The Truth Is Knocking. Let It In

You might as well answer the door, my child, the truth is furiously knocking.

- Lucille Clifton

What does holding power to account mean?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, to make someone accept that they are responsible for something and explain their actions or decisions: Holding those in power to account is the essence of democracy.

Power and Corruption

Here are two examples of abuse of power and the result of two recent investigations that hold power to account. Both are from an article in Slate, 

The Matt Gaetz Report Is a Reminder That Investigations Actually Matter

By Dahlia Lithwick

When the long-awaited House Ethics committee report on Matt Gaetz came out Monday morning, it offered a stark reminder of how vital it is to continue to carry out thorough investigations, especially as investigators are being increasingly vilified. Today we know much that we did not previously know about Gaetz’s fitness to hold public office. That is to the benefit of absolutely everyone. And anyone who thinks differently should have to explain why we should have remained in the dark.

Matt Gaetz

The committee’s findings were horrific. The 42-page document, which Gaetz tried unsuccessfully to suppress, found the former congressman had “violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.” (Gaetz has denied all of the allegations). Their investigation found that Donald Trump’s first pick for the chief law enforcement officer of the United States had, among other things, purchased drugs including cocaine and ecstasy on multiple occasions; accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts; paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex; lied to the State Department about the identity of one of these women so that she could get an American passport; and paid a 17-year-old girl—a high school junior. 

Justice Clarence Thomas

All of this brought to mind another recent investigation: the brand new 93-page report released by Democratic staff members of the Judiciary Committee, detailing yet more ethics violations committed by Justice Clarence Thomas. Amid the new revelations were two additional trips paid for by Thomas’ billionaire patron Harlan Crow that had not been disclosed, even as Thomas has scrambled to amend his various filings to keep up with journalism. The new trips came to light only because the committee had subpoenaed Crow.

Is It A Moot Point?

No charges have been brought, Republicans deny accountability, and attack the investigators, but the word is now out, and that matters. It matters because the truth is a way forward. Acquiescence to power ends our democracy. 

We now have the emergence of the very powerful Tech Brotherhood within the MAGA alliance. They are pro tech, pro capitalism, anti-regulation, and pro H-1B visa. They are causing a split in MAGA world over their stand on allowing certain people of color into our country. I am not comfortable with the new tech oligarchy ruling America. Will they feed the hungry? Will they house the homeless, including 155,000 children sleeping in the streets tonight? Will they make sure our health care system is affordable, and includes empathy and compassion unlike the algorithms that deny coverage to millions? I'm not optimistic. They are condescending to the MAGA base and to the rest of us. 

Push back is essential from the free press and from everyday citizens. Hold our elected representatives to account, or in a very short while we will hardly recognize our country. 

I Am Only One Person

First, you are not alone. You've heard, "Where two or three gather...?" That's the beginning of something much larger. Small groups grew into the civil rights movement.

We have power over our elected officials. Even in gerrymandered districts, it is possible to affect change. Representatives are chosen by the public to decide on its behalf the policies and actions to be pursued by a Government and are charged with acting in the best interests of his and her constituents. In doing so representatives are accountable to their constituents for their actions. 

-gao

Being There on Christmas

Offering Hope

Back before automation, back when we were actually spinning the disks, I had an experience that helped me understand the value of the personal interaction radio offers.

I often worked holiday shifts, filling in for staff who wanted time with their families. On one particular shift on Christmas Eve or Christmas Night, I got a call from somebody who was having difficulties. The holidays can easily amplify loneliness among individuals going through tough emotional times.

We spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes. I listened mostly. Finally, he said he was doing a little better, but asked if he could call back later that night. I assured him he could. 

After I got off the phone with him, I called my pastor. I asked him if he thought he might call back. He said, "probably not." Listening was going to be the best thing I could offer. I was a voice in the night. He was able to reach out and connect when he needed it.

 I’m not sure what happened to him.

Because we were not automated, we were there when he needed us to be. In a way the live presence eliminated a barrier between the listener and the station. I like to think that connection was valuable for both of us.

The song I was playing just before he called, "I'll Never Be the Same."

Dealing with Racism at the Table

 You're gathered around the table. Then, somebody says something racist. Perhaps it was meant as a joke. It's mean, not humor. Unfortunately, confronting the commenter head on may not work. 

The hard part is the comment is a personal affront to your values. A response that attacks the racist won't deescalate the issue. Their reaction will be defensive, and the confrontation could easily spiral out of control. Instead focus on the issue. 

I found some replies on WebMD that don't let the offensive remark slide, but offer some space before dealing with the issue more directly.

Health & Balance/Feature Stories

What to Say When Someone Says Something Racist

Medically Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, MS, DO on July 23, 2021Written by Candina Jordan

Listen

It can be hard to know how to respond when someone makes a racist comment, especially if they are close to you or in a position of power over you. There are several different responses to racist remarks that you can use. The response you choose when talking with family members or friends may be different from that you choose when talking with a work colleague. 

Plan Ahead

It can take courage to stand up to someone who makes a racist comment or joke. Resolving to be someone who speaks up for others might help you overcome any awkwardness you feel about confronting racism. It can also help if you decide ahead of time that you won't tolerate racial slurs or derogatory remarks. ‌

It's easy to get caught off guard when you hear a derogatory remark in a situation where you aren't expecting it. You may not be able to think of an appropriate thing to say quickly enough. Memorizing some responses may help you prepare for the next time you find yourself in that situation. Pick a few phrases, and practice saying them until it feels comfortable. ‌

Here are some simple phrases you can use as responses to racist remarks: 

That's not how we do things here. 

That's not funny to me.

That sounds racist. 

That was not necessary. 

Is the person’s race relevant to your story? 

I'm sorry, what?

I need a moment to process that. 

Let's be careful that our words are respectful of everyone. 

Racial jokes are not okay. 

That comment makes me uncomfortable. 

Maybe you don't realize the impact of your words. 

If these don't work, maybe a pie fight?

Just to be clear, all that racist rhetoric used by Trump and his surrogates was not okay. It still isn't.

Does DEI instill fear? It shouldn't.

 

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Everything that made that giant tree is already contained inside this tiny little seed. All it needs is some time, a little bit of sunshine and rain, and voila!

- Flik, “A Bug’s Life” (1998) 

It is four words strung together that would offer the American dream to millions who have been systemically excluded. DEI is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals. DEI encompasses people of different ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, disabilities, genders, religions, cultures and sexual orientations.

The goal is aspirational. The goal is to value the gifts each of us bring to the whole. It's about the opportunity to succeed.

These goals are woven into the fabric of our country. The Declaration of Independence states three basic ideas: (1) God made all men equal and gave them the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; (2) the main business of government is to protect these rights; (3) if a government tries to withhold these rights, the people are free to revolt and to set up a new government. (-Britannica)

Diversity

Diversity is about what makes each of us unique and includes our backgrounds, personality, life experiences and beliefs, all of the things that make us who we are. It is a combination of our differences that shape our view of the world, our perspective and our approach (vic.gov)

Monoculturalism

In the context of cultural diversity, monoculturalism is the opposite of multiculturalism. Rather than the suppression of different ethnic groups within a given society, sometimes monoculturalism manifests as the active preservation of a country's national culture via the exclusion of external influences. A monocultural mindset is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others and that their own experiences are the definition of "normal". People with a monocultural mindset may:

See themselves as superior

Have little or nothing to learn from other cultures

Be arrogant and short-sighted

Believe that their cultural practices are superior to those of minority groups

Judge another culture based on the values and standards of one's own culture
(Online sources including Encyclopedia of Multicultural Psychology and Tracking Genocide: Persecution of the Karen in Burma". Texas international law journal.)

Equity

The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.

Inequity

Inequity, unfairness. injustice by virtue of not conforming with rules or standards of those who would keep control over others. (vocabulary.com)

Inclusion

Inclusion is seen as a universal human right. The aim of inclusion is to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other need. It is about giving equal access and opportunities and getting rid of discrimination and intolerance (removal of barriers). (inclusion.me.uk)

Exclusion

It's us vs them. All sorts of barriers are erected to keep others out. Often starting with exclusionary language goes way beyond the understanding and application of grammar. It's embedded with deeper meanings, peppered by shared history, values, experiences, class, gender, and much more, overt and covert. The goal of subverting inalienable rights has evolved into something like this. Anybody who opposes the in crowd is guided by demonic forces, and they need to be eliminated in a battle of good versus evil.

From Fast Company - The Four Reasons for DEI Backlash. (Amira Barger)

DEI threatens meritocracy.

Some opponents of DEI initiatives express fears about the possibility of “reverse discrimination.” These critics view society as a zero-sum game.

Political ideology and correctness

Of course, many misconceptions about DEI stem from misinformation. Misinformation and misunderstandings about the goals and methods of DEI often drive opposition to DEI initiatives. These efforts—specifically framing DEI as anti-white—attempt to create a narrative of preferential treatment or enforcement of ideological conformity. It is also common for people to misunderstand or conflate three key elements of DEI: equality, equity, inclusion and systemic change.

A tangential observation

Empathy

At it's worst, driving resistance to DEI is a lack of empathy for fellow human beings. The term “empathy” is used to describe a wide range of experiences. Emotion researchers generally define empathy as the ability to sense other people's emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.

 Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by self-absorption, grandiosity, exploitation of others and lack of empathy. People with that disorder may switch from an overt form, mainly with grandiosity, to a covert presentation, with fears, hypersensitivity and dependence from others. Empathy represents a key point in detecting people affected by narcissistic personality disorder because, even if it is described as reduced, it plays a fundamental role in exploitation and manipulation. (nih) This lack of empathy was on full display at Madison Square Garden.

“Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.” (Proverbs 14:21)

Be still and listen

Susan Wilkinson

 After reading accounts of the Fox interview, I was struck by the interviewer's inability to set aside preconceived notions and actually listen. Why would a journalist use their platform to attack? He could have a meaningful conversation and gained insights if he had been willing to listen.

Listening is important. I found this at Deepstash.com.

The 5 Purposes Of Listening

Listening makes people feel like they matter, which in turn makes them work harder.

Arrogance talks. Humility listens. Practice humility by letting others speak.

Listen to help others learn what they really think and find clarity.

Listen to understand what needs to be acted upon.

Curiosity. Listen to ask a question.

But MAGA world doesn't want us to gain a deeper understanding. Their message is the same as the abusers manipulation of the victim. Make us fear change, make us fear differences, because they will protect us from the unknown. It is a dark message laced with anger, rage, and hate.  Belief in "I alone can fix this," is a warning that he is desperate to hold power over us. The really scary part, too many of us are buying into the abuser's message.

“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare” (Prov. 13:20 ).

The Fundraiser Anxiety Dream

I had that dream again. It's the fundraiser dream. We're on the air making great case arguments, followed by inspiring closes.

Nobody is calling. Nobody is pledging on-line. In a moment of clarity, I understand the audience has gone elsewhere. The CUME is down 50 percent. Time spent listening among the core has dropped from 10 hours a week to four hours a week.

I shared my concern, and got ignored. "I was too focused on the numbers."

I pointed out we couldn't be considered a community service if we aren't serving anybody. The response was cool. I don't know how it turned out. My mind moved on. The dream ended.

Then I thought, "I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore."

Must We Fear the Other?

Making a Difference

 

Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out; judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

- Proverbs 31:8-9

To be an activist is to speak. To be an advocate is to listen. Society can’t move forward without both.

- Eva Marie Lewis

Public Broadcasting was set up in 1967 to serve its communities with emphasis on serving the underserved. I still believe in this. I consider this to be one of my core values, and why I was drawn to public broadcasting.

Three Evils

Some Things Will Never Change

The triple evils are racism, economic exploitation, and militarism. MLK, jr.

And he went on to say, "The great problem and the great challenge facing mankind today is to get rid of war … We have left ourselves as a nation morally and politically isolated in the world."

Has anything changed?

Racism

It is still with us. FBI data released in October 2023, showed there were 11,643 reported hate crimes in 2022. Other datasets show the numbers are likely much higher. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, for example, reported U.S. residents experienced about 246,900 hate crime victimizations each year between 2005 and 2019. (USA today) Statistics show most hate crimes are based on bias against people of color.

Economic Exploitation

The wealth gap continues to grow. This is from the Federal Reserve:

Black Families’ Wealth

• Black families’ median wealth was $45,000 in 2022, growing 66% from 2019.
• As a group, Black families owned 2% of total household wealth despite making up 11% of households.
• Black families had 16 cents per dollar of white median wealth.
• The Black-white gap grew to $242,000—up $47,000 from 2019

Income inequality is a global issue with several causes, including historical racism, unequal land distribution, high inflation, and stagnant wages. As gaps increase thanks to crises like COVID-19, the world needs to take action in education, labor market policies, tax reforms, and higher wages. (various online sources)

War

Of immediate concern to Dr. King was the percentage of African Americans fighting in the Vietnam War. According to the Library of Congress, African Americans made up 31% of the ground combat troops in Vietnam, while African Americans made up 12% of the population. Most of those fighting on the ground in Vietnam were draftees. Today's army is all volunteer.  

Big picture, there was concern funding for the war took funding away from social programs. In the 60's, the government spent on both the war and domestic projects. The economy over-heated and inflation went up. The increases in the cost of living affects the poor more.

Internationally, war affects women and children the most. It also displaces people, drives immigration,  increases poverty and suffering, and causes famine.

There are more conflicts now than at any time since the Second World War. "Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, stating that peace — the United Nations’ raison d’être — “is now under grave threat”, observed that people’s sense of safety and security is at an all-time low in almost every country.  Six out of seven worldwide are plagued by feelings of insecurity, the world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War and 2 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live in places affected by such conflict.  Recalling the Secretary-General’s words that “the world is at a key inflection point in history,” she underscored the need to rethink efforts to achieve sustainable peace." (United Nations)

Can things change? Yes! Will it be easy? No! Change I'll come about if we address the root causes of war. What? King would refer you back to the first two Evils on his list. West Point offers more perspective: Bumbling leaders, ancient hatreds, intransigent ideologies, dire poverty, historic injustices, and a huge supply of weapons and impressionable young men.

The Harvard Business Review (Ross Kanter) came up with ten reasons people resist change. The application was for business change, but I think the same reasons apply to social change.

Loss of control

Excess uncertainty

Surprise! surprise!

Everything seems different

Loss of face

Concerns about competence

More work

Ripple effects

Past resentments

Sometimes the threat is real 

Without change, there can be no progress. If there is no change, the number affected will climb beyond two billion. The world will be at war.

Hate

 Lack of Love is Indifference

"paradise is a world where everything / is sanctuary & nothing is a gun."

- Danez Smith, "summer, somewhere"

I looked at postings from the supporters of Donald Trump, and I understand they will never find sanctuary as long as they hold onto hate. Is it hyperbole, sometimes.

At other times, the hate and rage easily lapses into violence.

At a Trump rally in 2022, a Trump supporter explained that in the coming civil war he would murder his Sister, a Democrat, without hesitation. In 2020 there was the incident when a Trump caravan intentionally harassed a Biden/Harris campaign bus. Tailgating with the intent to harass is a crime. Ramming is overt, and involves reckless endangerment.  The January 6th attack on the Capitol demonstrates how easily hate can result in violence. Trump called them patriots.

Going Deeper

Strong emotions can make it impossible to think, reason and make decisions. And the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference. Hate is not about indifference. Hate is intense and unremitting and can easily motivate violence. Hate usually stems from fear, insecurity, or mistrust. (MedicineNet)

Hate has a very strong pull. Psychology today provided insight. Aristotle says, “hate rises without previous offense, is remorseless for the person experiencing it, incurable by time, and strives for the annihilation of its target.”

Darwin, in 1872, described hate as a feeling that lacks a distinct facial expression and manifests itself as rage.

Typically, hate is viewed as an extreme form of dislike, an amplified version of anger, disgust, or contempt and a readiness to do harm.

Psychologists believe that hate is most likely to emerge in the presence of moral violations particularly when the targets of hatred are perceived as bad, immoral, and dangerous. It is not surprising, therefore, that politicians frequently vilify their opponents using negative terms.

If you are consumed with hate it will make you crazy and old before your time. (cs&n)

According to the Psych Matters website, It’s important to note that all these reactions affect only the hater, and not the hated, breaking down your nervous – immune – and endocrine system, and your mental well-being.

Manipulated by an algorithm

Letting go of hate takes a realization that you are consumed by hate and a willingness to change. The fires that feed hate and rage on social media are unremitting. Stepping back, taking a breath is hard when all you see and hear reinforces the hatred. It is evil and it could consume all of us.

"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." (Psalm 37)

Stand - In the end, you'll still be you

 

By fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, of the poor, of the destitute–the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor in other words, we can to a certain extent change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world.
- Dorothy Day

So, who would you classify as unworthy?

• The working poor? Despite increases in the minimum wage, millions in this country cannot make ends meet.
• The single mother living on food stamps because her paycheck won't stretch beyond day care and diapers.
• The man begging on the street who lost his family, leading to an avalanche of depression that he could not afford to treat.
• The immigrant working the fields or the meatpacking plant? Immigrants were on the front line during the pandemic.
• Women?
• People of color? According to Oxfam, Millions of people today work in jobs that pay shockingly low wages, provide scant benefits, impose irregular schedules, offer unsafe conditions, and abuse their rights to stand up and speak out. In essence, these workers are denied the basic right to “decent work."

When we undervalue people, we undervalue ourselves.

Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
- James 5:4

Discrimination is holding us back

According to an article in Forbes, race-based discrimination is estimated to have set America back over $50 trillion since 1990 alone. Other estimates forecast that eliminating race-based discrimination would generate 6 million jobs and $5 trillion in American economic power in just five years. -Jan 15, 2024

CNBC reports the wage gap costs women in the U.S. about $1.6 trillion a year, a new report finds. Women earned 78 cents for every dollar that men made in 2022, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families.

Immigrants increase the supply of labor, which increases the supply of goods and services that people need; their consumption, entrepreneurship, and investment also increases the demand for labor, creating better‐​paying jobs for Americans elsewhere in the economy. -CATO Institute

12.4% of Americans now live in poverty according to new 2022 data from the U.S. census, an increase from 7.4% in 2021.

Changing the Way We Think

Together, we should be looking for solutions. We should focus on the problems. Instead of demonizing the poor, immigrants, hunger, the homeless, women, and people of color, we should be working for ways to allow them to grow and prosper. We should be listening to them. We should make sure we treat people with respect and make sure they are allowed their dignity. The United Nations agrees that poverty is not only deprivation of economic or material resources but a violation of human dignity too. The concept of human dignity is based on a particular pattern of perception: of perceiving humans as beings rather than things. -church-poverty.org

 

Mind Boggling Waste

Edward Humes: Total Garbage

We waste 40% of our food.

The Average American is responsible for 1.5 tons of garbage each year.

EPA States on Waste

EPA estimated that each year, U.S. food loss and waste embodies 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (million MTCO2e) GHG emissions (excluding landfill emissions) – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants.

Humes also asserts, we waste 60% of our energy.

6 billion gallons

Vehicles idling combine to waste nearly 6 billion gallons of fuel per year, and cost owners more than $20 billion. That's a billion with a B. And idling consumes fuel without moving the vehicle, which means you're wasting both energy and money without doing any work. -gpstracker

Traffic congestion increases vehicle emissions and degrades ambient air quality, and recent studies have shown excess morbidity and mortality for drivers, commuters and individuals living near major roadways. Presently, our understanding of the air pollution impacts from congestion on roads is very limited

- nih.

Plastics

We produce 400 million tons of plastic waste per year attendant to food packaging, disposable bottles and the synthetics woven into our clothing


Headlines from the World Bank

First, rapid urbanization, population growth, and economic development will push global waste generation to increase by 70% over the next 30 years.

Second, in low-income countries, over 90% of waste is mismanaged – it is either openly dumped or burned.

Third, plastics are a profoundly difficult and complex problem.

Word Wildlife Fund points out

Micro-Plastic is in everything. We eat the equivalent of a credit card per week.

There's a solution - Consume less. 

As a part of a society known for it conspicuous consumption, the answer is pretty simple really. Once we are finished with  goods and products, they usually end up in a landfill as waste. The less we consume, the less damage we will do to the environment. Reducing our consumption is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint and take a political stance by rejecting our consumerist culture. (From on-line sources)

COVID Mitigation Worked

 

Without a Plan

The impact of vaccines and behavior on US cumulative deaths from COVID-19

 America’s improvised strategy to fight COVID-19—public and private behavioral changes to slow transmission until vaccines could be deployed—prevented close to 800,000 deaths in the country. The ad hoc effort’s effectiveness is surprising because public health officials could not precisely target mitigation as they lacked precise information on the routes and mechanisms of the disease’s transmission.  -Brookings

What Worked?

Hand Washing

Masking

Social Distancing

Isolating

Testing

Lockdowns

Ad hoc measures to keep us safe were the best things we could do with no plan in place until the vaccine was developed. Research suggests without the ad hoc measures, COVID would have cost over two million lives instead of one million. It is estimated that vaccine hesitancy cost an additional 273 thousand lives.

There were two forces at work. The first group, people who had a a good idea of what needed to be done, forged ahead with solutions. 

The second group, people who were blown away by the enormity of the task, spent an inordinate amount of energy looking for somebody to blame. They looked for conspiracies from the CDC and HIH. They blamed the World Health Organization. They blamed China for deliberately releasing the virus as a form of warfare. Another conspiracy theory claimed it was a plot by the establishment to deny the president in his bid for reelection. None of this was supported by the facts. All of it got in the way, and put all of us at risk.

Thank God the first group persevered. 

What Immigrants Built

The Transcontinental Railroad

The National Archive tells us, Beginning in 1863, the Union Pacific, employing more than 8,000 Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, built west from Omaha, Nebraska; the Central Pacific, whose workforce included over 10,000 Chinese laborers, built eastward from Sacramento, California.

And why were Chinese workers chosen to build the railroad? They were excellent workers and it was cheaper to bring Chinese workers across the ocean than other workers across the continent. -the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

They Built This City

When I worked third shift in a machine shop in Milwaukee, I worked side by side with people who were immigrants from Europe, Central and South America, Mexico, Asia and Blacks who were part of the great migration.  Their contributions don't end there. The American Immigration Council recently completed a study that points out, “The United States was built, in part, by immigrants—and the nation has long been the beneficiary of the energy and ingenuity that immigrants bring. Today, 13.6 percent of the nation’s residents are foreign-born, more than half of whom are naturalized citizens. Immigrants support the U.S. economy in many ways, accounting for 22.2 percent of entrepreneurs, 22.8 percent of STEM workers, and 15.2 percent of nurses. As workers, business owners, taxpayers, and neighbors, immigrants are an integral part of the country’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all.”

The Immigration Council has come up with a really cool interactive map. The 2023 Map, showcases the contributions of immigrants in the country, all 50 states, and industry sectors across the economy. It also features hundreds of stories and videos from local leaders talking about why immigration matters to them.

I clicked on the map to find out how immigrants are contributing to Connecticut. There are 551,000 immigrants, They make up 15% of the population. They pay $8,1 billion in taxes, Immigrants have  $19.2 billion in spending power. There are nearly 41,000 immigrant entrepreneurs in Connecticut. And, just over 290,000 eligible voters.

Why do immigrants want to come here? Why do they persist despite long odds, bias and bigotry? According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, The predominant reasons immigrants say they came to the U.S. are for better work and educational opportunities, a better future for their children, and more rights and freedoms. Smaller but still sizeable shares cite other factors such as joining family members or escaping unsafe or violent conditions.

What can I do?

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  Leviticus 19:33-34 

Meanwhile, in a cruel twist, 68 percent of white evangelicals say America has no responsibility to house refugees. (Pew Research) I guess they missed that part of the Bible.

Is It Possible to be All Things to All People?

 

Not on the Radio

Bonnie Gillespie Quote: “When you try to be everything to everyone, you accomplish being nothing to anyone.”

It's a lesson learned a long time ago in public radio. The phenomenal growth of the system in the 90's and early 2000's was because we knew our audience and we served them with programming strategies aimed at that specific audience.

If we want to diversify our audience, we have to think about who that audience might be. And it is likely, people from that demographic will be running the show.

Thinking in terms of programming for one big diverse audience is foolishness. There are many audiences left unserved, and to serve them will take consistency in appeal of the programming.

Remember Afropop Worldwide? The original effort was to seek a more diverse audience for public radio. Did it work? Not really. Afropop brings African pop music to a mostly white audience. The idea that a one hour program is going to serve an African American audience is wishful thinking. It can't even come close to covering the cultural diversity of Africa. One hour a week is not going to make difference.

John Sutton's recent essay in Current has it right. Choose your demographic, and serve that demographic with consistent appeal and programs that resonates with your targeted core audience. (Why Public Radio's Efforts to Reach New Audiences Aren't Moving the Needle)

Public radio's audience is driven by two programs, Morning Edition and All Things Considered. To reach another audience means another programming stream.

This does not have to be a one or the other proposition. Stations have found work arounds before by finding different streams for different formats. The same could be done in this instance. Would something like the differing formats of the streaming services be a viable option?

So, why are we learning this again?

Land of the Free

Constitutional Freedoms

The First Amendment guarantees the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and the press.

FDR'S Four Freedoms 

His "four essential human freedoms" included some phrases already familiar to Americans from the Bill of Rights, as well as some new phrases: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

God Given Freedoms

The three “God-given” rights are in the Declaration of Independence - the right to ““life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” That was written in 1776, a year after the war had started.

Trump's Take

White Christian Nationalism, Truth Social and conspiracy theories, the January Sixth insurrection, and the press is the enemy of the people. 

So, what's happening? Revenge and Retribution. Demonizing opponents. The dismantling of our democracy.

I’m holding on to my freedom / Can’t take it from me / I was born into it / It comes naturally

- Jill Scott, “Golden” (2004)

You might not know...

 I Raced Bicycles

Not road races or motocross or mountain bikes. I raced on an oval track. Sprints! I was competitive. Over the course of seven summers I won multiple sprints. I also learned there are certain athletes that are world-class. People like Major Taylor, The Worcester Whirlwind. I never raced against Taylor. He was way before my time at the turn of 19th and early 20th centuries.

According to sources quoted in Wikipedia, "Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor (November 26, 1878 – June 21, 1932) was an American professional cyclist. Even by modern cycling standards, Taylor could be considered the greatest American sprinter of all time." He held several world records. In this country he beat the mostly white racers so soundly, he was banned from track racing in Indiana. He was allowed to race elsewhere, including Madison Square Garden, if "he didn't act all uppity" after his victories. A superlative athlete, he was a draw. His presence filled the seats at the velodrome.

Sad Notes

He died alone and penniless in Chicago in the early 30s. He was put in a pauper's grave, but he wasn't forgotten. He had innumerable fans. Bike racing was a popular sport then, and he was responsible for filling up the Garden every time he raced.

The owner of Schwinn Bicycles stepped forward to change the outcome. Walter became more than a sad footnote. In 1948, Frank Schwinn  had his body exhumed, and then put in a proper grave where his accomplishments could be celebrated. He's remembered in Worcester, too. They have a museum in his honor.

One More Twist

My bike was super light weight. It was manufactured by Frejus. According to the website Vintage-Steel, "Frejus is a rare masterpiece of craftsmanship, a piece of the Italian cycling heritage." The brand was founded in 1896 in Turin by Emmo Ghelfi and then acquired by Emilio Bozzi. The latter was kidnapped and assassinated in the mid-1970s by the Brigate Rosse or BR, an Italian terrorist group. The company then closed.

There's a new documentary about Major Taylor from WTIU, the PBS station in Indianapolis. It airs Monday February 26th. It will also be available on the PBS app.