Daniel Berrigan: To Grieve or Celebrate His Life

Someplace in my head, I know I'm supposed to celebrate the life of Daniel Berrigan and I do. But I really grieve his loss, for me, the country and the world he tried so hard to change. Some of my grief is very selfish and some is guilt. I thought many times over the past few years about visiting Dan, to say hello, to share history and to say thank you. But I didn't. I wrote a number of times, sent cards after searching for addresses. I eventually found where Dan was residing at Fordham and had planned trips a couple of times. Dan, 94, died on the morning of April 30, 2016.

My relationship with Dan goes back to my days at the Catholic Worker in the mid 60's in NYC. A young kid working with the poor and for peace and a more mature Jesuit priest in his late 30's or early 40's trying to find his own answers. For awhile, we journeyed together. Weddings, liturgies and celebrations, shared and enjoyed with songs and hugs.

A small group gathered after Roger LaPorte's death from self immolation protesting the war in Vietnam. We celebrated a liturgy with Dan Berrigan. We broke bread and drank wine. We talked about Roger, his life, his action. Dan was part of that liturgy and for that, supposedly, he was silenced on the war and exiled to South America by the Jesuits.

Dan visited me when I ended up in prison for my own war protest. He welcomed me home and baptized my first born. We lost touch at some point but reconnected when he was in Ithaca at Cornell. He went underground during this period, giving the FBI a good run.

Dan wrote and wrote and wrote. He was a prolific writer and poet. He was a quiet and complicated man. He didn't have every answer and he'd let you know that was the case. Dan truly was a prophet. He taught priests and bishops and he pissed them off as well.

So there is a lot to celebrate about Dan Berrigan and I'm sure he'd be the first to say, "celebrate". But I can't right now. I really do grieve. Besides my guilt, we need people like Dan with us. I'm sure there are many out there but we need so many more. People who really get the theology of peace and justice. People who really understand mentoring and why it's important. I grieve  because the church doesn't know what they got wrong with Dan and Phil Berrigan and Dorothy Day and so many others.

Another fighter is gone, another rebel rouser and trouble maker. RIP Dan. You're missed.

New York State Voting Laws

We are great in New York State about pointing out other people's problems and shortcomings. Perhaps we feel entitled. Perhaps our diversity and our struggles make it easier. Perhaps we've seen so much injustice and unfairness that we believe we have a claim on truth and justice. Whatever the reason, we were given a taste of reality on Presidential Primary Election Day 2016. Actually many knew about the issues before Primary Day but the actual vote and instances of disenfranchisement brought it home much more clearly.

Yes, New York State has problems with our voting regulations and laws and the problems were out there for every one to see on April 19, 2016. Here's just a short list. No early voting, something we are outraged by when we see it in other parts of the country. No same day registration, again an outrageous thing in this day and age. To switch political parties, NYS requires a six month do ahead. A closed primary protects the interests of the major parties but not the voters. Online, electronic registration is next to non-existent. You can register online through the Dept. of Motor Vehicles but all you can do at the Board of Elections website is print off the form, fill it out by hand and mail it in. As I said, that's the short list.

Much of this is about power struggles and power brokering by current elected officials and by the two major political parties. The NYS Legislature and the Governor couldn't come to agreement on any consolidation of primary voting dates in this Presidential Election year so New Yorkers and taxpayers will have two additional primary dates this year on top of the one just held. We'll be having a Federal Office Primary as well as a State and Local Primary spread out through the summer/fall and then the general election.

In the meantime, pundits, party leaders and politicians will criticize the electorate for low turn out and a lack of involvement. Truth be known, low voter turn out is the goal for many of our leaders and representatives.

This year it was hard to hide the truth from voters. There was a lot of emotion and a lot of interest in the Presidential Primary. All of that uncovered the blemishes and sores in NYS's election law. But like others, we have short memories in NY. It will be easier to criticize our neighbors to the south and the west then to really do anything about our existing laws. Just as it has become easier for the Governor and the Legislature to put off or forget about ethics reform as a judge prepares to sentence the former Speaker of the NYS Assembly and the Majority Leader of the NYS Senate for corruption and gross misconduct.

Voters are disgusted and angry. They should be. The trick now is to do something about it.

Looking Forward To Primary Campaign In NYS

Right now I'm actually looking forward to the Presidential Primary in NYS. Not sure that will be the case after two weeks of TV ads and wall to wall coverage but we'll see. Initially all of the emphasis seems to be on New York City, recognizing it as the metropolis and media capital that it is although I'm pretty certain that will change.

With all of the serious issues that are facing us nationally, it will be interesting to see how all of them play out in New York State. NewYork Values have been raised as both a negative and a positive. Bernie, Donald and Hillary will have something to say about that I'm sure and Ted Cruz will have some explaining to do. The reality is that NYS has it all when it comes to issues. There are Finger Lakes Wines vs Trump Wines. Documented workers and undocumented workers who provide a labor force for many of the agricultural operations in NYS is sure to be an issue. Manufacturing continues as a dream for many upstate communities. Perhaps Donald Trump will identify where his factory for tie manufacturing will be sited during the primary here, as he brings back jobs from China. The new NYS law increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, below Westchester County over the next few years and above Westchester County over a greater time period  (so really not an increase to $15/hr) will be referenced as either manna from heaven or a scourge. It's most likely neither.

If and when the candidates and the entourage of campaign staffers as well as national media travel upstate they will be faced with a number of challenges. First and foremost, pronouncing the names of the counties and cities, towns and villages that they find themselves visiting or traveling through. Places like Canandaigua, Skaneateles, Canajoharie, Cattaraugus, and Onondaga. Perhaps they're already studying to see if they can name all 11 of the Finger Lakes (or is it 10 or 12?). They will also have to learn how to navigate around all of the 'Repeal The Safe Act' signs and worse yet, try to figure out how to defend it or rail against it.

The easy way out is to just stay in New York City and its Boroughs or to follow the NYS Thruway Trail and stop in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. But where's the fun in that and more to the point, how does that get them close to all of those real people who make up the collage of New York State - the poor, the wealthy, the farmers, the immigrants, transplants, entrepreneurs, hunters, etc.

The biggest challenge is probably for Ted Cruz. I'm not sure New Yorkers will understand why he smirks or laughs at himself after each sentence even though we tend to smirk and laugh after each of his sentences. I think John Kasich will be welcomed as a neighbor and respected for his working class background or as he says, the little engine that could. New Yorkers tend to like the little guy or the underdog. And then there's Donald.  Of course as New Yorkers we take less offense to Donald Trump calling us and everyone else stupid and dumb and incompetent. We just yell it back at him. His rallies should be interesting. Of course Bernie and Hillary tear us apart. Our brains and hearts explode in conflict as we listen to each of them - a woman and an old socialist. Conflicts, conflicts everywhere.

Two weeks may be too long. We'll see.

A Discussion On The 2016 Election at Keuka College

2016 Election - What Does The Future Hold?

Obviously this year's presidential and congressional elections will be important. People care about this election as they should and a number of opportunities are presenting themselves for people to talk about and think about the choices that we have.

I've been involved for the past few years with people in the Schuyler and Yates county communities who are part of an entity called the Civic Diversity and Dialogue Group. A small core group of people meet every other week to identify topics that are important for community discussion. The topics range from community policing to educational type forums on health care, education, poverty, etc. The whole idea is for people to hear and participate in civil conversations that focus on diversity and social justice. Communities many times find themselves polarized by issues and sometimes there just aren't venues available for people to sit back and discuss things in an informal way. Our group has tried to fill that gap and provide the opportunity for conversations

On April 13, 2016 the group is sponsoring a presentation and discussion at Keuka College near Penn Yan, NY relative to the 2016 Election & Political Forecasts just days before New York's April 19 primary. The election is shaping up to be one of the most contentious, and potentially the most momentous in US history.

How will the election turn out? How will the result affect the United States, the world and you? Everyone is welcome to come and join what promises to be a lively discussion at this presentation.

Political scientist Ray Copson will start things off by presenting his 18 month and 5 year forecasts for the United States. Copson holds a Ph.D. in political science/International relations from Johns Hopkins University. He worked as an analyst in Washington for many years and has taught at colleges and universities in the United States and Africa. 

Copson's political forecasts and various scenarios will be presented and discussed. Keuka College students, faculty and members of the community will participate in the discussion that follows. If you have concerns about the election or are just interested in what the future holds, this is your chance to participate and express your views and hear from others.

As I said, the event will be held on April 13, from 4-6pm in Jephson Hall, Room 104 at Keuka College. The event is organized by the Civic Diversity and Dialogue Group and is hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Keuka College.

Here is a link to Copson's political forecasts as they currently stand. Take a look:

US Political Forecast