Reality

We are a country that yet today has a government that serves at the pleasure of the people. There are others that profess to be like us, however their structure is a replication of only some of the parts of what makes us – us.

Imagine how it must have seemed to the men and women of the first 13 states to say to the world: “We the people….”

It had never been done.

These people had to create everything – a new reality - so to speak. They had to create (make from nothing; bring into being) recognition from Kings and Dictators and Princes and Rulers of all existing authorities around the world the acceptance of a group of men who declared into existence the very thing that these other countries were not and had never been. The other entities of rule and control were ALL - not - “We the people….”

So this is reality. How does this fit in here today?

Within this country is the only opportunity to be truly yourself and become what ever you are capable of becoming. There are no longer any of us white males that can legitimately consider ourselves ‘the only,’ ‘the exclusive,’ the expected,’ ‘the most entitled,’ ‘the best’ or ‘the leader.’

Think about what has shifted.

Power to all of the downtrodden, expectations of the excluded, hopes of the destitute and opportunity where only limit existed before 11 p.m. November 4, 2008 – all of this has been created by “We the people….”

Reality (the quality or state of being real) is what the rulers and Kings and Dictators had to accept. Reality is ours to accept, or fight over, and then accept. Accepting reality is not a choice. Moving forward is a necessity, so let us make sure we do not ‘be’ one of the doubters, and cause a delay in finally becoming “We the people….” because “All men are created equal….”

Note:

This discussion came to me as a result of an email I received yesterday. I was mired down in my life. I was focused on the travails and problems I will have in the future as a result of the economy being so devastated and different than I had planned.

I will quote the principle part of that email here:

“Sorry I have been MIA for so long. All of the sudden my life has grown so very busy. Work is driving me up a wall - my business has all but dried up. I have to lay another rep off next week and not looking forward to it. Sales are nearly non-existent. My sister Diane had a massive stroke this past Monday and is not responsive. My brothers and sister think she is near the end. We have decided to pass on heroics concerning her. Her quality of life sucks, and she will be better off if the end comes quickly. May God have mercy on us if we are wrong?

Anyway, other than that crap my life is perfect.”

That is reality. I am fortunate to have all of my relatives, health, a charming and loving wife and responsible, participating progeny. I am back to reality, where I can accept the gift of a new sunrise each day, a breath of air, and a smile from Judy. My life is perfect.

CABBY

Where do these thoughts come from?

Consider that racial prejudice didn't always exist.

Consider that it had to have started sometime.

Wonder what created it?

Be so thrilled that we might be living when it doesn't exist - today.

What will it take for that to be the case?

Work. A lot of work. Unrelenting work. Intent.

It will require that our Intent be followed only by actions necessary for each of us to individually chose to not 'be' prejudice anymore. No other action will get our intent fulfilled.

Following our consciously making that our intent, we will 'be' our Intent followed by the action necessary to have the measure of our real intent (results) reflect the intent fulfilled.

But this will be required in and of, each and every one of us. Yes. You. And me. And them, and those people over there, and the ones who live down there and the ones across there. Every one.

It is going to require that we become color aware after we are individual aware.

It is possible. It is desirable. It is necessary. It is the only way we will all have any offspring still alive when the planet reaches its end.

Prejudice is a system of saying: I do not have your best interests in mind when I live my day.

Prejudice is a way of placing ourselves ahead of the human race. No one will ever be better than anyone else ever again if we all agree to that being the least of what we will accept.

So here in America we have chosen to not see our President as a black man first.

Why don't we take the next step and chose all other people who are not exactly like us?

The wonder of this is that we can chose to change the pattern of tolerance that we have come to accept; individuals of minorities accepted across the prejudicial barrier. Examples most visible to me are athletes and celebrities.

When we have truly stepped into our best future, we will have accepted any and all minorities across the prejudicial border to the extent that we will not be using the word prejudice when referring to the present, only when referring to the past.

Oh hell, I know what I mean.
CABBY

We have a Chance to choose

Post election at 12 midnight Tuesday 11-4-2008.

So where do we go from here?

"We" as used herein is defined as the collection of voters that voted any one of the three ways I see possible in this election:
1. For the winning candidate.
2. For a different candidate.
3. A vote incorrectly cast and/or didn't vote.
We have admitted that it is in us to set aside the context of serious leadership in America as being a white mans domain.

We have a chance to:

We have a chance to admit that we can have friends without color or race being the earliest consideration.

We have a chance to acknowledge that the younger people are capable of seeing and then following through when they know that things are better done their way.

We have a chance to see in ourselves what we were not willing to see before this election.

We have this one first chance to leave all that ill perceived experience behind and to never look back at that way of 'being' - ever again.

We have a chance to place the benefit of this change of perception as a priority and to have a desired different experience than we could have had prior to the election.

We have a chance to acknowledge that we are at a time when it is important to see what directions and priorities are important to us.

Knowing all of that:
We can redefine ourselves.
We can create a new paradigm.
We are at a place where we can transform.

The following I am wrriting at 10 p.m. (Ten hours later.)

This may be a little nuts, a little woo-woo, a little over the top or under the horizon to some of you.
If nuts or woo woo or over or under is how you see it, know that that perception is to me like my life prior to this new life I woke up to, Post election 2008.

I saw two young boys going into the library today running and dodging and giggling and having fun. I observed them at first glance as 'two cute little boys'. Prior to the election I would have seen two Hispanic boys first. Maybe after having judged them as Hispanic I would then have seen them as 'two cute little boys' with the Hispanic prejudicing my observation. If I could communicate this clearly you would know that I see differently today than I have ever prior to today.
I had to smile to myself, because I liked having this clearer vision of them. I liked that I am sure that I knew how they felt: first they felt like little boys, and probably did not feel at all like Hispanic boys.

This was a small thing, however it was monumental for me. I chose to 'be' in a different way for me. I choose to be different. I choose to be 'change'.

This whole day has been like I was a young boy with the innate knowledge that all of us have been given a chance to do it right this time.
We do not have to answer for how we were. We will always be responsible for how we are - how we choose to 'be' in everything we do. Life is choices. Choose to be who you want to be. You will never have an earlier chance in your life. You are the only one who gets to choose for you.

So, as I look at the change America is going to experience, it looks nothing like it looked while I was listening to two men spin it. It has gone from a nebulous undefined term to a personal choice.

I sense a sadness for my parents and grandparents because they couldn't experience this day. I have the shared experience with them of their having lived in a narrower time than we have stepped into today.

I will have more to say on all of this.
Change. It is easy. It is a choice. Join me, I chose for me, I ask of you to choose for you.

I am determined to live better, longer and to be loving powerful and free.
Dale

44th and 1st

Well, here we go on a wonderful adventure.
I think I will park my cab and just type for a while.

I am ready to renew the dedication to this wonderful experiment.


"I pledge myself to do and be my best for all of my fellow Americans".

CABBY

Tell Me It Isn’t So

It is though.

The voting has begun, and we will next be noticing whose chest will be saying: 1 20 13.

When will those divisive bumper stickers come off the cars? I saw a Kerry and a Bush sticker as recently as last week.

We can complain and make the statement, “Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for him”.

Who wants to go into business with me selling count down clocks and T shirts?

Or

Maybe he will be the answer to our needs and we will say, “I voted for him.” and be making excuses for him.

Please don't gloat. It is rude and a put down. My mom would wash your mouth out with soap if you did it around her.

Either way, I will always not tell you how I voted. My mom used to say that to vote was “a responsibility, and it is none of your business how I voted”.

In the past I recall that it was important to me how others voted. I realize this year that I do not care, as neither of them spoke to me about the important issues that might have been cause for me to say, “Ah hah, that does it, I’m voting for him”.

There will be graft, favors repaid, cronies, social issues reflected in the new Supreme Court Justices appointed and a new first pet. There will be four more pardoned turkeys and four more more egg rolls, there will be four more annual Christmas tree lighting's and four more Fourth of July celebrations. There will be four more laying wreaths on the tomb of the unknown soldier, and the flag will fly at half mast a few more times. All in all, we are still America, don't forget it.

Will he have a global awareness and make green decisions about what cars to buy and be driven around in? Will he cut the emissions of his travel by reducing staff that travels and the size of the press corps that travel? Will he work toward an America that will “Invent, Invent, Invent?”

Will we be smart as a population and not expect him to get any significant policy changes in place within ‘100 days?’

Will he communicate with us? Will he be committed to us? Will he connect with us?

Are we willing to communicate, commit and connect with him?

Let’s all go buy a bumper sticker that says:

"I pledge myself to do and be my best for all of my fellow Americans".

I hope you voted for the winner, we certainly need one.

Fare is paid since it is my gift to help you take on a little extra to remember how lucky we all are to be on this side of the border.

CABBY

"....10 little indian boys"

Yes, I want you to sing the lyrics to that childhood song while reading this.

I will start it for you: "1 Little, 2 little, 3 little indians.."

I have taken it upon myself to bludgeon ten of you with an e mail notice of my posting on this blog. I've finally figured out what 'blog' is the acronym for. ((I know, sentences ought not end in prepositions.)) B = Barely L = Literate O = Old G = Guy. Another just crossed the brain cells: B =Boring L = Lazy O = Outspoken G = Gramps. (I think I know why it isn't used in uppercase.)

I have ten friends / relatives that I have selected as targets for the Indian arrows I am writing. I am just learning to shoot this thing so they are safe for now, from any harm when they see the arrow go past.

I have been reading about the immigration of the non-dinay into the Navaho country, and find that I have had a lot to say for a long time, and just didn't trust that I had it right.
After reading some from the Navaho and some from the immigrants, I am convinced that I might be safe to trust what I consider as worth sharing, at least in part.

That has been the doubt. What is worth expressing? I have no doubt that lots of it is not.

So, if you are on the involuntary cab ride, you can advise me and I will remove you from the pain of watching the arrows bounce, fly or slide past if you would prefer to not be bothered.
For those who are not on the list, let me know, and I will affix the arrow to target you also, if you want to be bothered.

"....Ten little indian boys."

I once had 7 Alaskan Natives in my cab. They were all school children. One was white as she is caucasian (my daughter), and I am not too certain about a few of the others. You see, they were the attendees to my daughters birthday party. She wanted to go skating.

Now the interesting thing is when she gets married next Spring, she wants to go skating.
Some things never change.
Like the prejudice we all deny that is in our daily lives.
This Indian song was meant innocently, however today it is not seen that way. Call that change, or call it shoving the issue under the rug?

Fare is paid. Afterall, it was a birthday party.
CABBY

The World Without Us

The World Without Us

Alan Weisman

The following is stolen from 'The World Without Us' and restructured to combine much of my thinking. (The combining of the book content and my thoughts doesn't imply that I have sound thoughts!)

Suppose we all of a sudden were unable to procreate. (Would some religions forbid intercourse?) (Is this is the old zero growth thinking revisited?)

The first to notice would be the crisis pregnancy centers. No one would be coming in. (Well, maybe coming in - but not coming in.) In a few months, abortion would be out of the dialog. It would be tragic for people who kept trying to conceive. (Maybe they'd eventually begin to see the joy they were having when previously they were principally 'trying'.)

Still, in five years, there would be no more children under five, etc. (Neonatal nurses could take all of the time off they richly deserve.)

How long would it be before we realized the reality of the finality of humans becoming extinct? (When would research face it and focus on living and cleaning the planet?)

The living circumstances of all children would improve as they became less disposable. No orphans would go un-adopted.

In 21 years, there would be no juvenile delinquency. (When would graffiti end?)

By then, as resignation sinks in, would spiritual awakening replace panic? It would have to at least begun to dawn on people that as life drew toward a close, it was improving:

There would be more than enough to eat, and resources would be plentiful, including safe unbottled water. The seas would begin to replenish. And, because new housing wouldn’t be necessary, so would the forests and wetlands, the air, the birds and large mammals. What would we do about Kudzu in North America?

Imagine the health of the last humans.

With no more resource conflicts, how long would we still be wasting lives in combat?

When would we begin to rid the world of the obviously unused, unsightly clutter that would have no purpose after the last one of us died? Imagine recycling as a final industry? Reactors and the fuel for them stored safe beyond doubts, How? Windmills and power lines taken down so the birds would be safe to fly about. Dams removed to revive the rivers. Houses dis-assembled to facilitate the return of natural landscapes. Would wilderness become a desired state of condition for the planet?

What to leave behind? Would we 'need' to leave a legacy? If so,what would we leave as a legacy? Would we remove the concrete channel that we have made the Mighty Missouri?

Would we consciously begin to help rehabilitate the natural wonders of the planet?
Would we leave the physical remnants of our presence to be dealt with in a natural way?
Would we attempt to leave a beautiful place behind as we breathed our last breath??

Would we leave the world so that the last humans could enjoy their final sunsets peacefully, knowing the planet has been returned as close as possible to the ‘Garden of Eden’? (I know, just the concept, not the religious one.) Lighten up.

I picture a beer commercial sunset (bikinis and beer - maybe a little or a lot of pot) at the beach at Ninilchik Creek where it drops into Cook Inlet on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Of course I am imagining a warm summer days end, with a silent dispatch radio, the meter off, and Jimmy Buffet music from the finest portable boom box playing 'Margaritaville' clearly as the sun and my consciousness fade away. (Wait! I was the last human. No bikini!)

If you rode this far, I was not the last human, and I am so glad you wore a bikini.

Fare? No fare, remember the meter was off.
CABBY