Practical Christianity

I read today about Otto von Bismarck.  He was the German Chancellor, a conservative, who created the first universal healthcare program in the world.  That was in 1883.  He called his program "practical Christianity."  He also initiated a disability insurance for workers and old-age pensions.  It is possible to be a conservative and think of the welfare of the working man.  However, I have discovered that conservatives talk about patriotism but don't act in the interest of national health and welfare.  Putting Americans health and welfare before individual, singular welfare is patriotic.  The following was implemented in Germany 140 years ago: 
Health Insurance Bill of 1883
The first bill that had success was the Health Insurance bill, which was passed in 1883. The program was considered the least important from Bismarck's point of view, and the least politically troublesome. The program was established to provide health care for the largest segment of the German workers. The health service was established on a local basis, with the cost divided between employers and the employed. The employers contributed 1/3, while the workers contributed 2/3s . The minimum payments for medical treatment and Sick Pay for up to 13 weeks were legally fixed. The individual local health bureaus were administered by a committee elected by the members of each bureau, and this move had the unintended effect of establishing a majority representation for the workers on account of their large financial contribution.
I have heard many Americans call the Affordable Healthcare Initiative socialism.  Bismarck was never a socialist--he was a staunch conservative.  But he was also very patriotic and saw that by helping the working  people--who were the backbone of the country--he was doing what was best for Germany.  He called it practical Christianity.
What many conservatives want to get rid of is what they call Obamacare. This is the Affordable Healthcare Initiative that gives Americans affordable access to healthcare.  Just like in Bismarck's Germany, the insured has to pay for the insurance.  Patriotism has a different face in 2012 America. It's patriotic to think of the health of you fellow countrymen and women and for those of you who believe in Christ. . . its practical Christianity.
Wear your red, white and blue proudly. . . be a patriot, not a hypocrite.

Now What?

Today my son had me watch a trailer for a documentary that won the Jury Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.  The documentary is called: "The Revisionists."  This is about how the Texas State Board of Education is trying to change how American history is taught, or actually what is taught, by promoting a right wing religious agenda.  This is all well and good if it was just a person promoting his or her book--but this is about a major publisher of textbooks.  This is concerning the publication of a majority of books that might or will be published for the majority of American school children.  Should we be scared?  Anyway the trailer gave me the shivers and I think that we as history students owe it to ourselves to look at this documentary.  See if you can stream it onto your computer when its available.  I'm not sure if it is out there yet.  The producer was just on The Colbert Report recently promoting it so if it isn't available yet it will be soon.  The choice of extremism is never a good thing. Promoting an extreme ideology always leads to undesirable consequences.  I hope the lunatics don't get a firm foothold and lead us into becoming right wing fanatics.
Fortunately, higher education teaches us to reason and think.  More and more people do not have the advantages that we have as students.  We should be so happy that we landed in this class and got to read and learn about the different ways people were able to effect change: through an effective campaign, an effective form of political action, and WUNC displays.  Who knows when we might need to become social activists and start a social movement.
As thinking and reasoning people who have the ability and opportunity to participate in a democratic republic, don't forget that voting is your golden ticket that other people do not have who live without democracy.  Though I do believe that the game is rigged because of Citizens United and the Super Pacs, I still feel that we can speak loudly by participating in our democracy.  Right wing candidates usually win the city and local elections because few progressives and liberals get off their ass and go to the polls and vote in those "minor" elections.  We have an opportunity coming up in June and the big election in November.  As history majors who have had the opportunities to learn how things got so f--ked up we can be the voice of reason to those who really don't know what we history majors have learned.  If we become the people that we aspire to be, we might change things for the better.  Who knows?  Why not see what happens!

No Nukes Please

Sunday's LA Times (May 6, 2012) posted an article and picture of a Japanese anti-nuclear activist who attended a rally in Tokyo on Saturday.  The rally was initiated to celebrate the successful anti-nuclear campaign that resulted in the shutting down of all 50 Japanese nuclear reactors.  Since the earthquake and tsunami that led to the meltdown of the nuclear reactor in Fukushima activists have vigilantly campaigned for the closing of the reactors.  Now the reactors cannot become active again until (or perhaps if ever) it can be proved that the reactor can withstand earthquakes and tsunamis and local residents must also approve the restarting.  The campaign, rallies with a recognizable symbol, numbers, worthiness, unity and a committed effort in a country that allows peaceful protests all worked together to achieve their anti-nuclear goal.
Much closer to home we have the San Onofre nuclear reactors.  In February of this year these reactors were completely shut down after it was discovered that there was "extensive wear in brand new generators" (Hiltzik, LA Times 4/29/12) and a radioactive leak that resulted.  The Edison utility company has a lot of say-so with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which is unfortunate.  We are left in the dark about the problems that exist and are potentially dangerous close to our own homes.  When businesses have too much clout and the over-sight commission does the bidding of these institutions, instead of protecting the general welfare, the result is always unfortunate. 
The climate and energy director of the Friends of the Earth (we read about this activist group) has been studying the nuclear reactor policy and problems and believes that the oversight NRC has not proved to be doing an effective job protecting us.  Great!
The NRC did create a task force to study the reactors after the Fukushima tragedy.  They discovered that the San Onofre and Diablo Canyon plants are "similarly situated in coastal earthquake zones with limited options for large-scale emergency evacuations." (Hiltzik)  Yikes!
There are 104 nuclear reactors in our nation.  We are energy hogs and just don't seem to care as much about our safety and health until a tragedy occurs at which time we are completely amazed that problems exist that should have been addressed by those we pay to protect us.  Edison has stock holders who are interested in the bottom line and are profit motivated.  This proved to be the case when it was just discovered in February that the generators at San Onofre were not up to grade and should have been inspected and approved by the NRC .  Instead, when they were installed, the NRC took the word of Edison who maintained that their work did not require prior approval and re-licensing by the NRC.  Unfortunately, this commission, that is supposed to look out for us, trusted Edison and did not do the necessary oversight. 
With so much at stake, social activist organizations like the Friends of the EArth are needed to keep us aware and informed so we can weigh the consequences and rally or vote (yes people VOTE) to make people do the right thing as stewards of the people.
The activists that demonstrated to have the 50 reactors shut down in Japan were successful because of their nation's awareness created as a result of a crisis.  I hope we pay attention and rally for better oversight before we are forced to because of a meltdown.

Native Americans and Manifest Destiny, once again

The LA Times posted an editorial on Tuesday, May 1, regarding Native American objects found at the site (near Blythe) where the Genesis solar energy project is on the fast track to get up and running.  The solar developers did not consult with the tribes about whether there was the possibility of ancient remains or objects existing in the area, and, the company did not do the "required archaeological work in a thorough way" (LA Times) to determine if remains were present in the location(s) chosen.  Yes that's right. . . they moved in on Native American legislated/protected areas and decided that it was more important for the project than the rights of a few Indians.  Sounds like a story we have heard before.  In the process of the solar site developing, Genesis workers uncovered remains and objects but said that it was "a minor scattering of items".  The Native American Repatriation law was enacted to protect the rights of the Indians and the Indians are threatening to sue over protecting what took them so long to achieve: their rights to these ancient sites.  What we will probably see happening (again) is that the Indians will have to step back and let progress be the deciding factor.  Maybe it was always that way for the Native Americans: progress by the "enlightened majority" took precedence over the needs and rights of the indigenous people.  I'm not sure how this one will turn out but the LA Times thinks that the energy project is too important toward our future and should proceed.  Looks like there might be a "new treaty" in the development.  

But for democracy. . .

Studying social activism has made it all the more apparent that the key component to any social movement is democracy.  Today is May Day and rallies, marches and protests are on-going to raise public awareness to issues that involve worker's rights and other issues like immigration.
When I was growing up the school/church area celebrated May Day with the crowning with flowers of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Nothing was ever mentioned about worker's rights or even "Law Day" as it became known as in 1958 to draw attention away from the "communist plot to overthrow the government by the labor unions and workers" that post-WWII and Cold War fears propagated.
So here we are today with Pershing Square the site for an evening rally after a day-long march by workers and Occupy protesters.
My husband re-routed his commute to downtown LA today and will tonight because of the street closures in that area around Pershing Square.  He gets to see democracy in practice while there today. . . lucky him.
Democracy is something we take for granted.  These workers and others, like many of us, are seeing our rights trampled on and wonder if as a democratic nation we, the people, are losing our voice.
I hope the media gets the story of what is going on in LA today out there.  We may not agree with the protests or protesters but THANKFULLY they have a right to assemble and a right to free speech because we still live in a democracy!!

Kony 2012?

The Gladwell article raised interesting questions about social media and its influence on social activism.  The Kony issue that caught fire via social networking is a recent example.  The warlord got the attention of 87.5 million-plus people via the YouTube video produced by the American NGO "Invisible Children." Everyone was talking about it.  It was on all the news stations and when one of the other warlords was convicted of criminal actions in the World Court it also kept the interest flowing.  However, as I mentioned in a previous blog, it seems to have lost its momentum with many of those who discovered it and reacted to it only through the social media.  Gladwell argues that the strong-tie phenomenom that was present with the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in members is not present with those who engage through social media.  I would agree. 
Saturday morning my family members and I discovered that we had a Kony 2012 poster attached to both our front door and to the tree in our front yard. Across the street from our house was a huge poster of the same.  We don't know where they came from.  My daughter sent money to the cause and isn't sure if that was the connection.  Anyway, most of my neighbors were unsure what the poster meant.  It is a very unique statment with both the GOP elephant and DNC donkey blended to show this is not about politics.  But where is this cause going?  I am not sure.  I do know that the US has sent troops to help the African Union track Kony down but not sure if even half the 87.5 million who connected with the video are still aware of any of the LRA leader's current situation or about how he is believed to be on the run but not stopping his mission as he moves eastward. 
So I think that though social media does get the word out and bring awareness, like Gladwell stated, it does not involve the high risk activism that is necessary to see the campaign through to its success. 
The Greensboro students had the courage of their convictions.  Kony internet followers don't need that kind of courage.

Social Media Gives Needed "Invisibility"

Gladwell speaks to the need for a strong-tie phenomenon to have a long-term successful campaign of social activism.  I agree.  I think that social media networks have enabled people to hide behind the facade of networking because they do not have strong personal ties with most the entirety of the people they have "friended."  In this way one can say or do whatever, whenever, and never really feel any viable risk.  The passion that was present during the Civil Rights Movement, some may argue, was present in bringing awareness to the warload, Kony, and the Invisible children.  I believe that the networking that occurred as a result of this awareness campaign did create involvement, BUT as Gladwell has stated, this is low-risk involvement.  In my own household the "Kony" issue has not been spoken of for about two-three weeks.  Low risk involvement and lack of structure equal little risk and less sustained effort.  Social media is a tool that can raise awareness but the commitment factor seems to have a weak showing.