Restoring Sanity on the Washington Mall November 1, 2010
Posted by makingyourdashcount in intolerance, legislation, Ohio Politics, politics, Thoughts.Tags: 2010 election, Coffee, Comedy Central, Fear, FOX, Jon Stewart, Keep Fear Alive, MSNBC, NPR, Politics, Rally to restore Sanity, Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, Sanity, Stephen Colbert, Tea Party, Washington, Washington D.C.
add a comment
“No problem, I am trying to quit, anyway.” That response after a woman in line politely asked the man in front of her to put out a cigarette was indicative of the experience at Comedy Central’s Rally for Sanity and/or Fear. Young and old, probably more liberal than conservative, but as Jon Stewart pointed out “all with disposable income,” gathered on Washington’s Mall this weekend to… well, gather. We crammed onto the morning’s first metro train to get to the mall early enough to get a decent spot. No problem. We will get coffee and food once we get there. (Mistake)
Metaphoric sardines in a too small can, we got a great spot, in the second public section, by the Museum of the American Indian. The draw to DC to stop the bickering and shouting and have some intelligent civil conversation was a strong one for many. Although the “official” estimate of the crowd was 215,000, the Washington Post reported
(DC) Metro officials said a new Saturday ridership record was set, with 825,437 trips taken. The average number of trips taken on a Saturday is about 350,000.
Hanging around the stage the day before, workers said that they planned for 150,000. The permit was for 60,000, however the streets leading to the rally were filled with people who never got in, because there were just too many people. Gathered. For reasonableness.
I really did not have any expectations of this rally. I knew it would be fun and entertaining; it was Comedy Central. It was not political, although there were smatterings of anti-teaparty and anti-CNN/MSNBC/FOX/ and even NPR news signs. Peoples’ presence seemed to say,
We want our elected leaders to talk to each other to figure out solutions to our problems. There is middle ground on all issues; can’t we just find them? And not yell?
Perhaps the root cause of this frustration is that we think we are electing leaders. However to get reelected the politicians have to pander to groups who will financially support their next campaigns. To get re-elected politicians have to demonize their opponents because our society has become black and white with no one willing to commit to shades of grey until they are in their final term of office. Governance requires listening, consideration and compromise : all of which are missing from American politics. Discussion means tuning out the 24 hours news talking heads and their name calling.
The signs seen at the rally seemed to reflect the desire to look past the emotional rhetoric, discuss facts and then work together to draw conclusions and make decisions.
Someone asked me how this rally compared to a rally that I attended in 2004 on the mall that was decidedly political. My answer? That one was empowering, it showed me the amplification of one voice when joined in harmony with others. This rally? It was reassuring. I know that I can now sleep better tonight knowing that I stood with thousands of others for dialogue, that I am not the only one whose head feels ready to explode in this era of acerbic commentary and rash generalizations. At the very least, it let me escape the cavalcade of meanness masquerading as politics until I vote on Tuesday.
As Jon Stewart mused,
If you amplify everything, no one hears anything.
It’s time for America to open her ears.
Postscript:
- Comedy Central: next time plan for more people. AND, instant coffee?? What were you thinking? Ugh.
- There were lots of Ohioans there. Wonder why.
- Of the thousands of people at the rally, I happened to stand in line for coffee with two women. Of these two friends, one grew up in Westerville, Ohio where I now live and the other knew someone that I did in her hometown of Casco, ME where I spent my childhood summers. It is a small moderate world.
(Metro Statistics) Maria Glod and Chris L. Jenkins, Malfunctioning escalator injures 4 at L’Enfant Plaza station ,Washington Post Staff Writers Sunday, October 31, 2010; 7:45 PM
Dolores Krause- so glad to call you my mother in law April 19, 2010
Posted by makingyourdashcount in Uncategorized.Tags: dolores krause, Mankato, mayo clinic, minnesota, mother in law, multiple myeloma, myeloma
add a comment
My husband’s family comes from a tradition that does not eulogize their dead. I find that difficult because for me a eulogy is a gift; it gives friends and families time to pause and remember while crying and laughing about the loved one they lost. So this is my written gift to my mother in law, Dolores Krause, who died April 15th, 2010. As I write it I will laugh and cry, because I already miss her. Dolores liked to laugh and she had an engaging spirit that made even new acquaintances feel like old friends.
She was the epitome of the stereotypical Minnesota homemaker: baking, sewing and keeping a tidy home both physically and spiritually. We are left with recipes for cookies and hot dishes and memories of frozen snickers bars and layered jello salads. We can display intricate counted cross stitch and as her eyes aged her embroidered linens. She was the definition of grandmother. Each of her 8 grandchildren felt as though they were the sun, moon and stars when with Grandma Krause. They were.
Dolores was the most organized person I have ever met. There are records of every purchase- how much was spent on the Kodak 35 mm camera and the digital one that replaced it. She loved geneology and documented every branch of the family. She saved letters that John wrote to his elementary school aged brother James, when he was in college. She saved news paper clippings and documented family events. As I write this boxes of records, negatives and photographs sit tucked into every corner of their apartment. The research was all physical. She wrote letters. She read newspapers. She sleuthed her tree and those of her children.
Dolores was spiritually centered. She lived her Lutheran roots and trusted God. She did not advertise her religion; she never proselytized. Hers was personal , sincere belief. At the same time, she accepted people whose beliefs were different from hers- she accepted me totally as her daughter in law and loved me as a daughter through the years, celebrating our family’s life events in the synagogue without restraint and with total support.
I learned spirituality through Dolores.
Although I know the dates are documented in the binders we have yet to read, she was a Mayo Clinic patient for several types of cancers starting in the early 90’s. It started with an ocular cancer, and then breast. In 1993 the diagnosis came back as multiple myeloma. Until recently, we did not realize what a grim prognosis multiple myeloma is. This cancer of plasma cells affects 3 in 100,000 people each year. Only 35% of diagnosed patients survive the disease 5 years. (American Cancer Society)
Dolores lived a joyful, loving, full life for 17 years after her diagnosis!!!!!!! We attribute this to several things:
- She was lucky enough to get into one of Dr. Philip R. Greipp’s clinical trials.
- She did EXACTLY what Dr. Greipp and her support team (including dieticians) asked her to do.
- She had the loving support of a husband who adored her. When she needed help, he completed her. She was surrounded by friends and family who helped her keep her spirits when she needed boosts.
- Finally, she trusted God that everything would be okay.
I am so glad we had the gift of all of those years, since statisticians would have bet against it. As one who has never understood the mother in law jokes, I have learned so much from my mother in law over the past 30 years. I already feel a huge hole in my heart. I will miss you, Dolores.
Most of all, I will miss your sense of humor and ability to laugh (at yourself;) I will miss the lilt in your voice. I will miss your unquestioning love and devotion to family. I will miss your pragmatism and beauty that you brought to my life. I will miss the mother in law I love. Your spirit will continue to guide my life.
