Friday, November 25, 2005

How secure are our rights?

Here is a quote that is timely. It is from a book about the Mexican "repatriation" (coerced emigration or unconstitutional deportation would be more accurate language) that took place in the 1930s. The book is the second edition of Decade of Betrayal: Mexican Repatriation in the 1930s and will be available sometime in 2006.

"In 1942, another minority group, the Japanese, also learned the bitter lesson that constitutional guarantees are meaningless when mob hysteria is accorded institutional or legal status." -Francisco E. Balderrama

I've long said that our constitutional rights are not worth the paper they are written on if the people who interpret our rights (the courts) and the people whose responsibility it is to protect our rights (the executive) are venal.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Volkswalking Goal Reached

A volkswalk was held last Saturday at a Civil War battlefield at Rentiesville, Oklahoma (south of Muskogee). I did the 6K walk there giving me a total of 185 volkswalks. My volkswalking goal for this year was to reach 185 walks, and I am there with a month to spare. My other walking goal was to walk 365 miles. I am now at 338 miles. That goal is within sight.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Week in Review

I worked overtime on Monday and then made a blood donation after I got off work. I was a given an 5-gallon pin for having donated that much to date. I skipped drumming that evening since I did not want to aggravate the arm from which the blood was taken.

I walked four miles on both Wednesday and Thursday, giving me eight miles for the week. I had been listening to lectures on CDs while walking. I have just finished a series by Rufus Fears titled "Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life." The course consists of 36 half-hour lectures. They are available for loan should anyone wish to borrow them.

I received page proofs this week for my next indexing job. The book is on Mexican repatriation in the 1930s.

Saturday morning the Secular Singers met at Zarrow Library to sing some Christmas music in preparation for our HumanLight celebration on December 18. A reporter for the Tulsa World came by and interviewed us (as members of the Humanist Association) for an upcoming article in the paper.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Notes to Myself

A Albeniz * Tango in D
B
C Chopin * Prelude No. 20
D
E
F
G
H
I
J Joplin * Sunflower Slow Drag
K Kabalevsky * Sonatina 1
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S Satie * Second Gnossienne
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z