That Rockwell Kent Bookplate; "To All Facsists"

That Rockwell Kent Bookplate ^ in my IG round-up today has a fascinating history:
it's a variation of an illustration Rockwell Kent made for an anti-fascism broadside by the League of American Writers, re the Spanish Civil War, 1937 or '38:

“Fascism has been tried before–under many names. Each time it has failed–and each time its failure has marked an advance of the idea of liberty, equality, fraternity and economic security for all.

Not liberty, equality, fraternity and economic security for one group–or one race–or one religion–or one country–but for all mankind.
In your hearts, fascists, you know this–and in your hearts you are afraid. That is why you must torture and burn and imprison and exile.

Do you really believe that by burning books and imprisoning writers you can keep truth from the world? Do you really think that you can dig a grave or build a prison large enough to hold the spirit of democracy?

Fascists, the grave you are digging is your own. You know it. So do we. That is why we are not afraid.”

-Donald Ogden Stewart, President of the League of American Writers

More info on Kent's politics and this broadside: www.swanngalleries.com/news/illustration-art/2018/11/rockwell-kent-the-league-of-american-writers

Thanks, Art Sparker Susan,  for the nudge to look it up.

Being Afraid of the Whale

Moby-Dick: "I will have no man in my boat," said Starbuck, "who is not afraid of a whale."


I was e-mailing with the friend who'd recommended the TV show Transparent (which I've yet to watch because it's on Amazon and I've got Netflix---oh, the complexities). 

She told me about a trans pal who leads trainings in which, my friend wrote, 
"He allows people to feel safe enough to ask questions, trusting that he will be respectful in his answers. I think safety is such a key piece in human interactions, don't you?"

Do I think safety is a key piece in human interactions?

No, I don't.

"I know what you mean," I wrote back, 
"and I agree with the idea of creating places where people can ask questions freely,
but I like respect so much more than safety.

Mutual respect. 

Also, sympathy (kindness/compassion)."

safety, from Latin salvus = "uninjured, in good health"

respect, from Latin specere = "to look at" 

sympathy, from Latin sympathia = "community of feeling"

I thinking "looking with fellow feeling" is a better key to human interactions than safety. 

I'm not a big fan of the phrase "safe spaces".

Safety tends to be an illusion, or stagnant.

How does a person stay uninjured? 

By not playing, not leaving their comfort zone, by staying silent––or by requiring other people to stay silent. I.e., stagnant.

Creating is not safe. Risk is the opposite of safe.

risk, from riscare = "to run into danger" (of uncertain origin)

I do see the value of someone doing the political work of educating people about difference, and to do that, yeah, it's probably smart to create a "safe space".

But who is it safe for?
Not for the teacher. 
The teacher is taking the risk for the team--for their future safety:
"If I can make the students understand, they will be less dangerous to us."

It's the teacher in the boat with Starbuck. 

                              Starbuck Leaning Against the Mainmast, ca. 1930 --by Rockwell Kent, via

Taking a risk to build mutual respect. That's what I think is key in human interactions. 
It's not safe.