1. I decided to hold a weekly Open House for Crafting in Icey Times
EVERY Sunday at my apt, from noon--2 pm, starting today.
If you're in town, come on by!
(Help with my God's eyes, or do your own crafty thing.)
I'm doing this "for the duration".
When "this" situation ends (it will, it will), I might move it to every-other Sunday, but for now, I'm committing to being here every week.
(I am anyway, mostly.)
I invited my Needlework group and some friends,
I don't know if I know enough people, honestly, outside of my workplace, which is not a Craftivism crowd.
Maybe it will grow slowly... Or, who knows?
In any case, it's win/win because I want to keep that time open for me to make God's eyes.
AND inviting people over makes me stay a little tidier.
Here's my stash tied up, as of yesterday.
It looks ample, but it's dwindling, so I'm putting out the call to knitters to send me their leftover yarn.
2. I wanted to say, I regret that I'd described the young woman (maybe 20?) I gave my hat to at the bus stop, underdressed in near-zero weather, as a "dumb ass".
She was like a tattered sparrow, scattered in body and soul.
I was experiencing this icky phenomenon--do you know?--that sometimes I (we) can feel angry at someone for being vulnerable--a displaced anger, for sure.
They are like carriers of pain we do not want to see.
I did NOT blame her, but I did want to shake her and tell her to get it together and stand up for herself!
Which I know would make no difference.
But I did stay kind in my actions toward her in the moment.
When she told me she wanted to die, but that God wouldn't let her, I replied,
"Maybe God wants you here. You have some good work to do here."
Anyway, I gave her a warm hat... and a warm tamale too--
I'd just bought a couple from the steamtable at the Mexican grocery store by the bus stop.
(You have to ring the doorbell to be let in, now, and the store which usually has long check-out line was almost empty.)
I think the anger is also at how powerless I am in the face of such enormous need. And knowing how little any help I offer will actually be of help.
Still, kindness is not nothing.
It's a hard thing.
I keep coming back to HOLD THE FAITH. I was reminded of my friend Em who spent ten years on heroin, and was probably much like this girl.
Some people make it.
And even if they don't, any little kindness along the way matters.
________________
EVERY Sunday at my apt, from noon--2 pm, starting today.
If you're in town, come on by!
(Help with my God's eyes, or do your own crafty thing.)
I'm doing this "for the duration".
When "this" situation ends (it will, it will), I might move it to every-other Sunday, but for now, I'm committing to being here every week.
(I am anyway, mostly.)
I invited my Needlework group and some friends,
I don't know if I know enough people, honestly, outside of my workplace, which is not a Craftivism crowd.
Maybe it will grow slowly... Or, who knows?
In any case, it's win/win because I want to keep that time open for me to make God's eyes.
AND inviting people over makes me stay a little tidier.
Here's my stash tied up, as of yesterday.
It looks ample, but it's dwindling, so I'm putting out the call to knitters to send me their leftover yarn.
2. I wanted to say, I regret that I'd described the young woman (maybe 20?) I gave my hat to at the bus stop, underdressed in near-zero weather, as a "dumb ass".
She was like a tattered sparrow, scattered in body and soul.
I was experiencing this icky phenomenon--do you know?--that sometimes I (we) can feel angry at someone for being vulnerable--a displaced anger, for sure.
They are like carriers of pain we do not want to see.
I did NOT blame her, but I did want to shake her and tell her to get it together and stand up for herself!
Which I know would make no difference.
But I did stay kind in my actions toward her in the moment.
When she told me she wanted to die, but that God wouldn't let her, I replied,
"Maybe God wants you here. You have some good work to do here."
Anyway, I gave her a warm hat... and a warm tamale too--
I'd just bought a couple from the steamtable at the Mexican grocery store by the bus stop.
(You have to ring the doorbell to be let in, now, and the store which usually has long check-out line was almost empty.)
I think the anger is also at how powerless I am in the face of such enormous need. And knowing how little any help I offer will actually be of help.
Still, kindness is not nothing.
It's a hard thing.
I keep coming back to HOLD THE FAITH. I was reminded of my friend Em who spent ten years on heroin, and was probably much like this girl.
Some people make it.
And even if they don't, any little kindness along the way matters.
________________
3. You know how the people trying to defend
the Venezuelan guy who got shot in the leg had hit ICE
with a broom and a snow shovel?
the Venezuelan guy who got shot in the leg had hit ICE
with a broom and a snow shovel?
I'd thought that was secretly hilarious, it's so Minnesotan––(it is snowing again as I write this.)---but it turns out it's not so secret...
Someone made up these patches, below:
NORTHERN LEFSE & LUTEFISK INFANTRY.
[You know? Lutefisk is Scandinavian dried cod rehydrated in lye,---you love it or you hate it (I've never had it), and Lefse are Norwegian potato crepes/tortillas]
They are armed with the same 'weapons' (not that you couldn't inflict serious damage with a metal shovel! especially if the other guy was not covered in military armor).
(bink sent them ^ --no attribution--Lmk if you know. I assume AI-assisted? )
4. I was greatly heartened to read this article a friend sent me about how effective ICE Watch here is deescalating violence!
ICE Watch is regular folks keeping watch (on major street corners, or driving around in their cars, etc.) and alerting others on Signal and/or --I love this--by the simple act of BLOWING their bright orange WHISTLES.
It works! I've even responded!
This de-escalates violence, this sociologist reports, because public disapproval punctures the Group Pride that ICE promises men.
___________
We're seeing this group response work---you saw this video?
When a woman near the Somali mall here calmly (so calmly!) keeps repeating that she doesn't have to show her ID to these ICE agents "in my home"--she is legally correct, of course---she is attended by people honking car horns and people on foot blowing whistles.
And the ICE guys just... drift away.
"The vast majority of men are only willing to engage in public violence if they feel like the people around them will approve of — and reward them for — that violence."
--"I’m a Minneapolis sociologist who studies violence. Here’s how ICE observers are helping." Nicole Bedera, MS Now, www.ms.now/opinion/minneapolis-ice-watch-protesters-violence-research
ICE Watch is regular folks keeping watch (on major street corners, or driving around in their cars, etc.) and alerting others on Signal and/or --I love this--by the simple act of BLOWING their bright orange WHISTLES.
It works! I've even responded!
This de-escalates violence, this sociologist reports, because public disapproval punctures the Group Pride that ICE promises men.
___________
We're seeing this group response work---you saw this video?
When a woman near the Somali mall here calmly (so calmly!) keeps repeating that she doesn't have to show her ID to these ICE agents "in my home"--she is legally correct, of course---she is attended by people honking car horns and people on foot blowing whistles.
And the ICE guys just... drift away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2WKlRDZRWE
It makes me sad that there are so many disaffected
men at loose ends--they need to bond and do men things---and that used
to be... what?
I don't know, what?
Like all the Human Monkeys... doing stuff IN PERSON.
Showing up in bodies.
Even goofy things like marching in feathered hats in Knights of Columbus, or riding in mini-cars wearing fezzes, like the Shriners.
Vacuums of meaning & action make all of us of all genders susceptible to Group Think and being manipulated by people who harvest our healthy needs for bonding for their own unhealthy ends.
And we're seeing that.
Obviously men don't like this either!
You know Man Carrying Thing?
This is his "probably how ICE hires people" 42-second vid from yesterday (Sat Jan 17)
And there's Vincent Green-Hite, Political Crochet Activist, who crochets outside the ICE facility in Portland OR
https://www.instagram.com/knot.bad
I'd make God's eyes at the Whipple Federal Building here, if it ever warms up enough to take off my mittens!
And many, many other men, of course--I see some standing on street corners with their orange whistles.
__________________
And now, I must clean my apartment. It's cold and snowing--I wonder if anyone will come.
If not, I will try out this podcast a friend recommended just yesterday:
Nonviolent Jesus
beatitudescenter.org/the-nonviolent-jesus-podcast
I don't know, what?
Like all the Human Monkeys... doing stuff IN PERSON.
Showing up in bodies.
Even goofy things like marching in feathered hats in Knights of Columbus, or riding in mini-cars wearing fezzes, like the Shriners.
Vacuums of meaning & action make all of us of all genders susceptible to Group Think and being manipulated by people who harvest our healthy needs for bonding for their own unhealthy ends.
And we're seeing that.
Obviously men don't like this either!
You know Man Carrying Thing?
This is his "probably how ICE hires people" 42-second vid from yesterday (Sat Jan 17)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZzzmy51aQ
And there's Vincent Green-Hite, Political Crochet Activist, who crochets outside the ICE facility in Portland OR
https://www.instagram.com/knot.bad
And many, many other men, of course--I see some standing on street corners with their orange whistles.
__________________
And now, I must clean my apartment. It's cold and snowing--I wonder if anyone will come.
If not, I will try out this podcast a friend recommended just yesterday:
Nonviolent Jesus
beatitudescenter.org/the-nonviolent-jesus-podcast
I also want to read Pope Leo's New Year address:
Towards an “unarmed and disarming” peace.
Read:
vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/peace/documents/20251208-messaggio-pace.html
Nonviolence--being unarmed AND disarming--is quite the art, eh?
It's far more than obvious things like not hitting people with snow shovels (even if they deserve it), much less not shooting them in the face.
It's not calling people as 'dumb-asses' or 'Nazi scum'.
(Even if they are.)It's far more than obvious things like not hitting people with snow shovels (even if they deserve it), much less not shooting them in the face.
It's not calling people as 'dumb-asses' or 'Nazi scum'.
I saw a video tonight of people using their car alarms to warn of Ice....
ReplyDeleteSending hope xx
People are being amazing!! Creative in helpfulness!
DeleteSome less pleasant reactions too, unfortunately
…but understandable under occupation conditions.
NOT good conditions for humans.