This was Rodney King’s plea in 1992, when he was physically assaulted by the LA cops during that year’s race riots. Thirty-two...
Activism
Mothers Showing Up: Wall of Moms, Portland, Oregon
By PAT TAUB and JANET WEIL* Bev Barnum, a 35-year-old Mexican-American mother of two from Portland, Oregon had never been in a single protest, but her outrage over the aggressive actions of the federal troops against Black Lives Matter protesters propelled her into action. She felt other mothers must be sharing her outrage, but before trying [...]
Pat Taub
Earth Day, Fifty Years Later
GUEST POST by JANET WEIL On my fifteenth birthday, the U.S. environmental movement gave me the gift of a lifetime: Earth Day! Knowing my love of the natural world, my mother (a teacher) arranged for me to attend the rally at Portland (Oregon) State University. My birthday presents were stacked next to my breakfast, and one was a lovely tan [...]
Pat Taub
Black Women Writers Who Opened My Eyes
Young Black women writers are making huge inroads in literature, critical thinking and memoirs. In many ways their path was paved by the revolutionary writings of Black feminists who gained a national audience in the ‘70s and ‘80s. This was the period that shaped my feminism. I was young and newly exploring feminism. Initially my readings [...]
Pat Taub
Facing Our Fears
“I’m terrified of what Trump is doing to our country.” “I’m frightened of the climate my grandchildren will inherit.” “I can hardly bear to read the news any more. Each day seems to bring another disaster.” These are concerns I frequently hear from friends. Many days I feel the same way, but I also recognize that giving [...]
Pat Taub
Don’t Give Up!
If you care about justice and human dignity, last week was a very bad week. The Senate’s impeachment trial turned into a farce. While we were distracted by the Senate’s circus, Trump was busy adding to his list of egregious crimes: gutting the clean water act and adding six African countries to his travel ban. As our country morphs [...]
Pat Taub
What Gives My life Meaning
GUEST POST by SALLY BOWDEN-SCHAIBLE I look into the bright slate-blue eyes of Olivia and the dark brown eyes of Ruby, my little granddaughters, and I see looking back at me the eyes of Mervet, Kinda and Alma (our friend Yasser’s family) and the little children running up and down the wide stone stairs of Yasser’s apartment building [...]
Pat Taub
Coping with Political Despair
During my church’s coffee hour this past Sunday I found myself in conversation with a politically concerned young woman who was eager to discuss Michelle Goldberg’s New York Times op-ed, “Democracy Grief is Real.” The gist of the essay is that Trump has induced profound political despair among liberals. My companion felt validated [...]
Pat Taub
Goodbye Susan, Hello Lisa!
Lisa Savage, 62, a public school teacher from Skowhegan, Maine had been contemplating her upcoming retirement in the standard ways–a chance to travel, take up a new interest, and more time with the grandkids–when she received phone calls from several Green Party activists asking her to consider a run for the US Senate in 2020 against [...]
Pat Taub
When Standing Up and Speaking Out Gives You Hope
GUEST POST by MARY DUNN When one retires, the world around us often shifts in unexpected ways which can cause confusion and doubt. That was true for me. When I retired from teaching, I struggled with what direction my life would take and what I would do with my time. I began to notice friends going about their lives as they always did. Many, [...]
Pat Taub
Struggling with Feeling Powerless
A dear friend bolted through my front door on Sunday morning, distraught, blurting out, “I have this awful knot in my stomach. Two mass shootings in 24 hours with 29 dead! If I hear one more official respond to the tune of ‘you’re in our thoughts and prayers,’ I think I’ll lose it.” I tried to console her but I was as shell-shocked [...]
Pat Taub