Waiting to Heal

The body politic is a stress processing machine. At the point at which the level of stress/pressure/anticipation exceeds the capacity of the body politic and the embodied individuals that enliven that mass to process this stress, that body experiences dis-ease.

In grad school I made this argument relevant to the historically situated body of Frida Kahlo. Her ailments mirrored those the revolution and development cycle wrought on the country of Mexico. during her lifetime

At the current moment I sit with a hot pad on my right shoulder. Starting Wednesday I felt a pinched nerve in my back. By Friday I was debilitated, and now I am very affected–the pain at the forefront of any action I take.

I went to see our family’s caregiver for acupuncture. He explained to me that in Chinese Medicine one segment of the body, like the leg, reflects the body as a whole. In other words, your ankle may represent your neck, or the same may be true for your elbow. You can take any part of the whole and mimick/mirror the whole with that part.

I feel as though my body is experiencing the stress of the nation. I don’t mean to equate myself with Kahlo, by claiming to have an in tune sensitivity that others lack. I think we all have this connectedness. And I wonder if you can identify the symptom, or embodied manifestation of the upcoming election in your body?

But the question then remains, how is this connectedness achieved, what is the immaterial materiality that connects the culture to the bodies within it? Michele Foucault argued for a view of politics through geological metaphors. He spoke of resistance, or dissent, subversion, maybe what used to be called revolution–as tectonic shifts. One quake, combined with others leads to a total restructuring of the ground our political system stands on. We are at such a juncture now. The same way my spine pulled deeply apart from its vertebrae ordering, so too are we nearing a massive repositioning through a painful experience of stress. The catharsis–voting–has not succeeded in containing the excess of our expectations in the past. In fact, it has proven itself to be inadequate to reflecting the embodied political will. In this election, the movement has been different, widespread, overarching. The catharsis has come through widespread activation, but there is also a tempered expectation, the loss of belief in being able to affect the outcome has induced a certain amount of paralysis.

I wonder if I will be moving my neck before Tuesday, or if my body will wait to see the outcome before it determines whether it will heal.

Really, Confront Your Racist Attitude

Yesterday, at an environmental conference I attended in an outreach capacity, I chatted with a man from Tennessee. We talked renewables and the problems with solar in hurricane country. I curiously inquired as to the status of the presidential race in his state. I really had no idea, but figured it leaned heavily to McCain. Without answering that initial question and highlighting the fact that after this conversation “we weren’t going to get along anymore” my fellow conversationalist expressed, in a nutshell, the following argument against voting for Obama “If Obama is elected it will ignite a race war based on a reversal of power and there will be white flight and certain segments of the African American population will backlash heavily. That and, If Obama is elected Joe Biden will be the President (get the implication on the latter?)

This is exactly what I have been talking about, a race vote undercurrent that is not really being named. People skirt around this issue with the label of the “Bradley Effect” but no one is doing anything to argue that the we simply cannot allow an avoidance of a reversal of a historical reality of racism and implicit segregation of the executive office of this country based on fear of the change it will bring. The man I dialogued with has, what he claims, are very grounded fears. He believes we are all “racist” and this is a point I agree with. Yet, acknowledging that is not good enough. We then bare the burden and the rewarding task of confronting and, to the extent possible, dismantling our racist attitudes. Remaining complacent with a violent history of racist practice in this country by not voting for Obama, is simply unacceptable (not voting for him because he “will be assassinated by a white supremacist” is more than unacceptable, it is irrational, and repugnant).

In spite of his analysis of the cultural implications of this election and his chosen candidate based on that analysis, he told me the election “would be close in Tennessee.” Later, I was able to confirm that McCain has nearly a 30 point lead in that state. This gentleman seemingly then represents the archetype of the cultural regionalist voter–the race based vote in the South (and elsewhere of course) disguised as something, anything, other than race. This man recognizes the role race plays in his decision. How many others do not?

THE OTHER

HOW I HAVE REMAINED BLOG SILENT OVER THE LAST MANY DAYS SINCE THE DEBATE, I DO NOT KNOW. I THINK I HAVE REACHED A STATE OF NUMBNESS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ELECTION, WHICH IS NOT GOOD AS I SEE IT AS THE FIRST INGREDIENT OF APATHY.

But really, I am not sure I have it in me to bare the weight of two/three, many struggles at once. Whether it is winning the preservation of environmental integrity, or offering support to the vote calling, or door-knocking and fund raising for local candidates, or just holding myself together enough to get my kids lives moving forward each day, sometimes one or many have to shut down.

I find the comments that have occurred at McCain rallies and town hall meetings to be absolutely deplorable and a sad indication of the effects of fear mongering and otherizing deployed in this election. It is hard in some ways to not sound like one is condescending in a discussion of the social illiteracy demonstrated in the comments made by the elderly woman about Obama being “Arab.” Nevertheless, I must point out those illiteracies and it is critical we reflect on where we have failed as a country to communicate the pertinent context we live in. I am sure there are many things that I too “just don’t get.” Economic exchanges based on the stock market do not interest me terribly as I have never had an opportunity to invest. No interest or knowledge based on a lack of experience. Understandable. This woman clearly has not been interested in other cultures beyond a xenophobic examination of the threat of the “other.” By the way, before they made their debut on the t.v. show Lost “the other” was a term coined by Edward Said in his book ORIENTALISM, altough Frantz Fanon developed the conceptual grounding on which the postmodern “other” is created in his book BLACK SKIN, WHITE MASKS. What is happening in this election is a process of otherizing made all the more severe by the presence of a man of color in the race.

The other is necessary for a definition of the self that is based on a hierarchy of the inferior being at the will of the superior. A rather boring and inane dichotomy, the master/slave dynamic is at the heart of otherizing and instigated via the protection of self interest around resource access. The shifting of that balance, where a leader may be “other” is frightening to people, so frightening that they take the thing that scares them the most and supplant it into the entity that represents that hierarchical shift–in this case the potential selection of an African American man to the office of the presidency is associated with fear of terrorist jihad waged by masses of “Arab” people.

Someone, of course, needs to explain to this woman that being a Muslim, does not make you an Arab, as a matter of fact, Barack Obama’s father was from Kenya and decidedly not Arab. Arab is a demarcation of ethnicity tied up in geopolitical space, genetic blood linkages, and religious consistencies. But being Muslim, does not make you Arab, and besides that point of descriptive accuracy–who cares if he is? That is the fundamental question we should be asking: “And so? What if he is Arab? Why is that,on base, an issue? It would be extraordinary–to elect an Arab president. it would be impossible, but why do we let ourselves continue to go with that dominant view–that Arabness disqualifies one? We gasp at her ignorance, but we allow and enable it.

Maybe that is what McCain did when he corrected, disenabled that ignorance. “No Ma’am, he’s a decent family man” So, being Arab makes you not “decent”? Even his answer maintains the othering, and no one is calling that out. How is that possible?

I was speaking to a friend of mine yesterday who is taking a class at the University on the elections. He was saying that in spite of the dissatisfaction with the Bush government, 40% of his class is voting for McCain–they defend Palin. The primary argument made against Barack is that he is a good orator, and that’s it, but he is not qualified to be president.

I said, “They’re racist.”" He argued the point hard with me, “No, they are just entrenched in the two party system–it would not be any different with Al Gore or John Kerry.” I simply cannot believe that. I am inspired by Barack Obama. I think he is an amazing human being and an exceptional leader. I believe in his judgements and his integrity. I know he is smart and capable. The lack of ability to be inspired by this man comes from a place fo resenting his presence in a position of power. He is the other, dark, Arab, dangerous, terrorist.

The fear stoking happening at Palin and McCain rallies should be watched closely and called out constantly. You notice the tenor of his issue accelerating as we approach election day? This is the confrontation and it may come to a head in the next debate. I am curious to see what happens in the public sphere during this time. Will we continue to promote the dichotomy of the other? To maintain a distinction which avoids synthesis? Or will we embark on a “dotherfication” in which we somehow transcend the impulse to categorize and create hierarchies that distort the reality of Obama’s character?

What Will Be?

I read a piece from Tim Wise that was in the 9-13 issue of The Nation on white privlilege today. This is a very important piece in my opinion.

Race, as I have stated before, has been silenced as an issue in this election, it has been silenced by the notion that we live in a post-race world. It has been silenced by the notion that Barack Obama somehow proves we live in a postrace world and therefore his achievments cannot be evaluated within the context of the color of his skin. Within that context his achievmetns are remarkable. Within that context he carries a new potential for great leadership based on a perspective of experience at the margins. He is the hybrid embodiment of a nation within a dialectical exchange based on a colored dichotomy. Here we are then. What will we do?

That question is the one that leaves me uneasy still. As the election draws near, I continue to wonder how racist attitudes will play in people’s vote. Any exchange I have where a person tells me that they are progressive but voting for a third party, I bring up the latent racism that may be at play in such a choice. But that is certainly not enough. I really would like to start a real conversation on race, name it, debate it, talk about our fears, our anger, our beliefs and values. How they differ, what is in common. And why it is we cannot come together to refuse racism. How is its insidiousness more powerful than the effort to transcend it?

I predicted a confrontation over race in this election. We are getting so close, but I sense no apex of ignited debate. Is something still to come? Will we stay still while segments of this nation refuse a candidate based on this socially constructed and historically meaningfully descriptive category of race? What are our options? Will we sleep through another winter of withered hopes after this election? We will see.

PEACE ONE DAY

This Sunday, September 21st is the International Day of Peace recognized globally as Peace One Day. Locally (meaning in Boise) Peace One Day will be celebrated from 12-6 pm at Veterans Park on the corner of State and Veteran’s Parkway.

Last year I had the privilege to be one of the organizers of this event.  This year many of the same wonderful people have put together a great afternoon of music, healthy food, peace crafts for children and peace oriented vendors and educational booths.  I am not organizing the event this year due to other obligations, but have every confidence that the peacemakers I know are involved will create an atmosphere that nurtures peace.

Uniquely, this event is not about being opposed to war.  Rather, the energy is focused entirely on the cultivation of peace.  It is refreshing and rejuvenating.  If you are not able to attend, try to find your own way to mindfully create peace on Sunday.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS FIGHT BACK

I was stunned by Sarah Palin’s attack on Barack Obama because he was a Community Organizer. She mocked him, and I was seriously paralyzed at first. The directness of the attack was shocking. Then, a colleague told me that would come back to bite them. Then, I was sent this blog link where Community Organizers, who rebuild community housing, get folks health care, ensure access to education, clean up drugs, and fight environmental pollution that is often targeted at low-income and racially marginalized groups, responded to these insulting assaults. It was not a good move to attack them and it was to say the least “elitist”. I heard Barack Obama has raised 10 million since Palin’s speech. I wonder why so many people would give to someone without any proven accountability to their responsibility?

Right Now Confusing

The most significant thing I noticed about Sarah Palin’s speech, was that when I finally turned off the volume and turned on the text function of the television, the subtitles were unable to identify the majority of what she said.

I am not criticizing her intelligence, I am criticizing her method of communication. Much like I have not gone into detail about each policy I support of Obama’s, but instead focused on the way in which he leads.

While a part of me would love to continue about how terribly she scares me and why, I simply do not have the energy. And from my viewing of the local news coverage, Palin is getting PLENTY of focus.

Instead, I will share something that has me unsettled which is not in the media spotlight. I know there are demonstrations occurring at the convention right now. 300 people were tear gassed yesterday. Every media search I have done has covered the highlights, but not looked wholistically at the protests, nor assessed the magnitude of the dissent. I find myself adding numbers from story to story, trying to paint a picutre of what is happening in terms of demonstrations. Assessing this should not be that hard for the consumer of news. The news media should offer us a broad view of what kind of opposition is raising their voice in protest at the RNC.

Last night, I checked with a friend who is part of the movement expressing dissent in St. Paul. He indicated the situation with the police was very out of control. He used the words scared and exhausted. He is also very happy he is there to be part of these critical expressions of opposition.

But, I am worried about the way protest has gotten construed since the WTO demonstrations. Many of the articles I read talk about raids prior to the Convention, and extended court battles over permits. There seems to be an inability to step outside of the box of the legal frame certainly by law enforcement, but also by some of the organizers of demonstrations (I recognize of course that all angles are needed, but I am unable to get a picture of what other avenues of directed dissent are being forged). There seems also to be a law enforcement misinformation situation where the “threat” of violence is treated like terrorism. Any dissenter is a terrorist in the laws functioning. This is unsettlingly close to the way communism was deployed during the mid-twentieth century, only this time it seems less overt, more a subversive underlying current.

This quote regarding a large-scale pre-protest police raid from Jordan Kushner, head of the mass defense committee of the National Lawyers Guild’s Minnesota chapter explains a portion of my dis ease:

“It’s an obviously blatant act of harassment and intimidation to suppress political dissent,” he said. “You do this in a police state. I guarantee you they are not going to find anything (illegal).”

I am sitting comfortably on my couch in Boise, Idaho, looking on the internet for information on protests at the RNC. I am coming up short. There are thousands of people gathered to oppose the policies and commitments embodied by the Republican National Convention. And my local news keeps flashing to pictures of Sarah Palin’s pregnant teenage daughter smiling in spite of the huge contradiction between policy and practice present in this scenario. Something is lost in translation, and my tv set is not the only one confused.

THE ANTI-OBAMA DELEGATES BLOG

No, I am not renigging on my endorsement of Obama, despite an intuitive sense that the older tough white guy appointment of Biden as VP somehow does not ring well for the campaign overall. It smacks of tentativeness to me, despite the ways in which I see its pragmatism. I have been thinking of the name of this post the “Anti-Obama Delegates Blog” ever since a tumultuous plane ride I took from Boston to La Guardia. It was not turbulent due to airstreams, it was turbulent due to the fact that I had the good fortune (and I mean that completely seriously) to be sharing the ride with a socialist anarchist 21 year old radical from New Mexico that had just attended the Think Outside the Bomb National Conference with me at MIT. The details of what occurred for me at that conference are lost in my activist psyche and or will manifest here and on my personal blog as they sprout from their myriad seedlings. Nevertheless, the conference culminated with this ride in a beautiful clash of radical consciousness, that I hope left both of us highlly perplexed and somewhat more informed.

The basic premise we debated, from our two positions, was the utility of backing a two party electoral system clearly mired in capitalist frames of exploitation and ultimately out of touch with the reality of most Americans. Michael’s position was framed by several crucial tenets 1) Obama and McCain are essentially alike, since each is part of a narrow system of power that he has no allegiance or interest in 2) The only way to reform society is to crush this two party system–preferrably before the next election via massive demonstrations at both the RNC and the DNC–if not then, then certainly before the next inauguration 3) to support any aspect of this system, especially by advocating as a “progressive” for Obama is counter to any actual radical movement of revolution and change 4) the anarchists and other radical elements in this country, that have disavowed the two party system are organized enough and ready to build a better society than what we have now. The final position, unlike the ones above, and acknowledging that I may be missing several in between, is one that I will unequivocally align myself with 5) A crisis much bigger than we can even fathom is coming and in many ways is already upon us. The crisis is at least 3 fold: economic collapse, energy security collapse; climate changes to chaos; sever subsequent societal unrest.

Taking this final point as my place of departure, both because it is a perfect cliff to jump off of and because it is the place of base commonality between Michael and I, we will start backwards and counter 4) While I believe there is an organized movement of peace makers in this country, I am not yet confident that they are organized enough to do a massive reworking of society. I do see the potential for regionalized groups working on building infrastructure together. But I do not believe we are capable of governance. Maybe that is precisely Michael’s point, as an anarchist, creating the space for the inability to govern. 3) I counter, to vote for Obama is a radcal act and to do otherwise stinks to me of a racism much deeper than we can fathom. Are you kidding me? Right at the moment when a black man is about to be elected president you’re going to ditch out and declare revolution? Excuse me? Explain to me how overcoming slavery and winning the civil rights movement do not lead to the fulfilling of the highest office in this country. I know Obama’s ancestors were not slaves. So what? He is a black american man and he is going to be president. VOTE. It may be the last chance you have since we agree on the time-frame of crisis coming within the next 5-10 years at current rates. 2) I see a massive protest coming at the RNC. I see not so much at the DNC. I think that their is a wave of dissent embodied in the democratic party like it or not. Cause to oppose the war we had to go to either side, and when we failed to stop this war WE FAILED TO STOP THIS WAR. In 2004, then we led more to die. This is greater than that, this is more than your narrow vision of your virtues, this is about who we want to lead when the crisis comes. I believe John McCain will not be an equitable governor if elected. Not with his interests nor with his waste, not with the weapons to control every place.

Obama is someone I can believe will attempt to lead when the crisis overwhelms, and whether we are able to organize and survive rests on him. He. She Free and WE.

1) Have I already mentioned my covert racism false consciousness thing? Please. Obama is nothing like McCain. Get real. The guy doesn’t know how many houses he owns. Really, Obama gets the value of a home, a place, the way the economy has warcked havoc on the housing markets leading to huge numbers of foreclosures. Surely, it is clear that distinction. And do not ignore the distinction of race and the implicit strain of that history. Nor ignore the hardened and aggressive posture of John McCain. Ready for battle, ready to fight on . BOmb BOmb, BOmb.

Really, to argue otherwise is to hold the bar far too high. You have no chance to compromise,. This is not a game for idealist eyes. The differences, they may be strong. To struggle we need to bring Obama on.

I didn’t mean to break into a song. I have to say I just do not agree. I feel a stealthy racist tone. I see a crisis and the need for real leadership. I am afraid, truly of what that crisis would mean with John McCain. I agree with Michael that we would be better off without a two party system. I think soon our political system will be obsolete. So I believe it matters who holds the power over the resources and weapons and the force of a possible police state. I am unwilling to relinquish that ability to Senator McCain. I hope the anarchists and others are organized, I will watch the RNC and DNC for action. For me, when I got home to Boise and went to work after Boston, I was rewarded with the sight of the Obama office just above my work space. It gives me chills everyday as I walk down the stairs to feel so close to this vote here in Idaho. For me, this is a crucial and radical action,–to elect Senator Barack Obama. And on this my anti-delegates blog CONGRATS TO IDAHO DELEGATES I informally nominate Barack Obama as the Presidential Candidate of the Democratic Party and the Progressive Element for Peace in this Nation and this WORLD.

Start a Conversation, Start a Revolution

I recently had the opportunity to attend a conference with a unique line-up of workshops and activities geared primarily to the propagation of progressive work. For example, I took a workshop on the “Mind-Body Approach” to building a movement and loved it. I also signed up for a workshop titled “Dismantling Racism: Beyond Diversity.” What occurred in this workshop did not satisfy my desire for having a deep constructive discussion about race, especially as it relates to the current Presidential election. What occurred as an effect of the frustration this dissatisfaction created led to one of the most enriching conversations I have had in my life.

After spending the first part of the day in the DR workshop clarifying terms and discussing issues around race generally we moved to a conversation about how to get out of the “vicious cycle of racism”. I have taught classes on race issues and thought the instructors did a fine job with terminology and context, but I saw this is a great segway into addressing very real material concerns about what happens when one tries to get out of the cycle and finds themselves recycled in new manifestations of racism. The prime example I used was the e-mail circulating about Obama’s statements around coming to terms with his distrust of white folks and his desire to not apologetically advertise his mixed race heritage. I wrote a post on the severity of the threat present in the claim that Obama is a racist for simply and truthfully naming his experience of race and racism as part of a history of cultural racism that he has acknowledged so authentially. People got agitated. The instructors asked us all to take a deep breath and said we didn’t have time to talk about that issue. An African-American man in the class suggested that it was just an e-mail and that I shouldn’t be concerned. I did not understand what was going on, other than that perhaps there was something about my whiteness that made this gentleman uncomfortable and that made the rather young and careful instructors feel like they needed to diffuse the situation. Then, we took a cookie break. I don’t like cookies in general when I am trying to think clearly and stay focused and I especially did not like having time for a cookie break when we were fleeing from the possiblity of really having a hard conversation about race. At the end of the break the gentleman who had responded to me was gone and I sat in my chair and took deep breaths till the workshop ended. Then, I looked for him. How come he isn’t worried about the way progressives are not defending Obama against the overt and covert racist attacks all over the web and even in places like the New Yorker? How come he thinks I shouldn’t say anything? Isn’t he worried about the white supremacist movement? Am I wrong, is racism not a threat in this election? I couldn’t find him.

The next day, shortly after seating myself in a workshop on “Strategic Thinking” this gentleman walked in and had a seat. When we broke for lunch I approached him immediately and asked if he would join me for the meal time. He accepted and we sat with our food and started each with a story. He told me of his upbringing in the deep south, how he traveled to various parts of the country with his multiple siblings (I forget how many, but remember he had a twin brother.) They traveled so much because his father was in the military. He lost his mother before his teens and ended up in a program that facilitated the recognition of his intelligence and created many opportunities for him, even as it seperated him from his family. Ultimately, he came to a place where he does social justice work for low-income communities of color. His story was beautiful and his desire to share with me was so touching. Then, it was my turn. About half-way through he stopped me and said “You keep talking about issues, I want to know about you.” This was challenging for me, because I realized he was right. I do explain myself through my beliefs on issues. I tried to personalize the story more, but he stopped me again. Finally, I explained that I do not see who I am as distinct from my politics. The whole basis of how I operate is that the personal is the political. From my compost, to the choices I make parenting, to the job I have and how I do it, I look through a political frame. I don’t know how I ended up this way exactly, but I know it is a fundamental aspect of who I am.

Ultimately, I shared my concerns around race in the election. I feel very nervous about these elements in combination leading to the possible defeat of Obama: 1)Progressives who refuse to support Obama because he is not “radical” enough. (a girl in the DR workshop even said to me “Well, if it makes you feel better, Obama and McCain are basically the same” I told her I thought her standard of evaluation was skewed by racism and that she was absolutely wrong, and that her statement was my point exactly, so thanks for the try, but I don’t feel better) 2) The covert racism now known as “cultural regionalism” (You know, white low-income people just don’t seem to like Obama…hmmmm…I think that is likely a raced based opinion). 3) The overt white supremacist movement and their ability to infitrate culture through the media and other venues.

My friend (I now think of him that way and hope we remain in touch for many years) does agree with me on all these points, although he does not think white-supremacists are well organized and he does not think McCain can eat Obama. On point 1 he asked “Well, what do you think it is that makes progressive whites treat Obama that way?” and I said “There is an element of racism” “An ELEMENT!” he laughed. And I knew in that moment that I had not been wrong about my fears, that in fact, the day before he was not telling me I was wrong about race, we just didn’t understand each other’s positions well enough to see that we agreed. “It is mostly race isn’t it?” I asked. “Absolutely” he said. And even for all the horror that causes me, it put me at ease as well. That’s what I thought, that is what I am afraid of in this election. Now that it is identified and confirmed beyond the scope of my circle of friends, I know what it is I need to combat. But my friend soon made a critical point. “If you want to get people to see this you have to create a place for a hard conversations on race. Do you know any black people?” “Well, yes.” Are you friends with any black people in your town?” and I am so sad to answer “No.” I stammered through lame excuses, but the truth is, that I cannot get to a place where I can address race if I do not make an effort to form relationships across race lines in my own community. I cannot continue to make excuses around the lack of people of color in Boise, when I know that is not really the case. I am just circling in my own crowd and making no effort to affect the context, make a change, create collaboration. We talked for 2 hours and discussed the details of the election, race, privilege in far greater detail than I can address here. It was a profound experience for me and one I will never forget. He asked to see the e-mail that had first started our interaction. We shared information about the way African Americans are dissproportionately affected by environmental pollution. But the greatest lesson I learned was that I now have the responsiblity to act on the insights I gained. I intend to facilitate cross-racial conversations on race in specificity to this election. I need to act soon. Let me know if you want to help.

I will finish by quoting from the e-mail my friend sent just a few days ago–the “internal revolution” has begun and will continue as I find ways to take it into the community both for this election and beyond:

“I appreciate your willingness to know and examine your own story of isolation and privilege as it relates to standing in the “world as it is” and wishing for the “world as it should be”.
I sense that the internal revolution for you has begun because I heard the tone of your voice change while we talked and also by the shifting nature of your questions.
Meeting with you was the most rewarding conversation I had all week. “

Likewise my friend, time to get to work.

What Moves a Movement?

What does it mean to move a movement? This election cycle has, for me, been moving. I think it is also reasonable to assert that it has been moving for many. In Idaho alone the caucus turn-out was an indicator of this in comparison to past years.

Perhaps its best to ask first: What moves people to a movement? In this instance it is certainly a sense of frustration over the way the country has operated for the last 8 years. It is also a sense of urgency around the necessity of a change in direction. The war in Iraq is one focus, although to a large degree we seem anesthetized to the realities of that war. The climate issues we face do have an urgency (a real urgency that we have clearly not wholly recognized culturally), but what seems to move people is the price of oil, one they feel in their pocketbooks, whether they tie that rising cost to the inefficiencies of a dependence on fossil fuel is another question. Whether they are moved by the need for new climate policy or not is a question I feel unequipped to answer. For the most part there is a disconnect in the overall movement. Certainly the economy in general moves people. The immediate threat to quality of life in their ability to work and be rewarded for that work to the point of sustainability.

I want to assert that we need to be moved by more (or to more action) and we also need to be moved by less. We need to be moved, even at those things that do not directly affect our daily lives now. Not only because many things that are at bay now will affect us severely in the near future, but also because our actions and inactions affect so many people worldwide at this immediate moment. We need to be moved by this. In this election we will need to move beyond self-interest to a communal place of moving to protect our values, ideals, and a vision for the future. Let us rise and shake off the individuation that limits our vision. Let us move together.