All quiet on the UW front in advance of Coulter speech

Today's Casper Star-Tribune featured an article about Ann Coulter's speech this evening at UW. A couple things stand out:

The argument about free speech on the UW campus is alive and well. That's a good thing. Keep bringing in the speakers and keep debating.

The UW Foundation didn’t respond to repeated queries about whether any alumni threatened to stop donations to the university because of Coulter.

Good coverage of the Ann Coulter's Home Rainbow fund-raiser for Wyoming LGBT orgs.

Read the article at http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article_af219e5f-0256-5e4b-b475-8dc5ac629eaa.html

Tea Party descends on U.S. Capitol to kill gubment "monster"

Tea Partiers are swarming Congressional offices today, shouting "Let's kill the monster -- but keep those Social Security checks and Medicare payments coming!"

Meanwhile, majority of Americans tiring of all this pitchfork-rattling and torch-waving. Go to http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/2011/03/30/as-tea-party-cranks-up-heat-on-congress-poll-shows-public-support-waning/

Laramie County Democrats meet to ponder the 2011 legislative session -- and plan for the future

Full house tonight for the monthly meeting of the Laramie County Democrats. We meet on the last Monday of each month at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union hall in sight of Frontier Refinery. We had to wait awhile for another meeting to adjourn, this one of the refinery's union members. But we didn't mind -- lots of catching up to do with fellow Dems. And time to meet some new people.

One note on unions -- Wyoming is a so-called "Right to Work" state. Another one of those Republicanisms. "Right to Work" means that the corporations tell you if you have the right to work in this state. And what wages they deign to give you. We know from events in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan that the Republican Party's primary agenda is to kill unions so that they can tell everyone where, when and how they have the right to work. They want all of us to make the same wages as a factory worker in Indonesia. When we all get paid 15 cents an hour, the conglomerates will move all the jobs back to the U.S.A. And they shall be proclaimed heroes.

Why were people gathered tonight? We are angry. We are shocked that the highs of 2008 have been replaced by the ultra-lows of 2011. The national scene has gone loco. Governors elected with less that 50 percent of the vote are outlawing unions, stripping tenure from your children's teachers, privatizing crucial government services, banning foods stamps to union families during strikes, bringing murder charges against women who get abortions, etc. And that's just some of the crazy laws that have been proposed -- and adopted -- around the U.S.

Wyoming had its share of right-wing crazies in the legislature. We were able to avoid electing a right-wing crazy as Governor -- Ron Micheli of Uinta County -- and did end up with a moderate, Matt Mead. Gov. Mead seemed upset at some of his party's legislative antics, but he also has spouted some of the same anti-Obamacare rhetoric that you see at Tea Party rallies.

What can Dems do when they are only 14 out of 90 legislators?

"We decided to go on defense," said Rep. Jim Byrd at tonight's meeting. "We could tell that the crazies were at the gates."

The crazies are almost too numerous to mention. So were their crazy bills. Even before the session ended, the Casper Star-Tribune summed it up as a total waste of time. A number of the time-wasting Republicans are from Natrona County. Kroeker, Brechtel, Gay. Something nasty in that water up there.

No so-called social issue bills were passed by this legislature. It wasn't for lack of trying. But it wasn't just the Dems who blunted the onslaught. Rep. Ken Esquibel said the House Republicans got split among its factions. Rep. Byrd: "There is a moderate Republican component. We need to support them."

These Repubs have been labeled RINOs (Republican in Name Only) by right-wingers disappointed that the social issue bills didn't pass. At least one letter to the ed in the CST has called for a concerted effort to defeat the RINOs and replace them with more right-thinking members. You will recall that Republican Cale Case publicly opposed the anti-gay marriage bill and Sue Wallis opposed the abortion notification bill. There were others.

But the main thing is to elect more Democrats. That's the goal for 2012. We'll start with Laramie County. You say it can't be done? Well, 3,800 new Democrats registered to vote in 2008. Many of them actually voted. In 2010, they either stayed home or voted Republican. The votes are out there...

Jon Stewart: New state Govs have gone psycho

The Daily Show - Gov Hurts
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Speaking of historic placemaking -- or lack of it

Maine artist Judy Taylor created the labor history mural that Gov. Paul LePage wants to remove the the state labor department building:

In the summer of 2007, I responded to a Call to Artists sponsored by the Maine Arts Commission. The call was to create an artwork depicting the " History of Labor in the State of Maine". After a reviewing process, I was selected to do the commission. Along the way, I met some wonderful, and dedicated people. I also got an excellent education in Maine History. Below, is the 11-panel mural that was painted on 4 x 8 sheets of specially prepared MDO board. The panels were applied to adjoining walls in the Dept. of Labor reception area. In total, the mural measures 36 feet in length, and is nearly 8 feet tall.

As a public service to artists everywhere, here are the mural panels. Find the descriptions at Judy's web site.

UPDATE: ThinkProgress reports that the Governor decided to remove the mural after receiving one anonymous. Later he admitted that it was an anonymous letter and not a fax. One anonymous fax/letter undoes years of hard work and erases a landmark? And why is the governor lying about it?

Now is the time to be creative about historic placemaking in downtown Cheyenne

The project has kind of a high-and-mighty name: Downtown Cheyenne Historic Placemaking Project. And the goals are not simple:

1. Involve a wide range of people and organizations to bring different perspectives to the table
2. Reach agreement on the major issues and opportunities affecting downtown’s near-term future and means by which to address them
3. Launch new partnerships and initiatives to accelerate downtown revitalization

The first goal is not a tough one. A wide range of people with different perspectives will attend the first meeting March 31 at the Plains (see details below). There are as many visions of downtown as there are weeds on the prairie. Some of those ideas will be as hard to nail down as a tumblin' tumbleweed. Still, it’s important to hear ideas, even if they are: we don’t need no stinkin’ downtown placemaking – and what the hell is placemaking anyway?

Reaching agreement will take time. But what do we have if not time? Downtown Cheyenne has been around for almost 150 years, since those first tents sprang up along the railroad lines in the 1860s. It’s boomed during good times and almost gone bust in bad times. But not even the rampant development along Dell Range killed it. Hurt it, and emptied some of the buildings. But downtown lives on in 2011, with some renewed signs of life:

• LightsOn! Project at the Hynds Building
• Renovation of the old Greer Furniture Building
• Construction at the old Dinneen car dealership
• Two weekly farmers’ markets, with the Tuesday Market on Yellowstone moving to the Historic Depot Plaza in June (and the winter farmers’ market in the Depot)
• The Third Thursday Art Design & Dine art walk
• Harvey Deselms moving his gallery to the Historic Whipple House
• Renovation of the State Capitol grounds, which will include an expanded plaza for gatherings and protests and just hanging out. The Capitol Building, of course, is downtown’s matching bookend, the renovated Depot being the other. The plaza will be flanked by the statues of Chief Washakie and Esther Hobart Morris, the same statues that represent The Equality State in the U.S. Capitol Statuary Hall in D.C.

There are others. Yet, problems remain:

• The Great Big Hole on 16th Street/Lincolnway
• Lots of empty buildings and storefronts
• No grocery store
• No comprehensive downtown plan
• Did I mention that Great Big Hole on 16th Street?

But this placemaking effort may lead to some breakthroughs. If not now, when? Cheyenne’s economy is robust (note to boss: I could use a raise to keep up with the Joneses) and it’s bound to get better with the recent surge in oil exploration.

I urge all of you to get out to this meeting on Thursday, March 31, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Historic Plains Hotel. Doors open at 5:30 and the presentations and brainstorming begins at 6. An hour is not a lot of brainstorming time, but it’s a start.

FMI: 307-637-6251.

Give me your well-fed, your disgustingly rich, all those corporate CEOs with walk-in humidors...

Thanks to Interested Party for posting this new T-shirt design. Are there special Lenten discounts?

UPDATE: The headline should read: "Blessed are the well-fed, the disgustingly rich, corporate CEOs with walk-in humidors..." I mixed up the Emma Lazarus quotation on the Statue of Liberty with Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. Maybe I should go to church more often -- or visit NYC more often.

Help send this blogger to summer camp

Dear Friends:


I started my progressive blog, hummingbirdminds, in 2005. Those were the early days of political blogging. Hunkered down in a sod hut, I wrote my posts by candlelight, my PC powered by a coal-fired boiler.

We're in a new era. My PC is still powered by Wyoming coal (and will be forever, thanks to Energy Czar Ken Salazar!) but now I'm blogging in the bright light of day. I've discovered there are others like me in the far reaches of the country, places such as Zephyrhills, Florida, and Minot, N.D. There's a chance for us to gather together in mid-June in Minneapolis. We'll trade tips and learn how to better network with our peers around the country and throughout the West.

But I need your help. Netroots Nation will waive the tuition if I'm selected for a scholarship. I'll still have to ride my horse Blue to Minnesota, but we will graze together in lush garden plots across Nebraska and Iowa and Minnesota. A low-cost trip! Once in Minneapolis, Blue and I can share cheap lodgings at one of the city's many hipster hostels.         

So what are you waiting for? Help send this Wyoming blogger to Netroots Nation summer camp! Vote at http://tinyurl.com/4mspd4s.

Your truly,

Michael Shay

Cheyenne, WY

Shepard Symposium features staged reading of "Beyond Brokeback" by Cody native Gregory Hinton

Cody native Gregory Hinton will return to Wyoming in April for a staged reading of his script Beyond Brokeback.

Assistant Professor John J. O'Hagan of  the University of Wyoming Department of Theater and Dance will direct a one-hour staged reading of Beyond Brokeback for the 15th Annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice on Friday, April 8, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Union Ballroom of the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

Beyond Brokeback was adapted for the stage by Gregory Hinton from the book Beyond Brokeback: Impact of a Film written by Members of the Ultimate Brokeback Forum, a web community which formed in the aftermath of the release of the award-winning film, Brokeback Mountain. The story was written by Wyoming author Annie Proulx. It was first published in The New Yorker and was in her book Close Range: Wyoming Stories.

The Forum, comprised of people from all walks of life -- country, city, gay, straight, men, women, young, old -- received over 500,000 posts in the first year. Excerpts of essays, poetry and music inspired by the film will be presented, including the song "Meet Me on the Mountain," written by noted composer Shawn Kirchner.

Beyond Brokeback was originally performed at the Autry National Center Museum of the American West in Los Angeles on December 11, 2010, in commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of Ang Lee's seminal western film, Brokeback Mountain.

The staged reading at UW is free but registration is required.

See http://www.shepardsymposium.org/ for more details.

Presenters for the Shepard Symposium include Cherrie Moraga, John Corvino, Mary Cowhey, and A Slice of Rice, Frijoles, and Greens.

Tea Party Slim is rested and ready for June rally

Tea Party Slim is back from his travels and looking forward to the big June 15 Cheyenne T.E.A. Party Movement rally in front of the State Capitol Building.

“It’s been a good year for freedom,” said Slim. “That’s Freedom with a capital F.”

“At least you can spell,” I quipped.

Slim glared at me. “That’s all the media could talk about – misspellings on signs at Tea Party rallies. Fat lot of good it did in the 2010 elections. Tea Party candidates won across the board.”

“Good point,” I said. “The Tea Party is ridicule-proof.”

“Damn straight. You elitists can make fun of us all you want. But we show up to vote and you don’t. So we won.”

“Another good point, Slim. That’s the second time I’ve said that in as many minutes.”

He smiled. “Better get used to it.”

Slim’s skin was bronzed from his time in Arizona. I couldn’t help noticing the stitches on his forehead. “What happened there?”

He touched the wound. “ Just a little skin cancer. Doctor thought it looked suspicious so she dug it out. Thank God for the V.A.”

“You can thank me and all the taxpayers for the V.A. We’re glad to oblige.”

“We served our country and we deserve medical care.”

“I’m just noting that it was taxpayer-supported medical care. I may be an elitist, but I pay my taxes.”

“Too many taxes,” he growled.

“That may be, but without taxes there wouldn’t be a military and there would be no military benefits like the V.A.”

“My turn to agree,” he said. “I’ve paid my share of taxes over the years.”

“We all have. All of us except for the rich and big corporations.”

“Don’t start with the class war stuff. Big corporations pay plenty of taxes. Besides, a lot of those companies are defense contractors. We wouldn’t have the best-equipped military in the world if it wasn’t for them.”

“General Electric earned $14.2 billion in 2010 but paid no U.S. taxes. A New York Times report said that the corporation had a negative U.S. tax rate last year, getting a $3.2 billion tax benefit. During the last five years, GE made $26 billion in what it lists as American profits, but got the IRS to write it a $4.1 billion check. So we’re paying G.E.’s share of taxes.”

“I don’t trust the New York Times. Where did it get its information? Probably from some disgruntled overpaid former employee.”

“Public records,” I said.

“The IRS? I don’t trust them.”

“Do you know how G.E. got out of paying taxes? It lends to foreign companies, which means American taxpayers indirectly subsidize those foreign loans. Meanwhile, G.E. is slashing its U.S. workforce and sending jobs overseas.”

“All companies have to make a profit. To compete, they send the jobs to countries where labor costs are lower. Everybody knows that.”

“Maybe so. But why do you and I have to subsidize these businesses? Shouldn’t they be left to the free market that you Tea Partiers love so much? And we’re paying taxes when they aren’t. And they’re closing factories and putting tax-paying Americans out of work.” I paused to catch my breath.

Slim glared at me. “That’s the problem with you pointy-headed intellectuals. You hate the businesses that made America great. But you love the IRS. And the New York Times.”

I was tempted to unleash a barrage of ridicule at Slim. But what good would it do? The Tea Party is ridicule-proof and logic-proof. “Hope your forehead heals up soon,” I said.

He touched his wound again. “I have an appointment at the Cheyenne V.A. tomorrow. Doc will take out the stitches -- and give me my annual physical.”

“I wish you good health,” I said. “Want to be in tip-top shape for that June Tea Party anti-tax rally.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he concluded.

Photo from Cheyenne Tea Party rally, March 2009

Laramie County Democrats meet March 28 to elect officers w/update

The next meeting of the Laramie County Democratic Party will be next Monday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at the IBEW Union Hall in Cheyenne. Items on the agenda include election of new officers and an update from local Democratic legislators who weathered the bizarre 2011 session of the Wyoming Legislature.

To vote in officer elections, you must be a precinct committeeman or woman. How does that happen? You have to sign up. How do you do that? Not sure, but will find out and let you know.

Meanwhile, get info at Laramie County Democrats.

UPDATE: In a comment to this post, Ken McCauley point outs the ease of voting in Monday's officer elections at the meeting of the Laramie County Democrats. Check it out.

Celebrate campus free speech and human rights with a pledge to Ann Coulter's Homo Rainbow on Facebook

Ann Coulter's Homo Rainbow page on Facebook is growing by laps and bounds.

I originally posted about this on March 11, just after the project was started by Laramie rabble-rousers Meg Lanker and Will Welch. The idea is to make a pledge for each minute that Fox "News" commentator and Liberal-hater Ann Coulter speaks at UW on March 31. The funds go to three Wyoming LGBT organizations: GetEqual WY, Equality for All and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Such a great way to turn this event on its head. You will recall that the UW College Republicans made their own pledge back in the spring of 2010. Miffed that education reformer and one-time '60s radical Bill Ayers was allowed to speak on campus, the Repubs started working on an Ann Coulter engagement. It took awhile. Ann's busy as heck and couldn't come until a year later. And she only costs $20,000. Plus we hear that she wants only red M&Ms and pure, undiluted and unaltered American-made water in her hospitality suite. Any other beverage would compromise her precious bodily fluids.

Ann Coulter speaking at UW is not an issue. She has every right to speak. The college president has not sought to rescind the invitation, as he did with the one to Bill Ayers. Gov. (then gubernatorial candidate) Mead has not objected, as he did for the Ayers' speech. Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride hasn't said a thing, although he was plenty miffed about Ayers. He wasn't the only one. Former Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal and Sen. Al Simpson also objected to the Ayers visit. Certain rich alumni threatened to withdraw funding from crucial projects, such as the new football stadium skyboxes with their unlimited supply of fresh Republican water (a.k.a. Freedom Water!). These alumni also said they would hold their breath until they turned blue. Or -- preferably -- red.

I could go on and on. Pledge now at http://www.facebook.com/AnnCoultersRainbow

Get the facts on Affordable Care Act

As Republicans continue to attack the Affordable Healthcare Care Act, it celebrates its first anniversary. We celebrate too. 


Question: Was this originally called the Affordable Healthcare Act? That's what I keep calling it and now I find it listed as the Affordable Care Act. I like the change in wording but wonder when it happened.

Those interested in facts about the act, and what's it's done so far, can find info here:

HEALTH REFORM (www.healthcare.gov): Official government site provides information on finding insurance options, prevention, comparing care quality and understanding the new law along with FAQ’s.

PROGRESS (http://progress.democrats.org): PROGRESS is designed to show the real effects of the steps President Obama and Democrats have taken to rebuild our economy. Behind these numbers are stories about people whose lives and communities have been positively affected by the change Democrats have made. 

WY OFA (http://wy.barackobama.com): Wyoming Organizing for America is the grassroots organization that supports President Obama's agenda for change. Visit BarackObama.com for blog posts, local events, and more!

KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION (www.kff.org): A non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy.  They serve as a non-partisan source of facts, information, and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the public.

LET’S MOVE (www.letsmove.gov): A nationwide initiative to promote making healthy choices, improving food quality in schools, increasing access to healthy, affordable food, and increasing physical activity.

CST: Council delays mixed-use change on conspiracy allegations

Remember that these wingnuts don't care how crazy they look or sound. They are loud and keep showing up for meetings. Rule No. 1 for Progressives: Show up for important meetings! No more slacktivism!

Council delays mixed-use change on conspiracy allegations

Know Nothings take over the G.O.P.

I'm not surprised by the fact that the anti-science wing of the G.O.P. has taken over Congress. That's what they campaigned on. But there are some people in this group that, at least from the outside, appear normal and logical and even attended college.

Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois says we need not worry about the planet being destroyed because, citing chapter 8, verse 22 of the Book of Genesis, God promised Noah it wouldn’t happen again after the great flood.

According to his official web site, Rep. Shimkus received a Bachelor of Science in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1980. He serves on the House Commerce and Energy Committee.


How did this engineer and military officer turn into a proud member of the G.O.P. Know Nothing Caucus? He had to pass muster with the Tea Party Know Nothings to get into office and must remain a loyal member to get reelected in 2012.

“I personally believe that the solar flares are more responsible for climatic cycles than anything that human beings do. …” — Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin

Rep. Sensenbrenner (from his web site):

Jim was born in Chicago and later moved to Wisconsin with his family. He graduated from the Milwaukee Country Day School and did his undergraduate studies at Stanford University, where he majored in political science. He then earned his law degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1968.... Jim’s current committee assignments include serving as the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology and he also serves on the Committee on the Judiciary.  Congressman Sensenbrenner is Chairman of the Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee.  He also serves on the Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet Subcommittee (Judiciary), as well as the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee (Science and Technology) and the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee (Science and Technology).

What does our own lone House Rep, Cynthia Lummis, think about science? She received her Bachelor of Science in animal science and biology from the University of Wyoming. She is a foe of the Obama Administration's efforts to regulate greenhouse gases, especially those emitted by the coal industry, Wyoming's number one industry. She believes that climate change has been exaggerated. These stances are not surprising. Coal and oil and natural gas pay the bills in Wyoming. We saw coal's clout yesterday when Ken Salazar flew into Cheyenne to hobnob with Republican Gov. Mead and to announce that millions of acres of Wyoming will now be open to King Coal. Good for Arch Coal, good for Wyoming, bad for the planet.


Wyoming Senators Enzi and Barrasso continuer to pander to the lowest common denominator, even though they won't be up for reelection until 2014. Sen. Enzi wants to save the Edison light bulb and Dr. Sen. Barrasso is anti-healthcare. The world has gone nuts. Or maybe it's just the U.S. Congress.  

Suicide prevention topic of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Summit March 30-31 in Laramie

The University of Wyoming Counseling Center hosts its fourth annual Higher Education Mental Health and Substance Abuse Summit March 30-31 at the UW Conference in the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie. The topic is suicide prevention.

This is an especially important topic for the state's young people. For young people everywhere. Suicide ranks third as a cause of death among young (15-24) Americans behind accidents and homicides.

"Mental health, suicide, and substance abuse are topics that affect college students and those working with college students regularly," says Lena Newlin, UW Alcohol Wellness Alternatives, Research and Education (AWARE) Program coordinator. "It is important for professionals working with college students to have the understanding and skills on how to best address these issues. This summit will provide an opportunity for training and collaboration to people throughout Wyoming who work with college students."

Several professionals in their respective fields are the scheduled speakers during the summit. Harry Rockland-Miller, Ph.D, will present the clinicians training, which will provide an advanced clinical training program known as "Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk."

The training is offered through the American Association of Suicidology and is based on established core competencies that mental health professionals need to effectively assess and manage suicide risk. Rockland-Miller is director of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health, and an associate director of University Health Services at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Rockland-Miller is a trainer and consultant in areas including college mental health, clinical triage, suicide prevention and mental health care delivery. Other clinical interests include crisis intervention, brief therapy and hospital-based treatment.

Kathy Cordell, of Cheyenne, a life coach specializing in medical care, will present the two-day training designed for non-clinicians. Cordell will share her knowledge and techniques of Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is a student/client-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence.

Cordell has an established background working in community healthcare. She has had extensive training in motivational interviewing techniques and facilitates MI training sessions at medical institutions throughout Wyoming to broaden the scope of screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for substance use.

A pre-conference Gatekeeper's train-the-trainer workshop will be held a day before the actual event Tuesday March, 29. UW's Gatekeeper's training program teaches participants how to recognize the signs and symptoms of someone who might be suicidal and how to refer them to seek professional help.

A lunch presentation Wednesday will feature Keith Hotle from the Wyoming Department of Health.

For more information about the event, presenters, schedule, accommodations or to register, visit the summit website at http://www.uwyo.edu/ucc/summit/index.html

For more information, contact Newlin, in the UW Counseling Center at (307) 766-2187 or e-maillnewlin@uwyo.edu

Photo: Harry Rockland-Miller, director of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, will provide an advanced clinical training program known as "Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk." (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

Thomas Friedman: Obama won't lead, and the Republicans "have just gone nuts"

Not necessarily a fan of NYT's Thomas L. Friedman, but this column is a good one. It's full of quotable lines.

So far, the G.O.P. is calling for cuts in the things we need to invest more in — like education and infrastructure — while leaving largely untouched things we need to reduce, like entitlements and defense spending. A country that invests more in its elderly than its youth, more in nursing homes than schools, will neither invent the future nor own it.

As someone much closer in age to elderly than youth, closer to nursing homes than schools, I agree. In 2008, we were all about the future. In 2011, it's all about the past. And it's not all about the regressiveness of the new Republican majority.

But then the president won’t lead. When pressed on energy, he will say that he just doesn’t have the Republican votes for a serious clean energy policy. But the president has never gotten in the G.O.P.’s face on this issue. He has not put his own energy plan on the table and then gone out to the country and tried to sell it.

I'm an Obama supporter and this is exactly what I find frustrating about him.

Obama won't lead. Meanwhile, as Friedman says, the Republicans "have just gone nuts" and are busily hacking away at the progressive legislation passed during Obama's first two years. And they want their damn Edison light bulbs back! They have gone nuts.

Who is Bradley Manning?

Nancy Sindelar of Laramie's Veterans for Peace was at the action in D.C. and Quantico this weekend and asked me to post some of her photos of protests against the treatment of military whistle-blower Bradley Manning:

Bradley Manning protest photos

Who is Bradley Manning?

Go to http://www.bradleymanning.org. I was reading some of the posts from yesterday's protests. Here's a sample:

Things have taken a nasty turn at Quantico. As protesters silently moved to march to the Iwo Jima Memorial to lay a wreath to remember the dead, Marine MPs refused to allow all but press and six veterans to proceed on to the Memorial. Prince William County police on the site joined the Marines in attempting to delay the protesters from proceeding, according to live tweeting by Jane Hamsher. In response, protesters laid and sat down on the ground, refusing to move. Police then began arresting protesters one by one and are loading them on to two nearby police buses for booking. Daniel Ellsberg is among those being arrested.

One of the protesters there, Helen Gerhardt, tweets that protesters are being peaceful in response to police pulling them up by both arms and putting them behind the line.

Rootwork updates that some protesters have stuck “Free Bradley Manning” stickers on police riot shields.

Read more: http://www.bradleymanning.org/16510/march-20th-events-update/#ixzz1HEpeOuo9

In new conservative Constitution, only No. 2 remains

The conservative Constitution (Bob Englehart / The Hartford Courant )

Wendy Soto is new president of the Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition

Wendy Soto at the Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition reports this news:

I’m happy to tell you that last week I was elected President of the Laramie County Democratic Grass Roots Coalition. Other officers for the coming year are Calob Taylor, Vice President, Ann Marie Bobo, Secretary, and Louise Ramondi, Treasurer. Congratulations folks, I'm looking forward to working with all of you.

I’m also looking forward to leading this organization. I believe we are in the midst of an opportunity to make significant changes in Laramie County, and Wyoming. In order to “Stand Up, Push Back and Connect”, and ultimately flip our county and then our state, the Grass Roots Coalition and Laramie County Democratic Party will need all the support they can get. One of my goals as the President of LCDGC is to reach out to Democrats throughout the county and increase membership and involvement.

The current goals of the Coalition can be found on the information page, and I will be posting a membership form. Please consider this your personal invitation to join me in working toward meeting the goals of the Grass Roots Coalition, and the Laramie County Democrats.

Thank you,
Wendy Soto

Go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laramie-County-Democrats-Grass-Roots-Coalition/156675607722976

Rep. Cynthia Lummis votes to eliminate Wyoming's only statewide radio network

Wyoming Rep. Cynthia Lummis joined her Tea Party Caucus fellow travelers in the U.S. House in voting to end federal funding for National Public Radio.

The Wyoming Republican says nonessential government programs must be scrutinized and difficult decisions must be made to address the nation's fiscal problems. Lummis says in a statement that NPR must stand on its own. However, she noted that she prefers what she calls a "glide path to self-sufficiency" for Wyoming Public Radio.

The U.S. House on Thursday voted 228-192 to bar federal funding of NPR and prohibit local public stations from using federal money to pay NPR dues and buy its programs.

"Glide path to self-sufficiency?" Can anyone explain that to me?

Wyoming Democrats planning county caucuses and state convention for 2012

Seems like just yesterday when we were planning for Denver...

From the Wyoming county caucuses on April 7, 2012, to the Democratic State Convention in Laramie on May 26, 2012, to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., from Sept. 3-7, 2012, it's a full year for progressives in Wyoming.

Get info here for the state and national conventions

This page will tell you everything you need to know to participate in the 2012 state or national conventions, including the current draft of Wyoming's 2012 Delegate Selection Plan (available March 21), the document that will guide our process for selecting delegates to the Democratic National Convention. It also includes information for presidential candidates.

Get involved and learn more

Coming soon -- Wyoming coal-powered iPods

Did you know this:

Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway estimates that 500 pounds of coal are blown from each rail car for every 500 miles traveled?

Just one of the interesting facts in a Grist post and in a Sierra Magazine story about plans to ship Wyoming coal to China. The key element for the plan is to upgrade the Columbia River port in Longview, Wash. Environmentalists and the state government are resisting. May not be too much longer before money talks and the impasse is broken.

I'm reminded of that John Prine song, "Paradise:"

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well I'm sorry my son but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

With a few changes of place names (apologies to Mr. Prine), here are the lyrics:

And daddy won't you take me back to Campbell County
Down by the Powder River where Paradise lay
Well I'm sorry my son but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away 

To make iPods in China.

Campbell County isn't exactly paradise. And the Powder River was appropriately named. Many who live and work and ranch and write and sculpt there like it well enough. I have friends and colleagues in Gillette who think I live in the ugly part of the state.

Mixed feelings here about coal. The more Wyoming coal sold, the more royalties the state collects. The state coffer expands and my job is secure. It may be too much to hope for a raise, as the Wyoming Legislature is notoriously tight-fisted and, with its new Tea Party members, not in the mood for a spending spree.

All this to make iPods for the children of America? My children included?

There's the rub. China makes stuff we want and -- possibly -- need. We ship them coal thousands of miles and they ship us back iPods. I look around my study and see PCs and a digital camera and my DSL modem and surge protector and phone and photo frames and who knows what else. The only thing in this room I can vouch for as totally "Made in the U.S.A." is me, aging rapidly, and my mutt Coco stretched out on the floor for her mid-morning nap. Coco has a microchip (probably made in China) embedded in her hide. If needed, we can find her electronically if she ever disappears.

The articles are worth reading. Access them through your Wyoming coal-powered PCs.

Enjoy your local theatre this weekend

Cheyenne Little Theatre Players’ productions come fast and furious for us fans. For the directors and actors and stage builders and musicians – each play represents many long hours of work.

Chris and I volunteer often for the CLTP. Neither of us is much on acting and/or singing. Chris has some improve experience and I’m an emcee at the summer melodrama. But we love to watch people who can act and sing. 

We’ll be volunteering with other able-bodied folks this weekend for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. The play’s music and lyrics are by William Finn from a book by Rachel Sheinkin

Performance Dates: March 18-20 & 25-27

Cast:

Chip Tolentino/Jesus: Kevin Guille
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere: Stephanie Medema
Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad: Jeran Artery
William Barfee: Chris Arneson
Marcy Park: Marcie Smith
Olive Ostrovsky: Kathy Borgaard
Rona Lisa Perretti/Olive’s Mom: Patty Walkley
Vice Principal Douglas Panch: Keith Thomson
Mitch Mahoney/Dan dad/Olive dad: Terry Barbre

Description: A hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Get your tickets at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

Rising food prices mean more reasons to shop locally

We've passed the Ides of March, are sitting pretty on St. Patrick's Day, and spring is only four days away.

Yesterday, I smelled wet dirt. Cheyenne is still in the frozen dirt stage although defrosting rapidly. Those earthy smells make me happy and give me hope for growing season. Surveying my backyard garden, I noticed weeds already greening up. Weeding season!

But I'm still two months away from putting in the plants. I have seeds to sprout and nurture.

MSM carries scary news of rising food prices due to rising fuel prices, wars in the Middle East and tragedy in Japan. Are those food prices ever coming down? Are those fuel prices ever coming down? Not bloody likely.

Could my garden keep my family in food? It could, but I'd have to ratchet up production. I'm a gardener and not a farmer, a guy who chooses to grow enough veggies to supplement my family's diet. It also gives me pleasure. I have the skills to be a full-time gardener. But not the inclination.

Rising food and fuel prices may have an up side. The reason we can buy broccoli at 99 cents per pound at Safeway is that growing and shipping and storing costs are low. That is changing. So the prices you pay for broccoli at your local farmer's market makes sense. And that broccoli is grown by someone in your state or a neighboring state (Colorado, Nebraska) and maybe even by someone you know.

Shop locally. Just keep repeating the mantra -- shoplocallyshoplocallyshoplocally.

How realistic is that in Cheyenne? It isn't, not now, anyway. We have to get our fruits and veggies from far away every winter. But we can get meat locally from Meadow Maid and Pure Wyoming Beef (see my sidebar links for more local producers). There is also a resurgence in small greenhouses and high tunnels to grow food in our cold, windy climate.

I have nothing against Safeway. In fact, the one on South Greeley Highway in Cheyenne has the best produce section of any grocery chain in town. Quite a bit of organic produce, too.

But I'm growing at least some of my own. And trading with my neighbors. And shopping at farmer's markets. And going to the grocery store and buying only what I need.

Shop locally.

And eat your greens on this St. Patrick's Day.

Antidote to Ann Coulter in Laramie -- Southern Poverty Law Center speech in Casper

Right-wing crank Ann Coulter speaks on March 31 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Thus far, no rich alumni have threatened to withdraw funds from UW in protest (as they did with Bill Ayers last spring). And no gubernatorial candidate (now governor) has complained to the university president.

We are pleased to welcome this person to Wyoming (from a Casper College press release)

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Heidi Beirich will present "Fighting Hate in America" on Saturday, April 2, at 7 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall in the Aley Fine Arts Center at Casper College.

Beirich, an expert on academic racism, nativist extremism, and the white supremacist fringe of the neo-Confederate movement, is the director of research in the center's hate and extremism department.

According to information provided by the SPLC, the center monitors hate groups and other extremists throughout the United States and exposes their activities to law enforcement agencies, the media and the public. The center is credited with crippling some of the nation's most notorious hate groups by suing them for murders and other violent acts committed by their members.

Currently, as of this writing, there are 1,002 known hate groups operating across the country.
"After a brief decline in the mid 1990s hate groups have exploded, more than tripling in number since the mid 90s. In particular, the number of hate and extremist websites has grown. The SPLC is a highly regarded resource for government agencies as well as academics that study and seek to counter such groups, said Erich Frankland, Casper College political science instructor. "This presentation hopefully will draw students, members of the community, and others to learn more about this pressing issue," he added.

"I was moved to help bring in someone of Beirich's qualifications to speak to the community about hate crimes following the shootings in Tucson this past January. I believe that we need to work toward ending hate in this country," said Mariko Miller, Democratic Women's Forum representative.

A reception will follow Beirich's presentation, which is sponsored by the Democratic Women's Forum, the Casper College Political Science Department, and the Casper College Campus Security Office.

Both the presentation and reception are free and open to all.

FMI: Erich Frankland: 307-268-2490 and Mariko (Mako) Miller: 234-2317.

See the SPLC's "Hate Map" of the U.S. at http://splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map

The Irish diaspora brought us The Great Shame and -- for many -- much better lives

Looking for some especially depressing books to read during St. Patrick's Day week, I chose The Great Shame, and the triumph of the Irish in the English-speaking world by Thomas Keneally. Keneally is an Australian of Irish descent who wrote such great books as Schindler's List, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and To Asmara. I've met Keneally several times and he looks a bit like a leprechaun (see book jacket). A leprechaun who can write!

It's an old story. Irish peasant gets sideways with his landlord, goes to jail and is convicted, and eventually is deported to Australia. Hugh Larkin was his ancestor who was shipped away in chains and, strangely enough, into a better life. He missed the Great Potato Famine, for one thing. There were jailers and landlords in Australia but not nearly so many. A man with grit and wit could make it there.

That's what so many Irish found during the diaspora. If they survived.

Thomas O'Shea, who somewhere along the line changed his surname to Shay, was born in County Clare, Ireland, on Dec. 20, 1815. He died in Clear Creek Township in Johnson County, Iowa, on May 14, 1879. According to his very precise gravestone at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Iowa City, he was "63 years, 4 mos, and 24 days." Not sure about the hours and minutes.

His wife was Ann (Anna, Annie) Agnes Burns, born somewhere in Ireland about 1825. My daughter Annie bears her name. My daughter was born on March 9, 1993, in Cheyenne in County Laramie, USA. Wonder how much of the Irish Annie is in our Annie? She's stubborn as hell and beautiful and smart. I wonder if she would have made it to the U.S. intact from famine-ravaged Ireland. I think so.

Annie and Thomas emigrated around 1850. It could have been earlier. But the cause is clear -- threat of starvation. The 1850 New York census shows Thomas Shay, 30, and Annie Shay, 23, living with their three children in Brockport in Monroe County, just a bit west of Rochester. The family left for Iowa about 1859, just in time to avoid most of the Civil War.

The 1870 federal census records show that Thomas Shay owned real estate worth $4,000 in Clear Creek Township, Iowa. It was 96 acres. He and Annie, 43, now had eight children. The youngest was Michael, 6. The family owned three horses, four mules, four milk cows, four "other cattle," and 18 swine. He and his family farmed wheat, corn, oats and (of course) "Irish potatoes." They harvested 15 tons of hay and produced 300 pounds of butter and 30 gallons of molasses.

Beats the hell out of eating weeds or grass, the only crops growing in the Irish countryside. Not an easy journey across the ocean and across half of the country. But, in the end, Thomas probably thought it was worth it.

Ann Burns Shay was buried next to her husband in 1909. By then, her youngest son Michael's first-born son Raymond was 16. Raymond's son Thomas was born in 1923 and, after he married Anna Marie Shay in February, 1950, I was born 10 months later.

There are many family stories mixed in with the data. And so many relatives named Michael and Patrick and Molly. Show a little imagination people! Our names are traded like baseball cards. My father was named after his great-grandfather Thomas from Ireland and his uncle Thomas, who died in 1918 from the Spanish flu. He was in the Iowa National Guard at the time with his older brother Ray. They were in France with the AEF. More Johnson County boys died of the flu than died in battle during World War I.

My middle name is Thomas. I have a younger brother Thomas. We call him Tom or Tommy. I have a nephew Thomas who is trying to get into medical school. My sister Molly is his mother.

We've done pretty well here in the States. My parents never traveled to Ireland to look up relatives. Neither did I. Maybe we're beyond that. The Republic of Ireland, until recently, was known as the Celtic Tiger and some Americans of Irish descent traveled back to The Old Sod to work. They may be back soon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day on Thursday.

I'll raise a pint to the dear departed -- here's to you, Pat! -- the living, and all those Michaels and Annies and Patricks and Mollys yet to come.

Many local events lead up to March 29 talk in Cheyenne by activist and author Greg Mortenson

I try to spend some of that time I once devoted to Sunday morning mass to the contemplation of nature, spirituality and even organized religion.

While reading this morning’s Cheyenne paper, I saw an ad promoting the appearance of activist, educator and author Greg Mortenson. He wrote the acclaimed bestseller, “Three Cups of Tea,” about his experiences promoting primary education in Afghanistan. He will speak on Tuesday, March 29, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Taco John’s Event Center in Cheyenne. Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for the general public.

Presented by these Cheyenne Community Partners: Laramie County Community College, LCCC Foundation’s Gerald and Jessie Chambers Speakers Series, Rotary International, Laramie County Library System and Foundation, Laramie County School District #1.

Great cooperation on this project by all levels of the public education system. That includes the library. Kudos to Rotary International. I admire their good work. So many selfless and community-minded organizations out there. The Lions work on behalf of better vision, the Shriners sponsor childhood learning disability clinics, the Kiwanis Club seems to do all the good things a community needs, such as the amazing free pancake breakfasts during Cheyenne Frontier Days. I find it compelling that a bunch of people can gather together to perform good works. Such a contentious age we live in, yet altruism continues. We must crave it.

A few words about Mortenson from the LCCC Foundation web site:

Greg Mortenson, co-author of the New York Times bestseller, "Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time," will share insightful commentary and stunning photography to educate and promote awareness of the importance of primary education, literacy and cross-cultural understanding about the remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson has dedicated his life to bringing education where few education opportunities existed before. In 1996, he co-founded the Central Asia Institute with his wife, Tara Bishop, and since then has managed to construct 145 schools in the Middle East and bring educational opportunities to more than 64,000 students, including 52,000 girls. Mortenson’s extraordinary journey has had many hardships, but recently it also has brought international appreciation. In 2009, he was awarded the "Star of Pakistan" and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in both 2008 and 2009. FMI: 307.433.0024.

A number of events this month lead up to the March 29 event. Our family has been collecting pennies for Pennies for Peace. The library has focused many of its events around the concepts of altruism. Here’s one:

TEENS MAKE A DIFFERENCE, March 16, 6 p.m.: Join us for an evening with Judge Ronn Jeffrey as we explore ways you can impact your community in a positive way. Teens will have a chance to win a ticket to hear Greg Mortenson speak at the Taco John’s Event Center on March 29, 7 p.m. Don’t forget to bring your Pennies for Peace! (Grades 7-12 & parents, Cottonwood Room, 1st floor).

The library also will host a tea party on St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating tea-drinking cultures such as Ireland, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Very innovative. ON St. Patrick’s Day, many of us forget that the Irish also drink tea.  

LCCC has also planned a number of related events. This coming week is spring break on campus. But on Wednesday, March 23, these are scheduled:


Ethnic food tasting: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Center for Conferences & Institutes, Room 129/130. Food tasting limited to LCCC students and employees. Roundtable discussion: “Women and Islam in a Central Asian Context” with Dr. Marianne Kamp, Dr. Mohammed Salih and Arshi Nisley. 1-3 p.m., Center for Conferences & Institutes, Room 129/130.

See other events celebrating the work of Greg Mortenson

Role-switching and the ADHD family

I can’t help noticing that Frank S. and I are the only members of the male gender posting on the easy to love but hard to raise blog. That’s cool – and not entirely unexpected.

I’m the writer in our family. My wife Chris has ADHD and learning disabilities. Oddly enough, she’s had the jobs that require the most organizational skills. Banking, for one. Supervisor at the local YMCA for another. When I come into the YMCA to exercise or to pick her up for lunch, it seems as if all 8,000 members are there at once. Chris is flitting around the place, attending to member and staff needs. I stand there, amazed, wanting to flee the chaos to the quiet safety of my car. How does she do it? Her ADHD helps her multi-task, yet it also contributes to flittering. I’m standing still, sometimes because I’m depressed and other times because I’m thinking up clever blog posts like this one.

We complement one another.

We’re also a bit of an anomaly. As we’ve seen on this blog, it’s usually the adult male in the relationship who has ADHD. Most diagnoses of childhood ADHD are in boys. Hyper-boys grow up, meet lovely and competent women, sweep them off their feet and into marriage.

My friend L is married to H. H is a psychologist and L has all the traits of an ADHD boy grown into a hyper-adult. He’s a Brainiac but never quite reached his full potential. Wherever he goes, he leaves a trail of chaos in his wake. When all of us lived in Maryland, L said he was coming over the make me a gourmet birthday dinner. He’s a good cook and it gave all of us a chance to hang out.

Later that evening, Chris and I surveyed the kitchen. Every pot and pan in the kitchen was dirty. Red sauce stains were on the walls on the floor. Empty spice containers littered the counter like empty beer cans after a frat party. The stove was still on and cabinet doors remained flung open.

“The meal was good,” I replied, surveying the damage.

“Never again,” said Chris.

After that, we ate out with L and H.

We also were in an Adult ADHD Support Group. The men and one woman (Chris) was in the support group while the women (and one guy – me) shared our horror stories. He never graduated from college. He forgets to pick up the kids from school. Can’t keep a job. He leaves a terrible mess when he cooks dinner. And so on.

This was 1995. The Maryland suburbs that ring D.C. are made up of some of the best-educated people in the U.S. Liberals, mainly, just like me, an out-of-place Westerner. The women were strong and had careers in business or medicine or government.

But even in the closing decade of the 20th century, three decades into the women’s movement, the men were still considered primary breadwinners. So when they have ADHD, they not only struggle with inattention and hyperactivity, they also are underachievers in an overachieving world. And it’s not just their spouses who notice. One of the first questions asked in D.C. is about your work. My buddy L worked at home as a freelancer. Later, he was also a stay-at-home dad. I saw the strange looks that other men gave him. I guessed their thoughts: you’re not even a lobbyist? Remember that this is a place where you can get into policy wonk discussions at any time and any place.

One fine spring day during a clean-up hike of the Potomac with the Cub Scouts, one of the other dads found out that I worked at the National Endowment for the Arts. He was a conservative think-tank lobbyist and proceeded to tell me all the reasons the arts shouldn’t be government funded. Another adult leader chimed in that the arts were crucial and deserved even more federal funding. We were engaged in a lively debate when one of the Scouts came up and told us to get back to work. We looked at each other sheepishly and then returned to the task of picking up Snickers wrappers from the historic trails along the Potomac.

When I first met Chris 33 years ago, I was drawn like a hummingbird to her beauty and her vivacious nature. She was the lively one; I was the laid-back one. Later, she uncovered her learning disabilities and ADHD. I uncovered deep wells of depression. We discovered them, I should say. Some of it came about after the birth and toddlerhood of our son Kevin revealed his ADHD. It took us decades to unwrap all of these secrets. We didn’t do it alone – and it’s an ongoing process.

Cross-posted to easy to love but hard to raise.

Anne Coulter to speak at UW on April Fool's Day Eve

You're foolin', right?

I'm not. Anne Coulter is coming to University of Wyoming on March 31. I can barely stand the excitement.

If you're not a fan of Ms. Coulter's hate speech, there's a great way to contribute to LGBT causes in Wyoming. A new Facebook page is Ann Coulter's Homo Rainbow. She's said some nasty things about gays and lesbians. So, you can pledge a certain amount for every minute she speaks and the money will be split among these causes:

GetEqual WY

Their mission: GetEqual WY aims to empower the LGBTQ community and our allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way.

Equality for All

Their mission: Equality for All is dedicated to the support of progressive policies in Wyoming and election of candidates who support moving Wyoming into the future. We believe in upholding Article 1, Section 2 of the Wyoming Constitution - "Equality of all: In their inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all members of the human race are equal."

The Matthew Shepard Foundation

Their mission: The Matthew Shepard Foundation tries to raise awareness and promote human dignity for everyone by engaging schools, corporations, and individuals in dialogues. These dialogues take many forms; some are presentations, some are interactive seminars, and some are web-based. Ultimately, we try to cross boundaries between straight and gay in order to bring people together.

I pledged 25 cents a minute. My contribution will total $15 if she speaks for 90 minutes. There is a real threat that she will speak longer, which she should for the $20,000 fee. I'll take my chances.

FMI: http://www.facebook.com/AnnCoultersRainbow

Made in the USA? Good idea 'til greed got in the way

This is a 1983 song by Bob Dylan but it's even more relevant today. It reflects what's happening in Wisconsin and what Republicans are trying to do to all working people in the USA -- bring our wages down to the levels conglomerates pay labor in Indonesia and Latin America:

Union Sundown (excerpt)
Bob Dylan

Well, my shoes, they come from Singapore,
My flashlight's from Taiwan,
My tablecloth's from Malaysia,
My belt buckle's from the Amazon.
You know, this shirt I wear comes from the Philippines
And the car I drive is a Chevrolet,
It was put together down in Argentina
By a guy makin' thirty cents a day

Well, it's sundown on the union
And what's made in the USA
Sure was a good idea
'Til greed got in the way.

From Working Words: Punching the Clock and Kicking Out the Jams, edited by M.L. Liebler and published by Coffee House Press.

Ashes to ashes -- now take the bastards down!

So Ash Wednesday was yesterday. This marks the beginning of Lent. I wore ashes on my forehead for most of my life. I miss them, but I can no longer stomach the Catholic Church and its bigotry against the LGBT community and women. And hypocrisy on child sex abuse by priests. I do like the Pope's cool shoes.

As Lent begins, I also think of St. Patrick's Day and the holiday's importance in our Irish-Catholic family. Many of those memories involve drinking and toasts to The Old Sod where I've never been and to where my Irish grandfather never wanted to return. It'd odd to be nostalgic for a place I haven't visited. But it's in my blood and I grew up with the stories. I credit some of my storytelling and writing skills to DNA and a certain spirit that travels down the generations. My parents, both terrific readers, get a lot of the credit. So do the nuns and priests and public school teachers who educated this lad.

Irish have a creative side, a drinking side, a dark side, a feisty side. I was thinking of that when I watched this Dropkick Murphys song as accompaniment to videos of the worker protests in Madison, WI. "Take the bastards down." Has a good ring, don't you think? As a public service to me and my readers, I'm going to track down the origins of this song. The Murphs are known for their ass-kicking shows. Maybe this is an original. Maybe an old union song. I will let you know. Meanwhile, here's the vid:



UPDATE: Here's a post from the Dropkick Murphys web site (with cool T-shirt):

Hey Everyone -- the Dropkick Murphys would like to take a moment to acknowledge the struggles of the working people of Wisconsin and to pledge our support and solidarity by releasing the song “Take Em Down” from our upcoming album. We think it’s appropriate at the moment and hope you like it.

We have also created a limited edition “Take ‘Em Down” t-shirt which will be available for sale shortly at www.dropkickmurphys.com/merch. Proceeds from the “Take ‘Em Down” t-shirt sales will benefit Workers’ Rights Emergency Response Fund (https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4002/wi-response).

Drinking Liberally mixes with art appreciation for a hot Thursday night in Cheyenne

I'm going to miss this and am not happy about it. The first "Drinking Liberally" event in Cheyenne will be on Thursday, March 10, 6 p.m., at Shadows Pub & Brewery in the Historic Depot Building downtown. Good beers, good company, good conversation.

Here's a thought for all you Liberal drinkers -- on your way to the pub, drop by one of the fine art galleries sponsoring Art Design and Dine Thursday from 5-8 p.m. Participating businesses include Deselms Fine Art (where Wyoming Democrats' legislative reception was held two weeks ago), Rock Paper Scissors Gallery, a coop made up of local liberal artist entrepreneurs, Nagle-Warren Mansion with its basement gallery and long tradition of arts support, and Artful Hand Gallery & Studio in a house in the Avenues, run by Georgia Rowswell and family. Georgia is the force behind Art Design and Dine. She got it started and keeps it energized. For a full line-up of AD&D galleries, go to http://www.artdesignanddine.org (or click on poster at right).

Think of tomorrow evening as a chance to buy (or at least appreciate) fine art and Liberal politics. Not all art is created or sold by Liberals. But creation (small "c") is a progressive act. When you create something, you have some hope that you will be around the next day to finish it and the next day and so on. You hope that other people will be around to appreciate it. You're making a mark that may carry far into the future. Someone in the regressive frame of mind wants to spring backward -- or maybe even slouch there. Not a creative act.

Here's something progressive -- count me in for the next event! I'll be there.

Wyoming Progressives are gathering on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wyoming-Progressives/145187445545047