March 25, 2019
The story of Lyyn rolledn on for seven years while I lived there. It took its ups and turns, people felt scacres. It was a political struggle and an intensely personal struggle.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Jan. 3, 2018
I must apoor something I wrote last night, that some people here "sit against the wall" awaing meals. It's true, some do. But it's not bcause of the impression I gave: that there's nothing left in their heads. Some of them are placed against the wall so they can be observed by nurses and aides. Anyway, despite the feeling I had this morning that I didn't want to be a Resident, I know it's a feeling of depresion setling. I've been thinking and talking about my Mother's death nine years ago.
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As often is the case, good stuff on my in-box cheers me up and gives me the feeling that people have been fighting the good fight, in this case, Angela Davis; and a great article, "Across America, Racist and Sexist Monuments Give Wave To a New Future."
I must apoor something I wrote last night, that some people here "sit against the wall" awaing meals. It's true, some do. But it's not bcause of the impression I gave: that there's nothing left in their heads. Some of them are placed against the wall so they can be observed by nurses and aides. Anyway, despite the feeling I had this morning that I didn't want to be a Resident, I know it's a feeling of depresion setling. I've been thinking and talking about my Mother's death nine years ago.
*******************
As often is the case, good stuff on my in-box cheers me up and gives me the feeling that people have been fighting the good fight, in this case, Angela Davis; and a great article, "Across America, Racist and Sexist Monuments Give Wave To a New Future."
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Jan. 2, 2018
Despite feeling good about the New Year, I fealt the same doldroms of being a resident in this place. I always feel a lack of independendence. My previos Admistrador asked me, "Do you want to be a shell of a person." That struck a chord in me, and it's resonaded ever since, because so many people here sit dutifuly againt the wall, waiting for their next meal.
I as so fortunate to find in my in-box, an article by Antionio Gramscri about how he felt about New Years. It was so invigorating to see how his perspective was exactacly unique.
Despite feeling good about the New Year, I fealt the same doldroms of being a resident in this place. I always feel a lack of independendence. My previos Admistrador asked me, "Do you want to be a shell of a person." That struck a chord in me, and it's resonaded ever since, because so many people here sit dutifuly againt the wall, waiting for their next meal.
I as so fortunate to find in my in-box, an article by Antionio Gramscri about how he felt about New Years. It was so invigorating to see how his perspective was exactacly unique.
Jan. 2, 2018
Welcome to the new year! Let's hope it's better than the last. Already, were in a serious disaster. The government is it's 12/th day of shut down; Trump's holding out for Bilions for a bordor wall that can't ever be built. Congress is scamling to end she shut down, but it looks like it's really a varitey show between candidates for President in 2020. (Witness Mitned Romny's scating attach on Trump in an op-ed in the New York Times.!
Welcome to the new year! Let's hope it's better than the last. Already, were in a serious disaster. The government is it's 12/th day of shut down; Trump's holding out for Bilions for a bordor wall that can't ever be built. Congress is scamling to end she shut down, but it looks like it's really a varitey show between candidates for President in 2020. (Witness Mitned Romny's scating attach on Trump in an op-ed in the New York Times.!
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Dec. 13, 2018
Mayor Caggianiano died shorty after he was elected. When I look back, I see this man, an elder statesman, carrying out his purpose. The elderly people of Lynn loved him and wanted him to "lead the city into the promised Land" as I see it. They had been very active for years, running a free lunch program out a local church. Rallying around the campaign to get him elected, I sat at Council meeting along with hundreds of seniors, and, as I wrote before, we all saw him speak "to"the Council as a man of the people. (Now I have to close this piece because it's time for lunch.)
,
Mayor Caggianiano died shorty after he was elected. When I look back, I see this man, an elder statesman, carrying out his purpose. The elderly people of Lynn loved him and wanted him to "lead the city into the promised Land" as I see it. They had been very active for years, running a free lunch program out a local church. Rallying around the campaign to get him elected, I sat at Council meeting along with hundreds of seniors, and, as I wrote before, we all saw him speak "to"the Council as a man of the people. (Now I have to close this piece because it's time for lunch.)
,
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Dec. 12, 2018
Two good things have happened: my lovely nurse Dolores showed me how to use spell check. One of men out there is not old and demented, and unlike the other younger people I've known he's open minded and he follows politics. A few weeks ago he told me his mother, who is old and demented, worked on the Campaign of George W. Bush. So my wish came true. Some had a short talk with me about my favorite subject, after I came here and was told right away that "We don't talk politics."
Two good things have happened: my lovely nurse Dolores showed me how to use spell check. One of men out there is not old and demented, and unlike the other younger people I've known he's open minded and he follows politics. A few weeks ago he told me his mother, who is old and demented, worked on the Campaign of George W. Bush. So my wish came true. Some had a short talk with me about my favorite subject, after I came here and was told right away that "We don't talk politics."
Dec. 12, 2018
(I'm writing this in real time. Exiting things are going on around me. Michel Coen has been sentenced to 3 years in jail. I'm so happy Happy I've been going around singing "hey hey, wad Dada. say, the bad gays to jail." But I can only sing wit in my side of the room. If I went out and sang, a little too loud, a Nurse might come and say I'm being distributive, and I'll be shoved back into my room mumbling "This is not a prison, I have rights, I won't stay in my seclusion room." I often feel this is a "fancy prison." Noone here is allowed to disturbed people. It's a Nursing home, and everyone is ill, including me. Another thing happening is workmen out there putting in a new floor. All of them are black. When I helped one of them in the elevator, he said "thank you brother." It reminded me of my life in Lynn, so many years ago. Now, I go to dinner, anxious to tell people everything I feel good about today, but the're demented or apathetic, or just too rapped up in their own concerns to listen to me.
(I'm writing this in real time. Exiting things are going on around me. Michel Coen has been sentenced to 3 years in jail. I'm so happy Happy I've been going around singing "hey hey, wad Dada. say, the bad gays to jail." But I can only sing wit in my side of the room. If I went out and sang, a little too loud, a Nurse might come and say I'm being distributive, and I'll be shoved back into my room mumbling "This is not a prison, I have rights, I won't stay in my seclusion room." I often feel this is a "fancy prison." Noone here is allowed to disturbed people. It's a Nursing home, and everyone is ill, including me. Another thing happening is workmen out there putting in a new floor. All of them are black. When I helped one of them in the elevator, he said "thank you brother." It reminded me of my life in Lynn, so many years ago. Now, I go to dinner, anxious to tell people everything I feel good about today, but the're demented or apathetic, or just too rapped up in their own concerns to listen to me.
Dec. 12, 2018
LEO had a hieracrchy, like all anti-porverty programs around the country. Each program is unique, of course, depending on the nature of the community. Anti-Povertery Programs in large citys are very huge, buereacatic, and hieracract in charactar, as well as very rigid. Lynn was a small city. LEO allowed citizsenes to act freely within it's stucture. Each week, the Food Coop went down to the Chelsea Market, picket up crates and boxes of fruites and vegetables and brings them back to the huge huge room in LEO bldg.
LEO had a hieracrchy, like all anti-porverty programs around the country. Each program is unique, of course, depending on the nature of the community. Anti-Povertery Programs in large citys are very huge, buereacatic, and hieracract in charactar, as well as very rigid. Lynn was a small city. LEO allowed citizsenes to act freely within it's stucture. Each week, the Food Coop went down to the Chelsea Market, picket up crates and boxes of fruites and vegetables and brings them back to the huge huge room in LEO bldg.
Dec. 12,, 2018
Lynn was a City of many ethnic and racial groups: Itanian, English, Greek, Mexician, and more. All of them had "halls" where they met for social and polital engagent. People in Lynn enjoyed heated discusscuions. I myself loved to go hear sister Edideth Beauchamp talk about the resarch she had been doing into the "power struchtetr" of Lynn - the interconeiton between GE, the large landords, and public officials like members of the LHA.
Lynn was a City of many ethnic and racial groups: Itanian, English, Greek, Mexician, and more. All of them had "halls" where they met for social and polital engagent. People in Lynn enjoyed heated discusscuions. I myself loved to go hear sister Edideth Beauchamp talk about the resarch she had been doing into the "power struchtetr" of Lynn - the interconeiton between GE, the large landords, and public officials like members of the LHA.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Dec. 11, 2018
Looking back, after 17 years, it's hard to remember just how the LYNN TENANTS ACTION COMMITTEE was formed just after I got to Lynn. Someting miraculas the very week I arrived. A City County Council meeting was held, and Rent Control was on the agenda. Shortly before, an elction for Mayor was held and by surprise a man named Cannegiano, a furnaral direrector who had lost ten times was elected by an overweming majorinity. At the meeting, he addressed the Council from the floor. Rent Control won by a majority! In our next isse, the headline was, "People's Mayor on the Job."
Looking back, after 17 years, it's hard to remember just how the LYNN TENANTS ACTION COMMITTEE was formed just after I got to Lynn. Someting miraculas the very week I arrived. A City County Council meeting was held, and Rent Control was on the agenda. Shortly before, an elction for Mayor was held and by surprise a man named Cannegiano, a furnaral direrector who had lost ten times was elected by an overweming majorinity. At the meeting, he addressed the Council from the floor. Rent Control won by a majority! In our next isse, the headline was, "People's Mayor on the Job."
Dec. 11. 2018
Those of us in CAG being Left Wing, wanted to support the most militant tendencies among poor people we had come to know. When I first got got there, I found people from Memorial Park, an old Federeralay Sububsidized Housing Prouject where conditions are abibismal, sitting in the street to protest lack of curb cuts. All these parents are poor, all are members of the FOOD COOP.
Those of us in CAG being Left Wing, wanted to support the most militant tendencies among poor people we had come to know. When I first got got there, I found people from Memorial Park, an old Federeralay Sububsidized Housing Prouject where conditions are abibismal, sitting in the street to protest lack of curb cuts. All these parents are poor, all are members of the FOOD COOP.
Dec. 11, 2018
The CAG wanted Rent Control for seeral important reaons: a campaign for Rent Contronl could solidify the community. There were several majar forces operating for change. One was Citizens For a Beter Lynn, a group of peogressive/conservitive homeowers. They had beaten back Urban Renewal by a 2-1 vote.
The CAG wanted Rent Control for seeral important reaons: a campaign for Rent Contronl could solidify the community. There were several majar forces operating for change. One was Citizens For a Beter Lynn, a group of peogressive/conservitive homeowers. They had beaten back Urban Renewal by a 2-1 vote.
Dec. 11, 2018
One of the "jobs I was given was to work with Mobilizition of Resources a Component of LEO. I was also elected to the huge Board of Dirertors, defeating my oponent in the neighborborb election by six votes, because I went door to door introducing myself and descrybimg my "platform," if elected.
One of the "jobs I was given was to work with Mobilizition of Resources a Component of LEO. I was also elected to the huge Board of Dirertors, defeating my oponent in the neighborborb election by six votes, because I went door to door introducing myself and descrybimg my "platform," if elected.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Dec. 10, 2018
My first few weeks in the City were a kind of orientatation to programs I'd be working with: the Lyyn Food Coop - where I went to a picnic in the beutiful Lynn Woods and met 50 or more happy people; I was aslo taken to the plant gates to meet 4 Union Stewards leafletting about racicm in the plant. An incredadle story which I will go into later.
My first few weeks in the City were a kind of orientatation to programs I'd be working with: the Lyyn Food Coop - where I went to a picnic in the beutiful Lynn Woods and met 50 or more happy people; I was aslo taken to the plant gates to meet 4 Union Stewards leafletting about racicm in the plant. An incredadle story which I will go into later.
Dec. 10, 2018
The leader of the CAG, Joel, was a Communist commited to working to bringing about Change at the local level - basicaly, in the long run, creating a "Commune,"like the Paris Commune, in which poor people play Leadershirp roles in the Anti-Poverty Program (LEO) - local office of the federal Office of Economic Opportunity.
The leader of the CAG, Joel, was a Communist commited to working to bringing about Change at the local level - basicaly, in the long run, creating a "Commune,"like the Paris Commune, in which poor people play Leadershirp roles in the Anti-Poverty Program (LEO) - local office of the federal Office of Economic Opportunity.
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