I trained with and then worked for California Lawyers for the Arts as a mediator. When I began the training it was not so much an altruistic way to help the arts community, but a skill I needed to develop for myself- listening better, hearing more. The idea of helping others to hear each other, to speak to issues not just out of emotion, to acknowledge passion as a valuable trait but to understand there are times to be dispassionate to look, to listen, to hear. I think it has made me a better person, a better listener.
With all the political morass we trudge through, that rains around us, I find myself wanting nothing so much as a mainstream or main street or we the people honest discussion of ideas, principles, true ramifications of this or that happening, not just on our streets and in alternate news venues, but in the legislature, the White House.
What purpose is there, really, in waving flags? All this “partisan” saluting, genuflecting, treating as holy, retreat to your corners and come out wearing your colors and fighting that is going on with only the briefest of forays into principled arguments for or against is nothing but a distraction. But then when it comes to
flags and allegiance
i never really understood
the selected color thing
team colors
school colors
gang colors
that whole
flag waving
banner saluting
red white and blue reverence
thing just passed me by
although when i was
a little girl
i could recite back
some of the meanings
as i was trained to do
the blood of the red
and blue of the sky
count the stars
first for colonies
and later for states
but i must confess
i never quite understood
what role the white played
except on television
and in opposition to black
still i learned flag etiquette
remember standing straight and proud
after my second grade teacher explained
what liberty cost and why justice was
and i wanted that liberty and justice for all
but by the time i reached junior high
and they still wanted me to pledge to old glory
i had said the pledge of allegiance enough times
to figure out some things-
it didn’t say i pledge to want liberty and justice for all
it didn’t say i’m just kinda dreaming about liberty and justice for all
it didn’t say liberty for just us and justice for just some
it definitely didn’t say i pledge to work for liberty and justice for all
it just said with liberty and justice for all
like it was a done deal
like the cake was baked and iced
and all we had to do was
blow out the candles
cut a slice
and chow down
but when i looked around
i saw justice for the few
and liberty for the wealthy
and lies about colors
that kept us
from real unity
so maybe you can understand
why i don’t care much about any flag
including those that fly high over regiments of
men and women able and willing
to kill and oppress
thousands of people who
they have never met
people who have never wronged them or theirs
pledging daily allegiance to a piece of cloth
while destroying liberty
and forsaking justice
for all