Frivolous Fascination?

 Frivolous Fascination? I can't help noticing people's bookcases behind them when they are being interviewed on TV. Some are simply full of books, either nicely arranged or looking like they are actually used. (Of course, that doesn't exclude a book being nicely arranged AND used.) Many people, I've noticed, have a plant on a table nearby, usually a gorgeous big orchid. I have an orchid, too, in another room; it's two years old, not nice and new, but it's still blooming.

I've seen people who are being interviewed who have their own latest publication propped up in front.  One copy good, but five copies?  Some books are blurred by camera focus.  I can see clearly other bookcases; I enjoy seeing what people who are being interviewed have been studying.

I've seen books on a windowsill.  I've seen bookshelves with no books on them--only little treasures.  Now, I have little treasures on my bookshelf, too. But only little treasures and no books?

I noticed one person's books shelved color coded: all the red books, together, then the blue ones, the yellow ones, the black ones, etc.  Who designed that system?  I would never be able to find a book I needed. (I arranged my books in my faculty office by the areas of research and teaching.). One person's shelf really caught my attention: all the books had plain-clothed "dust jackets" put on them.  What secret is being kept so that we don't know what books are there? That may be understandable when some in our own Iowa legislature recently brought up the idea of doing away with tenure at the three state universities because the professors there were thought to be putting all those "liberal ideas" into students' heads.

PBS' Judy Woodruff has what I would call an "ordinary bookshelf." She is well-read and her books look used.  I kept trying to see the fat light blue one with the corner worn off.  I would say to my TV, "Please Judy, move over just an inch so I can tell what it is."  Last night I paused the TV so I could look closer. It's The History of the American People."  So, what's in your bookcase? What's in mine? Unfortunately, my largest bookcase is not behind me, but on a side wall, out of camera view, so, I'm sorry, my Zoom viewers simply won't know.

Frivolous Fascination! It's time to listen closely to the interviews: COVID-19 Budget Reconciliation Bill; diplomacy and airstrikes in Syria; threats to blow up the capitol during the President's State of the Union address; the race to vaccinate, and more. . . 

Troubling Terms in Difficult Times

 During these challenging, even dangerous, times, how we pick our metaphors matters greatly. Here are three I have heard used by news commentators, and officials lately that trouble me:

1. "We are like a third world country." This phrase has been used to describe the Texas disaster of people losing their power, water, and then having to boil water to drink, and drive to find bottled water and food. I find this term an insult to developing countries. I have been in countries where people have to boil their water every day. We have seen on television people, usually women, walking miles each day to obtain water at all.  I have been in countries where the power is on for only 3 hours a day, if that.  This is the "normal" difficult life for them.  I join in global efforts to help a community be able to dig a well that everyone in their area can use for regular, daily water.  Millions and millions of people struggle daily. This is not to diminish the suffering in Texas. (My son and family live there.) It is to remind us that such a phrase: "We are like a third world country" assumes implicitly that we as a privileged country should not have to be "like them." Rather this situation is a call to care for the earth and its resources, to work for structures and regulations that help us care for each other.  And this is a call to learn from developing nations and to participate in seeing that all people everywhere have clean water and power resources.

2. "He/she is missing in action" has been used lately to describe a leader who isn't leading.  Senator Ted Cruz leaving the country when the state of Texas which he represents is suffering is deplorable. But what other words could we use?  An MIA, a missing in action person, is one who was in the midst of a battle, risking his or her life.  "Missing in Action" often resulted in hearing later or never hearing that one's loved one was killed and the body was not found.  We indeed have had and still do have leaders who refuse to fill the office they hold.  These people were never actually suffering in the midst of the struggle at all, but could with their privilege and power simply avoid serving.  We have a call to be engaged, to help out, to lead where we can and to hold accountable those who do not lead well or do not lead at all.

3."Banana Republic." I've heard elected officials use this term. It's so derogatory on many levels. Perhaps the speaker wasn't thinking.  Or has our believing the United States is "God's chosen people" so permeated our views that we can't imagine this country having experienced an insurrection? Building and retaining a democracy is difficult everywhere. Having a dictator arise in one's midst is so dangerous and damaging.  Having militias take over or nearly take over a country is awful. Having leaders who are "in it" only for their own greed and gain and want to retain power forever cannot serve the country well.  That could not have happened here; or could it?  Rather than calling other countries in negative terms,  this is a call as citizens to be informed, be engaged, and committed to being a country with "liberty and justice for all."  And this is a call to be engaged globally to help--not judge--people in every place.  We are called to be global citizens and to think carefully about what we are saying and doing.