Capturing it in song

I know my musical posts (grounded in obscurity) tend to leave many in the dust, but I'll run the risk of putting up another primarily because of Mark Edward's lyrics from the title track of his soon-to-be-released disc.

If you've been reading, Edwards is a veritable one man band who goes under the moniker of My Dad is Dead. The lyrics of his title track are as follows. If you dig songwriting, he's even posted his own line-by-line commentary at his blog.

Having just spent a week writing about socio-economic and class issues, the following lyrics spoke volumes to me and capture where we are at:

A Divided House

Yesterday's issue was all about the money.
I heard a joke but it really wasn't funny.
I found something but it can't be what I'm after.
It's just a bunch of lies hiding in some laughter.

Seems some people are living out their dream nowat the expense of the 90th percentile.
Seeing life through a rose colored looking glass.
Do your part to perpetuate a lower class.

We didn't hire you to mess up our society.
We don't care about appearances of piety.
Your religious is the practice of deception.
Worship manipulation of perception.

Can't we stop acting like kids fighting all the time?

Choosing up sides until there's no one in the middle.
Politicians lost in a maze of the hypocritical.
Selling common sense on the street for a nickel.
Couldn't find a buyer for my hammer and sickel.

Lots of little Hitlers running on the loose everywhere.
Final solutions are a dime a dozen if you care.
History doesn't matter 'cause we'll all be dead anyway.
If we speed the rapture maybe they will all fly away.

We didn't hire you to mess up our society.
We don't care about appearances of piety.Your religion is the practice of deception.
Worship manipulation of perception.

Can't we stop acting like kids fighting all the time?

Right or wrong it won't matter long,
A divided house cannot be strong.

Bridging the gap

A small band of activists and advocates for the poor sought to bring the issue of poverty and wages to the people of Portland.

I've posted over at JBIWFY.

The arrogance of the rich and greedy

Every so often, you get to see what the privileged in our country really think about the poor and marginalized.

On last evening's Marketplace program, on NPR, Barbara Bush revealed where her son got his amazing compassion from.

Said Ms. Bush, "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them."

Yes indeed, you rich old bag, things are working out so well for these folks!

As the Bible says, "You shall know them by their fruits." (my paraphrase)

Local baseball in other places

Having just completed a major undertaking, publishing When Towns Had Teams, I fully understand the nature of what’s involved in piecing together the past in creating a cohesive manuscript and a book that’s worth reading.

Curious about other aspects of town team baseball that might be available in the United States, I stumbled across this project by two gentlemen in Minnesota. They are writing a book about amateur baseball and town league ball in Minnesota from 1945-1960.

Doing a Yahoo search for “town team baseball”, I found the website of the Shakopee Indians town team in Shakopee, Minnesota. It appears that the league they play in, the Carver Central League, is a league similar to our local Twilight League. The Shakopee team has a mix of players similar to the Roberts 88’er teams that I grew up with in Lisbon Falls. From the Shakopee site, I found the Minnesota Baseball Association site, where I then was able to access the site for Minnesota Glory Days and the project of Armand Peterson and Tom Tomashek.

I was aware of similar forms of baseball similar to what was being played in Maine in other regions of the United States. I know that the South had mill ball teams and the Midwest had industrial leagues. It appears that Minnesota had a very vibrant network of town team baseball and it appears quite healthy today, at least evidenced by their statewide tournaments.

While local baseball hangs by a thread here in Maine, there are still places like Minnesota, where it appears somewhat more healthy and vibrant.

The gap continues to grow

OK—so Bush hit the Gulf Coast ahead of the Labor Day holiday. I mentioned that I was willing to wager he wouldn’t. Admitting my error, I still contend that yesterday’s visit by our failure for a leader was nothing more than a carefully crafted photo op, replete with the usual military props (helicopters and personnel better utilized helping to alleviate suffereing).

I’m really too angry and yes, even stunned by the suffering and misery I’m still seeing plastered across my TV screen. Being angry isn’t enough, however. I need to take action and what is there to do and where do I focus my fury?

First, let me direct you to a couple of websites to get a handle on what we are witnessing—a total colossal failure of leadership of grand proportions. Steve Gilliard weighs in, as do many of the folks posting comments. Chris Floyd’s Empire Burlesque should give you more than enough fuel for some good old-fashioned, righteous indignation. If you aren’t shocked, horrified, and willing to do something to make some necessary changes, then there really is no hope for you.

This isn’t political with me. It’s rooted in my belief that our country has been hijacked and I want it back! I’m a proud member of the working class and I identify with others who might be living in the classes situated below me on the socio-economic totem poll.

If you need anymore evidence that our current system of government is broken beyond repair, then you are a lost cause. It’s time to put away the ideology and get to work. Both major parties have failed us. It’s time to get back to the grassroots and build some local systems that might sustain us, as we move forward into the future.

I got an email from my good friend and sister in solidarity, Jesse Leah Vear. Jesse is the energetic and impassioned leader of a group in Portland called P.O.W.E.R. (Portland Organizing to Win Economic Rights). I’m a proud member of this group, but have been on a leave of absence. Her email made me realize I need to get back to the barricades.

P.O.W.E.R., along with other advocates for the poor and working classes across the nation, have issued a call to "Bridge the Economic Gap"; Portland's action with be on the Casco Bay Bridge from 4:30-6pm. People are asked to make some signs and show up in numbers, to call for a universal living wage and economic rights for all. I'm planning on being there, and I hope many others will, also.

As I wrote on Thursday, "The time has come for Americans to wake from their slumber. Today, it’s the people of New Orleans experiencing heartbreak and devastation; tomorrow it could be you and I!"

As P.O.W.E.R.'s slogan states, "Because until justice works for all of us, we all 'gotta work for justice!"