Praising the provocative
Pattie Curran, attending a Stevens Center dress rehearsal of the operatic production of "The Crucible" with her two teenage boys, singles out and "lambastes" the opera company regarding the display of an artistic representation of a vagina in the accompanying art show ("Opera patron unhappy with art," March 16). Rather than appreciating the artist's (Millicent Greason-Spivak's) sociopolitical message and its intent to provoke thought and discussion regarding woman's reproductive rights, Curran only sees pornography; pornography where in fact there is simply a representation of the normal female anatomy.
What are these women teaching their teenage boys (and girls) about the real issues we are facing in today's society, especially regarding sexuality and female empowerment?
Kudos to Greason-Spivak. Perhaps in the global context of woman's reproductive rights her artistic efforts will be recognized as very well placed — and provocative where provocation is sorely needed.
CHRISTINE MICHAHELLES-COOPER
Winston-Salem
No to mandatory Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was created by Francis Bellamy to promote his form of socialism — thus it's particularly interesting to note how many conservatives support it. Any form of enforced national oath firmly puts the United States in the mold of North Korea, Imperial Japan and other extreme states that the world is best off without. It is invariably indicative of aggressive, insecure regimes.
The fact that some people advocate this pledge for all school children is beyond obscene and something from the darkest days of the 20th century ("Law should make Pledge mandatory," March 18). Jingoistic and xenophobic indoctrination has no place in any modern country. Respect, loyalty and belonging are not taught through blind obedience. Can we please move into the 21st Century?
"My country right or wrong"? Not only is such a sentiment obvious nonsense but more often a rallying cry for tyrants and despots everywhere. Indeed, let's use the Carl Schurz quote: "My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."
MARK WITTGENSTEIN
Winston-Salem
Finish the Thought
Last Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "America should only go to war if ..."
"… Congress declares it."
WILLIAM SAMS
"… we are in immediate danger, if the majority of Congress vote for the action and most importantly that all children of all members of Congress, the Cabinet and the president between the ages of 18-30 join the military in some capacity, preferable as enlisted personnel unless they are professionals, like doctors. Then everyone will have a vested interest to think long and hard about making decisions that kill other people."
KEN HOGLUND
"… we are willing to relinquish the claim to being a Christian nation. There is no biblical justification for war. (Consider the commandment not to kill and the teachings of Jesus to turn the other cheek and to love your enemies.)"
ANNE PAISLEY
"… and when we or an ally is attacked."
HAROLD DYSON
"… we figure out why we went to war with Iraq."
KAM BENFIELD
"… the entire nation is placed on a war-time footing similar to that of World War II. Reinstate the draft or begin universal military training in order to build an armed force from all social classes. Demand that the citizenry make the necessary sacrifices to do their proper share. Never again should only one percent of the population of this country have to fight its wars."
JACK B. LUCAS
"… responding to events that shock the conscience of any moral being."
DIANNE DAWSON GARRETT
"… there is a direct threat to our nation. There is a difference between lending aid to other countries (or their defectors, depending on the situation) and fighting the war for them. Regrettably, our leaders seem to think otherwise."
DYLAN BOWEN
"… the action has been voted on and approved by Congress."
LEONA BROWN
Chili con Camote
ReplyDelete1 large Bell Pepper diced/chopped
1 large onion diced/chopped
1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic
2 Anaheim Peppers (for mild)or
4 Serranos or jalapenos (for character) diced/chopped
2 medium to large Sweet Potatoes peeled and cubed
steam sweet potatoes for 5 minutes,set aside
(cubing uncooked sweet potatoes is labor intensive)
1 package dried Red Kidney Beans soaked overnight and cooked or;
(2 15oz cans of Red Kidney beans, drained)
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Chili powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon olive oil
In a 5qt dutch oven
Saute onion and peppers in olive oil for 2~3 minutes until onions begin to clear, add chopped garlic and saute for another ~2 minutes, do not over cook
add cumin and chili powder; quickly stir in and add diced tomatoes immediately to deglaze the pan
add oregano
bring to near boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add drained Red Kidney beans and sweet potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
bring back to a "soft" boil then cover and simmer for 45 minutes, it is best to prepare a day ahead of time so it can sit in the refrigerator overnight and let all the flavors blend.
Chili is a creative endeavor so the recipe is a guideline and not an absolute
The sweet potatoes will naturally thicken the chili. If it seems too thick, add a bit of broth; if too thin, add tomato paste.
DeleteThanks, Bob. I usually end up with an abundance of sweet potatoes from my mother. This recipe sounds delicious. I always have to get help with the chopping of sweet potatoes (being of the fairer sex). We make a Thanksgiving/Christmas dish with sweet potatoes and cranberries which requires much muscle power to prepare.
DeleteYes, every time I cube sweet potatoes, I am reminded of what Lincoln said: "f I had six hours to cut down a tree, I’d spend four hours sharpening the ax."
DeletePraising the provacative. I must admit that I did not see this display of a vagina, so I really can't rise to the occasion to make a penetrating observation. Art is supposed to shock at times and manages to schlock at others. As far as just what is being taught to teenagers on this subject, I saw a story where a Massachusetts junior high school is now asking to hand out condoms to its students. Something is being taught and the lessons are succeeding.
ReplyDeletelol, I just fell out of my chair.
DeleteMe too.
DeleteI trust neither of you are too bruised?
DeleteConsidering that 1 in 8 children in the US has become sexually active by age 12, and by the time they finish junior high the number is 1 in 5, it is a good thing to be handing out condoms.
DeleteAround here, sex education is pretty much "don't do it", which of course the kids obey 100%.
It does sound like this art piece may provide an uplifting moment.
DeleteMike, check your email.
ReplyDeleteChecked. Check yours. Many thanks from Susan and me. Evelyn hangs on.
DeleteStab, good to hear.
DeleteKeystone Pipeline:
ReplyDelete"The southern leg of it, we're making a priority," Obama told workers during an 11-minute speech in Cushing, Okla., the terminus of the pipeline project.
House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans called Obama's permit announcement meaningless because the southern end of the project is due to start construction in June anyway. And they continued to criticize Obama for blocking the northern part of Keystone, connecting the U.S. to oil supplies in Canada
_____________
It's a good thing Democrats aren't too smart, or the Republicans would win by a landslide in November.
It's the Cushing Pipeline now, not the Keystone Pipeline.
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MJLi5_dyn0
http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/22/news/economy/keystone-pipeline/index.htm?hpt=hp_bn3
Good afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: There was an editorial yesterday or the day before that stated Ms. Curran was merely asking for some sort of notice that there was art that some may find offensive. I'm not sure if this was her original position that was poorly communicated or if this is a chnage of heart, but that does seem to be a reasonable request. Of course, any art beyond a simple landscape will probably offend someone.
LTE 2: The hyperbole in the LTE is rather TB ranty, but Mr. Wittgenstein (awesome name btw) makes some valid points. State law makes the POA voluntary as does the SCOTUS. I've never much cared for jingoism myself. A most excellent Carl Schurz quote cited.
Finish the thought: the expressed thoughts were mostly decent for a change. I would add clear objectives are established for the military action including a plan for ceasing operations.
Precisely...you cease operations when you have attained your objective, but the objective must be clearly drawn and achievable.
DeleteIn Afghanistan, CheneyBush's stated objective was to "get" Osama. We knew precisely where he was several times in the early going. A SEAL team could have easily "gotten" him at that point, but CheneyBush's stated objective was a lie...the true objective was Cheney's personal obsession with "projecting" American power, so they sent an army instead, and failed miserably, leaving us mired in the longest war in American history. Cost? Thousands dead, American, NATO, Afghans, Pakistanians and others.
In Iraq, CheneyBush's objective was to protect someone, never quite clear who, but certainly not the US, from Saddam's WMDs. Of course, the WMDs turned out to be bogus. So Cheney told us that the "new" objective was the creation of democracy in Iraq and that "they" would welcome us as liberators. Except for a few staged demonstrations, they didn't. Cost? Thousands dead, Americans, Brits, French, Australians, Iraquis and others. And now Iraq is left on a slowly building rollercoaster ride to civil war.
What really amuses me is that the same fools who backed the CheneyBush disasters talk about the current administration as if it were some sort of disaster.
Let's see. When the Obama administration finally found Osama again, what did they do? They set an objective to "get" him and they did. As W might have put it, mission accomplished. Cost? Zero Americans dead. Zero Pakistanis dead. Osama is dead and a handful of SEALs are secret heroes. Mission accomplished.
Libya? The President set a dual objective. First, protect the homegrown rebels from Gaddahfi's air and armored assaults. Second, "get" Gaddahfi. Both achieved and now the Libyans are left to work out their future on their own. Cost? Zero Americans dead. Zero European aviators dead. A minimal number of Libyans dead. And Gaddahfi is gone. Mission accomplished.
Only the fools can fail to see the difference. Personally, I prefer the Obama method over the CheneyBush method, but then that's just my personal opinion.
And as a preemptive strike against what we know is coming, let me say this:
DeleteThe Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star;
While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
George F. Root (1862)
That's the only union I give a damn about.
"Mr. Edwards categorically denies that he was involved with any prostitute or service," said Allison Van Laningham, a lawyer for Edwards.
ReplyDelete___________
The Johnny Edwards case is going to get REAL interesting.
I wonder how the real Reille Hunter is doing?
DeleteJohnny makes Gary Hart look like a school boy.
Delete