Each year, the University of Wyoming puts on an entire week of events for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. There is a march on Monday, speakers throughout the week, art displays, all sorts of things. I missed the march on Monday and a speaker I really wanted on Tuesday. The speaker was Ret. Rear Admiral John Hutson, and his talk was "Don't Ask, Don't Tell: The Best Worst Policy." I had dinner with some old friends I don't see often enough.
Last night was the premier event, a talk by Angela Davis. It was really powerful and inspiring to those of us who have activist tendencies. I know there has been some talk about holding Bush accountable for his probably-illegal phone tapping actions. Ms. Davis, like ai, brought up the idea of impeachment. It seems pretty clear to me: FISA violations, particularly since there were many of them, seem much more serious than a few perjured answers to conceal an illicit relationship.
Anyway, Ms. Davis discussed a lot of other things as well, including the death penalty, the prison-industrial complex, the invasion of Iraq, and, most notably, the effects of Hurricane Katrina. I don't think I'm nearly where she is on the political spectrum, but for activists it was a call to action. I've wanted to create social change for a long time, and I've worked to do that. Of course, practical concerns require that I can't be absolutely devoted to every cause I have interest in. I've chosen gender issues, for whatever reason. I'm looking forward to finishing law school and getting back into it, no matter what my job is. I'm glad to still be involved with the shelter program here (it has been part of my life for seven years!), but I'm ready to take it to the next level. I would like to see whatever city I move to become another San Diego when it comes to how it handles family violence.
Its nice to get your fires stoked every once in a while, no?
Absolutely, in any sense of the phrase.