"The rising of the women means the rising of the race."

While I try to stay away from the overtly political on this blog, the universe has been asking for an "Amen" for the last few weeks and I have been trying to comply in my way.  I renewed our day sponsorship for our local public radio station and sent a contribution to Planned Parenthood--freedom of the press and access to health care for women being two very important causes to me.  Dan has also recently finished an incredible book called Half the Sky which makes clear the fact that many women and little girls on this planet still do not have access to education and are not safe in their persons, cared for when they have children, or allowed to make choices that directly affect their lives like who they marry and when.  A PBS special based on the book is due this fall.  It is chilling.  His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that Western women can rescue the world.  Clearly, we have the power.  We are now the primary breadwinners, can elect a President, we represent the majority of college students, we have found our voices.  We must march on.

(Lyrics to the song "Bread and Roses" by Mimi Fariña)

As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,

A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,

Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,

For the people hear us singing: Bread and Roses! Bread and Roses!

As we go marching, marching, we battle too for men,

For they are women's children, and we mother them again.

Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;

Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses.

As we go marching, marching, unnumbered women dead

Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread.

Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.

Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too.

As we go marching, marching, we bring the greater days,

The rising of the women means the rising of the race.

No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,

But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and roses, bread and roses.

Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;

Hearts starve as well as bodies; bread and roses, bread and roses.

The lyrics for this song come almost directly from the poem of the same name by James Oppenheim that was inspired by the Lawrence Mill workers..

Another round on Dan's Buddhist liturgical vestment

This is a shout-out to Dan, our son who blogs at Rev. Danny Fisher, for a back-link to my post about his stole.  Check it out and you can see one of the fabulous black and white photos that Dan took at the wedding.  Jim subtitled Anna and Matty's wedding, When Worlds Collide, and here's another example of that!  Thanks for sending your readers to me, buddy.

The header of Dan's blog is a detail from my quilt called "Kundun" dedicated to his Holiness, the Great 14th Dalai Lama.  George C. Wolfe was right.  We are all truly "up in each other's stories."  Like a great scrap quilt, it makes things rich, interesting, and varied.

"Kundun" is featured on a new blog

My son, Dan, has moved his blog to Word Press with a refocus on content. In redesigning the look of his blog, he decided to use a close-up of the quilt I made for him called "Kundun." This quilt honors His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Roughly translated, "kundun" means "presence" and is a way of addressing His Holiness. I first blogged about the quilt here. Good luck with your new blog, buddy, and thanks for showcasing the quilt.

"Kundun"

Our son, Dan is a Buddhist minister. During his first visit to India, he was fortunate enough to have a brief audience with his Holiness, the Dalai Lama in Dharmsala. Several years later, when his Holiness came to Indiana, we both went to hear him speak in Indianapolis. He is a remarkable person who tried to take in all the new sights and sounds of Market Square arena while a large group of dignitaries droned on before he spoke. I had also see Martin Scorsese's film, "Kundun" with Dan when I went to visit him at Denison. The quilt is a means of joining both those experiences. Both these pictures are again courtesy of Dan. Visit his blog for more information about his Holiness.