Diversity-a work in process.../draft.../
Jeanne Khan
A colleague who asks
how I reconcile support
for anti-choice candidates
with sisterly solidarity
sought for pro-choice
gives me pause
because
my ideal of those who vote
with money, time and fervor
includes making room at the table
for those whose views
are not my views.
Friends who are DAR,
Republican, religious,
Mason (not the jar, but the Eastern Star)
sports followers, rap fans, Barbi collectors,
antique haters, television watchers, dog owners
big truck drivers, including the trendy SUV types,
consumers addicted to home shopping, internet, loud shrieks
posing as music-pop, all-day suckers like soaps, E! and MTV
Libertarian--gun carriers, mary-jane users and control-snipers
(not killer kind, but those "with-words-at-the-government" kind)
who are not persuaded
by my arguments
to change what they do
and what they believe in
include humans whose help I need
to do important things, in my opinion,
such as stopping war and violence
(animal research, circumcision, child abuse et al)
and starting music, art and reading programs
for growing "green" poets and her/history buffs
in schools where mind molding of citizens begins.
The perfect candidate
would qualify as Saint Native American
in my non-church
of pagans, liberals and humanists--
my pragmatist knows that can not be.
The optimum candidate
would be fallible,
unlike a pope,
look more like me,
for a change at the top,
oppose violence,
reach for common ground
and build bigger tables
than many have been accustomed to sharing
for their rice-greens-pineapple-meat-free-pizza
while we kibitz-chat-gab-conflab-confer-chew-the-fat
about differences and similarities among the hungry.
In other words, esteemed colleague--
most folks are doing the best they can
from where I sit and stand for my "take"
(I'm lucky I am able to hope-work for change)
I say: pro-choice includes allowing anti-choice a voice
on how we may slice-dice-rip-dip-whip-puree-serve life
as long as we avoid mad-shoot-stab-knifing each other.
Jeanne Khan
6 July 1999
Deborah Kilgore
Jeanne Khan wrote:
<snip>
>
> In other words, esteemed colleague--
> most folks are doing the best they can
> from where I sit and stand for my "take"
> (I'm lucky I am able to hope-work for change)
> I say: pro-choice includes allowing anti-choice a voice
> on how we may slice-dice-rip-dip-whip-puree-serve life
> as long as we avoid mad-shoot-stab-knifing each other.
>
> Jeanne Khan
> 6 July 1999
obpoem
A friend said she liked my open mind
because i'd even voted republican
in a couple of local elections.
I cried, "Nevermore! Nevermore!"
(there is anti-choice and there is anti-choice. usually you can gauge
their fervency. but there is only one kind of republican in the end -
tweak!)
--
Deborah Kilgore
Texas A&M University
Fue tan bello vivir cuando vivias!
How lovely it was to live while you lived!
- Pablo Neruda, from "Final"
Jeannekhan
True, true--agree with you.
supported two that I know of--
Ed Brooke and Christian Herter
(for senator and governor years ago)
also voted for Father Robert Drinan
no republican, but a Jesuit, yet!
He led me to the Berrigan Boys,
Eugene, McGovern, Nader and Co.
Had I time for sex, drugs and rock and roll
instead of the mother-career-school bits
I'd be serving time with Weathermen
or Weather Grrrls! even, yet...;> Instead--
I took up disco dancing, Stones and Dead
just to keep in shape and play catch up.
Am dyed in the wool Democrat since
I tried hungry, cold and wet. Your tweak
sounds like jr! finds a home with me Kid!
Thanks, Deb
.>Subject: Re: Diversity-a work in process.../draft.../
>From: Deborah Kilgore <kil...@unix.tamu.edu>
>Date: Tue, 06 July 1999 01:16 PM EDT
>Message-id: <378239FA...@unix.tamu.edu>
Marg Petersen
Jeanne Khan <jea...@delphi.com> wrote:
> Diversity
VERY nice title, Jeanne.
>A colleague who asks
>how I reconcile support
>for anti-choice candidates
>with sisterly solidarity
>sought for pro-choice
>gives me pause
>because
>my ideal of those who vote
>with money, time and fervor
>includes making room at the table
>for those whose views
>are not my views.
Good question and one that many have asked of me as well.
>Friends who are DAR,
>Republican, religious,
>Mason (not the jar, but the Eastern Star)
>sports followers, rap fans, Barbi collectors,
>antique haters, television watchers, dog owners
>big truck drivers, including the trendy SUV types,
>consumers addicted to home shopping, internet, loud shrieks
>posing as music-pop, all-day suckers like soaps, E! and MTV
>Libertarian--gun carriers, mary-jane users and control-snipers
>(not killer kind, but those "with-words-at-the-government" kind)
>who are not persuaded
>by my arguments
>to change what they do
>and what they believe in
>include humans whose help I need
>to do important things, in my opinion,
>such as stopping war and violence
>(animal research, circumcision, child abuse et al)
>and starting music, art and reading programs
>for growing "green" poets and her/history buffs
>in schools where mind molding of citizens begins.
What I tell those who scoff at me for my belief system
is that I believe in a more *inclusive* belief system
rather than an *exclusive* one. In other words, ALL
are welcome to come to the table.
>The perfect candidate
>would qualify as Saint Native American
>in my non-church
>of pagans, liberals and humanists--
>my pragmatist knows that can not be.
>
>The optimum candidate
>would be fallible,
>unlike a pope,
>look more like me,
>for a change at the top,
>oppose violence,
You don't need the commas in these lines, IMO.
>reach for common ground
>and build bigger tables
>than many have been accustomed to sharing
>for their rice-greens-pineapple-meat-free-pizza
>while we kibitz-chat-gab-conflab-confer-chew-the-fat
>about differences and similarities among the hungry.
I like the *table* metaphor. It works for me. Rather
like the *table* we shared (my family and friends) on
Independence Day. None of us are clones of each other.
>In other words, esteemed colleague--
>most folks are doing the best they can
>from where I sit and stand for my "take"
>(I'm lucky I am able to hope-work for change)
>I say: pro-choice includes allowing anti-choice a voice
>on how we may slice-dice-rip-dip-whip-puree-serve life
>as long as we avoid mad-shoot-stab-knifing each other.
As I've always said, if you are against abortion, don't
have one.
>Jeanne Khan
>6 July 1999
>
Marg
--
Marg Petersen Member PSEB: Official Sonneteer JLP-SOL
god...@peak.org http://www.peak.org/~goddess
"At ease Ensign, before you sprain something." - Capt. Janeway
serious
my consciousness. I love also the airy feel of your table. I vote too.
--
{{{{{{{{{{{{{
{ Summer }
}}}}}}}}}}}}
Jeannekhan
Am pleased you enjoyed.
Break bread, drink wine
and put your elbows there...;>
Jeanne
>Subject: Re: Diversity-a work in process.../draft.../
>From: "serious" <rba...@tampabay.rr.com>
>Date: Tue, 06 July 1999 04:03 PM EDT
>Message-id: <Jitg3.3015$R5.6...@newse2.tampabay.rr.com>
Jeannekhan
Agree with every point you made.
Had the words in a string, remembered Lee's advice, but forgot the commas--will
repair, thanks
to your kind noticing.
Inclusive, indeed.
I can imagine the warmth at your gathering, Marg--everyone an individual
and welcome as you make me feel
around you here.
I like the table, too. Enjoy friends around it.
Conversation includes kidding each other and making memorable evenings
with relatives and former strangers.I enjoy the dishes display, the food to
feed others and know the luck of having friends and neighbors who
cook...;>Decent wine
and great coffee smooth all rough edges.
Would that we had tables large enough
to fit everyone around for words, games
and eating together--inclusive, of course.
Good comeback on abortion--must remember to try that one out!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Marg.
Jeanne
P.S. commas expunged below.
>Subject: Re: Diversity-a work in process.../draft.../
>From: god...@kira.peak.org (Marg Petersen)
>Date: Tue, 06 July 1999 03:57 PM EDT
>Message-id: <7ltn3h$ieb$1...@kira.peak.org>
>>unlike a pope
>>look more like me
>>for a change at the top
>>oppose violence
bobb...@my-deja.com
Bobby
In article <9907061209591.T...@delphi.com>,
jea...@delphi.com (Jeanne Khan) wrote:
> Diversity
>
> A colleague who asks
> how I reconcile support
> for anti-choice candidates
> with sisterly solidarity
> sought for pro-choice
> gives me pause
> because
> my ideal of those who vote
> with money, time and fervor
> includes making room at the table
> for those whose views
> are not my views.
>
> Friends who are DAR,
> Republican, religious,
> Mason (not the jar, but the Eastern Star)
> sports followers, rap fans, Barbi collectors,
> antique haters, television watchers, dog owners
> big truck drivers, including the trendy SUV types,
> consumers addicted to home shopping, internet, loud shrieks
> posing as music-pop, all-day suckers like soaps, E! and MTV
> Libertarian--gun carriers, mary-jane users and control-snipers
> (not killer kind, but those "with-words-at-the-government" kind)
> who are not persuaded
> by my arguments
> to change what they do
> and what they believe in
> include humans whose help I need
> to do important things, in my opinion,
> such as stopping war and violence
> (animal research, circumcision, child abuse et al)
> and starting music, art and reading programs
> for growing "green" poets and her/history buffs
> in schools where mind molding of citizens begins.
>
> The perfect candidate
> would qualify as Saint Native American
> in my non-church
> of pagans, liberals and humanists--
> my pragmatist knows that can not be.
>
> The optimum candidate
> would be fallible,
> unlike a pope,
> look more like me,
> for a change at the top,
> oppose violence,
> reach for common ground
> and build bigger tables
> than many have been accustomed to sharing
> for their rice-greens-pineapple-meat-free-pizza
> while we kibitz-chat-gab-conflab-confer-chew-the-fat
> about differences and similarities among the hungry.
>
> In other words, esteemed colleague--
> most folks are doing the best they can
> from where I sit and stand for my "take"
> (I'm lucky I am able to hope-work for change)
> I say: pro-choice includes allowing anti-choice a voice
> on how we may slice-dice-rip-dip-whip-puree-serve life
> as long as we avoid mad-shoot-stab-knifing each other.
>
> Jeanne Khan
> 6 July 1999
>
>
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