Indifference in the woods
I just spent a lovely four days with my wife at our small cabin in the mountains of central Oregon. We built this place almost 40 years ago now and have been working on it all that time. Two years ago we finally finished it, as much an any house is ever finished. We were forced to finish it because the windows had lost their seals and needed to be replaced so we did all the final things we had been wanting to do for a long time.
Without the internet we were pretty much separated from the news until we bought a Saturday New York Times, along with the groceries. Obama had given a speech attacking Trump. Trump replied that the speech put him to sleep. Big words do that to children. But I read Obama's speech and when I got to
Lawrence Wright, in his book God Save Texas, says that polling shows that Texas is blue state where people don't vote. Indifference is the difference between Red and Blue in Texas.
This year, more than any year is my life as an adult, I feel it is important to speak up for what you believe. Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, this year we need to vote because otherwise we are giving up and handing this country to authoritarian leaders. We must hand power to people who represent our views. We must not be indifferent. We must not be cynical. We must not sit home and rest. In a normal election, one in which the choices were similar, one might accept a little laziness. But today, laziness is criminal. WE must all VOTE.
So, just when we finally got our cabin exactly like we wanted it, I look up and think what if that tree falls on it? What if we get an infestation of carpenter ants? What if a forest fire burns it down, even though we have cleared all the bitter brush and ground fuel?
My little cabin requires constant work or nature will take it over in no time. We are never done. When I repair the screen door I reject cynicism. When I pull knapweed and bitter brush I reject indifference. My cabin is my country.
Without the internet we were pretty much separated from the news until we bought a Saturday New York Times, along with the groceries. Obama had given a speech attacking Trump. Trump replied that the speech put him to sleep. Big words do that to children. But I read Obama's speech and when I got to
"The biggest threat to our democracy is cynicism - a cynicism that's led too many people to turn away from politics and stay home on Election Day,"I started to feel guilty. Here I was sitting in the woods, enjoying my retirement with my wife, while our country heads toward fascism, led by a child. When life is good it is easy to be indifferent. When life is not so good it is easy to be cynical, to say to yourself that nothing will make a difference, that all politicians are the same, so why vote.
Lawrence Wright, in his book God Save Texas, says that polling shows that Texas is blue state where people don't vote. Indifference is the difference between Red and Blue in Texas.
This year, more than any year is my life as an adult, I feel it is important to speak up for what you believe. Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, this year we need to vote because otherwise we are giving up and handing this country to authoritarian leaders. We must hand power to people who represent our views. We must not be indifferent. We must not be cynical. We must not sit home and rest. In a normal election, one in which the choices were similar, one might accept a little laziness. But today, laziness is criminal. WE must all VOTE.
So, just when we finally got our cabin exactly like we wanted it, I look up and think what if that tree falls on it? What if we get an infestation of carpenter ants? What if a forest fire burns it down, even though we have cleared all the bitter brush and ground fuel?
My little cabin requires constant work or nature will take it over in no time. We are never done. When I repair the screen door I reject cynicism. When I pull knapweed and bitter brush I reject indifference. My cabin is my country.
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