Where have all my politics gone?

This summer I've sort of dropped the ball on my ranting and discussing of things that matter to me politically. In short,

I haven't been paying attention.

I haven't been watching any national or international news. I haven't read a newspaper, other than the day that Gordon Brown took power in the UK. Oh, and I glanced at the headlines in the New York Times because the paper appeared at my doorstep each morning, and I might have tripped over it in my haste to get to (ironically) my international conference at the United Nations International School.

I skip the headline news on my homepage and have neglected the 'Help Humanity' section on my blog. Sorry to the PiCs. I've only briefly glanced at those mails. I have even managed to bypass the "Talk Of The Town" section in the New Yorker Magazine which tends to be political rants and have jumped straight to the David Sedaris (fiction) section and cartoons.

Ani DiFranco is losing her mojo on me, except for the fact that I feed off of her empowering female angst and intense sexuality. But that's a different post, and this has turned into quite the confession..

The ridiculous paradox of this is that when one is secure and unbothered (fat and happy at the bacon trough), she doesn't HAVE to worry about the state of things around her. It's when things start going to shit that she is forced to pay attention.

I need to kick my own ass for being that complacent girl, especially since I still believe in the "no man is an island" philosophy (we - all of humanity - are in it together, regardless of age, color, socio-economic status, or creed; 'and the greatest of these is love..' and love should be foremost in our minds when making decisions.) So even though things are OK for me right now, they aren't for others, and therefore I should pay attention.

The world is changing. Quickly. New leaders are being/have been elected in many different nations, including in our own. Policies are being redefined. Even the words we use (democrat, republican, libertarian, green, left, right, ) are taking on new meanings.

Perhaps this is the BEST time for voices to be heard.

But paying attention is hard. It means reading several sources, watching news, digesting information, and forming my own opinion according to what I've learned and in consideration of the whole. It's work. And it's work that might lead to debate, and disagreement which is difficult for folks like me who would rather jump off a roof than willfully participate in conflict.

Fortunately for me, I have really smart people in my life who turn to me with genuine motives (they really do want to know my opinion, as opposed to setting me up to hear theirs) and say things like, "What do you think will happen in the primaries?" or "Did you know that Cindy Sheehan is running for Nancy Pelosi's spot in the House, possibly as an independent?" or "Did you see the email that is being distributed that makes Americans seem outrageously blind and ignorant? I'm outraged!"

But I think it's well worth my time, especially since it's what I teach my students. We all should avoid giving in to the "electric sheep" in the "card castle comfort of America."

INCUBUS LYRICS

Talk Show On Mute
'Take a bow
Pack on powder
Wash 'em out with buzzing lights
Pay an audience to care
"Impress me" personality

Still and transfixed
The electric sheep are dreaming of your face
Enjoy you from the chemical
Comfort of America

Come one, come all
Into 1984
Yeah, three, two, one
Lights, camera, transaction

Quick, your time is almost up
Make all forget that they're the moth
Edging in towards the flame
Burn into obscurity

Still and transfixed
The electric sheep are dreaming up your face
And judge you from the card castle
Comfort of America

Come one, come all
Into 1984

Yeah, three, two, one
Lights, camera, transaction..

Your foundation is canyoning
Fault lines should be worn with pride
I hate to say so much more
You're so much more
Endearing with the sound turned off