As a gardener, I love your words! As a League of Women Voters member, I know about democracy not being a spectator sport, but necessitates action. Thank you so much, out of all the newspapers, Substack writers, etc, I cannot read everything, but always make sure I read yours. Your voice is greatly appreciated.
Love the spirit behind these morning thoughts, Anand. As an avid gardener and educator I am particularly drawn to the notion that Democracy is a farm and not a supermarket...such is also true of a robust public education system that inculcates a deep and abiding love of citizenship. A citizenship that does not just pop in every two or four years, but one that is nurtured and tended to, much like a garden of farm. It is slow, careful, and lovingly observed, studied, and worked on like good fertile soil to yield the best results.
I'm in total agreement with what you wrote here, David. But I fear that our public education system has been under heavy attack by anti-democratic forces for decades, and therefore has struggled to achieve the pro-democracy goals to which it aspires. Please read the excellent book 'Schoolhouse Burning' by Derek W. Black for more on this sad story.
Yes, John... I agree with you too. As a teacher, elementary school principal and school district superintendent I saw firsthand for the past 30 years of my career the destructive forces of high stakes testing with the goal to punish schools and teachers in an effort to drive an agenda that would lead to privatization, vouchers, and ineffective charter schools designed to dismantle the public school system in the United States. Another great source for the research on this is Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System
This is a good reminder, especially after all the grim news of the appointments this week! It's a great analogy. It may feel like we're in the season of political winter. It seems dormant, but it's not, we can prepare ourselves to plant the seeds in spring and it may take time for those seeds to grow, but, and produce fruit. Not everything will survive, but enough will to produce something unexpected and beautiful, even if different that what we can currently envision.
The disbelief and indignation of the many (myself included) who -- try as we might -- simply cannot reconcile ourselves to the fact that so many of our fellow citizens would vote for an unsavory character such as Trump reminds me of the inscription on the tombstone of the man killed in a traffic intersection by a drunk driver who ran a red traffic light: "BUT I HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY!"
"When a man as uncouth and reckless as Trump becomes president by running against the nation's elites, it's a strong signal that the elites are the problem." -- Robert W. Merry (as quoted by David Brooks in the New York Times, 23 May 2017)
This uncomfortable truth was on target when it was first published in 2017, and it still is. Food for thought.
Spot on. Full tent communication. Prose. When an artist completes a major piece, echoes of the image/sound/structure/rhythm reverberate long past completion. Then the task is to clear the slate, refresh, discover and settle into you new you by finding the quiet release. Now senses open, invite and welcome the new creative adventure not yet realized. Trust it will emerge.
I saw PBS Newshour interview with Sherrod Brown & interviewer wanted to focus on what Dems should be doing differently to win elections. I concede that Dems didn’t win but there is not enough talk about the hermetically sealed right wing media bubble & how 30+ yrs of pro-GOP media is working. Dems ability to message is terrible but it’s no match for the rw media behemoth. GOP won the election but they will not govern & no one is asking why nearly half the country voted for an insurrectionist who is intent on dismantling the government. It’s because that audience is being fed 24/7 a different reality. I wish more in media would address this.
I’ve been thinking about this for the past week or so. The US, like most places, I assume, is actually borderline ungovernable. I don’t mean it’s a failed state; obviously it’s not. But the long sweep of US history reveals a pretty unruly populace in ways that have both advanced and harmed human rights and democracy. This isn’t to minimize the harm the Administration will accomplish, but, man, this is a messy, complicated place where, with very few exceptions, we simply do not all row in the same direction. In a moment like this, there’s are seeds of possibility in that unruliness.
Thanks. This is just what I needed to hear this morning. Over the past couple of weeks I've felt a need to keep reading ideas to get a handle on what happened but am also felt the intensity of colliding analysis. Reading your words and being reminded that it's okay to wonder and not be sure really resonated.
Anand! you give me hope each morning. The only thing that keeps me going is vigilance and hope. I am 83; so it is difficult to envision democracy overcoming the Trump administration. I live on Lookout Mountain in North Alabama in the summer months. My other months are spent in Midtown Atlanta where I vote. My area voted highly for Harris/Walz. My daughter lives in Decatur,Ga (DeKalb county) where they had several bomb threats on election day. Decatur voted 80% for Biden in 2020; and a high percentage Democratic this year. These threats had an impact on the 34 Georgia sites that were involved (all were heavily Democratic areas). So I have been angry since November 5th.
My plan of action is to identify the few moderate Republican Senators and Representatives. I plan to send letters urging them to vote against policies that are harmful to American citizens. My grandmother was a letter writer in the 50's and 60's. She was very involved in Tennessee politics. Her advantage was there was no: email, mega right wing stations and social media. She always put stickers of flowers on the envelopes. She said that gave her an advantage that her's might be opened first. It is silly; but I will try it. The emails that I send are always answered with auto responses.
Yes, it's Okay not to know. The closest I've come to anything like an explaination is that the election results were "overdetermined". It will be difficult to pull individual threads for answers. Suffice it to say that whatever we are witnessing here in the United States, has global echos.
No answers now, but the beginnings of a profound discernment: Where, and how best, do we go from here, one day at a time?
Thank you. I like very much how you call ours a movement for a multiracial democracy -- could we say multiracial FEMINIST democracy? Because those who do not want to let go of the patriarchy are just as big a force-- perhaps even bigger -- as the racists
Thank you Anand for the permission and perspective. A resounding yes to everything you shared. Rebuilding takes time and reflection after the hurricane, and you’re right that we need to rethink not only where we rebuild, but also whether we use the same kind of lumber and architectural designs as before given what we know about the worsening political climate change in this country and world. Asking ourselves if it’s still even possible to dream of living near the beach again, or if it’s just a fool’s errand in support of Einstein’a insanity definition. I belief there is a way, just not sure how yet.
As a gardener, I love your words! As a League of Women Voters member, I know about democracy not being a spectator sport, but necessitates action. Thank you so much, out of all the newspapers, Substack writers, etc, I cannot read everything, but always make sure I read yours. Your voice is greatly appreciated.
Love the spirit behind these morning thoughts, Anand. As an avid gardener and educator I am particularly drawn to the notion that Democracy is a farm and not a supermarket...such is also true of a robust public education system that inculcates a deep and abiding love of citizenship. A citizenship that does not just pop in every two or four years, but one that is nurtured and tended to, much like a garden of farm. It is slow, careful, and lovingly observed, studied, and worked on like good fertile soil to yield the best results.
I'm in total agreement with what you wrote here, David. But I fear that our public education system has been under heavy attack by anti-democratic forces for decades, and therefore has struggled to achieve the pro-democracy goals to which it aspires. Please read the excellent book 'Schoolhouse Burning' by Derek W. Black for more on this sad story.
Yes, John... I agree with you too. As a teacher, elementary school principal and school district superintendent I saw firsthand for the past 30 years of my career the destructive forces of high stakes testing with the goal to punish schools and teachers in an effort to drive an agenda that would lead to privatization, vouchers, and ineffective charter schools designed to dismantle the public school system in the United States. Another great source for the research on this is Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System
If I share this in my newsletter will people be able to open it? Or will there be a paywall?
Jess, I’ve shared Anand’s columns with a friend and she hasn’t reported a problem with a paywall but I share it from my email. 🤷🏼
This is a good reminder, especially after all the grim news of the appointments this week! It's a great analogy. It may feel like we're in the season of political winter. It seems dormant, but it's not, we can prepare ourselves to plant the seeds in spring and it may take time for those seeds to grow, but, and produce fruit. Not everything will survive, but enough will to produce something unexpected and beautiful, even if different that what we can currently envision.
The disbelief and indignation of the many (myself included) who -- try as we might -- simply cannot reconcile ourselves to the fact that so many of our fellow citizens would vote for an unsavory character such as Trump reminds me of the inscription on the tombstone of the man killed in a traffic intersection by a drunk driver who ran a red traffic light: "BUT I HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY!"
"When a man as uncouth and reckless as Trump becomes president by running against the nation's elites, it's a strong signal that the elites are the problem." -- Robert W. Merry (as quoted by David Brooks in the New York Times, 23 May 2017)
This uncomfortable truth was on target when it was first published in 2017, and it still is. Food for thought.
Spot on. Full tent communication. Prose. When an artist completes a major piece, echoes of the image/sound/structure/rhythm reverberate long past completion. Then the task is to clear the slate, refresh, discover and settle into you new you by finding the quiet release. Now senses open, invite and welcome the new creative adventure not yet realized. Trust it will emerge.
Thank you, Anand. Appreciate the emotional support for we who are still floundering.
Thank you.
I saw PBS Newshour interview with Sherrod Brown & interviewer wanted to focus on what Dems should be doing differently to win elections. I concede that Dems didn’t win but there is not enough talk about the hermetically sealed right wing media bubble & how 30+ yrs of pro-GOP media is working. Dems ability to message is terrible but it’s no match for the rw media behemoth. GOP won the election but they will not govern & no one is asking why nearly half the country voted for an insurrectionist who is intent on dismantling the government. It’s because that audience is being fed 24/7 a different reality. I wish more in media would address this.
“This country will not be easily subjugated.“
I’ve been thinking about this for the past week or so. The US, like most places, I assume, is actually borderline ungovernable. I don’t mean it’s a failed state; obviously it’s not. But the long sweep of US history reveals a pretty unruly populace in ways that have both advanced and harmed human rights and democracy. This isn’t to minimize the harm the Administration will accomplish, but, man, this is a messy, complicated place where, with very few exceptions, we simply do not all row in the same direction. In a moment like this, there’s are seeds of possibility in that unruliness.
Thanks. This is just what I needed to hear this morning. Over the past couple of weeks I've felt a need to keep reading ideas to get a handle on what happened but am also felt the intensity of colliding analysis. Reading your words and being reminded that it's okay to wonder and not be sure really resonated.
Thanks. I needed this today. I woke up feeling such heaviness around me. Thank you for your words and emotional support.
Anand! you give me hope each morning. The only thing that keeps me going is vigilance and hope. I am 83; so it is difficult to envision democracy overcoming the Trump administration. I live on Lookout Mountain in North Alabama in the summer months. My other months are spent in Midtown Atlanta where I vote. My area voted highly for Harris/Walz. My daughter lives in Decatur,Ga (DeKalb county) where they had several bomb threats on election day. Decatur voted 80% for Biden in 2020; and a high percentage Democratic this year. These threats had an impact on the 34 Georgia sites that were involved (all were heavily Democratic areas). So I have been angry since November 5th.
My plan of action is to identify the few moderate Republican Senators and Representatives. I plan to send letters urging them to vote against policies that are harmful to American citizens. My grandmother was a letter writer in the 50's and 60's. She was very involved in Tennessee politics. Her advantage was there was no: email, mega right wing stations and social media. She always put stickers of flowers on the envelopes. She said that gave her an advantage that her's might be opened first. It is silly; but I will try it. The emails that I send are always answered with auto responses.
This is what I love about The Ink and your messaging
So well said. It's like a guided meditation...
Yes, it's Okay not to know. The closest I've come to anything like an explaination is that the election results were "overdetermined". It will be difficult to pull individual threads for answers. Suffice it to say that whatever we are witnessing here in the United States, has global echos.
No answers now, but the beginnings of a profound discernment: Where, and how best, do we go from here, one day at a time?
Thank you. I like very much how you call ours a movement for a multiracial democracy -- could we say multiracial FEMINIST democracy? Because those who do not want to let go of the patriarchy are just as big a force-- perhaps even bigger -- as the racists
Good point, but I'd prefer multiracial, multiethnic, multigender democracy.
Thank you Anand for the permission and perspective. A resounding yes to everything you shared. Rebuilding takes time and reflection after the hurricane, and you’re right that we need to rethink not only where we rebuild, but also whether we use the same kind of lumber and architectural designs as before given what we know about the worsening political climate change in this country and world. Asking ourselves if it’s still even possible to dream of living near the beach again, or if it’s just a fool’s errand in support of Einstein’a insanity definition. I belief there is a way, just not sure how yet.