annethensome

Yesterday, my kids and I joined my sister and her family for the re-telling of Jesus’ birth. Please do not take offense, but I think all of this focus on Jesus is misguided. It’s not about one baby thousands of  years ago. Christmas is a joyous reminder of the sacred power of love. My most profound experience was giving birth to my first born. Through Isabelle’s birth, then Harrison’s and Eva’s – their need to be loved, their ability to show me how to truly love -  has made me new again, again & again.

But, by the way, toddlers are easy. As Isabelle plants herself stubbornly into her teen years, she brings ever greater lessons for me. As I see her flash the things I despise about myself – impulsiveness, disorganization, lack of focus, despondence, love for risk- she shows me the mirror. It is exactly why I become so frustrated with her – because she is forcing me to understand and love the hard-to-love parts of myself. It’s deep and infinite. Their actions and our reactions have the potential to bring true, clear, meaningful love.

Then my mind takes it all to scale. After all , our world has two axis – love and greed. Lets blow this love stuff up for all and tamp down the greed when we can. Recall the child found, a few hours old, in an empty lot in Philadelphia just a few days ago? This is nothing short of a miracle. What happens from there for this child and many others, is up to all of us. As child poverty climbs, and greed runs rampant, the challenge before us all is real. Baby Jesus is cool, but the children we all see around us every day call us. Christmas sings to me and motivates me to help create a safe, loving society for us all.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

On October 21st, many joined Fight for Philly, Occupy Philly, Keystone Progress, Virginia Organizing,  Neighborhood Networks, and Penn students to protest American economic inequality and House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor’s refusal to meet with regular constituents. That night, I met my songwriter heroine, Ani DiFranco. Friday, Oct 21st is ridiculous day #1 for its revelation about the power & beauty of just, creative free speech.

Rep. Eric Cantor wanted assurances from UPenn about his audience for a speech at Wharton. Unable to speak only to future 1%ers, Cantor cancelled. At 1pm, my phone blew up.  After 3 seconds of deliberation, we organizers decided to go ahead with the rally, re-naming it the March for Integrity, detailed in this interview. What a gift. I was stunned by Cantor’s stupidity. Suddenly, all worry of coverage evaporated. Making national news AND a Jon Stewart punchline? Ridiculous. Watching Occupy cross the Walnut St bridge ? Ridiculous. Introducing Fight for Philly neighborhood activists to UPenn students who share common concerns? Ridiculouly amazing.

As Occupiers began exiting Wharton, my train to Lancaster awaited.  Upon my late arrival, Ani was finishing up her interview with XPN’s David Dye. As they wrapped up, Mr. MIH gives me the “follow me signal”- I never question. In minutes, Ani and I are introduced. I told her I actually feel worthy of meeting her Righteous Babe self following the wonderful day re-canting Cantor.  We spoke about Occupy Philly and her support for Occupy New Orleans, where she lives. We traded stories about mothering as I revealed that her albums rocked my teenager to sleep a decade ago. Ridiculous enough! Yet, an hour later, she intros a song with a shout out for Philly protestors. How powerful can artistic, creative free speech will be? Ridiculously powerful. Apologies in advance for my loving exuberance during Ani’s ode to those “camping out for our country” captured on video & shared here to multiply its power. Stay tuned for Ridiculous Day #2: Meeting Pres. Obama.

Wherever you are registered to vote, plan some time in your day Tuesday, Nov 8th. Here in Philly, the Mayor Nutter is up for re-election and has two opponents. Council people, the ones who voted for the curfew, Business Privlege Tax and more, affecting all of our lives? Yeah, those people, they are up for re-election too.

Also up for grabs is the Sheriff’s seat. What the heck does a Sheriff do? Get this, the office there FORECLOSES on people’s homes. What a shitty job right? But, you won’t believe it, one candidate for Sheriff is running on a NO FORECLOSURE platform. The banks forgot to write her a donation check. She has been fighting them her whole life as a welfare rights leader. (Honkala)

Another interesting office up for grabs is City Commissioner. Who cares? Right? Well they only run all of our elections and track results. (Singer, Schmidt) Judges are up, all levels. They just decide environmental law, labor law, custody issues, marijuana penalties. No big deal there.  (Bookvar, Anhalt, Foglietta).

Not every elected leader serves the 1%. Most of them try to do their best. But, they try a lot harder when people are paying attention.  If no one is paying attention and voting, they may choose the path of least resistance. If no one is looking, they may make no waves, maybe serve the big donor.  A big part of our country’s problem is apathy. Democracy requires reading, thinking, doing a little homework once or twice a year. Locally, I use the Committee of Seventy. But sadly, too many of us kick back on a couch with TV, Facebook or blogs  instead of research who is running and what they are really about. Who we elect matters – they decide things that affect us all. So, unless you are ready to burn it all down an start over Lord of the Flies style, Occupy the Voting Booth this Tuesday Nov 8th.

Occupy Philly has been an amazing source of inspiration and smart energy since day 1 on October 6th, 2011. Yet lately I fear, some are losing site of the big targets: banks and corporate greed. For example, one blogger here labeling the recent and noble arrests at the Comcast plaza, “brutal arrest’? Seems quite an exaggeration. Every Direct Action Committee friend I saw the next day was grinning and proud, and well-treated by police. Another example, the Dilworth Plaza issue: Should Occupy Philly move to Thomas Paine Plaza across the street to make way for a a job creating renovation resulting in handicap accessible transportation, PUBLIC green space and – hold on here – this part is shocking – a water collection pond that MAY freeze and create an ICE RINK!???!!!! To read some posts here, the new public space is “privatizing” and ice skating a 1% activity akin to a ski lift. Apparently, moving is giving in to the mayor and obediently doing what we are told? Whatever. Occupy Philly, it is time to be the movement you were meant to be. The Mayor and our whole City of Philadelphia are currently getting screwed over by Harrisburg state government in the form of cuts to everything that affects the poorest among us. Is it really so hard to believe that he would be empathetic? Yet, some Occupy Philly media folks want to fight a 2 year construction project  which will create at least 500 jobs for several years. The ripple effect of employed people in our local economy is real. Philly is not the same situation as NYC/OWS. There will probably be no union brothers and sisters showing up at 5am to defend people determined to be ”brutally” arrested in the name of – ?? what?? blocking 500 union jobs? greening a public space?? ending the 1% influence on disabled’s access to public transportation? Ok. Well, I hope reporters ask those arrested on that day where they’ve lived most of their lives. I am willing to bet, they’ll be relatively new to Philadelphia, because someone who really understands this city knows better than to block a civic improvement project that creates jobs.

This September, I began a dream job, Political Director for Fight for Philly. Fight for Philly is a campaign to find and empower the 99 to act in the face of economic injustices. Fight for Philly, along with Action United, has been organizing in neighborhoods hardest hit by Wall St schemes and greed. When folks answered those doors, we spoke to them about who is responsible for this economic emergency. We found stories of unemployment, foreclosures and public schools being stripped to the bone. We called for bold actions to get our leaders’ attention. And then inspired by Occupy Wall St, Occupy Philly took root – organic, unpredictable, wonderful, artistic, energetic and imperfect. The Fight for Philly tent was staked in solidarity with this free speech movement expressing the deep and knowing frustration with the direction of our nation. Being here during this historical phenomena is pure serendipity & beauty.

Ghandi said, “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.” Sure enough, Occupy was first ignored, then mocked. Now, they are being brutally moved and smashed in cities like Oakland CA, even Veteran protestors. Yet, I feel this is not going away. Fight for Philly has planned several events alongside Occupy Philly and will continue to do more. Seeing people walk into Occupy General Assemblies with Fight for Philly buttons on their coats says something this movement to pull so many different types of people together. Watching diverse people work, debate, argue, laugh,cry, and celebrate is unbelievable. Bloggers falling asleep on their laptops and meetings well into the night shows how long the Occupy days can be. Yet, as winter approaches, the “present tents” may become less important. The numbers and emails have been exchanged between folks that never woudl have met otherwise. The on-line presence is well established. I am hopeful new connections and networks will continue to work together – emailing creative ideas, posting, tweeting, planning, acting – until the 99% is heard in the 1% board rooms, every contract negotiation and all halls of power.

While our political enemies mock the Occupy movement for having “no message”, one of the most powerful people in the world cancelled a scheduled lecture on account of our message. Rep. Cantor did not even punt with the flu excuse. Apparently, admitting only Penn students and faculty was not an elite enough audience. Rep. Cantor wanted Wharton business students only. As a member of the coalition who organized the rally yesterday, let me say there was never any plan to disrupt anyone’s free speech. The purpose of our rally was to highlight Cantor’s refusal to speak to the 99% of America, his policies with regard to the income inequality gap and jobs. His cowardly cancellation proved our point better than 1000 people on Locust Walk ever could.

The Occupy movement is already victorious. Not because Cantor cancelled, but because the dialogue in our country has changed. Three months ago, all Congress focused on was deficit reductions and cuts. Now, Occupy has tapped into a deep well of knowing in America – the intuitive certainty that banks and corporations DO NOT operate with America’s best interest in mind. It is so obviously profits before people in board rooms and on Wall St. As Nicholas Kristoff has said, banks have socialized risks and privatized profits. The implied threat of radicalism in the street, along with broad support for Occupy’s message, may motivate our leaders to courageously tackle the unfettered greed that threatens our livelihoods and communities.  Perhaps America is ready to talk about government’s role in priming the system with JOBS, not cuts. Besides, without consumers willing and able to buy necessities, the “new normal”, stagnant economy, will not improve.

Locally, at Occupy Philly, momentum is strong and the drumbeat will continue. You can help through our fiscal sponsor, Jobs with Justice   or in-kind donations. Yet, no matter what happens at Occupy Philly in coming weeks, the national conversation has begun and questions  have successfully been raised about our American common good, aka the 99%.

I needed to wait a day and calm down. After a 24 hour waiting period, I think it is safe.  Lets see.

It must have been hard for Queen Arlene to reign over a landscape she loathed. Apparent in an Oct 17th Inqy Op-Ed, not only is Queenie about a decade behind in her reading on vouchers, but she also presents a woefully inadequate case. Vouchers will decimate the many highly-functioning neighborhood public schools anchoring our communities and make no real difference in achievement for the supposed beneficiaries. It is political circus to make the calls from unhappy constituents go away. In addition, the push for vouchers is managed by wealthy ringleaders.

I know Arlene struggles with the darkness when the spotlight flicks off.  Like Michelle Rhee, former Washington DC chancellor, she is hell-bent to re-invent and is probably reaching for another golden ring: a  job in the “reform” movement. She is desperately trying to prove she has the magic “answer”.  Like Scott Gordon, Mastery Charter CEO, she has now hopped on the voucher clown wagon.  This is what education “reform” now amounts to: a circus of egomaniac rock stars intent on one thing – proving that they know “the solution” for all of us.

There is no magical ringleader, no Ackerman, Rhee or  Gordon to cure all ills. Every school, with its staff of teachers, community of parents and the school leader have the solutions for their students. Yet, are they ever given the power, resources or professional respect to implement what they know will work? Not in my lifetime. Not in Philly public schools, not at Mastery either. Instead teachers are blamed and parents are given the sleight of hand called test-training. Or worse, manipulated to do “reformers” political bidding.  Real reform will only work when it comes from the grass-roots of the school community of teachers, parents and principals. We need a new Philadelphia superintendent who can leave their ego behind and understand real change comes when an entire building discusses, creates and implements. Queenies, Superman and Dragonlady ”reform” acrobats need not apply.