Go Ahead, Refudiate … Overly Olbermanize – But Watch Out for Momma

The 19th voice in the EX:Change was Lena Baucum.  I’ve found myself quoting her often in these entries.  Maybe it’s by chance, but more likely for reasons of her attentiveness.  Many of the themes of the 100 voices were given first mention in Lena’s words that early February day in 2009. Just now I ran across commentary entitled The Willie Hortonization of Barack Obama. Ari Rabin-Havt’s blog responds to the effect of… Read More

Working Change

“We have an amazing work ethic in this country. We’re not all working in the same direction, and that’s normal to some point.  You’re not supposed to always be working in harmony, but I hope the work ethic and the sense of shared humanity in that continue.” Lena This morning in the New York Times, Paul Krugman, an esteemed if controversial economist, forecast again the third Great Depression for the U.S. economy… Read More

Change: Who Cares?

So here we are, lots of us feeling somehow betrayed with many of the most vocal folks on both ends of the conservative/progressive spectrum heavy into tape loops of public diatribe.  The change just isn’t right.   It falls short.  It isn’t giving the same feel we signed on for during the campaigns. The pressing issue here in the middle of the EX:Change project is finding the right words to answer a question… Read More

Listening Across Difference — We’re all in this together, Pt.2

“We’re not as divided as the media tell us we are.” “Good luck.  We need this — to know what Americans are really thinking.”  baristas at the Starbucks in York, NE Only two days into the EX:Change road trip the Mini Cooper’s front end came between me and the sturdy steel pole of a highway sign.  At the time, I was blissfully if distractedly motoring south on U.S. Route 97, the stretch… Read More

The Hundredth Day. Activism: Conservative, Liberal or Effective

April 30, 2009 was the 100th day of the EX:Change.  It was the 101st day of the Obama Administration.  By then, the word change was a bit less consistently electric as a rallying cry.  The desire for unity, confidence and possibility had not vaporized but the everydayness of life had damped down the enthusiasm.  As the months stacked themselves into a year the word continued to echo inspiration but it also fell into… Read More

Spirit & Faith

“We change up above, on our surfaces, but there’s that underlying constant that travels through all the changes. It’s something I don’t really have the words for.  The only concrete thing I have, which isn’t concrete at all, is that deep soul feeling.” Lauren Kraakevik It’s an overcast but warm spring day in Portland, OR.  I’m back down the street in the corner Starbuck’s where the staff have been so consistent in cheering… Read More

What’s in a Name?

“Know what that word, change, means.  Know what this time means. Our getting together this morning to talk, what does it mean?  Do you know what we are doing?  What is in the journey?  Where are we going?” Dr. Dapo Sobomehin This morning I had my annual dental appointment.  You know, the one involving really sharp pointed hooks for scraping and poking, and the tiny rotary buffer dipped with clayish and vaguely peppermint tasting… Read More