This MIT (!) site explores an aspect of the war in Iraq that has been largely ignored - the human cost of the war for Iraqis.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
MIT's take on the cost of the Iraq war.
This MIT (!) site explores an aspect of the war in Iraq that has been largely ignored - the human cost of the war for Iraqis.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Memories on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
As I start to write what MLK Jr. Day means to me, I am drawn back to memories of Lucille Davis. During the summers after 4th and 5th grade, my parents hired Lucille to do light housekeeping and to be my brother's, sister's and my nanny for the summers. Lucille was a black ("negro", at that time) college student from the south who I grew to love and confide in. I have really fond memories of her being such a patient listener.
At the time Lucille was with us in the summer, we lived in Armonk's Windmill Farms and we belonged to the Swimming Club that was on one of the lakes. Lucille would accompany us to the lake wearing her maid uniform and sit under a tree in the hot sticky weather while we would swim. It took many years until I realized why she wouldn't (or couldn't) join us in the water.
Within our house, Lucille was treated like a member of the family. I remember joining my mother and Lucille at the kitchen table while they were having a cup of coffee and my mother encouraged Lucille to tell me about living as a "Negro" in the South. And so it was that I learned for the first time about the Jim Crow laws from an intelligent college woman who had to sit in the back of the bus and sit in the balcony at the movies. This was in the summers of '61 and '62.
And now when I think of this day honoring the man who changed that way of living, I remember that it was not just our nation's civil rights values but also Lucille and many individuals whose lives were changed by his powerful leadership.
At the time Lucille was with us in the summer, we lived in Armonk's Windmill Farms and we belonged to the Swimming Club that was on one of the lakes. Lucille would accompany us to the lake wearing her maid uniform and sit under a tree in the hot sticky weather while we would swim. It took many years until I realized why she wouldn't (or couldn't) join us in the water.
Within our house, Lucille was treated like a member of the family. I remember joining my mother and Lucille at the kitchen table while they were having a cup of coffee and my mother encouraged Lucille to tell me about living as a "Negro" in the South. And so it was that I learned for the first time about the Jim Crow laws from an intelligent college woman who had to sit in the back of the bus and sit in the balcony at the movies. This was in the summers of '61 and '62.
And now when I think of this day honoring the man who changed that way of living, I remember that it was not just our nation's civil rights values but also Lucille and many individuals whose lives were changed by his powerful leadership.
Friday, January 04, 2008
My Caucus Experience
Caucuses are the word of the day. When we lived in MN, it was a caucus state. At the caucus, we first figured out how many attendees supported which candidates. The next step was to split up the delegates to the County Democratic Convention proportionately to the support for each candidate and then we had to choose which attendees would be the delegates at the County convention. I don't remember who I was supporting but there were just a few supporting that candidate and somehow I ended up selected as the candidate for my candidate at the county convention.
What made my participation in the convention more interesting than usual was that Logan was only 2 months old and fully nursing so I brought him with me for most of the day. He did great and I enjoyed the experience of seeing out the positions for the national platform begin with discussions at the county level. I would love to go to a national convention someday...even though it probably would be interesting for 15min and boring for all the rest.
As for tonight's results....I was sorry to hear that Dodd has dropped out but I'm very happy with the possibility of a democratic winning the nomination!
What made my participation in the convention more interesting than usual was that Logan was only 2 months old and fully nursing so I brought him with me for most of the day. He did great and I enjoyed the experience of seeing out the positions for the national platform begin with discussions at the county level. I would love to go to a national convention someday...even though it probably would be interesting for 15min and boring for all the rest.
As for tonight's results....I was sorry to hear that Dodd has dropped out but I'm very happy with the possibility of a democratic winning the nomination!
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