This moment is all we have

Howard Zinn died yesterday. He is one of the most important figures in my life, as his words and actions have helped to shape my entire world view.

He was much more than a historian or activist, as he lived his life in a way that I will always envy.

Although he has always had his enemies - people who have called him a traitor, liar, and much worse - I would hope that even those in disagreement with his views would respect a man who lived in service of others, sacrificing his own safety and time with family to try to make the world a better, more peaceful place.

I remember being younger and reading A People's History. I was in awe of the work. My entire life, I had only read history through the voices of those in power. In education, we only see a narrow viewpoint: those of the victors or those in power who have always attempted to write history to make themselves look better. Zinn wanted to give voice to the forgotten - the "regular" people who have shaped this world in much more powerful ways than any politician could ever do.

Zinn's words were what inspired me to become more active in my own education. He opened my eyes to see that regular people have more of a place in history than any politician or general. He made me feel hope for my students, and the possibilities of of them changing the world. I have gotten older and have become much more knowledgeable about history, and I have found many ways I disagree with Zinn. Yet even if I don't always side with everything he has said, I still find his conviction powerful and important.

He made me realize, for instance, that the civil rights movement wasn't created by politicians. Politicians, if left to their own, would have been perfectly happy in keeping with the racist traditions that is so embarrasing to our past. Instead, he showed that regular people stood up and fought for true justice. He showed that there was power within us all... and that only when there were people storming the streets and refusing to obey corrupt laws... only then did politicians get serious about real change.

He has given me hope for this mad, violent, disturbing world we live in.

I'm going to end this post with his last published work - written for The Nation discussing Obama's first year in office. Again - I don't always agree with everything he writes, but I respect the man for making me re-evaluate my own thoughts, and for always fighting to make this world a better place.

Howard Zinn (on Obama's first year):

I' ve been searching hard for a highlight. The only thing that comes close is some of Obama's rhetoric; I don't see any kind of a highlight in his actions and policies.

As far as disappointments, I wasn't terribly disappointed because I didn't expect that much. I expected him to be a traditional Democratic president. On foreign policy, that's hardly any different from a Republican--as nationalist, expansionist, imperial and warlike. So in that sense, there's no expectation and no disappointment. On domestic policy, traditionally Democratic presidents are more reformist, closer to the labor movement, more willing to pass legislation on behalf of ordinary people--and that's been true of Obama. But Democratic reforms have also been limited, cautious. Obama's no exception. On healthcare, for example, he starts out with a compromise, and when you start out with a compromise, you end with a compromise of a compromise, which is where we are now.

I thought that in the area of constitutional rights he would be better than he has been. That's the greatest disappointment, because Obama went to Harvard Law School and is presumably dedicated to constitutional rights. But he becomes president, and he's not making any significant step away from Bush policies. Sure, he keeps talking about closing Guantánamo, but he still treats the prisoners there as "suspected terrorists." They have not been tried and have not been found guilty. So when Obama proposes taking people out of Guantánamo and putting them into other prisons, he's not advancing the cause of constitutional rights very far. And then he's gone into court arguing for preventive detention, and he's continued the policy of sending suspects to countries where they very well may be tortured.

I think people are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president--which means, in our time, a dangerous president--unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100201/forum/6

Lately, my wife and I haven't had much time together. Life is good - but crazy. I get home from school, get some dinner, and then take over baby duty as Casey goes to sleep.

We pass each other by, with barely time for moments between us... but our love is just as wonderful as ever - perhaps more so now that we have an amazing son to be in awe of every day.

Yesterday I had a snow day from school, and Casey surprised me with cookies and milk.

Good times... and makes me think of her doing the same for our boy someday, as we all have a snow day together.

Although I didn't think it possible, I love my wife even more now that we have a child. How can my heart be big enough for all this love?

(Below is a shot of me on a snow day with my boy and a cat. Life is good.)