Tag: New England

Well-Situated Between New York City and Maine on Primary Day

Wherein I discuss certain warriors in the current struggle for Democracy in America

Up in the north and east from where I’m tap tap tapping away drafting this blog post, they put forward Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee for Senator from Maine two weeks ago on June 9th. The opposition besmirching that happened during the final months of the primary campaign and then immediately after the primary from his opponents’ campaigns seems not to be affecting Platner’s strong following significantly.

Graham Platner on a boat
Oyster Farmer and Senate Candidate Graham Platner

I’m sensitive about this, because I see him as crucial to any chance this country has of defeating the fascist oligarchy currently trying to “revolutionize” this country into oblivion. I keep seeing substanceless attacks pointed at his character, some of which have validity, but only in the context of the history of a man who has had some relatable and entirely understandable struggles.

Nothing in his background can compare to things Donald Trump’s administration does in a typical week. His opponent in the coming general election this November, incumbent Republican Susal Collins, has voted with Trump 95% of the time over the course of their concurrent terms in office. Collins’ close association with the Trump regime renders her far less credible in my estimation than the relatively unknown quantity that Graham Platner represents.

I hope to see Platner sworn in as Senator from Maine when the next Congress convenes this coming January.

To the south and west, it’s primary day today in New York. There are 2 Democratic Socialists of America candidates running for US Congress, and I wish them both the best of luck. It’s great to see leftist candidates making headway in these times of rising fascism. Zohran Mamdani‘s win in New York last year still feels like a bellwether event, and I hope it’s enough of a turning point to actually be a mark on the path towards saving us.

Good luck to Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier today. I dare say that their good luck would extend to the country at large.

I checked the map at the DSA site linked to above, and there is definitely a chapter in my neighborhood, which makes me happy. I’m probably going to check them out. They seem to be on about the same page as the Greens policy-wise, and they’re having a bit more success, because they’re working within the framework of one of the “legitimate” facets of the country’s two-party system.

In fact, it looks like every one of the contiguous states has at least a chapter or two, with the possible exception of West Virginia. I would suggest checking them out, if you’re like-minded. It’s a nexus for grass roots leftism, and since we’re in a fight for the life of this democracy, it might be worth remembering that the USA was always a leftist populist project, and that when working people wake up to the need to fight, and when we align with these left-populist impulses, we’re pretty much unstoppable.

Here in my area, we have a fairly good congressperson in Jim McGovern, and I’ll be supporting his re-election bid. I’ll never forget him mentioning the possibility of a general strike at the town hall he did here in Greenfield last year. The impetus towards that strike has long since dissipated, but it was nice to hear it mentioned by someone with the position, power, and influence to actually help with that project mention the possibility.

Of course, at the same time, he said supportive things about Hakeem Jeffries, who I see as a major part of the problem the Democrats have with their elected officials, but I think it would be very difficult to come up with a better candidate than McGovern for my disctrict right now. We’ve got a long struggle ahead of us. We’re not going to restore American Democracy tomorrow. So as we travel this long, uphill road, we need to pick leaders who can help us get where we’re trying to go.

People who I see as being helpful leaders on the path, I’ve linked to their websites. You can tell who I see as obstructionists by the lack of any such link.

Please consider liking and commenting on this post. Subscribe if you can – it costs you nothing and helps this site thrive – and share this post with those you know who might appreciate it.

Where the Snow Doesn’t Turn Black

It all speaks to some kind of elevated daily existence…

I live in a house in the country. I’ve lived here for 4 years now.

The people are friendly. I have never felt so comfortable to participate in conversations as I do here. The conversational pace is slow enough that my introvert-standard split-second processing pause before I speak doesn’t ace me out of the craic every time, just maybe about half the time. It may seem counterintuitive, since there are so many more things to be a part of in the cities and towns I’ve lived in before, but I feel more a part of things here. I’m still an introvert, and that will never change, but the personal battery doesn’t drain as much in a crowd here.

The light is gorgeous around my house. It’s strange. Is this a byproduct of cleaner air? Perhaps. There is a more crystalline, more buttery aspect to the light, a kind of radiance that I find soothing and wondrous. I feel attached to the environment here. I have a large yard that needs maintenance (which I’m only OK at attending to, it must be said) but it pays dividends in many ways. The many beautiful shades and hues of green, the flowers — some planted by previous residents here, some volunteers/wildflowers, some we’ve planted ourselves — that one can see from every one of the many windows in this house, the purity of the snow as it hugs the ground, never going black, never taking on the smoke and cinders and road filth the stuff always did in the city, the open space… it all speaks to some kind of elevated daily existence.

I call this “motif #1.” I’ve taken this picture many times.

And that’s not to say that life is perfect. Nope, nope, nope. I don’t have a place to go walking here. There are no sidewalks. If I want to go for a walk, I have to either risk the traffic along Main Rd. (which is not insignificant, and some people drive through here at well above the speed limit) or get in the car and drive 5 miles to find a place to walk. Either way, it’s inconvenient, and as a result I’ve put on a fair amount of weight. My life is far too sedentary.

But this is a problem that I can address, and will. And if I can manage that much, I believe my life “out here” will be all the better for the extra effort, and that there may be some unexpected benefits to go along with it. One idea I’ve had to make these benefits manifest is to do some nature journaling. I’ve done it before. It’s been fun and it’s taught me stuff about the natural world and about myself.

So, yeah.

I love it here. In the places I can see from my window and in this beautiful crooked little house, life is sweet.

Please consider liking and commenting on this post. Subscribe if you can – it costs you nothing and helps this site thrive – and share this post with those you know who might appreciate it.