‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
Consequences
by Peter Molenaar Hopefully, a good many visited “Dances with Wolves” as seen again on public television. Certainly, it stands as one of the most beautiful and edifying of films”¦ “Your life is like a pebble dropped into a sea creating ripples endlessly”¦you do not know the end of a thought, action or word.”””attributed to White Eagle. In the aftermath of Tucson, there occurred a simultaneous prayer. I too bowed my head. We sought to limit the swelling of Congresswoman Giffords”' brain. My ancestors were agricultural pioneers in Kandiyohi County to the west. They arrived two decades after the Dakota War of 1862 to settle the left-over spots. Like good Dutch people, they drained the land. (more…)
What Democracy Looks Like
by Peter Molenaar From the November/December issue of “Teamster” magazine: Did you know that more than 750 Teamster women recently marched through downtown Minneapolis, coloring the city in a sea of pink and black rally signs? The chant “We”'re Teamsters! We fight! We fight for workers”' rights!” was amplified by sky-scraper acoustics. The refrain “Workers ”˜Yes”', Wall Street ”˜No”'” echoed”¦ The photo-journalist who covered the 2010 Teamsters Women”'s Conference depicted the event with a multi-racial/multi-national collage. One beaming face was adorned by the Muslim hajib. Message: no order of prejudicial exclusion is to be tolerated by our union movement. Did you know that some 600 Teamsters National Black Caucus members recently walked gallantly through the streets of Washington, D.C.? “Civil rights and workers”' rights go hand-in hand” was the theme. The 47th anniversary [...]
Two Faces
By Peter Molenaar I must be loosing it. Damn rabbit ears”¦maybe this way”¦no, nothing. What is up with this new thin screen HD television? No more political attack ads? Arrghh. Seriously, many of these ads have the effect of splashing acid on the opponent”'s face. An ugly caricature is created. T.P.- G.O.P. types appear to be more proficient in the art. The series of ads produced by Mark Dayton”'s people were more positive. They included visual-bites of an industrial scenario set at Smith Foundry (located in East Phillips). My co-workers are now dubbed “movie-stars” by the Teamsters Union! (more…)
