This is a reminder that the arts are powerful ways to communicate, to raise awareness of contemporary issues. Local singer-songwriter Matt Bednarsky recently wrote a song titled "Garden", about losing touch with our roots and surroundings. "Where I’m currently living, there’s a factory that’s nearly always working away. Constantly and consistently humming, clanking, and … [Read more...] about ‘Garden’, by Matt Bednarsky
The Making of Inheritance
Cambiz Amir-Khosravi While planning a trip to Florida in 2011 to see my ailing mother-in-law, I realized that the Department of Motor Vehicles had misspelled my last name. Instead of Khosravi, they spelled it Khosrui. It might be a minor issue to most people but having a Middle Eastern name in today’s xenophobic climate I naturally became paranoid. Having heard of … [Read more...] about The Making of Inheritance
Notes from the Editors (Left Turn #4)
Excessive gun violence and mass shootings have become the norm in the US, so has the trite and totally ineffective response of offering “our thoughts and prayers” by the governing political elite. There were about 252 mass shootings in the first 215 days of 2019. About 35% of mass shooters are young white men with prior training in how to use guns — often learned as high school … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editors (Left Turn #4)
Dance of the Blossoms
Elaheh Farmand Baba looked out the window into the dark alley. Anxiously, he began tapping on the window ledge with the fingers of his right hand as he held on to the other side with his left. He began to whistle. He always whistled when he was worried. “Ey baba, kojast? Where is she?” Baba asked out loud. His little girl entered the room, and stood behind him. “Baba? … [Read more...] about Dance of the Blossoms
Remembering Martin Boksenbaum
Nancy Tate Martin Boksenbaum, a LEPOCO supporter since the 1980s and a Lehigh Valley leader on much work for the environment and in building community, died on August 7. His work and his dedication to that work is missed by so many including LEPOCO. Martin Boksenbaum and Janet Goloub came to the Lehigh Valley in 1980. They first lived in Allentown and then in … [Read more...] about Remembering Martin Boksenbaum
The “Red Indian’s” Penultimate Speech to the White Man
Mahmoud Darwish A long time will pass for our present to become a past like us.But first, we will march to our doom, we will defend the trees we wearand defend the bell of the night, and a moon we desire over our huts.We will defend the imprudence of our gazelles, the clay of our potsAnd our feathers in the wings of the final songs. In a little whileyou will erect your world … [Read more...] about The “Red Indian’s” Penultimate Speech to the White Man
Making Sense of the Recent Election in Israel
Jeff Halper Editor’s Note: We have combined two Facebook postings by Jeff Halper that dealt with the September 17, 2019 election in Israel. The first appeared on September 14, three days prior to the election, and the second, on September 18, the day after. The titles for each section are ours. In a surprising twist since the election, President Reuven Rivlin chose Mr. … [Read more...] about Making Sense of the Recent Election in Israel
Why It’s Important to Understand Cultural Capital
Gary Olson When categorizing my class background, I’ve invariably replied “working class” but in truth that was more aspirational than factual. My father was either unemployed or underemployed and died of a heart attack at age 46 while working as a night shift orderly at a veteran’s hospital in Fargo, ND. I was 12-years-old, with a 7-year-old brother, and thereafter our … [Read more...] about Why It’s Important to Understand Cultural Capital
A Prophetic Poor People’s Movement Led by the Poor People
Keith Collins The role of the prophet in the ancient Hebrew scriptures was to confront, correct and transform society when it has lost its moral compass. As ancient empires emerged fortified by the thirst for conquest and dominion the foundation for a class, race and, gender-based caste system was established, and remains with us till this day. If we are to posit that … [Read more...] about A Prophetic Poor People’s Movement Led by the Poor People
Occupy Wall Street: A Post-Mortem Examination
Lenny Flank In September 2011, a small group of demonstrators sat down and occupied Zuccotti Park in New York City, near Wall Street, as a protest against the lopsided distribution of wealth in the US and the domination of the political process by the wealthy elite. Within weeks, similar occupations spread across the United States from coast to coast, and Occupy Wall Street … [Read more...] about Occupy Wall Street: A Post-Mortem Examination