I hope one and all had a Happy Thanksgiving, as the three of us had.It was non-traditional, as we grilled chicken sausages and carne asada on a gas grill outside, in Plano Home’s outside pavilion. The dessert was chocolate pecan pie. It was as close to the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner as the original meal probably was- with its menu of oysters and clams, squab, pheasant, maize and fiddlehead greens. It was unlikely that any turkey with dressing was served, nor was there any pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving, then as now, is a festival of the heart.
On this day, fifty-seven years ago, the trigger was pulled on hope and change in America, as fleeting as it seemed to be under John F. Kennedy. Too many who flew the banner of progress, in the 1960s and ’70s, had their lives cut short by those who had much invested in the status quo.
On that day, I remember sitting in a middle-of-the room seat, in a Study Hall, in the East Wing of Saugus High School. We were attending afternoon sessions, as eighth graders, as our Junior High School had been torched by a disturbed individual, several weeks before. Thus, the high school was the site of double sessions, with the upper level students taking classes in the morning, so as to be able to go their jobs, in the afternoon.
A classmate, who was sitting behind me, asked “Why did you kill the President?” I turned around and looked at him curiously, then noted he was listening to his transistor radio (the predecessor to a cell phone, for the disaffected of our adolescence), through ear buds. All the same, I went back to my reading material.
Several minutes later, the School Counselor came on the Intercom and informed us that President Kennedy had been shot and that classes were being dismissed for the day. I walked home, somberly, and found my sobbing mother, saying he had died in hospital.
The East Wing was itself torched, by the same individual, who was eventually caught by a vigilant school custodian, at our third venue of that year. 1963-64 was, for me, the 2020 of virulent mayhem. There was no microbial pandemic, but I began to wonder who, and what, were next. Five years later, we had our answer.
I will always be fond, though, of the East Wing. All the schools we used that year are now gone, replaced by consolidated school buildings, which the present administration of Saugus Public Schools regards as more efficient. For the sake of the children and youth who depend on that school system, I trust it works out well.
The day dawned, crisp and clear, with the news that our entire county was without Internet. I took that as an opportunity to set out early, from Cottonwood and towards Homol’ovi State Park, just north of Winslow. The route goes through Camp Verde, so breakfast at Verde Cafe was the first order of business. Many of the dishes there have a Mexican flair and the place is relaxed, with vivacious servers. Today’s meal did not disappoint.
It was a quiet drive up the hill to Strawberry Junction, then to Winslow, with remnants of snow all along the road, in the sun shadows. I got to Homol’ovi,a mile north of town, around 11:30, and had to ring the doorbell at the Visitor’s Center, to purchase my admission. The ranger seemed surprised, though grateful, that I was even bothering. Indeed, nobody else was stopping there, but I don’t take something for nothing.
Here is the Visitor’s Center.
There are two 13th Century ruins, and a 19th Century Mormon cemetery, preserved in the park’s grounds. I walked to Sunset Cemetery, the only remnant of the Mormon settlement of Sunset, which had been built on the floodplain of the Little Colorado River. As the Mormon party had had no experience with the monsoons of the Southwest, they felt it would not be problematic to build on the flat area. When the monsoons came, and the settlement was washed away, they left. The hilltop cemetery bears witness to their simple lifestyle.
The names of those laid to rest are on this one stone, set by the LDS Church and the State Park.
Above, is a description of Sunset, the settlement. Below, is a view of the cemetery as a whole.
The park maintains a small observatory, for Star Viewing parties, during more normal times.
Tsu’Vo, above, is a short nature trail, where there are petroglyphs scattered among the stones. I did not see any, from the trail itself. Tsu’Vo means “Place of Rattlesnakes”, in Hopi, but with the weather being cool, I didn’t see any of them, either. Below, there is much evidence of volcanic debris, which is this area’s legacy from the eruption of Sunset Crater, 60 miles to the west.
After walking around Tsu’Vo, I headed to Homol’ovi II, the larger of the two preserved ruins of the settlements built by the likely ancestors of the Hopi. Hopi spiritual leaders are regularly consulted by the park curators, with regard to preservation issues. The park has brought a halt to vandalism and theft of artifacts, which was worse here than at other parts of the area.
Below is a view of the central kiva, where religous ceremonies were held. This kiva was restored, after having been vandalized, prior to the park’s establishment.
The, as now, the San Francisco Peaks were regarded as sacred, by the Hopi, as well as Dineh and other Indigenous peoples of the region.
Removing pottery shards, or any other artifacts, is a Federal and State crime. Flat stones are set, off the trail, as a safe place where people may place any shards found on the sidewalk and view the collections.
Two herds of wild burros have made their home here, between the two main ruin sites. I spent a few minutes, silently conversing with the equines, then headed to Homol’ovi I, the first settlement uncovered by archaeologists. Below, is one of the few intact walled rooms.
The scattered remnants of Homol’ovi I’s central plaza are seen above. Plazas were, and are, the main gathering places of Pueblo dwellers, including the Hopi. Homol’ovi’s preservation, along with those of other civilized communities which pre-date European settlement, is a sincere effort at acknowledging the foundation of Man’s presence in this exquisite, harsh environment.
“O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 327)
I thought of, and recited this prayer, during the time that I was Penny’s caretaker. I have often called it forth, during the past year or so, as well. Knowing that so many will be down-hearted and feeling left out, regardless of the final outcome of the vote count, I offer this prayer to anyone who needs it.
There has never been a time when I viewed my fellow humans as “deplorables”, despite that unfortunate comment of four years ago. I think there are many behaviours that are certainly deplorable, especially the murder of innocent beings, abuse of others-especially of women, children and elders, lying and fabrication, calumny against those with whom one disagrees, and theft. That said, we are all children of God and as such are free to return to the enfoldment of His grace-any time we are willing to renounce our past misdeeds and make amends to those whom we’ve wronged.
My advice, to whoever ends up in the White House, on January 20, 2021, is to redouble efforts to include ALL Americans in the life of the nation. I wrote to President Obama, a few times, urging him to visit the South and other parts of the country which had spurned him. He did make it to several states whose electorate had supported his opponents- though he might have done so more often. It didn’t come across as pandering, and should not, this time around. A listening tour would do either #45-2.0, or #46, and the country, a world of good. A Cabinet that is genuinely inclusive of critics, as well as of supporters, whould go along way towards reuniting this frazzled country.
It is time to breathe. It is also time to remember that, no matter who is elected president, our system will survive. It has seen worse men occupy the office and has seen worse reactions to disparate candidates. The 50/50 chance of a woman, even one with whom I disagree on many issues, being elected vice president, is a refreshing aspect of this contest.
I see Donald Trump as a populist, an opportunist and something of a narcissist, but not a fascist. I see Joe Biden as a career politician, also an opportunist, but not a communist. There are elements of both progressivism and conservatism that can do this country good. I guess this is why the electorate has seen fit to balance the two, by and large. We need traditions, to keep us grounded, and we need inclusivity, to strengthen our population and our institutions.
I have been excused from jury duty, by way of the trial being canceled. So, my full attention is now on the community and in helping out in any way necessary, in the unlikely event of unrest here. We have had our differences, and some have made it their business to exercise a minor show of force, at some public events. Still, people are mostly content to show their signs, across the street from one another and sometimes engage in spirited civil discourse.
If you haven’t voted-please do. In all cases, stay safe and maintain respect for all, no matter what stance anyone takes. We are all lovers of country, if not of planet.
A “new poll” chirpily predicted a “surprise Republican blowout”, next Tuesday.
I don’t care.
What matters is what happens afterward. Regardless of whether this poll is genuine, or just a fabrication, designed to “make the liberals cry again”, the fact remains that, on Wednesday, November 4, on December 9 and again on January 21, we are each going to be essentially the same people we were, before the voting took place.
The thing that matters most is that no one loses heart. There are universal truths, with which it seems all people of good will ought be comfortable:
All life is sacred;
Everyone bleeds the same;
Calling another person a derogatory name, does not make it so;
Everyone is worthy of being treated with respect;
No one person, or group, is entitled to lord themselves over others;
Children are worthy of being loved and nurtured by everyone in their community;
Elders are worthy of being treasured and safeguarded by everyone in their community;
Our planet, and its life forces, deserve good stewardship, not ravaging for the sake of making more money than the maker knows how to handle;
All knowledge comes from the same Source-and it is not a human one.
“An ant has no quarrel with a boot.”- Tom Hiddleston, as Loki, in “The Avengers”.
A fair number of first-time voters, across the country, who are weighing social issues, are finding themselves wanting to “stay the course”. There was a time, when I thought that such an approach was prudent, as the incumbent surely knew what was best for the nation, and the nation already knew the incumbent.
It’s been several years since I have taken that view, but no matter. Every generation has to find their own voice. All the same, it is crucial to weigh the chances of pursuing dreams, both individually and collectively, given one outcome, as opposed to the other.
The rub comes when one takes the measure of his/her relative worth and power, in comparison to those of the State. There are the David/Goliath model and “We are the State, and the State is us” point of view. In the first, as can be surmised, a fearless individual, or small group, takes on a power that either practices division or arranges affairs in such a way that the strength of individuals is seemingly eroded. In the second, so well-practiced by Fascists and Communists, alike, during the mid-Twentieth Century, and still de rigeur in China, North Korea and a few other countries, there is an oddly-skewed sense of patriotism, which goes beyond flying a nation’s flag and supporting a just government, in a healthy way.
Our country’s saving grace is its Constitution, which has pulled us back from ruin, on three separate occasions: The War of 1812, the Civil War and the Watergate Crisis. My fervent hope is that the Constitution will do so again, regardless of who wins next week’s election, and regardless of how loudly the opposing sides may continue to react to one another. Our Constitution has inculcated, in the American character, a definite sense that the dignity of the individual is paramount and that equality is a clearly-established, if ever-evolving, tenet of this nation’s fabric.
Today saw the celebration of the Birth of Baha’u’llah. I put in a full day of work, as it was also the first day of in-person instruction in our county’s public schools. I’ve been asked to work this week, with a team of Title I Reading specialists, at Liberty Traditional School, Prescott Valley. Today and tomorrow, we are giving a diagnostic test to several students. The team also is helping kindergartners get used to locating their buses and communicating with their drivers, as to where they need to get off. I was dismayed to see that those children who didn’t know where their stop was, also had no address or phone number inside their backpacks. That was a given, when I was subbing in the Phoenix area, as well as in Prescott, in the 2000’s. Teachers and parents regularly made sure there was contact information in each child’s backpack or pinned to the inside of their sleeve.
After work, I picked up a delicious meal of Persian chicken and rice, prepared by some gracious friends, in honour of Baha’u’llah’s birthday. Persian rice, seasoned with saffron, and fortified with one or another type of beans, is a light and refreshing staple. I also had hosting duties for our community’s Zoom-base celebration, so we got together for devotional readings, a slide show of Baha’u’llah’s life, which I narrated and watched a video of Persian folk dancing-performed by a troupe of women, for an audience in India.
Every little bit counts.
Her eis that video, for your viewing and dancing pleasure!
Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, as well as Thanksgiving Day in Canada. It’s also the day when three ships landed in a makeshift harbour, off what is now San Salvador/Guanahani Island, Bahamas and the commander of the expedition thought he was in India. A lot of things changed, after that event, in 1492. We’re still fixing some of the messes.
The mask/no mask debate goes on. Most people have learned to live and let live. Paper masks are a no-no, having been treated with the active ingredients used in Teflon. Other masks should be washed, in a diluted bleach solution, then thoroughly rinsed. I haven’t been ridiculed when I have worn a mask or scolded when I haven’t.
There are, though, public drunks and other miscreants who are going about, coughing on anyone, including a child, who is wearing a mask. Of course, they have to shout “COVID” and laugh uproariously at their own stupidity. Truth be known, there are legal precedents for people to be charged with assault, for doing these sorts of things.
We live in a society where the rights of such public nuisances are widely regarded as sacrosanct. While I am a believer in due process, going over the edge, especially towards a child, is never defensible. The more of these idiots who get caught, the better.
A major voice in the cause of women making their own choices, right or wrong, was stilled today. It didn’t make any difference to her WHAT the choice was, necessarily, so long as the outcome was not dictated to the woman by a man.
We needed Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as long as we had her among us. Eventually, even those women who greeted news of her death with mockery and derision will recognize that their own reactions, strangely, are in a way reflective of the late Justice’s life’s work. They came up with their own ultraconservative tirades-rather than just parroting the men in their lives.
Getting back to her achievements- I am greatly in favour of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I am not in favour of widespread promotion of abortion. The procedure should be safe, legal and very, very rare. Alternatives, though, need to be presented, clearly and consistently. I am most in favour of equal pay for equal work, and having worked alongside many women, over the years, I have seen plenty of equal work-and much that is superior.
Because of Justice Ginsburg’s early legal work, I, as a widower, have been able to receive Social Security Disablility Insurance Survivor’s Benefits, since my wife, Penny, passed in 2011. She stood squarely in favour of women being breadwinners. She stood squarely in favour of women being in the military-leading an effort that saw Virginia Military Institute, once a cornerstone of the Confederacy, agree to accept female cadets.
She stood up for a thirteen-year-old Arizona student, who had been forced to submit to a strip search (albeit only in the presence of female staff). Her male colleagues agreed that this was a miscarriage of justice. That act, alone, earned her my undying admiration.
She was a pioneer in the reference to international law, in some U.S. Court cases. She was also a true believer in the aisle as a mere passageway: Her best friend on the Court was Justice Antonin Scalia, with whom she shared a love of opera and of fine dining.
A Sagittarian Seeker 