This is first of two essays in which I discuss the way forward for both Republican and Democratic Parties. Part 1. Recently one of my readers suggested that I discuss what I think both major parties should do to address racism and other problems facing the US. I’m not sure that is quite the right... Continue Reading →
Blog
Another Little Art Blast: Some Mythological Beings and Motifs
This is a series of ceramic pieces that I recently posted on Facebook. #1. Raven (Raku Candle-holder) Since I recently posted the Salmon, it seems appropriate to follow with another icon of Pacific Northwest Native Mythology—Raven. I am lucky to have my favorite meditation spot directly under the flight path of our local ravens. I... Continue Reading →
Vote! A Final Plea for Sanity and Liberty
Since 2015, I have often written to warn about the dangers inherent in a Trump Presidency. I will not repeat all my previous arguments here today. We are past that. Some people have criticized Democrats like me for being against Trump so fiercely and so early. In my case, the reason for that was simple:... Continue Reading →
Some Essential Readings on the Palestinian/ Israeli Conflict: A resource and suggested reading list (Part 1)
The Dispossessed, Bisque ceramic In the last month, Gaza has been under almost daily air attacks launched from Israel. It used to be about rockets—now it started with balloons. Hardly an existential threat. The almost meaningless Netanyahu “Peace Deal” with the UAE hardly changes things, yet Netanyahu has claimed it as an excuse to finally,... Continue Reading →
Palestine and the 2020 election: Strategy for Advocates of Palestinian Human Rights
(Artwork: BDS: Justice through Solidarity) As the 2020 election approaches, advocates of Palestinian rights have a seemingly difficult decision. On closer examination however, I think our course should be pretty clear. On one hand there is Trump, whose Middle East policy in general, and with Palestine in particular, has been an atrocious “outsourcing” of US... Continue Reading →
Some Thoughts on Empathy and Imagination and a Poem for Palestine (Testing Day)
(Artwork: A Child's Nightmares in Gaza) We are in a time when we are charged with the task of resisting racism and injustice of all kinds. Before we can do that effectively, we need to better understand what it feels like to be over-policed, discriminated against, subjected to humiliation, and deprived of basic rights and... Continue Reading →
A Clear and Present Danger
We still tend to think that election day is November 3rd. Actually, the voting will begin in little over a month and a half. It is time to take stock of the Trump presidency. By almost every important measure, we are far worse off than we were four years ago. Obama left the country in... Continue Reading →
The Mask Project: Art as Political Satire
The Monkey Mask (#1) Masks are on everyone's mind these days. I thought I would post a series of mask design ideas from my old ceramic days. I think these could be transferred to fabric patterns and printed. Since Trump has made monkey's out of the whole country, I thought I'd start with this. (and... Continue Reading →
Essential Readings from the Literature of the Muslim World: A Personal List
I recently posted these short book and author recommendations on Facebook. My reasoning was pretty simple: though we are now obsessed with the coronavirus and the re-emerging recognition of how pervasive racial injustice and inequality still is in America, it is only a few short years ago that we were obsessed with a quite different... Continue Reading →
If (a poem)
This Poem is dedicated to all people everywhere who work for a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world. It is about persistence in the cause of seemingly forlorn hopes, seemingly quixotic quests, and seemly lost causes. Stay true! Don’t give up the ship! Carry on! And if the world isn't roundMere noise at the rootInstead... Continue Reading →
