Tag: politics

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Truth Demands Our Attention

by Fran Johns

MURDER, INTRIGUE, CORPORATE GREED, CLIMATE CRISIS — THEY’RE ALL IN THIS REMARKABLE NEW BOOK. YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK IT OUT

Author Reyes onstage at Climate event (Fran Johns photo)

Your young partner is found murdered, his bullet-riddled body abandoned in a Venezuelan cow-field? You could be forgiven for falling apart, clamoring for answers and possibly seeking revenge . . . But after a few years, somehow putting your life back together and moving forward, the terrible darkness eventually receding into the past.

Not so Abby Reyes.

Abby was in her early 20s, just before the turn of the last century, when she met Terence Unity Freitas; both were deeply committed to environmental justice and to addressing the critical global crises that existed then and continue today. Terence was making a serious, complicated presentation on the day they met when he stopped, mid-sentence, and asked her for a date that night. Their love story underlies the larger story told in her new book, Truth Demands, and manages to make its unspeakable tragedies somehow more bearable to anyone who has ever loved.

In 1999 Terence was working in the Indigenous U’wa territory in Colombia, listening to U’wa community needs and trying to help preserve the centuries-old ways of life that were being imperiled by multinational oil interests. As he and two companions, Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa (Menominee), and Lahe’ena’e Gay (Hawaiian) were on their way to the airport they were kidnapped and subsequently murdered.

For decades there were no answers.

Reyes recounts her journey through the grief that was made more terrible over the next two decades for lack of justice. A still-youthful woman who is closer to the earth than most, she found healing through its trees and grasses and waters, and through spiritual practices of meditation and self-care. Moving back and forth in time throughout the book, she tells the story in a lyrical language that also keeps hopelessness, for the reader (as the pathway did for Reyes herself), at bay.

Twenty years after the murders, Reyes, alongside Terence’s mother, with whom she has remained close, became a central part of Case 001 of Colombia’s truth and recognition process. Now there were others who sought some sort of justice, who wanted to hear her stories and promised to seek answers for her questions.

Johns & Reyes (who had to be nudged to show the book) at the Climate One event (Fran Johns photo)

Truth Demands is newly released. It gives no linear pathway from tragedy to solution, and it would be a disservice to readers to share here what it does (and does not) reveal. It’s simply a story for our time.

Actually, a two-part story for our time. One part is the journey through grief that will resonate with — and offer gentle assistance to — anyone who has suffered loss. If sometimes similar, all such journeys are unique; Reyes’ is unlike any this writer has encountered in many years of working with end-of-life issues and people in pain.

The second, and clearly atop the author’s lists of concerns, is the work that needs to be done if the planet itself is to survive. Currently Director of UC Irvine Community Resilience Projects, Reyes has a unique understanding of the state of the planet and particular insight into the effects of multinational oil corporations on today’s politics and tomorrow’s health.

Reyes spoke of it all at a recent Climate One event at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club World Affairs building, interviewed by Climate One Co-host and Producer Kousha Navidar.

These issues — overwhelming grief, overstressed earth, and all the complex peripheral problems accompanying them — are not going to be solved tomorrow. Regularly, they get distorted by twists and turns and lies.

Truth Demands is on the side of truth.

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KAKISTOCRACY: Government By the Worst

by Fran Johns

THE OLD WORD IS A DESCRIPTIVE TERM WHOSE TIME HAS COME

At a recent San Francisco People’s March (Author photo)

(This is an exception to my policy of avoiding politics on this website, posted here just because this good Webster’s Dictionary word deserves our attention at the very least. Regularly my political observations are on Substack, weekly, @ The Optimistic Eye. C’mon over any time; it’s free.)

If anyone was worried about people being worn out after the National Day of Action that drew huge crowds all across the country on April 5, those apprehensions were put to rest the following week. We’re still working to prevent the mean-spirited and unfit people “running” the country from totally wrecking it. Hands Off!

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew a crowd of 36,000 in Los Angeles on the 12th. Follow-up rallies brought out enthusiastic supporters of democracy in city after city, small towns and village squares over the weekend.

My personal favorite — possibly because I was there — was The People’s March / Fight Fascism for Democracy event in San Francisco April 12. Billed as a rally in support of “everyone under attack by the current government administration” the event featured representatives of faith communities, teachers, artists and an assortment of groups that have been targeted by Trump 2.0. Soft breezes drifted inland from the Bay, the sun shone on young progressives and gray-haired activists and the talks were a mixture of enthusiastic protest and be-good-to-yourself encouragement.

The signs, as protest signs go, outdid themselves.

I snapped a picture of one homemade proclamation carefully inked on cardboard (above) and held timidly aloft by a gentle participant. Be Kind, it urged. It’s going to take a lot of kindness to counteract the cruelty of policies that seem to get more stringent and oppressive by the day. Because the crowd was constantly moving and shifting I had hardly noticed the sign just a few feet from the kindness advocate.

KAKISTOCRACY it proclaimed. Who knew? In my undistinguished two years of college Greek and subsequent decades of political activism I don’t recall encountering the term. Its time has come! Government by the worst, the least qualified or most unscrupulous. Hello? Trump 2.0 has been identified.

Thank you, unidentified sign-creator.

If ever we have lived in a kakistocracy it is now. All talk about growing autocracy (true,) oligarchy (true) and fascism (scarily possible) aside, Trump 2.0 is the definition of a kakistocracy. From the multi-bankrupted businessman turned reality TV star turned puppet president to his cabinet choices of the excruciatingly unfit, not even Socrates could have come up with a better example of kakistocratic perfection.

Recently, for example, we saw Secretary of Education Linda McMahon blithely talking of young students getting A1 education; presumably she never heard about Artificial Intelligence. Then there was Health Secretary (God help us) Robert Kennedy, unaware that his department’s $11 billion “DEI” cuts actually had eliminated critical projects and key, highly qualified people. Well never mind, Mr. Kennedy’s going to unveil a shiny-object proof that vaccines cause autism, a pet project he’s still busy working on while Americans are dying of measles and whooping cough. 

Stupidities such as the above and cruelties such as mass deportations with no due process continue — showing how much damage a kakistocracy can do, especially when it’s headed by an aging, mentally challenged and supremely kakistocratic man.

All is not lost. We the people are getting some help from the courts. For example, just when ignorance (or disregard) of the constitutional right to a free press seemed to be vanishing, a judge blocked the White House’s AP ban. The ACLU, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Freedoms, the State Democracy Defenders Fund and a growing list of nonprofits and public figures are working with the courts — and in whatever other ways possible against the wrecking ball. They are all sustained by the support of ordinary people.

This is what living under and fighting against a kakistocracy looks like. At the very least, I think we should be calling it what it is. Meanwhile, since the Egotist in Chief delights in being first, we can award him this distinction:

Donald J. Trump, first American president to create a certified kakistocracy.

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Ten Steps to a Guaranteed Good Day

by Fran Johns

BEFORE WE FORGET WHAT GOOD DAYS USED TO FEEL LIKE . . .

Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash

This piece was written in early 2022, when good days uninterrupted by bad news were easier to come by. When it resurfaced recently, thanks to a Medium.com friend adding it to a list of “Favorites,” I thought I’d reprint it (with slight additions & comments) here. Have a good day 😊.

1 – Start positive. Finding one hopeful thing to focus on can kick-start anybody’s day, especially when there’s not a lot of hopeful going around. Finders Keepers.

2 – Pay attention to Mother Nature. The planet needs help: turn off the water, turn the thermostat down if it’s winter and up if it’s summer, eat local. Meanwhile, fight for policy changes. (Or for restoration of environmental protections, as the need now more urgently seems to be.)

3 – Move. As long as you’re up, go for a walk. Running is fine — I did that, neighborhood 5k’s, marathon, the whole endorphin thing, for decades. But wa;ommg opens up brand new interactions with humankind and the natural universe. Plus, you can pick up litter (see Step 2.)

4 –  Listen to your grandchildren. Or anybody under 30. But ONLY if they’re explaining the viewpoints of their generation, or technology. Do not, under any circumstances, let them try to explain — or worse, invite you to try — Tik Tok. Looking at Tik Tok will lower your anticipated lifespan by at least 5 or 10 years. There are kids out there who may never reach adulthood.

5 — Eat pretty. My mother taught me that a colorful plate equals a healthy meal. You know: something yellow, something green, etc. Plus, your lunch guests will think you’re culinarily clever. Chocolate goes with everything. 

6 — Do a good thing. A tiny thing, like smiling at a street person (while looking him or her in the eye!) or a bigger thing like accompanying an immigrant to an asylum hearing. Good things may or may not do much for the recipient, but one or two can make your own whole day.

7 — Dump a bad thing. I for one carry around a long list of Oughts and negativities, such as I-really-ought-to-return-that-call-from-Suzie-whom-I-don’t-actually-know-and-it’ll-open-up-a- whole-can-of-worms-and-she-drives-me-nuts . . . But most of those Suzies don’t even remember your name. Every such person or chore wiped off your contact list/calendar permanently improves your wellbeing. This also goes for politicians, some of them at any rate.

8 — Go for another walk. You cannot go for too many walks. Or go to the gym, or do yoga or tai chi or anything else that requires putting away your cellphone. There is life without cellphone.

9 — Think positive. See Step #1. There’s plenty of darkness in the world but light overcomes it (thanks, MLK.) Or, to sort-of quote another great philosopher, Emily Dickinson, hope perches in the soul and asks nothing in return. Sometimes, reading the news (Uh oh, see Step 7) I despair. But then I turn the page and there’s someone doing something heroic in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds — say, Volodymyr Zelinsky — and if HE can think positive the rest of us can too. 

10 — Be kind. It doesn’t cost anything. In decades of being with people as they die (volunteering with hospice, End of Life Choices CA etc) I’ve never seen a mean person suddenly change and die kindly. I’ve seen a lot of kind people die peacefully. Along the way, the world just needs kindness. It perches in your soul, and reaches into infinity.

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Music for Healing and a Helping Hand

by Fran Johns

“THIS IS WHAT WE DO. THIS IS WHO WE ARE”

Conductor Outwater & Pianist Ohlsson taking a bow (Author photo)

“When we are living in cruel times,” the maestro said, “music heals.”

Symphony conductor Edwin Outwater was speaking to an audience of several thousand* who, appalled by the cruelties being inflicted by our government on innocent people everywhere, had come for a few hours of healing, and the hopefulness that helping others can bring. (*Davies Symphony Hall seats 2,700+ not including the performers. I spotted very few empty seats.)

In the few short months since raging wildfires brought suffering and devastation to their Southern California neighbors several ambitious musicians pulled together an astounding feat: An hours-long benefit concert involving the San Francisco Symphony, Musicians of the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the full San Francisco Symphony Chorus. With noted piano soloist Garrick Ohlsson thrown in for good measure and a surprise encore, after the applause died down, of a piece from the Leonard Bernstein operetta Candide.

Net proceeds from the event will be split evenly between two organizations providing relief to Los Angeles fire victims, the Entertainment Community Fund and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles: ReBUILD LA.

The concert was a healing time, and more:

Orchestra and chorus gave the first SFSymphony performance of Aaron Copeland’s ‘The Promise of Living’ from The Tender Land; Ohlsson and the Symphony got standing ovations for their performances of a Rachmaninoff concerto and, after intermission, Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony №9. But it was Outwater’s remarks at the evening’s end that summed up the event and its meaning.

Music, he told the now-calmed (but still enthusiastic) audience, can offer both a balm and a bridge, bringing people together in times of need. (The Optimistic Eye was particularly happy with Outwater’s noting that Candide, after all, winds up with a salute to optimism.) We don’t stop to ask questions about political or social details, Outwater added; we simply pitch in to help.

“This is what we do,” he said. “This is who we are.”

# # #

(This essay appeared first on my new(ish) Substack page The Optimistic Eye, where I publish at the end of each week one positive message or potential action in defense of democracy. You’re welcome to visit or subscribe; it’s free.)

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Naps, today, are mandatory

by Fran Johns
Man sleeping on sidewalk with sign "Back in 2 minutes"

WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU NEED DEFENSE AGAINST THE CARES OF THE WORLD

(Author photo)

Naps are good. Ask my friend outside the California Street Trader Joe’s, whose paintings I often buy though admittedly do not hang.

I understand his position. Though I don’t work as hard as he does, I do follow the news, and to follow the news is to exhaust oneself. Relief is hard to come by.

After taking this photo on a Saturday, I attended church on Sunday. It’s a church denounced, in recent public commentary, as being Woke. This we accept (as a badge of honor;) we have a rainbow flag, and signs like “Immigrants Welcome” and “Black Lives Matter” out front, those sorts of blasphemies.

Reporting on our Woke rating from the pulpit, the pastor opened with a recommendation for naps. This followed just 24 hours after the above message from my street friend. What can I say?

God’s answer to today’s burdens? Nap.

# # #

If you want to read more about the cares of the world you’re invited to visit my Substack site, The Optimistic Eye (you can subscribe for free) on which I post, once a week, some optimistic word on political goings-on or one or two things we can do besides take naps.

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I’m Exhausted! Can We Talk?

by Fran Johns

SCARY SYMPTOMS WE SHOULD ADDRESS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

I’m telling you, it was BAD.

I could hardly stay up long enough to make coffee. Got a little better, thought I’d go to the grocery store — less than a mile walk with my customary grocery bag/backpack, something I do several times a week. Halfway home, I had to call a Lyft.

Maybe you’ve had similar struggles, and you understand? Even if you’re not a Certified Old Person as I am — costant fatigue, nagging anxiety not unlike a headache that’s about to crash land just behind your temples? 


After a couple of total-exhaustion days, I figured maybe it was a blood pressure issue. I have a fancy BP machine stashed in a cabinet that was bought long ago for some obscure reason. So I took my blood pressure throughout the day. 130/70. Maybe a little low? I don’t pay a lot of attention to these things as a rule.


Suddenly, however, it shot up! It was 160-something over 80-something! Now I’m really worried. After getting these sorts of readings, or worse, throughout an hour or so, I’m hearing alarm bells.


By then it was nearly 8 p.m., but I was sure I might go into cardiac arrest or something at any moment.

So I called the Kaiser advice nurse. I love the Kaiser advice nurse. He or she will always listen patiently to my complaints and either offer guidance or send me straight to the ER as the case may require.


We talked at length about my medical history and my symptoms. I described the exhaustion, my life in general over the past few days, my increasing concern over what seemed to me some sudden wild BP swings. As usual, I liked the advice nurse a lot and felt she was carefully internalizing my information and analyzing the situation.

After a few moments of reflection, she made a diagnostic recommendation.


“Have you tried turning off the news?” she said.


Imagine.


I’m better now.






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About Democracy Dying in Darkness

by Fran Johns

I’M LAMENTING A LOT ABOUT JEFF BEZOS’ WASHINGTON POST

Photo by Luis Cortés on Unsplash

First it was the decision not to endorse a presidential candidate, then came rejection of a great editorial cartoon, then the departures of favorite writers and columnists . . .

Those episodes were followed by the anouncement of Bezos-owned Washington Post’s new slogan, “Riveting Storytelling for all of America.” Reportedly it’s just a new ‘mission statement’ and not meant to replace the old mantra.

Which is, of course, “Democracy dies in darkness.”

I am struggling with all this. To be truthful, I thought that “Democracy dies in darkness” had been the Post mantra forever; only now am I learning it dates back just to the darkness of the pandemic. So it is hardly as archivally significant as the New York Times’ famous slogan,“All the News That’s Fit to Print,” which has been around for more than a century.

Riveting storytelling is great. Newspapers, though, used to be run (and written) by those who, above all else, sought the light of truth. Most of the writers and reporters I know, including some who have been with the Post, the Times and other still-surviving newspapers for years, simply want to find and report the truth. Without it, how does democracy live? 

I’m not canceling my online Post subscription, or the print edition of my beloved New York Times. (Yes, I’m one of that dying breed of readers of old-fashioned newspapers.) But if accountability being thrown to the wind, misinformation going unchecked, lies and crimes going unpunished and oligarchs moving into the White House isn’t darkness, I don’t know what is. 

Here’s to serious, edited and fact-checked journalism wherever light — and truth — can be found; may it live long and prosper. 

And may democracy somehow manage not to die. 

This first appeared on my new Substack page, The Optimistic Eye,  https://franjohns.substack.com/ where I post every Friday, mostly mildly political observations & occasionally reposted here.  

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Nature Bats Last

by Fran Johns

BUT WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF HER TEAM

(This essay appeared first on my new Substack page, The Optimistic Eye, where every Friday I’ll be highlighting individuals or nonprofits working to protect & advance truth, justice & the planet over the coming years. Some that aren’t too political will be copied here. Or, you’re invited to follow – &/or circulate to anyone you think might be interested – The Optimistic Eye. )

Sunrise over San Francisco Bay (Author photo)

Palm trees and alligators in the Arctic Circle? It could happen (again.)

Planet Earth has made its way through periods of melting glaciers and tropical forests throughout its history, which is generally thought to be about 4.5 billion years – give or take some 50 million. Our human descendants aren’t likely to be around to enjoy this much-revised scenery.

Today’s question is about what scenery our great-great-grandchildren might enjoy.

Preparing to leave office, President Biden recently announced new climate goals; he may have had an eye on what his own great-great-grandchildren will inherit. Those goals are aimed at limiting greenhouse gases and in other ways slowing our journey toward arctic palm trees. They are encapsulated in the Paris Agreement that went into effect in November, 2016, signed by 194 countries and the European Union.

President Trump immediately pulled the U.S. out of this legally binding agreement as soon as he took office – but it took him most of his first term to unravel everything, and President Biden then reinstated it.

The bad news is that Mr. Trump will quickly pull us out again – “drill, baby, drill” – but the good news is that it will take a while for the pro-arctic-palm-trees business to get underway.

There’s plenty of other good news. Individuals and organizations are at work on ways to protect Planet Earth – and stave off its warming trend – through trees and rainforests, kelp and other nature-based ways of carbon capture; through new technologies for carbon removal.

Mono Lake, an ancient and changing piece of Planet Earth (Author photo)

The warming trend and changing climate aren’t only carbon-related, but founder and co-host Greg Dalton of San Francisco-based Climate One points out that “the last time the atmospheric CO₂ amounts were as high as they are today was more than 3 million years ago.”

“It’s obvious,” Dalton says, “we need to stop emitting greenhouse gasses, but that won’t be enough to prevent adverse effects of climate disruption.” Thus the continuing work in other nature-based or technological directions.

Want to know more? Climate One podcasts, videos and programs are on the website, covering a wide variety of topics. And if you want to pitch in or learn more, the Climate Action Guide is a great way to start.

(The author exploring the Arctic Circle and its melting glaciers in 2019)

Six years ago I was lucky enough to join Dalton and other Climate One leaders for a trip to the Arctic Circle, an up close and personal look at melting glaciers and disappearing wildlife habitat. It was an eye-opening and not altogether encouraging look at what’s happening to our warming planet. 


In the last six weeks Northern California has had tornado and tsunami warnings, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake and a winter storm that caused the collapse of a section of the historic Santa Cruz wharf.


However the political winds blow, there’s work underway to slow climate change and protect Mother Nature’s interests. Any of the nonprofits cited above are open to support. 


On behalf of Planet Earth, I’m just saying . . .

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