution of matter 3.) Matter is ”˜dialectical”', i.e., matter exists in motion as a unity of opposing forces. 4.) The content of consciousness is a more or less “approximate reflection” of objective [...]
By the Way
By Peter Molenaar Just recently, while traveling north on Cedar Avenue, this writer was forced to slam his brakes near the tangled intersection known for its Taco Bell. A long-haired youth had stepped abruptly in front from the parallel traffic which had stalled for his benefit. My horn refrained, yet the youth approached with a finger on display. Note: Eventually, I did travel east on Riverside Avenue to pay a bill at an orthopedics clinic. Then, en route home, a stop at the Community Peace Garden was in order. (This oasis appears just west of Cedar and adjacent to east-bound Highway 94.) While watering a plot, to my astonishment, “Long Haired Youth” again approached, this time clutching one stolen luscious red heirloom tomato! Flight was not an option. Yet the hose kept running, flat upon the ground, as I presumed to block his path””at which point mutual recognition occurred. He kept coming. (more…)
