Friday, August 5, 2005
Friday Baja Blogging So close and yet so far... Fred and Selma had hoped to go down to Baja this week. That was until they mentioned it to Fred's doctor who asked them why they couldn't pick some place in the US. No matter, of course. He's in the hospital still. But the memories of Baja are strong!! I'm going to visit him today and I'm sure we'll talk a bit about that magical place along the lagoon where octopus swim near the cliffs and northern birds come down to winter. In the morning, we're awakened by the pitter patter of quail on the thin roof. It's amazing how much of a racket a handful of small birds can make. 
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The possibility of a Spartacus nationOn Wednesday, Dr. Omed posted that his local newspaper is going to run a story about his blog
and his anti-war actions, along with a call for all of us to go and see
the pictures of the men and women who have died. In the comments, I
said how frustrated I am by it all and wondered what we can do to turn
our country forward again, to resist the fascism that seems to be
rising up. Haven't enough people died already? I asked Doc how we can
stop them. 11:20:32 AM | He sent me a wonderful response. I asked him if I could post it on my blog and he said yes. Here it is: Kate, here is my response to your question. Some probably Salon/radio glitch is preventing me from posting to my own comments box. Hang in there, kid.
How do we stop them? One of the reasons I started this project and documented it on my blog is that I wanted to demonstrate to all the true blues out there that one person, working with limited resources but using their imagination, and willing to step out of the line, can draw attention to our issues in a way that is meaningful an has some impact. I have had some impact, mostly locally. I have gotten under the skins of some people, and given encouragement to others. From what the reporter I talked to said, there may now be other people around Tulsa who have taken up a piece of chalk and are writing the number in places I never got to. Elspeth calls it the "Spartacus Effect." You have to be willing to step out of line and say "I am Spartacus." Doc has been chalking the number of dead all over Tulsa, leaving "Yellow is not my color" flyers on the windshields of yellow-stickered vehicles, and has strategically placed white crosses with the names of the dead along city highways. In return he's been harrassed on his blog and vaguely threatened (and had one okay exchange with a cop -- right Doc?), but he's also gotten the word out to the point that Tulsa World is printing an interview with him in the Sunday paper. He's on to something, don't you think? How many of us are willing to say "I am Spartacus" and get out there? It's become overwhelming. It's too much. We have to do something. Even if it seems insignificant -- using children's chalk to mark the sidewalk, underpasses -- cumulatively it can work. For months I've read about Doc's exploits but I've done nothing myself. It was too immediate for me and therefore too painful. My mom has started putting an updated number on her car's back windshield. She's had neighbors ask her about it, even "liberal" neighbors in her building. Most Americans are completely clueless, unfortunately, which is why Doc's work, and the work of all the other Spartacuses out there, is so important. We have to remind people of the cost of this war. Doc, I'm going to follow your example. I live in Chicago, which is as blue as blue can be, but this time of year there are tourists all over town from all over the state, including those redder than red suburbanites who live in the districts of Hastert and Hyde. What else can we do?
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Last update: 9/1/05; 10:08:44 AM .
