One
at a time.
One day.
One hour.
One extra.
One less.
One time.
One piece.
One left.
One world.
One and all.
One
and done.
Author: lou sight
Carr Alarm
The noise
around
silencing speech
may reach
a tipping
point.
The joint
astonishment
and grief
may be
brief
as the next
one to fall
will call
our attention.
While there’s
no comparison
between the firing
of a comedian,
or two,
and the firing
of a gun,
we can’t run
from this
crisis.
Opinion
has been
the dominion
of the comedian,
even mocking
the politician.
It’s free speech
in action
and a cultural
tradition.
But the addition
of retribution
to our polity-
once
the contribution
only
of the most
violently
disturbed-
comes from
the top guy,
perpetually
perturbed.
The Federal
Communications
Commision
is now
on a mission
to stifle.
Instead of
a rifle,
or other
violence,
the way
to silence
criticisms
is to fire
the guys
whose
wittisms
are bothersome
to some;
or maybe
just
to one.
Carr’s action-
Kimmel’s subtraction-
in reaction
to the comic’s
wit,
is every bit
a lack of
grit
and merely
a fit
of alarm
of the president
who sees
speech
as harm
and uses
it
to harm others.
Is this retribution
or fear?
Who can hear
over the alarm
over the act
of commission?
Kirk’s Enterprise
Charlie Kirk’s
horrific demise
as he pursued
his enterprise
as a conservative force
through
political discourse,
should be
our turning point,
USA.
This school shooting,
unlike the other,
was political;
an intentional
act of violence
to silence
debate-
the latest
in a spate
of hate
crimes
against
political
figures.
The triggers
may be
multiple
but when
the political
is emotional
and what
seemed
impossible
is no longer
notional,
anything
becomes
motivational
against
a perceived
enemy.
Because
the hate
is visceral
when our
discourse
is so
uncivil,
we can’t be
casual
about this
hit,
especially when
it
took place
on a college
campus.
Now
most of us
can feel
the real
pain and sorrow
for his widow
and his children.
But can we
mourn for
a person
who sparked
attention
for opposition
that may
have intended
to provoke
and offend
if not
upend,
the woke
when he spoke?
I am chilled
by the blood
that’s been
spilled,
and I feel
my own
turning point.
Our enterprise
can’t be
the demise
of opposing
another’s belief.
Let this
monstrous
event
help us
to reinvent
good grief.
I just realized
that today
is 9/11.
What
have we
become?
To boldly go
where no
one
has gone
before
was the American
enterprise
(cleverly
stated in
the Star Trek
franchise),
at the birth
of our
democratic
republic.
But we have
succumbed
to hate
and fear
that we’re
in our
final frontier.
Our reaction
to terror
is often
contraction,
while
heightening
security.
But political
(and social)
purity
is immaturity,
not worthy
of who we
need to be.
Give Up!
I gave up
trying
my same
old way
each day,
even though
it seemed
okay.
I moved away
from
one
beautiful
residence,
in essence,
to scale
down
and live
downtown
on the opposite
coast.
I find
that most
of the folks
I know
show me
that I can
see
differently
when I
let go
of rigidity.
Obviously,
it’s not
so easy
to upend
any ingrained
habit.
Sometimes
necessity
demands it;
or
in order
to withstand
it,
something’s
gotta give.
So I take
a chance
to enhance;
not just
give in
to circumstance.
Give up!
Let it go!
Grow
instead
of seeing
red.
Rather
than blather
and get
into a
lather,
give up!
Don’t give
in
to what’s
been eating
you.
If you’ve
been miffed,
then
shift
your focus.
Your locus
of control-
how you roll-
is worthy
of your
attention.
My contention
is that
when
giving up
means
a greater
good,
rather than
espousing
whatever
you think
should
be,
it seems
to me
that we
create
more opportunity
to
live up to
giving up.
Cultured Pearls
We are
the curators
of our own
exhibitions
of us;
musea
of individuals.
Communal
rituals
are much more
rare,
as virtual
signals,
like likes
and hearts,
keep the parts
we choose
for “friends”
to peruse
showcased
front
and center.
To enter
into
someone’e
collection
requires little
to no
interjection.
Online detection
becomes
an addiction,
now an affliction
for most.
But as host
and curator
of our identities,
Big Tech
as aggregator
entities
provide hidden
strategies
so that any
inquiries
from our
curiosities
become
commodities.
We are more
connected
to the
data
and to Google
and Meta
than to
the people
we think
should matter.
What’s even
sadder
is
that we give
permission
for our own
submission.
Meanwhile
we style
our images
as though
our personages
are accessible
and never
unacceptable.
It’s deceptively
easy
and imperceptibly
sleazy
though we
believe
we exhibit
control.
Everyone’s
a content
creator;
a curator
of their own
identity.
But the work
of art
is inquiry,
discovery, and
thinking creatively;
not merely
self expression.
Through art
we get
to see
and hear
differently
not just
what we
wish to be.
I can curate
the gallery
of me,
but that’s just
an exhibition
or meaningless
display.
Meaningful curation
can be
its own
art form
creating new
iterations
and connections;
daring
to ask
probing
questions
through communications
beyond
our self-curated
exhibitions.
These are
the essential
conditions
for cultural
and personal
growth.
Taking Dictation
I have no
capacity
for taking
dictation
or anything
else
like it.
I’ll never be
a secretary
or assistant
to
an administrator
who listens to
a dictator.
Those compliant
with a tyrant
like those
who chose
to remain
silent,
may survive
and even
thrive,
for
at least
a while
or more.
But,
in time,
history’s
rhyme
will seek
poetic
justice.
It’s not
just us
as never
before
or ever
again.
When power
corrupts
and monopolizes,
taking dictation
finalizes
consolidation
of power.
Whether
government
or corporation,
the excessive
power
manifestation
somehow
gets justification
(and monetization )
while deterioration
ensues.
But…
You have agency
to disrupt
complacency
and the responsibility
to do so.
Those who
take notes
in history
class
know the past
is more
than prologue.
It’s a dialogue
with the present
and future
that we must
nurture
without
taking
dictation.
Mass Murder. Literally. Moms Demand Action
Children.
Children.
Children attending
Mass.
Murdered.
At School.
In Church
there.
Thoughts
and prayers
instead of laws
by naysayers
when kids
were literally
shot
while praying.
Alas,
this is mass
murder,
literally
at mass.
How much
more crass
can we be?
I saw a
photo
like no
other
of a
mother
running
down the
street
in bare
feet
holding
her shoes,
sprinting
toward
the school,
with mother’s
fuel
and fear.
I tear
up just
thinking of
this image;
this extraordinary,
yet insanely
ordinary
scene.
Just back
to school.
Nothing
more cruel,
than doing
nothing
about
mass
murder.
especially
of children.
Don’t accept
this
unconscionableness.
We can’t remain
still,
hopeless.
Momentum
takes time.
You can take action now:
The Point of No Return
The point of
no return
is to learn-
not just
yearn-
for something
else.
We don’t
grow younger
or
have more
innocence
when life
provides us
ongoing
experience.
We tend to
digress
and at times
regress
making progress
seemingly
less
likely.
Home isn’t
there
where it
is no more,
before
we moved
away.
We can’t
really stay
the way
we were,
but we sure
can mature
and play
wiser.
Ironically,
it looks
quite silly,
but seems
to be
impactful.
Forget
being tactful.
We live
in the gutter
now.
It’s how
you utter
the message
that matters
so it splatters
across all
media.
No encyclopedia
needed,
just deep
seeded
anger,
and a commitment
to mirror
this horror
show.
The point
of no
return
is to know
(and to show)
that we are
better than
this.
To boldly
go
where no
one
has gone
before
has moved
from Star Trek
to South Park;
our stark
cartoonish
reality.
Finally,
heroically,
momentum
is increasing
as Newsom
is teasing
Trump,
with a
shocking,
and mocking
style.
Sadly,
this is
progress,
(and also
hilarious)
if we are
serious
about
the point
of no
return.
DC Comic Con
It’s a marvel
to behold
what’s about
to unfold
in DC.
Crime is down
in the capital
town,
despite
what the
spiteful
prez says.
He’ll pretend
to defend
all that is
sacred
when really
it’s hatred
he preserves
and unleashes.
He releases
The Guard
when the going
gets hard-
only
for him.
Funny
how despite
his bluster,
he couldn’t
muster
The National
Guard
—it was too
hard—
during
his insurrection.
Now his protection
against
being a joke
is deflection
and crackdown
wherever it’s
woke
in his projection.
LA
and DC,
and soon each
city
will start to see
and pay
dearly
for this beloved
embodiment
of antiestablishment:
the president
who regards
the presidency
as a joke
of expediency
to be ever more
greedy
and powerful
because he
can.
Plastic Surgery
I’m a hypocrite;
I know it.
I admit it,
though
I think
the problem
is public
as well as
corporate.
I know
it would be
drastic
to forgo
the use of
plastic,
because it
really is
fantastic,
but it’s
poisonous.
Poisoning us
like smoking
does,
without noticing
thus.
Leaching into
water sources,
air and soil,
natural resources,
mammals
and all animals,
and the atmosphere
here
on earth,
is deceptively toxic
from so much plastic.
Who knew
that from
the era of
“The Graduate”
we’d gradually,
inadvertently,
blindly,
slowly
kill everything.
Micro
and nano
plastics
are found
underground
and inside us.
But the demand
for change
in how we
arrange
our lives
for health
is rather strange.
We know
the plastic
problem
continues
to grow,
though we
dare not
abstain,
which is
a stain
on our
humanity.
Kennedy,
the Secretary
of Health,
and Human
Services,
has an opportunity
to shift away
from mRNA
funding cuts,
to finding
the guts
to take on
Big Plastic.
It’s so ubiquitous,
this poisonous
stuff
that’s poisoning
us
and the environment,
but its
retirement
is not yet
a conversation.
It will
necessitate
those who
might hesitate
to boldly
demand policy
private
and public,
that plastic
becomes
less ubiquitous
and poisonous
to us
and every
living thing
around us.
Start here:
lou sight 