poetry and prose

I was catching up on episodes of TVO's The Agenda via podcast and listened to one called Obama: Can He or Can't He? about Ron Suskind's new book, Confidence Men and a discussion of his portrait of the current US president.

I lost a lot of Obama-love when Osama bin Laden was killed. I do not want to go into all that here but it seemed to me so very ugly and so very Bush Doctrine that I took down my Obama Christmas tree ornament from its home on my kitchen wall. I used to look at that little ceramic plaque with its picture of Barack Obama when I was feeling kind of blah. It would make me think about all he was facing and all the hard work he had in front of him and would put my blahs into perspective and a little dance back in my step. After the "kill operation" in Pakistan, it just started to creep me out so I put it away.

I started to get a more balanced view listening to the panel discuss the challenges for this president and how his first years in this office compared with those of other presidents.

One point that was made a few times was that President Obama's harshest critics are often those who supported him. Near the end of the discussion Steve Paikin, the show's moderator, asked if the Occupy Wall Street movement was an expression of the left abandoning Obama. It is funny because I was thinking just the opposite at precisely that moment.

I was thinking that what the discussion was pointing to was the flaw in the alpha male leader model of change agency. I was thinking of the quote Adbusters used to start the Occupy Wall Street campaign.

"The antiglobalization movement was the first step on the road. Back then our model was to attack the system like a pack of wolves. There was an alpha male, a wolf who led the pack, and those who followed behind. Now the model has evolved. Today we are one big swarm of people."

— Raimundo Viejo, Pompeu Fabra University

Barcelona, Spain

I was thinking that Obama invoked the people's mic when he lead those chants of, "Yes we can!" I was thinking that we are all learning - or re-learning - that even if you get exactly the right leader into position, all leaders are limited in their role as change agent by their own learning curves, by systemic barriers to change, and by powerful opposition forces from within government and outside government. Obama's presidency points to exactly what is wrong with the lead-wolf model. I think Obama himself was careful to warn us of this and  often said that the change we wanted could never be accomplished by him alone. He kept his community-organizer hat on through much of the campaign.

I think that the Wall Street Occupiers and all those who are acting in solidarity around the world heard "Yes we can!" and said, "The we is us." They are stepping up to change the conversation and by changing the conversation and standing in solidarity, they are giving their president energy, space and strength to do his part.

The name of this post comes from the Mario Cuomo quote cited in the program, "You campaign in poetry but you govern in prose." Perhaps, what Occupy has to teach us is how to get a little more poetry -- and dance -- into governance.

ich bin ein beavertail

Beavertails are a Canadian version of one of the world's most beloved treats: fried dough covered in sugar. I don't remember beavertails being part of my Ottawa childhood diet. An internet search reveals that beavertails arrived in the Byward Market in 1980 - the year I left Ottawa. Coincidence?

I have tried the Grouse Mountain version with lemon juice and enjoyed it immensely. I also have fond memories of churros in Spain, funnel cakes on the Jersey Shore, beignets in Washington DC and donuts at my Grandma's house. I certainly understand Mr. Obama's craving. Here is how it went down yesterday afternoon -- a series of delicious events that prompted one pundit to name President Obama's visit The Beavertail Summit.

It brings to mind another beloved American president,
an international visit...



... and ... donuts.
Warning: NSFW - some swearing.

This president did not call himself a donut.
Some worried that he almost called Ottawa Iowa by mistake,
but his proclamations of love for Canada
and his hearty enjoyment of the sweets he found here
banished all recriminations.

For an American view of the BT, see the Oddly Enough Blog.

My reply:
Sure we have an excess of flags, but so does Bhutan.
And on the subject of poutine, here’s why Mr. Obama should be happy that he went to Ottawa and not Toronto: http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2008/10/ poutine_chain_set_to_unleash_gravy_curds _on_toronto/

More about Obamawa from this blog.

he's here

photos from the AP. collected from here.

have fun in canuckistan mr. obama

happy day

Obama stops Guantanamo hearings @ BBC

Prosecutors request suspension of Guantanamo trials on order from Obama @ CBC

US President Barack Obama is expected to sign an executive order to start the process of closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp within days. @ BBC

hopping glad

singing lessons

I, Too, Sing America
by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

To our neighbours and friends,
have the happiest Martin Luther King day EVER!

the illustration is by patrick moberg.

find the poem and more from langston hughes here.

the photograph of langston hughes as a boy (c. 1912) is from here.

the photograph of langston hughes on the steps in harlem in 1958 is from here.

this a a cross post from the literacies café.

decided

via www.patrickmoberg.com

deciders

happy election day american cousins!