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

Mark your calendars for Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference June 3-5 in Casper

I'm a member of this great writing organization. A fantastic summer conference is planned and I urge you to attend.

Here are some details:

Don't miss the 2011 Wyoming Writers, Inc., Conference

Ramada Plaza Riverside Hotel and Conference Center along the North Platte River in Casper, June 3–5

Presentations, Workshops, Agent Pitch Sessions, Contest, Book Signings, Open Mic! In case you're wondering, I'm the emcee for the open mic sessions on Friday and Saturday. 

Presenters:
Author Lucia St. Clair Robson
Poet Chris Fischbach
Peter McCarthy, Vice President of Marketing at Random House
Editor Katie Dublinski, Graywolf Press
Agent Peter Steinberg, Steinberg Agency

Register or get more info at http://www.wyowriters.org. Sign up by May 9 and pay only $155 for the conference ($170 for non-members). 

Conference: bowercorner@juno.com
Contest: phdugan@silverstar.com

Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

4&20 blackbirds: "The Tale of Two Rallies" in Montana

I've been missing a lot of good stuff happening in Montana because I haven't been visiting 4&20 blackbirds. But here's a great post by jhwygirl, former WY resident (she still occasionally sneaks over the border) and now a spur under the saddle of Montana knuckleheads.

Read her latest post at http://4and20blackbirds.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/if-it-isnt-clear-now-who-the-legislature-should-be-listening-to-it-should-be-still-more-national-attention/

With a great graphic:

Warning to Governors: Don't use publicly-employed Guard troops to quash dissent by public employees

I've had sidebar links for both Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and its older brother, Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) for years. I am not a veteran but support them and their causes.

This time, they're standing with their fellow public employees. This sums it up:

We believe military service members are public employees too. It is dishonorable to suggest that military personnel should be deployed against teachers, health care providers, firefighters, police officers, and other government employees, many of whom are themselves serving in the National Guard.

It's true that U.S. Army and National Guard troops have sometimes been deployed to quash dissent. This happened regularly during the Vietnam War protests in the sixties and early seventies. I was a ROTC student at University of South Carolina in the spring of 1970 when the Guard was called out to police the campus after Kent State protests erupted. Some of the Guard guys were Carolina students, which made it strange. To my knowledge, none of them beat the crap out of their fellow students. It was a different matter with S.C. Highway Patrol troopers, who swarmed into dorms and beat up any longhairs they could find.

The Guard has been deployed by Governors to carry out racist and anti-union policies. In September 1957, Gov. Faubus called out the Arkansas National Guard to make sure that African-American students didn't enter the state university.

Arkansas National Guard commander blocks black students from entering their taxpayer-supported
university 

Only after Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Guard and sent in the 101st Airborne, did these brave students (Little Rock Nine) get to attend the university that their tax dollars supported.

Does this seem crazy? I was six years old and don't really remember it. But I look back on it and am astonished that this happened in my country.

Here's another photo pitting soldiers against workers from the IVAW web site.

And, finally, a quote from the IVAW web site:

Troops have been called out in the past against worker strikes, campus protests, and urban uprisings. However, recent events in Egypt and numerous examples from U.S. history have shown that service members have the power to side with the people and refuse to use violence against their fellow citizens. Troops activated for duty in Madison, WI will have to decide if public sector workers are really the enemy. IVAW says they are not and that troops should support workers fighting for decent jobs, wages, and benefits.