Written 3/15/2016 by Christopher H. Holte. Photo from about October 2015
Thoughts on politics, economics, life and creative works from the author including poetry
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Safe Houses -- Institutionalizing a Movement
This is part of a series on how to build a successful movement, based on readings and observations, where I want to express my critique of what has been happening in activist land, and present a way forward. I've decided not to use this version of this post because it is too "political" in my series. But I'm keeping it for reference.
Building Safe Houses and Alliances
Whenever I hear Bernie say "revolution", the music from the Beatles (or The Who) passes through my head. Most revolutions fail to achieve their goals because most revolutions are simply one fearless leader's efforts to create change top down. But anyone involved in changing things knows that that rarely happens. Some of the reasons for this are are;
- The cream rises to the top and curdles.
- Movements attract ambitious and/or conflictive people.
- Movements rarely are institutionalized well.
In this post I'm going to talk about institutionalization (and how to do it right to avoid those pitfalls).
Image of Martin Luther King |
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Workforce training and Employment
We have some abysmal numbers of unemployed people in some sectors of the economy no matter what the statistics say. Unemployment in the 20-24 year old component of our population is at 9% nationally [see http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat03.htm] even where it's lower on average. For minorities the rates are much higher. Overall the Washington Area unemployment when including surrounding areas is 3.8% while for the District proper it 6.3% [http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t01.htm]. Not having an income or productive employment is bad for people's psychological, civic and spiritual health. I've been volunteering with my friends at GABIDDC and other organizations to do something about this. Two of FD Roosevelt's envisioned rights in his "Second Bill of Rights" were:
Decent Employment | |
And: | |
An Adequate wage and decent living (living wage) from that employment |
There can be no fair and equitable society (equity = a fair society) unless people can use their creativity, be employed at something useful and get compensated for their labors. But these are positive rights; they require institutions, programs, resources and efforts to become reality. My friend Mike Jackson is devoting Herculean efforts to getting workforce training and development programs stood up and supported in the District of Columbia and around the Country. I've been doing what I can to support his efforts.
Friday, March 4, 2016
The Shoulder's that Raised us
The Shoulders That Raised us
- We live on the shoulders of those who raised us up.
- How can we turn around and hold other people down?
- Today the sun will set, but tomorrow another one will rise,
- We pass by as other eyes open and "I" live on.
- Here a whisper lingers, and "I" hear an whispering song.
- I swear I hear the voice of a dear departed love echoing on.
- I have to stop and admire the singing in the trees.
- the doves making their cries, leaves rustling high above.
- And though my heart can only bear,
- so much rising and departing,
- still those voices echo an eternity in this moment.
- and I see a vision of a single finger,
- saying "shush my darling sleep."
- "I am at ease and all your fears can keep."
Christopher Hartly Holte
This from August 14 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2016
ISDS as an agency of Neo-colonialism
Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Tribunals are now starting to bite what used to be known as the first world, in the rear. Recently the threat of an Investor Suit in the World Trade court instigated Congress to rescind point of origin labeling laws. And another lawsuit was filed even more recently seeking damages for a ruling that the Keystone XL pipeline was too great a risk to the US water supply to be built. [see Washington Post: "TransCanada is suing the U.S. over Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline. The U.S. might lose."]
Imminence
- We live in this limited world,
- where we can only march one way,
- where each day that passes is lost.
- And we can only progress at it's cost.
- This is a world of bricks and stones,
- Wood and rot,
- Where every step forward is bought
- with pain and loss.
- But imminent in this world is a kind of transcendence:
- a chance to participate in creation.
- A choice between irrationality and reason;
- Between tearing down and destruction or creating joy;
- Those bricks and stones can build a prison,
- Or raise a palace of the imagination.
In honor of Spinoza, Christopher H. Holte
We are not diminished
- We are not diminished
- Your love's beauty shines radiant like a sun.
- She has shed a husk and is free to cavort and roam
- Close to home,
- yet far from this sad place under the loam.
- In waves of imagination and the memory of loved ones.
- There is a star that shines that should bear her name.
- In this world, the world beyond we cannot know.
- But If anything is transcendent, it is that loving glow.
Responding to a friend's loss, Christopher H. Holte 3/2/2016