I'm an old man, but I still believe change is possible...

[MineralMan]

When I was a young man of 20, back in 1965, I drove from California to Alabama and stood with thousands of others who wanted change. I thought things would change.

Just a few years later, I stood with thousands of others in front of the Pentagon, wearing my USAF uniform. I thought things would change and the Vietnam war would end.

Not long after that, back in California, I stood in a crowd demanding that women have the right to make their own reproductive choices. Then, not long after that, I stood in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic and escorted women into the clinic. I though things would change.

Much more recently, I stood with my wife's cousin and his partner in Iowa and demanded that they be allowed to marry. I though things would change.

And, in 2008, I stood in a crowd of supporters of some Saturday Night Live satirical comedian and pledged to work in his campaign for the U.S. Senate. I thought things would change.

Now, in 2010:

A black man has been elected to be the President of The United States.
The Vietnam war ended not long after I stood at the Pentagon.
Women have the right to control their own reproductive choices.
My wife's cousing and his partner are married.
Al Franken is a U.S. Senator.

None of those things happened quickly. None of them happened the year I stood up for them. Some took decades. But, I though things would change. I did something. They changed.

You say things don't change? You say change is finished in America? You say nothing changes? I say:

BULLSHIT!


I'll just keep right on standing up and working for change. You may do as you please. Just don't stand in the way of change and leave it to those of us who think things will change, OK?

[ensho]

1. kick

nt

[MineralMan]

2. Thanks for the kick!

Even though we often disagree, I really appreciate it.

[babylonsister]

3. Thank you and rec'd. I so enjoy optimistic posts; they are

too few and far between. :toast:

[MineralMan]

6. Thanks! I'm always optimistic. I'm sometimes discouraged,

but I get over it and go back and stand in crowds. I hope to keep on doing that for a long time. My ideal way do die would be to keel over while holding a political sign in such a crowd.

[Fire1]

4. Absolutely and I'm with ya!! K&R n/t

[Sal Minella]

5. Excellent. Sometimes we need to be reminded. :-]

[MineralMan]

8. There's always something there to remind us...

To coin a cliche... :hug:

[zipplewrath]

7. What change is "starting" now?

Other than the Franken thing, which seems strangely out of place, those changes you mention are all results of the civil rights movement and cutural revolution of the '50s and '60s. What is starting to change lately in which we will see the results in 40 years?

That insurance companies are entrenched in our health care system by force of law?
That Torture may be conducted without penalty?
That telecommunications companies can spy for the government without consequence?
That wars may be started on lies without consequence?
That the people are not allowed to use their own government to address common needs because "it would be to distruptive" or "wouldn't work in our system"?
That banks that are "too big to fail" aren't big enough to regulate?

Really, what is starting today that will pan out in 40 years?

[MineralMan]

13. 40 years from now, I'll surely be dead. But here's what I predict

about what's happening now: We'll have universal, single-payer healthcare. You're probably too young to remember the first Civil Rights bill, I'll bet. I'm not. The civil rights movement was a movement of individuals standing in crowds. The results of that took decades.

Everything that has been worthwhile has taken decades to come to fruition. Don't expect major changes to happen immediately. They won't.

Women couldn't even vote in this country until the late 1920s. The early suffrage movement did not realize its goals for a long, long time, but the goals were realized.

Change is inevitable. Moving that change in the right direction is what we can do today. If you're not in the fight, at least stay out of the way.

[zipplewrath]

23. I'm older than you think

I understand that these kinds of changes take time. But you should be able to see the "progress" along the way, even if it is merely something as small as a person being able to sit down at a lunch counter.

But what I'm asking is what has started in the last 10 years that will see that kind of advancement?

This bill will be the single biggest obstacle to single payer there is. It is a move AWAY from single payer. Worse, it is a move TOWARDS a privatization of medicare. These ideas are mostly from the Dole Baker effort to BLOCK healthcare reform 15 years ago. THAT'S the direction things are marching.

Optimism is fine. Foolish optimism is... well... the stuff of fools.

[MineralMan]

28. Change started in the past 10 years?

Marriage equality. Of course, it's been going on longer than that, but the fruits of the work are just beginning to ripen. In 6 jurisdictions, same-sex couples can marry. In several more, they can now form civil partnerships. Soon, those numbers will grow, and the point will soon be reached where every state must recognize those marriages as valid, even if they don't allow couples to marry in that state.

[zipplewrath]

42. I agree

And that change did start long ago. We can argue when, but it's going to go back to at LEAST the '70s, if not the '60s. So that would suggest it hasn't "started" in the last 10 years. Which is to my larger point. Progressive change is "resting on it's laurels" in the sense that we are completing actions started 40 years ago. Progressive change is grinding to a halt and this bill is evidence of the beginning reversal of progressive change.

[MineralMan]

43. Actually, the press for marriage equality didn't really start

that long ago. The demand for GLBT rights did, of course.

[zipplewrath]

44. yes

It was a natural progression from the civil rights movement in general.

[leftstreet]

30. +1 And you're right, it's a first step in privatizing Medicare

And every politician knows it

[BeFree]

20. Yep

Your list is a list of changes that have happened, and happened for the worst.

One step forward and two steps backwards. Eh?

Nonetheless, the OP is optimistic. Let's not worry him with the truth?

He is an old man, it's time for the youth to take over. <grinning, MM>

[bigtree]

9. yep

I was born in 1960. I've seen a lot of positive changes since then.I had the luxury of witnessing the remnants of a racist past evaporate or go undercover. As I grew, unprecedented opportunity for someone in my position in life unfolded before me. And, I've watched my children grow into those opportunities; unfettered by any personal memories of an inopportune past. And, now, as you say, the election of a black president . . . not without struggle, persistence, and setbacks before that victory. Changes can happen in the face of obstinacy and resistance. Our political system still affords us that opportunity to press for the changes we seek.

Thanks for the perspective. :hi:

[FrenchieCat]

10. Ah yes!

K&R

[JuniperLea]

11. The Unreccing Crew apparently don't believe in change...

Even after reading (maybe they didn't) your eloquent description of the change you've seen.

Those are some pretty damn big changes, too.

Society seems to lack patience... I'm sure The Unreccing Crew we see at work here anxiously taps their foot in impatience whilst heating up grub in the microwave.

I blame Sesame Street... the first fast-moving "don't let your kids develop patience" television styling that started the idiocracy on the slippery slope to addiction to speed and instant gratification.

[FrenchieCat]

12. Most folks can't remember what they ate for lunch,

and many seem to have forgotten the 8 years we went through
that started with that SCOTUS decision.

Many don't see any further than to the tip of their nose.....unfortunately.

[MineralMan]

18. We must remember! Every change that has been at the heart

of progress has taken years to accomplish. Even the American Revolution did not happen at once. It took years of dedication and hard work. To expect less today is to ignore history.

[JuniperLea]

19. You nailed it, Frenchie!

:hug:

I'm amazed at how many have forgotten The Bush Regime and all the evil it brought, and the mess they left.

When Bill Clinton left the White House, the W's were missing, remember? When W left the White House, all of our money and security was missing.



PS - Your daughter is just incredibly beautiful!

[MineralMan]

15. I have never cared about recommendations or the opposite.

I just post and let people react however they will.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[zipplewrath]

24. Um, I've wanted it for 40 years

That's hardly now. We tried 16 years ago. We are still failing. How long until I'm allowed to claim we're not getting it?

[Texasgal]

31. We seem to be a

give me everything RIGHT NOW! kind of society. It's sad.....

My grandmother used to tell me " Good things come to those who wait" I've often thought of this as true.

[MineralMan]

34. I'd modify your grandmother's excellent saying a little to:

"Good things come to those who work and wait."

[Maru Kitteh]

14. Heartily standing up with you! K&R!

[MineralMan]

16. Thank you very much!

[Webster Green]

21. OK!

I'm with you!

I was also with you at the 1967 'Confront The Warmakers' protest. I got arrested on the front steps of the Pentagon when we stayed after the permit had expired, and occupied the front of the building. I think there were several hundred of us that got hauled away. I was wearing my service medals from Vietnam. That was quite a weekend! :hippie:

[MineralMan]

22. I got hauled away. I was in my USAF blues. They took me

to a building somewhere and got my identification. I gave them my military ID and my NSA badge (that's where I was working at the time). They sent me through a door. I went through it and was outside of the building. Funny. I suppose they thought I was some sort of spy there. Not so at all. I just rejoined the protest a bit later.

[Webster Green]

27. Right on !

They took us to a Federal lock-up in Lorton, Va. We spent a couple of days there before we got released. We had great fun in the detention facility. A bunch of truly amazing activists with very high spirits! We were so proud to have gotten ourselves arrested. :smoke:

[MineralMan]

29. Civil disobedience that doesn't lead to an arrest is a waste.

That was always my motto.

[Orsino]

25. Change is not only possible; it's inevitable.

It's peaceful change that is getting close to impossible. :scared:

[MineralMan]

32. I disagree.

Change takes hard work and time, but violence is rarely useful.

[Orsino]

39. The threat of violence is extremely useful...

...as is violence itself. These just don't work well in the long term.

Oh, we'll have change. I just shudder to think how bad we'll let things get first, and how it might take collapse to move us. That will not end well.

[OneGrassRoot]

26. Huge K&R!

:applause:

[MineralMan]

33. Thank you so much!

[Inuca]

35. WOnderfully put, thank you n/t

[MineralMan]

37. I'm just trying to put into words what a lot of DUers are saying.

Thanks!

[livetohike]

36. Change doesn't just happen. Thank you for standing up

and making it so :patriot:. This old lady has learned to have patience, because all good things are worth waiting for.

[MineralMan]

38. And thank you, too!

[Change Happens]

40. Amen!

[MineralMan]

41. Thanks for the support.

[MineralMan]

45. Re-reading this, long after the editing period has ended,

I see that I left the "t" off the word "thought" three times. I'll have to proofread more closely. I guess I was typing too quickly and not watching the screen closely enough. I do know how to spell thought, though. :blush:

[DavidDvorkin]

46. You're two years younger than me! You're not an old man!

You're, um, youth challenged.

[trayfoot]

47. I am with you!

[indepat]

48. You are truly a brave and selfless American hero and patriot who has been on the right side of every

major just as those on the right have been wrong-headed on major issue. May you never give up the fight and may God bless. :patriot: