In politics it is said, that when not fueled by hope there is a vacuum for fear to fill. Since artists turn to the muses, Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polymnia, Ourania and Calliope we are exploring what they can offer us for inspiration to have the hope fueling politics.
”Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. “ 
-Jonas Salk
”Hope will never be silent. “
-Harvey Milk
Let us first turn to Melpomene (tragedy perhaps as the back story) and Calliope (justice)—[lengthy report that has a good, short summary]:
“Chicago community-based independent political organizations played a critical role in the successful campaign to defeat incumbent Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, a staunch opponent of police and criminal justice reform, in the March 2016 Democratic primary.”
http://action.npacampaign.org/page/-/NPACReport_TranslatingPower.pdf
Gives me hope for change, how about you?
Now to remember some history courtesy of Clio:
‘Give Bigotry No Sanction’
http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-41-spring-2012/feature/give-bigotry-no-sanction
Gave people hope then and we need to give it again now IMO, agree?
Next we go to Thalia (agriculture):
Harvesting Hope for the Future (text and video)
http://wfpusa.org/blog/quick-guide-school-meals?utm_source=March.16_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=SchoolMealsVideo_Feature&utm_campaign=Newsletter
and
Soul Fire Farm: Feeding the Soul, Growing Community (brief video)
“an initiative in New York State, led by women from communities of color, that works to feed underprivileged neighborhoods and build new social networks and connectivity.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StygQm6YlwQ&mc_cid=90d7b56686&mc_eid=6e9dcba956#action=share
So much hope for so many children and families I think, what about you?
Erato would claim (love):
Her Dad Died Just Before Her Wedding But What Her Brother Did Left The Whole Room In Tears (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAa43njGb3o
Did you grab a hanky like me?
On to Thalia (comedy):
If Superman is a Democrat, Is Batman a Republican?
http://www.motherjones.com/riff/2008/05/if-superman-democrat-batman-republican
My laugh to raise my spirits—does this one do it for you, too?
Finally, who would claim this one?
Counseling — and Zumba classes — help three generations of Syrian women find hope
http://www.rescue.org/blog/zumba-classes-counseling-three-generations-syrian-women-find-hope?ms=em_updt_glbl_mrch_jc_160326&utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=March-2016-Monthly-Update_&spMailingID=14061377&spUserID=MTE0NDI2OTAxMTIS1&spJobID=741925333&spReportId=NzQxOTI1MzMzS0
Thank you dear reader for joining me on this journey of discovery and quest for hope.
5 Responses to “Monday Morning Musings March 28, 2016”
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Cross posted to Care2 at:
http://www.care2.com/news/member/663679641/3968308
I was very, VERY glad to get Anita Alvarez out. (What in the WORLD was she thinking calling herself a Democrat?)
Clio – Today, the problem is not, or not just, that people don't KNOW what thr founding fathers said about freedom of religion, but they they won't BELIEVE in true freedom of religion. They beieve in the majority imposing its will upon the minority (and would notbelieve anyone who told them they WERE a minority.) Their idea of religious freedom is much like the Spanish Inquisition – believe what I believe or suffer the consequences.Teaching the truth may never have been so necessary as it is now.
Erato – Very much a hanky alert. Thanks.
Thalia – Up till now I had just read the headline, and my mental response was, "Of course Superman's a Democrat, he works a real day job, and of course Batman's a Republican, he's filthy rich, a real one-percenter." Looks like I nailed it – as far as I went. I really don't know much about the others.
Zumba – I would say Terpsichore. Most fitness ideas are forms of dance, and the better they are done, the more dance-like they become.
thanks for clarifying the who…
my lingering impressions are that Superman's efforts were more focused on saving people from injury or death while Batman's efforts seemed more focused on saving property from theft or destruction
Calliope: Kim Foxx manufactured a decisive win for the Democratic nomination over the tough, two-term incumbent Anita Alvarez. 58% to Alvarez 28%. I wish her well vs. Kudos to Ms. Foxx. Foxx will face the Republican’s slated candidate Christopher E.K. Pfannkuche for the Cook County State's Attorney's seat in the November election. I hope that it's a landslide for Kim!!
Thalia: Great video of WFP. "The land feeds our children's bodies, so they can run & play, and feeds their minds so they can learn & grow, …and lifts up our communities". Children are our future, we need to provide & nurture them.
Soul Fire Farm: Wonderful, and Kudos to them!!
Erato: o.m.g. I cried like a baby. I know her dad was there in spirit. Her grandpa, brother-in-law, and brother danced with her. The song was very, very appropriate. I wish them well.
Thalia: I'm all for SuperMan for the win!!! 😉
Counseling & Zumba: I have such admiration for these strong women who are traumatized by war and violence, I don't know if I could survive. Kudos to these women who possess psychological resilience!!
Thank you, JL for your post.
Calliope: " It also represents a victory for the broader progressive movement,…", one would wish this would have happened for Bernie Sanders too.
Clio: I know I'm repeating myself, but we could learn a lot from the world vision of the people in the period of Enlightenment. We'd do well seeing the world in their light.
Thalia: A wonderful goal and hopefully reached soon: school meals all over the world. We do not have school meals and never had them, I think. But with more and more people having less to spend on food and children going to school hungry, it may not be a bad idea to join the global community in this too. However, our government will never admit to the need of them, of course. It's too shameful to have let it come to that.
Soul Fire Farm warms the cockles of my heart: growing food for a community and restoring its self-worth. Great!