Back in the old house on the prairie
The reason why I posted friends only for the last few updates was to avoid offending my boss and not to insult fellow interns on LJ thus not having my larynx ripped out and used as personal dental care device.
Hartford is as I left it; a festering pot of inactivity. The problem with returning from your internship is actually just that, returning from your internship.
Success:
Money raised for unemployed and homeless
Food and Medicine Program
FLSB
Wal-mart movie
DHL workers back in business
Failures:
The Downeast Horizon organizing drive hit rock bottom when the company laid off 1/3 of its temporary workers. The 5% increase in pay convinced the others not to vote for a union. As such, the organizer, Jim, decided to drop the case. EMMC fell to a similar fate. Dave - aka Lothar - drove by himself from Maine to the NLRB Regional Headquarters in Boston to deliver 100 hand signed IAM cards. A week later, the NLRB denies his RC petition and returns the cards. The 30% of the unit was not in fact the proper 30%. The EMMC hospital categorizes its CNAs and Unit Secretaries as nonprofessional staff. Organizers have to gather affiliated card signatures from 30% of the existing unit staff to petition for a vote. The CNAs and Unit Secretaries number 260 while the entire nonprofessional staff at EMMC are up to 1500. The 100 does not cut it. EMMC's organizing committee made up entirely of CNAs are not discouraged and wish to sally forth. It is an up hill battle.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters left the AFL-CIO and for some reason this hits the news. Jimmy, the other one - not Jim - , already had a stressed relationship with Jack. The GBA-CLC has been torn apart.
Here in Hartford the CLCs are weak. On the other hand, the CT Working Families Party kicks ass and takes names despite only mobilizing 1% of the workforce. My union work, after returning, has consisted of tearing apart sheds, barns, snakes, rodents, and bees' nests with an ax. Though, with all due respect, nothing compares to the maul I used in Maine. Let me tell you, snakes and rodents do not like axes and bees are not appreciative when you tear your way through a two-by-four and into their nest. Also, to my relief my tetanus vacc is up to date. Those of you who have worked on a farm should know why. I shall hope the volunteering at the CT Working Families Party is less manual labor and more organizing.
Translating is a funny thing. Nearby, there is a foster care facility which serves as a middle man for Russian children about to be adopted. The home is run by a Pratt-wife. Recently, the Pratt-wife, also an avid Evangelist, decided to adopt one Russian child in order to save her soul. According to her, the child is mentally underdeveloped. Well, I imagine her being shy and repressed has everything to do with mental retardation and nothing to do with her being beaten by her family, raised with little food, having watched her family die, and shifted from one abusive household to another. The poor 10 year old kid did not want to wear a butt ugly sweater and dress bought by her new Evangelical mommy. The mother's response was disappointment and anger at the child not stating her opinion when they were at the store. In fact, the mother is livid at the child attempting to "have its will over hers" and "wasting her money". Now, I was able to convince the child to wear the outfit and afterwards explain to the woman that the child needs time and attention. Her response creeped me out, "I do not want to get on my hands and knees for her". Well, I did not say bitch motherfucker but I did give her some constructive criticism. I am under the impression that my services will no longer be utilized.
This leads me to the deep mental thinky side of my LJ post. During an IBEW meeting at the GBACLC, one brother raised his hand and shoved some accountability whoop-ass up the ass of the local's leader. Word for word, "We've been doing a so-so if not good job of heling our own. We still need to do better, but what about those people who cannot do better for themselves. Fuck, we got money so why don't we help someone? Hey, we do not have to change the world but we have the power, knowledge, and money. [Mind you, these guys earn only 7k over the poverty level and all of them have families - wife and at the very least 2 kids. Its a trend.] At least, let us set an example." The guy started up a pretty peculiar conversation. If you can, try. If you try, try harder. If you try harder, push yourself to question everything and always ask questions. If you decide to do better, then try harder. Lead by example not by command. Well, fuck, the IBEW brother got some soul.
It's one of those questions. This child is certainly living in better accomodations and lifestyle then in Russia or in other homes. But, is that enough? Is being raised to be a good citizen enough? What is our responsibility?
Also, does an apology really fly? Lets say, you shoot a person who turns out to be a peaceful law abiding citizen and NOT a terrorist. Apologies all around.