10/20
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| Fall Central Park |
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| Harlem Renaissance Garden 111th Street |
Checking for signs of fall in Morningside Park, I learn that I need to stop looking for the riotous colors of the maple country upstate and look closer for more subtle changes. Like when I discovered what OI called deep fall in the Osage in Oklahoma. Subtle but distinct changes. Lek our slow progressive through this covid crisis.
The Presbytery Cabinet is trying to wrestle with what happened at the last Presbytery meeting when the chasm of understanding of where we are related to racial realities became so painfully clear. Some can only think of the analysis in terms of our polity, our rules. But there is a deeper understanding that there are issues of culture that go so much deeper than issues that can be resolved by rules. The reality of whiteness transcends rules and goes deep into history. And we need to explore these realities outside the context of official meetings bound by polity. Otherwise, it’s about win and lose and not understanding. Meanwhile, one court case involving the resolution of property issues has consumed $223,000 already. As more and more churches, starved of income by Covid, continue to go down, with only property sales to sustain them, and as Presbytery faces its own covid induced crisis, there will be more and more of these cases.
I get to Mike Geffner’s “Inspired Word” Open Mic just in time. Play my fall songs, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay and an old song that references Pittsburgh, and the fall. I feel good and the chat comments make even happier:
Damn! Bob Dylan in here tonight? Beautiful song…
—and—
Nah, Johnny Cashing out! Love the strumming and picking…
Mike speaks of the intimacy and interchange we have here in ZOOM we don’t in the bars. We engage each other more. These events may continue even when we go live again. And Mike shares some wisdom with us. Less selling, more story telling. If people get to know you, they will be interested. And not guilted into supporting you. Mike has over 30 years of experience and over 10000 published stories worth of experience.
10/21
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| Mazeroski #9 |
Today I have a 1960 Bill Mazeroski jersey and hat to commemorate the 60th anniversary the his walk off home run at 3:37PM on October 13th. Defeating the indomitable Yankee dynasty of those years. I stood at the pencil sharpener in my 5th grade class room with the game on our PA. That moment changed my life. Made me believe anything can happen. Miracles can happen. What you wish against all odds can become reality. I share the story of those who gather at the of old Forbes Field wall every year to listen to the recording of that game. This year, they couldn’t due to covid restrictions. So the Pirates invited them to hear the game over the PA at PNC Park. That game was why I became a Yankee fan wen I loved to New York. They were the other side of the story. A story important to hold onto this year.
I learn that while I listened in Pittsburgh, my friend Stephen P listened somewhere in New York. In his classroom. And both our school day began with Bible readings the (Protestant) Lord’s Prayer and the pledge to the flag. A priest friend back in Pittsburgh told me they always called the public schools the Protestant schools.
We return to our discussion of Tutti Fratellii. How Francis says that the purpose of private property is for the common good. That everything that God has put here is for the common good. That everything has a social reality. We are ultimately not owners, only guardians. (As Steve H puts it…) We wonder about the misuse of greater good, as per Soviet Russia. And then are reminded by Sam that St. Gregory said that when we give to the needy we are only returning what already belongs to them. Meanwhile, the very rich believe that they are the moral spine of the world and the poor victims of their own failings. Francis is very clear about confronting the nature of international market capitalism.
Dre wants to know if we need to redefine power. That something needs to happen. We need reengage an adversarial relationship. Ownership has no rational reality. Meanwhile, 47% of people can’t even afford a $250 housing related fee. And CEO compensation compared to common workers has grown from 20 to 1 to 400 to 1, a ratio that is ultimately unsustainable.
Our competing understandings are the difference between single and complex and movement versus frozenness.
We note the historical significance of Francis’ judgment that just war is no longer possible given the potential destructiveness of a nuclear war. And that war is often rooted in revenge. And it’s not new for us to see that we need the skills to initiate dialogue, not debate.
This week Russ sees our job as conversion. Gathering together those who affirm the idea that all people are created equal. Drawing more in.
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| 105th Street |
I go to visit my friend Beppe. We sit on his terrace, enjoy a craft rye. He talks about the sadness around the loss of the New School as an innovative ,progressive alternative to traditional university education. With a faculty driven school with horizontal governance. Somewhere along the line, they decided to become like a "real school" and invest in high salaried administrators, consolidated campus, etc. And now covid and an already tenuous financial situation becomes disastrous. And of course, massive layoffs ensue. Some faculty have spoken wit the school's HR department. Others are afraid to speak because of fear of retaliation. And so it goes. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/nyregion/new-school-nyc-endowment-layoffs.html)
The Center at West Park holds its gala virtually this year. With picnic baskets available for pick up from Amelie restaurant. Among the various moments of a moving event, I am profoundly moved by Martin Santangelo of Noche Flamenca paying tribute to my role in their success and what the Center could be. I am happy that the idea that there can be a place where beauty and justice and ethics and esthetics can meet to inspire and inform the transformation of the person and society. We can’t lose that.
My friends at the Gluey Zoomy Show have a comedy group (the Axis Powers) lampoon the debate and Vince Tozzi of We Eat Monsters plays his strong "Crumbs." We are doing what we can to get out the vote.
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