“I can’t believe I still have to stand here and hold this sign!” Woman supporting filibuster outside Texas Capital.
So I can take a pill to take back my period.
“Being gay is not a choice, but being a bigot is.” I instantly re-tweeted from God@thetweetofgod. It’s funny, not true.
Took me a while to figure out how it’s not true, but like art which is not true, it points to truth. Like the Pietà, Michelangelo’s sculpture that shows Mary the mother of Jesus strong and tall while her crucified son is like a child in her arms. Not necessarily true proportions, just true about a mother’s heart.
I don’t believe being a bigot is a choice. It’s not a permanent state of being, either. Gay is permanent, judging from my straight perspective, though I might be off. But bigot is like pregnant. It’s a state. It may or may not be a choice. It can and will, usually, end. It’s story and outcome are what epic is made of. Plenty of bigotry ends in abortion. Other bigotry ends with new life. Bigotry, yes, is human. Mine and yours. It’s a place on a journey, a grade in school, an incomplete quest. What we do with it may become art.
High school kid calls fifth-grader stupid.
Well, she don’t know The Grapes of Wrath isn’t fruit!
Art doesn’t make sense, it helps me make sense-of people.
This “Yes-we-are-allowed-to-end-a-relationship-before-it-bigins-filibuster is pregnant.
Art is being made here. Bigotry is a shiny material.
Inspired history feels like community committed art. HIstory is being made here.
Could making history be making art?
The Daily Post: The Artist’s Eye
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waywardspirit 
2 things, first the Pietà. I saw this first when I was 16 & when it was free standing (before some loon attacked it with a hammer). It was so terrifying I stared at it for about 20 minutes before i could bring myself to look away. Without mobility, color or expression it said everything about suffering & sorrow that you would ever need to remember.
Second, bigotry: I think bigots are not born but they are created by their families, surroundings & circumstances. This is not the same as having a choice, & some people get their epiphany & some don’t. Pity for the bigot & disgust at the bigotry seem to be the only humane responses.
Now I’m going to go away & think about the role of art all day.
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Thank you for the idea. Bigotry meets Epiphany, the love story, like pride and prejudice. All this violence as a love story.
Darth Vadars’s story told form Anakin Skywalker’s perspective made perfect sense. He didn’t seem like a bigot.
So, what is the world form Lucifer’s Anakin Skywalker’ perspective? Like reducing life to the complicated enough, male and female meant to be different and challangien enough without seeing the Devil everywhere.
Another terrific blogger bronsboy55 described how when he was little plastic bags where know to wrap around you and block your mouth and nose. The comments show lots of us grew up terrified of plastic bags on over your head. Great description for pre-oxygen understanding culture. If you put a harmless plastic bag on your head and tie it around your neck to make a nice round astronaut helmet…evil gets you. It was irresistible to put plastic close to my face to see if it wold grab and try to choke. But mom told me it was the sneaky you don’t think it’s dangerous that makes it deadly. It makes you fall asleep, and not know what happened. But you are dead. What we don’t understand and don’t understand is dangerous…is evil, not the bag or the people, or person. Bigotry is focus on plastic bags. Makes me a bigot. : )
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I’ve been saying for a long time that we don’t choose what we believe. But as you said, it’s also not a “permanent state of being.” Given enough time, information, and experience, the part of the brain that forms beliefs can rewire itself. The process seems to take forever, though, especially with something like bigotry.
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Not that we are talking about it, bigotry is a beautiful mystery. Especially if we stop treating it like a plastic bag a kid might put over her head and tie around her neck to play astronaut with a transparent globe helmet.
Aren’t all the best stories based on a hero’s journey form bigotry to wisdom? The big difference is perspective. We empathize with the eyes we see through.
The western world changes when we tell the Hero’s journey through Lucifer’s eyes. I don’t know, but it seems like his gang is hard at work getting humans to hit rock bottom so interventions happen. Putting people in AA instead of in limbo. On your about page, I love the way you describe your idea processing. It felt great. That’s how my mind works. Been running that program on the subject of evil and now included the evil of plastic bags thanks to one of the funniest down to earth and quirky brilliant posts ever, yours.
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I can honestly say that Michelangelo’s Pieta is one of my favorite works of sculpture, both in general and of his works. It is absolutely luminous. There is so much movement implied in the folds of the fabric. And when you look closely, you will notice that there is no skin to skin contact between Mary and Jesus, there is fabric between them. And her youth is somewhat controversial, although perhaps less so now than at the time.
When it comes to bigotry, well, I have to be honest I looked up the definition, mainly because lately, I am absolutely astounded at the lack of rational debate and dialogue happening in the United States, in addition to the political polarization between liberal & conservative and Democrat & Republican. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bigot There are a few definitions listed, but the theme is one of intolerance for others’ beliefs and an obstinacy in one’s own beliefs,.. a dogmatic approach/perspective on life.
I have always been a very curious person. I find that throughout my life I have been intrigued by difference, by context, by a need to understand where people are coming from. And I find myself becoming more and more open-minded as time goes by. The one thing that I try to hold strongly in my mind when it comes to both tolerance & diversity is that it includes everyone. Not just the ideas that are different, but also the ideas that I may despise.
15 years ago, I sat in a red graduation gown and listened to a speech. In some ways I wish that the commencement address I heard on that day was the one given to the most recent grads, but I wonder if I would have understood it then the way I do now. If it would have resonated with me in the same way. If you have the time, please take a look at the following: http://youtu.be/Wn866ryQ5RY
My favorite part of is:
“You have, which is a rare thing, the ability and the responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself. To at least give it the floor. Because it is the key, not only to consciousness, but to real growth.
To accept duality is to earn identity, and identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just “who you are,” it is a process that you must be active in.” (Joss Whedon, Wesleyan Commencement Address, May 2013)
Peace, love, hope, xx
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PS: And just for kicks, you may enjoy: http://youtu.be/AwRwwU7idnk (Shakti, Wesleyan’s South Asian Student Association, hosted the second annual Holi, Festival of Colors.)
I spent quite a bit of time on Foss Hill, one never knew what one would find. Later~xx
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Re-enactment of the world. : )
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I miss the days of re-enacting with blood sacrifice! What is happening to our culture? These Muslims are taking it all to hell in a handbasket! ; ) Terrific video. You have great taste in links.
On Fri, Jun 28, 2013 at 1:00 PM, waywardspirit
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