Tuesday, January 1, 2013

IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR

Happy New Year to all. But as we wave goodbye to 2012 I want to pay tribute to how good it was, despite the events that occurred that seemed to make so many despair that things have never been worse.

But as I've written here and elsewhere, there is always good with the bad and sometimes much more good than bad, as in the fact that the world has never been as destructive, violent and murderous as it was in World War Two. So despite the horrors of 2012, it was an enormous improvement over the mid-20th Century years. And 2012 had many many many many more people, so it's even more miraculous that it was so peaceful in comparison to what has come before.

And part of the reason for that was a president who, despite his faults, helped bring one small war in Iraq to a close as he promised. And another good thing about 2012 was that he got reelected. Despite the narrow-minded reactionary anti-science deniers of factual evidence, as in rightwing Republicans and others. The politicians who represent that sad perspective were defeated for the most part, except in Congressional districts that have been designed to contain a solid majority of those people. No matter what your criticisms of Obama, his policies were better than the other guy's and he has done a lot of good, including help an economy that was close to the worst the worst the world has ever seen collectively, i.e. The Great Depression, but he helped avoid that and it has steadily improved. No matter how bad it is or feels to any individual, including this one, the economy is better than it was four years ago, and that's a good thing.

If you want a more progressive Democratic Party, then get involved in that party and work to change it as so many did in the 1960s. If you prefer a progressive third party, then start one and do the necessary work to make it viable. In the 1960s when I was active in the Civil Rights struggle and the anti-Viet Nam war movement I helped create a third party and ran for office and spent most days and nights not just earning a couple of degrees and supporting a growing family but in churches and synagogues and Quaker meetings and even Chamber of Commerce meetings and farmers organization meetings and more speaking out for what I and my fellow leftist activists believed in and debating those who were on the other side, and all that when I wasn't taking part in demonstrations all over the country calling for progressive changes etc. etc. etc.

Those activities paid off in laws that ended bans against interracial marriage, gave equal rights in all government activities and public places and businesses to all "races" (an unscientific term, as used in the U.S.,  I was actively against but unfortunately is still with us) and led directly to the election, TWICE, of a mixed race president who made even more progressive changes. The world, our world, is still way imperfect, as it will always be. And there were terrible things that happened in 2012, for sure, some of them to people I know and love, but compared to many other years throughout history, and how bad things could be and have been for many more people, especially given the huge population growth and lack of serious engagement in some places with the challenge of global warming and resultant climate change, even still 2012 was a very good year in more ways than it was a very bad one, and for that I am grateful.

Now let's get to work on 2013.

14 comments:

JIm said...

On the fiscal cliff, who would have thought that Biden whould be the adult in the Obama administration. barack hubris obama is consistent.

Anonymous said...

our "leaders" spent the New Year with the people that they love:
themselves and their lobbyists

what was passed just kicked-the-can down the road for two more months...

and maintained the status-quo for the rich...

all of this is due to not much more than all of our STUPID wars

2013 ? will be just another "do-nothing" year..






Robert G. Zuckerman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robert G. Zuckerman said...

the above two comments are the cynical uninformed bigoted prejudiced thoughtless mud that has caused and perpetuated all the problems in our world.

Anonymous said...

well RZ...

what can anyone say... you got the answers beyond you lane opinions ?

Lally said...

You're observation is pretty accurate Robert, I would hedge on the "all the problems" but the rest is proven by the facts on the ground. It's telling that Anonymous is "anonymous" and does not address my post and its points at all. Just it all sucks so what's the point etc. Live in the real world, if you don't like it, work to make it better, don't dump your negativity on those who are doing just that. Or do dump it if you like,but I don't so will delete in most instances because the negativity is usually either expressing a lie or based on one.

JenW said...

Yes Michael, it's time to get to work on 2013. I just read this wish of optimism for the new year- "here's to putting ourselves to work and shaking free of what might divide us. nothing does after all, except as we decide it. happy new year". (Tweet from Joe Henry@JoeHenryMusic) That's my repeat until I can retweet. It's taking me a while to do the easiest things on my new IPhone but I am enoying it. So much to tweet, Instagram,google, blog & explore...

Robert G. Zuckerman said...

You're using tbe internet....hmmm wbere'd tbat come from Mr. Mouse? And all the people helping others after Sandy and all the other places and instances of goodness and kindness on this planet and tbe lightbulbs that light your hovel and the toilet that you flush...whered that all come from? And the food and water you so conveniently buy at the market that's always there for your unappreciative selfish glass half empty self? Get a serious attitude adjustment including the spine and character to identify yourself and stop taking cheap, cowardly, unsubstantiated pot shots behind the wall of anonymity....and you're calling me lame? Until you prove me wrong witb facts and cajones you've got no business calling anybody lame except the person on your mirror.

JenW said...

Robert-Why do you respond to that? It's a waste of your good energy. I will have to send you some beautiful music to wash away this nonsense & aggravation :-)

Robert G. Zuckerman said...

Jen, I've lived in Southern California for a long time and have seen how a lit cigarette butt tossed mindlessly into the brush can start a deadly wildfire and so have come to believe that all seemingly inocuous sparks must be stomped on or doused immediately. Let 2013 be a year of tolerance for many things, but zero tolerance for cowardice and ignorance.

JenW said...

Very true Robert. I understand.

Anonymous said...

read this which is pretty much about "the facts"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/01/wonkbook-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-fiscal-cliff-deal/?hpid=z2

and read the Wonkbook's article
"who foots the bill" link
especially the comments on that pie chart.
I NEVER called you guys names or cast aspersions on YOUR character.

about all that has happened is that things have been delayed for two months
AND the top 1 % got what they wanted AND
do to the rise in the pay-roll tax (back to what it was ...6.2 % the majority middle class pays again
the bigger problem is the debt ceiling.... and the debt which were NOT addressed

the REPUBS are already calling this "the biggest tax-cut in history" reelect us.

and the DEMS are saying ""see, we DID raise taxes on the top 2 %" reelect us.

the grand result ? we've pretty-much allowed our ELECTED leaders to maintain the status quo.





Lally said...

"About all that has happened is..." Hey Anonymous, the link you put in your comment (I don't know why it doesn't appear as a link you can clicl unfortunately) points out many things that have happened as a result of the bill passed. It's in your very evidence that your opening comment and the whole point of your comment is proven mostly false. That is what irks me about those, progressive or otherwise, who constantly reduce the complications of dealing with reality as black and white, this sucks because it doesn't do everything we want it to, so therefore it does nothing. That is totally untrue by the evidence cited in the link you use as some sort of backup for your contention! The rich are paying more in taxes as a result of this and the rest of us are staying at the Bush level tax cuts. That's an improvement and was a political impossibility for the past four years because of rightwing Republican resistance but is now a reality. That is a good thing. Yes, other changes, to the payroll tax etc. cause increases for many of us, but they are not being used to fund a war, they are going into social security etc. It is not black and white. Do I wish Obama and the Dems had done better? Of course. Do I think the deal is perfect. far from it. Could Obama and the Dems have gotten a better deal, maybe, but also a very strong maybe not. In which case we all would be much much much much (you get it) worse off. It's like you're told you have cancer (which I have had) and it may be fatal but then find out it isn't fatal but will change your life forever in a way you'd rather not have happen. Should my response have been "This is the worst thing that could happen!" No, the worst thing is I wouldn't be here writing this. I'm grateful it wasn't worse. I've seen worse. It's the same with this deal. Considering everything it isn't all bad and it isn't all good. It's known as a compromise. I wish it were better, but I am not going to characterize it as "no change" as you do because that would be lying.

(and as for accusing Robert and I of calling names and you not, you called Robert's opinions "lame" and in your first comment listed several lies in a row. The idea that 2012 was a "do nothing" year, a year in which the president came out in support of gay marriage, in which parts of Obamacare kicked in that make it easier for parents like me and older people with health problems like me, in which several attempts to turn back the clock on several laws were thwarted etc. etc. etc. is not "do nothing" it's "do nothing in certain areas where I want to see more action" etc.)

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.