The Personal
My blogs are almost always purely political, but this one is a little more personal. My Facebook page is also mostly political, but the post that got more likes and comments than any other post was personal: the selfie you see of me and my daughter, musician Natalia Rogovin. It makes me smile.
I need to see that photo today, for it reminds me that sooner or later I’ll get over a confounding set of minor health maladies that I’ve had over the past three months concerning ear, eye and skin infections. I can’t wait until I feel full focus and full energy again.
The Political
Health! That’s personal and political. Unbelievably, recently California lawmakers delayed a bill for Healthcare for All until 2022, despite having public support, a pandemic, and a budget surplus! It makes my head shake.
Recently I attended very fine events for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s defense. Before Assange’s father and brother spoke, I had a conversation with an organizer and we compared notes about the ongoing question of, “How do we keep going?” I wish that question would just go away and stop coming up for me, but in the face of totally frustrating happenings — local and global, personal and impersonal — the question pops up again, how do we keep going?
The answers always come. They range from, “It’s on my path” and “What else am I here for?” to “I might as well move as strongly as I can toward the world I want.”
“US Out!”
The world I want will be so much more achievable when the US stops interfering in the affairs of other nations. Interference ranges from military force and weapons supply to the current “soft coups” that involve alleging electoral fraud and authoritarianism, and imposing economic measures including illegal US sanctions. One of the most disheartening ways the US interferes is by funding non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that allege human rights violations against countries that resist US domination — like Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and ignore severe human rights violations in governments that are allied with US (corporate!) interests — like Colombia and the current government in Brazil.
End sanctions — we agree. Since my travels to Nicaragua in March, I have spoken with many people about Nicaragua and President Daniel Ortega. I am glad to say that almost everyone agrees, whether they support Ortega or oppose him: we need to end US sanctions! These illegal, UN-prohibited “unilateral coercive measures” hurt the people of the nation. Period.
Can you lobby Congresspersons and Senators? I hope you will. It actually does make a difference in how bills move through Congress and who signs on. In addition to lobbying your representatives, there is an opportunity to add organizations to the call to stop US interference, HERE.
The specific bill that’s in both houses of Congress now is called RENACER, which increases the harmful US sanctions Trump imposed on Nicaragua. Ironically, in Spanish RENACER means “to be reborn” but its effect on regular people is in the opposite direction. We can help.
My closings these days are trading off among Paz, Salud, “Another world is possible,” and…
Good luck to all of us!