the day in history - random thoughts
maybe i need to call this bittersweet two. check out the comments already down there from a thoughtful 'younger than those of who cant help but remember how we got here generation'. the moment, the day and Barack and Michelle Obama were perfect. he wove together everything and everyone. he was everything george bush and his minions were entitled to by birth and education but never were.
but in some sense the question is why this is so extraordinary. and why did this country continue to indulged in racism, discrimination against everyone, and a lack of beauty and soul for 40 years after the civil rights movement, american indian movement and other brave people spoke the truth to the government and people.
but for the moment i will focus on the sweet. i have walked and been inspired by the singing of 'we shall overcome' in an oklahoma city church before a march, bette midler's singing of 'gotta have friends' before a gay rally in washington square, folksingers singing woodie guthrie's 'this land is your land' and american indian singing, poetry and speech. and i listened to recordings of bill broonzy singing 'if you're black...' which was expanded so magnificently by a true civil rights veteran to my joy and that of barack obama
it's not for me to determine whether my actions lived up to the what these moments should have inspired. but i do know that january 19th and 20th, 2009, were better days than any of us deserve. thank you barack obama and all those who have gone before you.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

say goodnite george - remember the nixon

some 30+ years ago, i stood at fisherman's wharf in san francisco with a happy crowd celebrating the exit of richard nixon from public life, the presidency and washington. i suspect that's the first time i truly began to understand the word 'bittersweet'. there seemed to be some at least poetic justice to nixon's exit in disgrace. but actually nixon's own words in an earlier exit told more than we wanted to hear.

'I leave you gentleman now and you will write it. You will interpret it. That's your right. But as I leave you I want you to know — just think how much you're going to be missing. You won't have Nixon to kick around any more, ...' press conference after losing the election for governor of
california, (7 november 1962)

nixon did leave us with his mess not to return until a public appearance in little ol enid, oklahoma, in support of outgoing governor henry bellmon. my political junkie father took my mother to that event even tho he was an adamant and lifelong democrat. enid and northwest oklahoma had been the red state portion of oklahoma before it became a statewide phenomenon. enid was the home base of my mother's side of the family and the only small town i visited regularly during my childhood.
[the only 'citation' i could find for the event: http://paperson.blogspot.com/]

fast forward to this day in history when george bush continues to make his own version of a cheesy exit that for me is both satisfying and irritating. he has done badly and left a terrible legacy for his successor. but i and some others have lost the special joy of sharing our distaste for him. we will no longer be able to enjoy the wonders of the jokes about him that the new technology gave us. they and he now pass into the artifact stage of history and our individual selves. my original intention was to offer a few last humorous images of him. but at this moment that seems as unnecessary and inappropriate as pursuing the crimes he and his folks committed against us all. face it friends we simply won't have george bush to kick around anymore

betty boop and the wayback machine
my morning wanderings have given me an old penguin cartoon from betty boop's creator, a website by which you can find lost websites and a penguin website that will allow me to impose my penguin love a little bit less on this particular blog. i'll pass these on as links along with a musical suggestion.
the wayback machine is part of the internet archive, a wonderful place to look for things by itself. the wayback machine allows you to search for lost or discontinued websites. check it out at: http://www.archive.org/web/web.php
the 1937 penguin cartoon is called peeping penguins. it came from max fleischer's fleischer studios which is most famous to me for its relation to betty boop. the archive includes other betty boop cartoons which you can navigate to thru his name if you look at this cartoon: http://www.archive.org/details/Peeping_Penguins_1937
for the penguin crowd here's the link to all about penguins. http://allaboutpenguins.ning.com/
and finally my musical note. i continue to love american routes for its wonderful weekly show which acts out its new orleans base in an amazing array of real american music. i end up catching it on saturday afternoons often. to see if its on check on the my public radio link on the right and see what else is on on public radio on the net.