‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
“Real Americans Vote” Who are the real Americans?
I saw a yard sign in the Seward Neighborhood, it said, “Real Americans Vote” ”“ no, that is not correct, most real Americans do not vote, most Native Americans do not vote, and they are the “real Americans”. When I tell people I have not voted in over five years, and I”'m proud of it””they are disgusted, shocked, but if I was not a middle-aged white guy, but a Native man, they of course would be much more respectful and understanding of my desire to not participate””now why is that? For anyone to assume that I should participate based on my skin color is arrogant and racist. Minnesota is 98% white, it”'s a white thing, and I get sucked into it and am expected to do certain things because I am white ”“ and when I don”'t, it is like I”'m turning my back to my own kind. Here is the white belief, this place is about us, for us, owned by us, ours to govern, ours to sell, created for us, ours to manage [...]
Malala Lives
By Peter Molenaar Is it possible that the spirit of a fourteen-year-old Pakistani girl has touched all of us? Malala Yousafzai faced down death for her cause. Eventually, a Taliban bullet did crease her skull and traverse her face. At the time, even this “non-believer” closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Stop burning down our schools, let us learn, we are human beings”, say the teenaged girls who now defiantly conduct their vigils. They stand openly against Taliban law and its violent enforcement. “Silence is no longer an option”, they tell us. Constitutional reminder (USA): “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”¦”. ”˜Separation of church and state”˜ is derived from this clause. Meanwhile the local archbishop appears as a leading opponent of same-sex marriage. We respond - do keep your own flock in order as [...]
Paradise Island
By Peter Molenaar While referring to the “Vulture Capitalism” associated with the career of Mr. Mitt Romney, the friendly capitalist, Mr. Warren Buffet said: “There is a real difference between investing and building a company that makes something or provides a service that adds value to the economy, and a barbarian-at-the-gate-style enterprise that loots and strips, making millions for its executives by ripping holes in the economic fabric”. So, come the election, it appears we will decide which sector of capital prevails. Meanwhile”¦ Locally, our Senator Jeff Hayden and Representatives Karen Clark and Susan Allen are spearheading the “Vote No Campaign”. They ask that we uphold the rights of all committed couples and stand up for the democratic rights of the electorate. Vote no on the anti-Marriage Amendment. Vote no on the Photo ID /Voter Restriction Amendment. As it happened, I took an assignment to door knock in the Hawthorne [...]
