Yep. That's something I've been hesitating to say but: yep. Contest. Schumer is a Jewish Boomer and yeah so is Sanders but Sanders is in frigging Vermont. Jeffries is Black, and a lot of people have been giving him shit for things they don't understand--"God's on His Throne" is *not* "be passive"
"context" not contest
and yeah by and large it's a lot of white people who don't even go to this shul who've been going OFF about "Zionism" and it makes me *really* itchy. There's a continuum, let's say. But also on here especially, you never know who's real and who's just stirring shit up.
When he speaks "God is on His Throne" it's a signal to remember that people will be strong enough for the fight. White people have to know the history to understand the message. Black Church isn't your passive white oppressive experience. Mmm. NOT at all!
yeah, I flashed to the Staple Singers doing "Wade in the Water." I think a lot of people just heard the abusive right wing church they grew up in. I get it, but. If you want to be in coalition. History. It's a thing.
I'm so happy to see this discussion. It's become a strange world, indeed, when I am the one defending religion and going to church. Yet I do it a lot. Partly because I admire Black churches and the central role they've had for generations of people living with some hideous truths.
I'd far rather spend time/ally with progressive churchgoers than New Atheists. Reverend Warnock or Bill Maher? What to do, what to do.
Definitely Warnock for me! No cynicism, no preaching either. Solid commitment to justice and inclusiveness. And very funny to boot.
yeah, he's great. I hope he can keep that seat! This environment should help. "Should" being the operative word. Ossoff seems pretty good also?
I've heard him here in videos, and he's powerful. Plus he and Warnock like each other, and it's palpable. They're a great team.
I love that! So much better than "I alone can fix it." And you know, I don't think there are ANY Republicans currently in office (at least nationally, that I know of) who even seem to get along? Ally, maybe. Admittedly I don't exactly follow closely. The ones in this Cabinet are all freaks
though apparently Lauren Boebert has a soft spot for Raskin and she's visited him in the hospital and they've had dinner, which was kind of *thud*. Well--ok
I find that oddly charming. Maybe she is tired of the bimbo role and wants to learn a bit from him. Well, you never know. That's just kind of nice. Hope it helps her grow.
I swear none of them can stand their spouses
The party has attracted really creepy people. It's no wonder when their private lives are so dysfunctional.
They were and are incredibly powerful in upholding the lives and rights of their communities. I've worked w a lot of them on health care particularly, and they are powerhouses on issues like that. Civil rights, human rights, it doesn't matter. They are THERE. They are also great fun!
I think also non religious folk--I mean this is an endemic issue, none of us can just snap fingers and solve it--are generally hurting for a lack of a (non online) third space. I'd love cafe society but everyone on their phones at Starbucks (closed at 7) is not gonna be the vibe.
I wonder how long an "open late" cafe with all electronics but e-books banned would survive? Would people actually TALK with strangers? Used to have a coffee place w artists and cops that was remarkably social and welcoming. People DID talk to one another. Not sure why that worked so well but it did
I think yes, but it'd be a bit sui generis, not a chain, in a city and it'd have to have committed and good-at-the-books owners. It's a good idea. In SF there is or was a nice fantasy/SF bookstore that had a cafe next store, with frequent author presentations and groups in the back, that was nice
also I should say there's the LGBT center that has a cafe and also rooms; and city community/rec centers, there's at least one group I've attended meetings at my local. but not everywhere has those. They should!
and then there are bars and pubs, of course. I'm not much of a drinker, but I'm happy enough to go, and Working Families for instance does a monthly think at an outdoor pub; thing is, they can get noisy when it's not like theirs where they actually reserve a whole big space.
There are libraries. There are parks. Struggling. And libraries aren't always comfy esp in a back room where you don't have to shush, and parks, there's weather. and omg I went to a WeWork one time for a meetup. I HATED IT SO MUCH FLAMES ON THE SIDE OF MY FAAACE Kombucha on tap. Nuff said.
then I read the Cult of We after those imploded and it was so very...now. these people are all fucking insane. The techbrozillionaires--well, WeWork was never tech, but he SOLD it as tech somehow, which is why he was able to scale up tremendously before it all crashed. high on their own farts
Miss Aja, if you follow her - she's amazing - did a letter writing campaign in a library. I went several times and had a blast. Yeah, the chairs were uncomfortable, but I had a grand time, good talk, and she provided SUPER food. That was great fun!
Not political as such, of course, but nice. Unfortunately they ended up closing the cafe because it wasn't making enough money. You start to realize how challenging it is when you're in book clubs. Now since Covid a lot more are on Zoom, which is nice bc easier to attend, but...nicer in person.
That's a really good point. People hang onto congregations as community. We've tried "church without walls" that SORT of works, but having secular safe space w conversation and interaction is hard to find. Someone either wants you to draft an 'action plan' or has music that makes you gag. 🙄
it's also a question of--is rentier the right term here? well, again: physical places to just hang out, that you WANT to just hang out and aren't prohibitively expensive. the destruction of public spaces is very much a right wing project for a reason. in cities I just wish cafes stayed open
i guess we could plot the Revolution (TM) at a Denny's
Hell - the servers would become the vanguard!
I still think it'd go better over Viennese pastries and Art Nouveau, oh well
...stayed open later. course we're all phone addicted on top of it.
Went to Applebees (sue me; I like them) w older people there all laughing and talking. Four young people came in, sat down, never said a word, all on phones. Server took the order, gave it out, they ate, never said a word or put down the phones. Left. So...why BOTHER? 🙄
Sometimes I sort of get it; as a Terminally Online person who's neurospicy & has friends of the same ilk, I've been in rooms where we're all on the same chat on our various devices *to each other.* Or sometimes just doing "parallel play," you know. But yeah generally. Face to face can be...nice.
I do policy education and grassroots mobilization for a VERY liberal faith organization. Four denominations are historic Black Churches. Lived and worked in Black communities and learned a lot about their brilliant self-direction, but the Churches added layers to that!
I grew up secular Jewish, experimented a bit with Buddhism and neo paganism and as progressive synagogues as I could find before deciding mostly I'm not feeling most of it; but then landed at UU.
UU used to be part of my organization, but we helped them spin off to their own. Mostly good folks though often very cranky people. My folks were UU so I remember that well! 😂
lol well I'm cranky people too so that works out :P our branch is more diverse and younger than others I'd previously tried out. And yes, mostly good folks. A lot of people like you'll find on here, for better and for worse.
Perfect fit! 😂 I adored our UU minister in Buffalo when we lived there. He had a delicious sense of humor. It was a fun place to be. Always was comfortable, and their choir was stunningly wonderful (not always true). Good folks.
Choir has been great
I keep urging lefties to watch Prof. Gates' "The Black Church" 2-part special on PBS. It's transformative. The Black Church was and is a liberation base. Only place Black people could learn to READ during slavery. It's not a passive, wimpy place. Oh, some, mostly POWERFUL! Led EVERY social movement.
btw, and maybe it's just proof of he's *really* good at code-switching, but I saw a short speech by Mamdani in front of an AME congregation in NY and I was pretty blown away. Cited Scripture, succinct but on point.
We'll see.
Indeed.