A Tornado of Events

Flowers from The Backyard, 2020, Archival Digital Print

The tornado of events continues. The murder of George Floyd was the catalyst for this evil stew set a’bubbling by the gouging out of our institutions and the Trump Administration’s utter inability to handle Covid-19 as any First World Country would have been expected to do.  Most of the way things are now, our systems, justice, education, health, labor, banking, have been built from the very beginning on racial injustice and abuse.  Black People knew this, but Whites kept their heads averted.  Until that video.

This is a pivotal moment and we must all work for change and demand that we bring about fairness for all.  We must vote in November but more than that we must make each other and our representatives accountable. These systems must begin anew, no patches, no re-forms, just total change from the ground up.

I am especially grateful to all the students over the years who have enlightened me, raised my conscience, fed my awareness, engaged with me in the most thoughtful conversations, and been patient with my ignorance. Thank you.

 

The last storm and other things

Early Morning, The Last Storm of Winter, 2018, Archival Digital Print

We have passed it. The last storm of this winter came last night, wet, soggy and all its determination gone. Winter has given up and this is his last effort in the losing struggle.  My studio is safe and dry, the plumber came today and repaired the leak in the house and now the ceiling must dry before the contractor can repair.  All is well on the Homestead.  Even the Coyotes were more tuneful last night.

On the national front, it’s not so good.  We learn of the Secretary of State’s dismissal, this apparently done not by personal message but a tweet.  The shadow side of our national nature stares at us unblinking. No icing nor military music, nor parades will cover up the darkness that is lose on the land.  The Democrats are like the old Kaiser, desperate for power but too old and weak to take a lead in opposition.  They are no where these days.  Does anyone remember history?