As the new year begins, now is the traditional time for all of us to renew our minds, body and spirit with resolutions of how we will better ourselves in all three areas, many of which will be either broken or forgotten by Valentine's Day. Such is the nature of the human condition, and I do not exclude myself. However, thanks to one of my resolutions I was treated to an inspiring lesson in yesterday morning's Sunday school program which I would like to share.
The basic thesis of this first of a five-part series centered on the question "What legacy do you wish to leave the world", based on the recently published book ILL FARES THE LAND by Tony Judt. Embedded in that question and much less obvious is the notion of do others really even notice or care what we do? Years ago I heard a speech by one of Little Rock's most prominent citizens in which he approached that very question from a different angle by asking is it really in one's best interest to actually say "I really don't care what people think about me" as a response to his or her public conduct? His point was that you should care, as it is impossible to know for sure who might look upon you as a role model and be strongly influenced by your words or actions. In effect we all create a legacy whether we know it or not, so what we say and do should reflect a degree of high moral character and integrity.
Today's lesson then used a Baccalaureate Address by Bill Moyers to the students of Hamilton College on May 20, 2006, as the perfect setting in which to explore the concept of "legacy" since most such speeches focus on what one generation passes on to another. In short, it began with an apology for ".....the mess you are inheriting" including "....the war in Iraq, ....huge debts, ....the polarized country, the corporate scandals, the corrupt politics, our imperiled democracy, ....sprawl and our addiction to oil, and ....toxins in the environment". His admonition after posing that list of what was wrong with America was "Good luck in cleaning it up".
However, thankfully, his message did not end there. Instead, as you would expect Bill Moyers to do, he re-focused that Class of 2006 on the positive ways they could "....respond to the dissonance in our culture, the rivalry between beauty and bestiality in the world, and the conflicts in your own soul" by quoting Albert Camus' feeling about that conflict between beauty and humiliation in the world who noted that "....we have to strive, hard as it is, not to be unfaithful....in the presence of one or the other". Mr. Moyers concluded his message by relating his favorite story about Shalom Aleicheim and his "passing of the bread". To get the full flavor of this story, read about it as contained in his speech at http://www.hamilton.edu/documents//commencement/moyers.PDF.
Another way to convey the essence of my message on this beginning of 2011 is best expressed by the recurring verse from that wonderful hymn which was used to close our lesson "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me". Happy New Year!
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Christmas 0000
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one unto his own city.
And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
The Gospel According to LUKE 2:1-14 (Authorized King James Version)
Very best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas 2010 and Happy New Year 2011!
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one unto his own city.
And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
The Gospel According to LUKE 2:1-14 (Authorized King James Version)
Very best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas 2010 and Happy New Year 2011!
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick - NOT!
Having just read a fascinating bestseller account of one of the lesser known chapters in the life of our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, I couldn't help but wonder if Wiki Leaks had existed in 1905 how history might have been changed. To quote its author, James Bradley, who also wrote Flags of Our Fathers, Roosevelt's conduct during this period ".....lit the fuse that would - decades later - result in a number of devastating wars: World War II, the Korean War, and the Communists revolution in China". While definitely a page-turner, it's very difficult to condense this book into a blog-readable synopsis, but I will try.
To better understand what happened, it is important to know that the United States for the most part was unquestionably racist toward people of any color back then whether red, yellow, brown or black. Notwithstanding our own Civil War, there was a very strong feeling in the 1800s and early 1900s to continue the sixteenth century English myth of Anglo-Saxon superiority by pushing westward at all cost, as evidenced by the forced relocation of the many Native Indian tribes to Oklahoma (i.e. the infamous Trail of Tears) beginning in 1838, the Mexican-American War of 1846-48, and the savage 25-year Indian Wars, the longest in American history, which were capped with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. Once the Pacific Ocean was reached, those same eyes began looking even farther west to the Philippines and Asia with similar intent, to wit the opening quote in this book from Theodore Roosevelt on October 29, 1900: "I wish to see the United States the dominant power on the shores of the Pacific Ocean". This position was made even clearer by his declaration that "Our future history will be more determined by our position on the Pacific facing China than our position on the Atlantic facing Europe". How prophetic that statement was, but obviously in a much different context than exists today.
So it was into this cauldron of racism and western expansionism that Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was born on October 27, 1858. "Teddy", unlike his later rough and tumble somewhat manufactured persona, was actually a very frail and sickly child who suffered from asthma throughout his life, was raised and educated in a confined environment, read numerous dime novels full of racial stereotypes and had little contact with the outside world. However, he was encouraged by his father to "embrace manhood and thwart overcivilization (sic) with a rigorous bodybuilding program". Later he overcompensated for this upbringing by becoming increasingly more aggressive and ruthless. At his first school, Harvard, he quickly assimilated with the very rich and counted among his favorite professors one Nathaniel Shaler who taught white supremacy based on the same English tradition of the 1500s noted above. I believe both of these life experiences were integral to shaping his philosophy of "Speak softly and carry a big stick" which, even though romanticized in most historical accounts of his life, did not serve this country well, as we shall see.
Fast forward to his first experience on the national political scene. After serving as member on the ill-fated and corrupt New York Police Board, he lobbied hard and finally won an appointment in April 1897 to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration where, in his boss's absence, he again put his lobbying skills to work, only this time to start a war to grab the Philippines. In a memo to a West Point professor he put it this way: "In strict confidence...I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one." Well, he got his wish times two. On May 15, 1898, the USS Maine accidentally exploded in Havana Harbor but, fueled by the May 18th edition of the Hearst New York Journal quoting Roosevelt that it was not an accident, resulted in a national drumbeat for war that President McKinley reluctantly answered by signing a declaration of war. "Teddy" volunteered for service and thus the famous Rough Riders, a name taken directly from Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, were born. While sold on the theme of "benevolent intentions" ("Speak softly...."), it was anything but. The Platt Amendment was canceled, Cuba was forbidden from making treaties with any other country, we forced them to give us Guantanamo Bay and Cuba lost their independence ("....and carry a big stick"). Then came the Philippines which were tagged as "The Cuba of the Far East" in an 1898 article in the North American Review. Same song, second verse where we offered to help Emilio Aguinaldo, their freedom-fighting first president in his country's fight for independence from Spain, by assuring him that "the United States is a great and rich nation and needs no colonies" ("Speak softly...). After sailing into Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, neutralizing the Spanish Navy and letting the Filipino freedom fighters do the grunt work on land, we did exactly the opposite and began a brutal and vicious campaign to take over the Philippines ("....and carry a big stick"). There is much more to this sad chapter in our history but time and space does not permit a full accounting. At least on June 12, 1898, the Filipinos celebrated their first Independence Day, even though they would not repeat that celebration for another sixty-four years.
Then there is the disastrous diplomacy employed in our dealings with the Japanese, Koreans and Chinese which was further complicated by a secret mission commissioned by President Roosevelt in 1905 on which this book is primarily based. It commenced on July 1st and involved his daughter, Alice, Secretary of War William Taft, seven senators and twenty-three congressmen along with their wives and aides. In effect they were to tour Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, China and Korea while he continued to negotiate various agreements with the leaders of Japan, Korea and China with absolutely no congressional knowledge or authority to do so. Among many other things he befriended the Japanese who were engaged in a conflict with Russia leading them to believe that they should adopt their own version of our Monroe Doctrine for Asia, thinking they could "Americanize" that region; persuaded Korea to sign the U.S-Korea Treaty in which it was declared that there "shall be perpetual peace and friendship" between the two countries, with Korea believing that the United States would protect them from "western predators" when Roosevelt was quoted in 1900 as saying "I should like to see Japan have Korea", ostensibly, to provide a check on Russia; and destroyed a long standing and beneficial commercial relationship with China. In short, there were a series of blunders and mistakes built on ignorance, arrogance, duplicity and imperialism for which we are paying a heavy price to this very day. Since there is absolutely no way I can relate all of the intricacies of what actually transpired and convey the true depth and atmosphere of that period, I strongly suggest that those of you who have any interest in this phase of our history please read this book and decide for yourself whether "Speak softly and carry a big stick" actually worked in our best interests. You will not be disappointed.
Oh yes, its name? THE IMPERIAL CRUISE
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
To better understand what happened, it is important to know that the United States for the most part was unquestionably racist toward people of any color back then whether red, yellow, brown or black. Notwithstanding our own Civil War, there was a very strong feeling in the 1800s and early 1900s to continue the sixteenth century English myth of Anglo-Saxon superiority by pushing westward at all cost, as evidenced by the forced relocation of the many Native Indian tribes to Oklahoma (i.e. the infamous Trail of Tears) beginning in 1838, the Mexican-American War of 1846-48, and the savage 25-year Indian Wars, the longest in American history, which were capped with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. Once the Pacific Ocean was reached, those same eyes began looking even farther west to the Philippines and Asia with similar intent, to wit the opening quote in this book from Theodore Roosevelt on October 29, 1900: "I wish to see the United States the dominant power on the shores of the Pacific Ocean". This position was made even clearer by his declaration that "Our future history will be more determined by our position on the Pacific facing China than our position on the Atlantic facing Europe". How prophetic that statement was, but obviously in a much different context than exists today.
So it was into this cauldron of racism and western expansionism that Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was born on October 27, 1858. "Teddy", unlike his later rough and tumble somewhat manufactured persona, was actually a very frail and sickly child who suffered from asthma throughout his life, was raised and educated in a confined environment, read numerous dime novels full of racial stereotypes and had little contact with the outside world. However, he was encouraged by his father to "embrace manhood and thwart overcivilization (sic) with a rigorous bodybuilding program". Later he overcompensated for this upbringing by becoming increasingly more aggressive and ruthless. At his first school, Harvard, he quickly assimilated with the very rich and counted among his favorite professors one Nathaniel Shaler who taught white supremacy based on the same English tradition of the 1500s noted above. I believe both of these life experiences were integral to shaping his philosophy of "Speak softly and carry a big stick" which, even though romanticized in most historical accounts of his life, did not serve this country well, as we shall see.
Fast forward to his first experience on the national political scene. After serving as member on the ill-fated and corrupt New York Police Board, he lobbied hard and finally won an appointment in April 1897 to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration where, in his boss's absence, he again put his lobbying skills to work, only this time to start a war to grab the Philippines. In a memo to a West Point professor he put it this way: "In strict confidence...I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one." Well, he got his wish times two. On May 15, 1898, the USS Maine accidentally exploded in Havana Harbor but, fueled by the May 18th edition of the Hearst New York Journal quoting Roosevelt that it was not an accident, resulted in a national drumbeat for war that President McKinley reluctantly answered by signing a declaration of war. "Teddy" volunteered for service and thus the famous Rough Riders, a name taken directly from Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, were born. While sold on the theme of "benevolent intentions" ("Speak softly...."), it was anything but. The Platt Amendment was canceled, Cuba was forbidden from making treaties with any other country, we forced them to give us Guantanamo Bay and Cuba lost their independence ("....and carry a big stick"). Then came the Philippines which were tagged as "The Cuba of the Far East" in an 1898 article in the North American Review. Same song, second verse where we offered to help Emilio Aguinaldo, their freedom-fighting first president in his country's fight for independence from Spain, by assuring him that "the United States is a great and rich nation and needs no colonies" ("Speak softly...). After sailing into Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, neutralizing the Spanish Navy and letting the Filipino freedom fighters do the grunt work on land, we did exactly the opposite and began a brutal and vicious campaign to take over the Philippines ("....and carry a big stick"). There is much more to this sad chapter in our history but time and space does not permit a full accounting. At least on June 12, 1898, the Filipinos celebrated their first Independence Day, even though they would not repeat that celebration for another sixty-four years.
Then there is the disastrous diplomacy employed in our dealings with the Japanese, Koreans and Chinese which was further complicated by a secret mission commissioned by President Roosevelt in 1905 on which this book is primarily based. It commenced on July 1st and involved his daughter, Alice, Secretary of War William Taft, seven senators and twenty-three congressmen along with their wives and aides. In effect they were to tour Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, China and Korea while he continued to negotiate various agreements with the leaders of Japan, Korea and China with absolutely no congressional knowledge or authority to do so. Among many other things he befriended the Japanese who were engaged in a conflict with Russia leading them to believe that they should adopt their own version of our Monroe Doctrine for Asia, thinking they could "Americanize" that region; persuaded Korea to sign the U.S-Korea Treaty in which it was declared that there "shall be perpetual peace and friendship" between the two countries, with Korea believing that the United States would protect them from "western predators" when Roosevelt was quoted in 1900 as saying "I should like to see Japan have Korea", ostensibly, to provide a check on Russia; and destroyed a long standing and beneficial commercial relationship with China. In short, there were a series of blunders and mistakes built on ignorance, arrogance, duplicity and imperialism for which we are paying a heavy price to this very day. Since there is absolutely no way I can relate all of the intricacies of what actually transpired and convey the true depth and atmosphere of that period, I strongly suggest that those of you who have any interest in this phase of our history please read this book and decide for yourself whether "Speak softly and carry a big stick" actually worked in our best interests. You will not be disappointed.
Oh yes, its name? THE IMPERIAL CRUISE
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Potpourri IV
Since we are rapidly closing in on the end of this year, now would be the perfect time to once again purge my inbox of carry-over items, and prepare to start 2011 with a new clean slate of issues. So, with your indulgence, here they are.
1. NIMBY - Once again "Not In My Back Yard" raises its ugly head and threatens to kill the latest site for a homeless shelter in Little Rock. What exactly are people afraid of, particularly in an industrial zone across from a scrap yard? Is it better to have our homeless population roam the streets of our city in a scattered fashion and set up shop in their de facto day resource center on the southwest corner of Markham and Cross Streets, or have a clean, sanitary, safe and protected place for them to go? The need is urgent and the time is now, so I trust our city fathers will not once again cave on this issue and instead will do the absolutely right thing and make that proposed 9th Street location the proud new home for our homeless population. And please don't use that tired old excuse of no money. How about re-appropriating that annual $200,000 unaccounted for gift to the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce as start?
2. Vive la France, and Hawaii, Too - Several years ago there was a flap about extensive, and in some cases questionable, travel of some Little Rock City Directors to foreign countries. One of the off-shoots of that issue as I recall was that at the very least the travelers owed the taxpayers a report of what was learned or gained to the benefit of the city as a result of those travels. Has any such reporting of recent foreign travels by city representatives been made to the public?
3. Here We Go Again - Once again it's time for the revolving door of replacing superintendents of the Little Rock School District to start spinning. At least this time it has taken 3.3 years to make another change when the average tenure of a LRSD superintendent since 1978 has been a dismal 1.7 years (yes, we've had 18 during the past 32 years, some of whom were interim, others repeats). By that measure I guess we should rate the current occupant of this office as a major success. Do the names Masem, Kelly, Jones, Williams, Carnine, James, and Brooks, to name just a few, ring a bell? With all of the challenges that this district has gone through during these past three decades, it would seem that the one thing we need more than any other is stability in leadership, including a firm commitment to this community. In that regard is it necessary to again spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to conduct a national search to find another superintendent (see above list for the track record of that method) when, in fact, there may be other excellent candidates within the State of Arkansas, if not Little Rock, who have a deep appreciation of our history, as well as the professional knowledge, to bring that needed stability to our local situation?
4. I've Got Mine, Now You Get Yours - So, let me get this straight. Our congress is now debating the merits of whether to extend unemployment benefits to those in our country who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own during the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression , but only if the top 2% of the richest members of our society get their reduced taxes extended. What's wrong with this picture? Are we so selfish in this country that we would further penalize those who have been impacted the most by this latest recession at the very time they so desperately need help, and add another $700 billion to our $14 trillion debt in the process? Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Ted Turner among others don't think so, and neither do I.
5. Good-By to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - Simply put, it's past time to put this policy of asking many our brave military personnel to live a lie when they are risking their lives daily to defend our freedoms, one of which is to not be persecuted for sexual orientation. I would suspect that among the multitude of young men and women in uniform under 25 years of age this is a non-issue, so it seems to be influenced by demographics with some post-Vietnam generals just not able to face reality. Somehow we have got to purge ourselves of this homophobia not only in the armed forces, but in our society in general.
6. Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil - Listening to and reading about all of the reaction to the Wiki Leaks matter, I must confess some ambiguity. On the one hand, if the release of all of those documents has caused irreparable harm to our national security and diplomatic apparatus and put people's lives at risk, not unlike the Valerie Plame outing in 2003, then it is obviously a bad thing for which appropriate legal measures should be taken against the perpetrator(s). However, if it is a release of information to which the public is entitled anyway, then my reaction is somewhat tempered. Also, it calls into play the question of how the world might have been different had the public been privy to the truth at critical times in our history had we known about them at the time (e.g. our early engagements with Cuba and the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century, the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, the truth about the Iraq War, etc.). If nothing else I trust this affair will place all diplomats and others in public service on notice to be much more circumspect in their comments, lest they bear the brunt of them being publicly disclosed.
7. The Last Station - As history marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Leo Tolstoy at the Astapovo train station in the bleak cold winter of 1910, may I recommend the movie "The Last Station" about his life and that event. It's a great story with a cast of marvelous actors.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
1. NIMBY - Once again "Not In My Back Yard" raises its ugly head and threatens to kill the latest site for a homeless shelter in Little Rock. What exactly are people afraid of, particularly in an industrial zone across from a scrap yard? Is it better to have our homeless population roam the streets of our city in a scattered fashion and set up shop in their de facto day resource center on the southwest corner of Markham and Cross Streets, or have a clean, sanitary, safe and protected place for them to go? The need is urgent and the time is now, so I trust our city fathers will not once again cave on this issue and instead will do the absolutely right thing and make that proposed 9th Street location the proud new home for our homeless population. And please don't use that tired old excuse of no money. How about re-appropriating that annual $200,000 unaccounted for gift to the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce as start?
2. Vive la France, and Hawaii, Too - Several years ago there was a flap about extensive, and in some cases questionable, travel of some Little Rock City Directors to foreign countries. One of the off-shoots of that issue as I recall was that at the very least the travelers owed the taxpayers a report of what was learned or gained to the benefit of the city as a result of those travels. Has any such reporting of recent foreign travels by city representatives been made to the public?
3. Here We Go Again - Once again it's time for the revolving door of replacing superintendents of the Little Rock School District to start spinning. At least this time it has taken 3.3 years to make another change when the average tenure of a LRSD superintendent since 1978 has been a dismal 1.7 years (yes, we've had 18 during the past 32 years, some of whom were interim, others repeats). By that measure I guess we should rate the current occupant of this office as a major success. Do the names Masem, Kelly, Jones, Williams, Carnine, James, and Brooks, to name just a few, ring a bell? With all of the challenges that this district has gone through during these past three decades, it would seem that the one thing we need more than any other is stability in leadership, including a firm commitment to this community. In that regard is it necessary to again spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to conduct a national search to find another superintendent (see above list for the track record of that method) when, in fact, there may be other excellent candidates within the State of Arkansas, if not Little Rock, who have a deep appreciation of our history, as well as the professional knowledge, to bring that needed stability to our local situation?
4. I've Got Mine, Now You Get Yours - So, let me get this straight. Our congress is now debating the merits of whether to extend unemployment benefits to those in our country who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own during the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression , but only if the top 2% of the richest members of our society get their reduced taxes extended. What's wrong with this picture? Are we so selfish in this country that we would further penalize those who have been impacted the most by this latest recession at the very time they so desperately need help, and add another $700 billion to our $14 trillion debt in the process? Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Ted Turner among others don't think so, and neither do I.
5. Good-By to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - Simply put, it's past time to put this policy of asking many our brave military personnel to live a lie when they are risking their lives daily to defend our freedoms, one of which is to not be persecuted for sexual orientation. I would suspect that among the multitude of young men and women in uniform under 25 years of age this is a non-issue, so it seems to be influenced by demographics with some post-Vietnam generals just not able to face reality. Somehow we have got to purge ourselves of this homophobia not only in the armed forces, but in our society in general.
6. Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil - Listening to and reading about all of the reaction to the Wiki Leaks matter, I must confess some ambiguity. On the one hand, if the release of all of those documents has caused irreparable harm to our national security and diplomatic apparatus and put people's lives at risk, not unlike the Valerie Plame outing in 2003, then it is obviously a bad thing for which appropriate legal measures should be taken against the perpetrator(s). However, if it is a release of information to which the public is entitled anyway, then my reaction is somewhat tempered. Also, it calls into play the question of how the world might have been different had the public been privy to the truth at critical times in our history had we known about them at the time (e.g. our early engagements with Cuba and the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century, the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, the truth about the Iraq War, etc.). If nothing else I trust this affair will place all diplomats and others in public service on notice to be much more circumspect in their comments, lest they bear the brunt of them being publicly disclosed.
7. The Last Station - As history marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Leo Tolstoy at the Astapovo train station in the bleak cold winter of 1910, may I recommend the movie "The Last Station" about his life and that event. It's a great story with a cast of marvelous actors.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
