Finally, finally, most of my work was finished this week, and I was able to take a long-awaited trip to my favorite store in Austin to do a little holiday shopping. Now, in my family we do still exchange small, carefully chosen gifts. (Though my parents’ primary gift will be the donation of a sheep to Heifer International, inside a card with a picture of the animal saying "Baaah Humbug." Heh.) Anyways. My favorite store is really great—it’s called Tesoros Trading Company, and it’s this small business that focuses mainly on arts and crafts from the developing world. (I urge you all to walk the 4 blocks over from Netroots Nation this summer!) The owners travel around looking for unique materials and artists to feature in their store. Without going into too much boring detail, I’m pretty sure that they’re legit when it comes to paying the artists and not exploiting anyone, customers included.
Anyways. A few months back I’d commented about my Aunt, who had sent me an appallingly racist (and anti-Democratic to boot) email, to which I had replied with shock about her heretofore unknown xenophobia. Said Aunt and matching Uncle are tremendous "foodies," so usually I give them a variety of interesting things I pick up in my travels or wherever I live. This year, I decided to give them a big bag of coffee from the local store Ruta Maya, which sells organic whole beans from Mexico. I picked the coffee because it happens to be the best in the area, and it comes in these neat burlap bags. Aunt and Uncle can certainly afford to buy only fair-trade and organic products, and they’re voracious coffee drinkers. If they haven’t already, they should switch to a more sustainable product.
As I stood in the store full of handicrafts, however, I was struck by a display of painted tin ornaments in the shape of angels, all of which were also made in Mexico. My Aunt happens to particularly like the whole idea of angels, as evidenced by a few gifts she’s given me over the years. It occurred to me that perhaps the combination of such an ornament and the coffee might not be lost on her, in terms of their shared origins, and the value of the people who made them. I don’t know if she’ll get the hint or not, but at the very least it might make her think about whether or not demonizing immigrants is really worth it. Furthermore, both products were produced and sold in a manner that actually helps the craftspeople involved. If my Aunt actually wants to stem the tide of undocumented workers, she should think about how her support for sustainable micro-economies in the developing world can accomplish that much faster than exploiting people until they feel no choice but to come to this country any way they can. Maybe my gift will make her think about that, too. We’ll see.
For my best friend, I picked out a handful of frosted glass beads from Ghana, made by a family of artisans who crush colored bottles into a paste which is then molded and fired into beads. As I stood in line, I looked down at the sixteen matte glass beads, and in my mind could picture them in the palms of the hands of the family who made them, and then in the hand of my friend to whom they will be given next week. The beads aren’t cheap, and for good reason--selling those individual beads and the necklaces and bracelets that they also make has given this family an incredible livelihood relative to the rest of Ghana and Africa as a whole. They have a house. They can send their kids to school. That’s the level of success we’re talking about, here. Plus, they’re recycling, which is pretty cool.
Eventually, those beads will be made into some sort of jewelry object or barrette by my friend, who will likely pass them on to someone else. So that made me start to think about the circulation of objects, and how as something is passed from hand to hand it starts to accumulate meaning relative to its transference. The store bought those beads from the family in Ghana because they are committed to helping crafters and artists in the developing world make a sustainable living from their work. I bought those beads from the store not only because they’re unique and beautiful, but also because I want to support those artists, and the store that helps them earn a livelihood. I will pass them on to my friend with an explanation of their origin, which she will appreciate both due to the beads’ history and the fact that I support her creative hobby. She, in turn, will make them into some creation or another while thinking about their source, and then likely pass them on to another friend on a special occasion, giving them even more significance. That person will then wear them in whatever form they take, thinking about my friend who made them into a personal gift with her in mind. Each exchange represents not only the immediate layer of meaning between two people, but all of the ones that accumulated beforehand. Busy beads! You would think that they would be heavier for all of that, but somehow, they’re not.
On to the Comments!
From va dare:
I fell asleep last night before TC and, thus, read it this AM to find this late (early AM?) gem - an extremely insightful comment!, a reply to rserven from our own BeninSC.
From DemocraticLuntz:
citizenx reveals some dark truths about his relatives
From noweasels:
A diary in a comment! panicbean's brilliant deconstruction of the life and achievements of George W. Bush
My Picks:
First, a trio of comments from cskendrick’s diary, sitting atop the Rec list most of the day:
Snud on the importance of demanding accountability from the media.
vicki quotes a particularly pithy part of csk’s argument and adds her own feelings.
eugene has some harsh, but not unwarranted criticism of our candidates, our party, and this website.
Next, a great comment by Sagittarius about what makes a good candidate diary, to which Leggy Starlitz makes a good suggestion.
Finally, I decided to find a good, positive, substantive quote from a supporter of each of our three major candidates. This was not easy! I need a shower, or a flame-retardant suit. In alphabetical-by-commenter-name order –
evora on what Ethel Kennedy likes about Obama.
hopscotch1997 on Clinton’s tireless efforts to be recognized.
pioneer111 has a good clarification on how Edwards wants to deal with corporations.
See? Positive! Persuasive, even!
Thank You BeninSC for your Mojo Circulating Efforts!
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments (top 30 of each plus ties):
1 Not anymore it's not. by Bill in Portland Maine - 176
2 The Bush Legacy by TheBlaz - 116
3 NOT standing up to Bush is incredibly dangerous by cskendrick - 87
4 True, by PLS - 85
5 I'm voting for Edwards by Salo - 85
6 What if we already are by Danjuma - 84
7 And one more thing... by redhaze - 71
8 I'd Give My Musicians' Hands For You to Have That by Gooserock - 69
9 I am sure I have posted this before. by panicbean - 69
10 In any negotiation by ayawisgi - 69
11 I am older and gray.... by SallyCat - 65
12 Senator Russ Feingold by deepsouthdoug - 64
13 "We cannot replace Corporate Republicans... by NCDem Amy - 63
14 Dennis Kucinich is a good person by snackdoodle - 61
15 The reality is by redhaze - 60
16 True, but in addition, by PLS - 58
17 Agreed, Steve. by Bob Johnson - 57
18 More on Edwards' Plan by TomP - 56
19 Will you still need me, by MrSandman - 55
20 We sure have, and it's gotten Bush everything by Terra Mystica - 54
21 A diary with "Sorry, Haters" in the title by A Mad Mad World - 53
22 The data shows the truth. by TomP - 53
23 "Edwards is too tough on corporations" by FishOutofWater - 51
24 Just wanted to say by prodigal - 49
25 I agree with this. by nolalily - 49
26 The corporate community by barbwires - 47
27 Obama wants to get past culture war, identity by Inland - 47
28 No matter who our Prez nominee... by atdnext - 46
29 Thank you! by Danjuma - 46
30 Oh by turneresq - 46
31 Made my suggestion at OpenLeft where I belong... by Nestor Makhnow - 46
32 Excellent diary Tom P by wild salmon - 46
33 Edwards is absolutely right by pioneer111 - 46
Top Mojo - everything included:
1 Tips for a New Deal, Not a Bad Hand by MontanaMaven - 270
2 This ought to be interesting :) by cskendrick - 231
3 Tips, Comments, Recs, Love, Hate.... by Steve Singiser - 219
4 Tips for real change. by TomP - 209
5 Not anymore it's not. by Bill in Portland Maine - 176
6 tip jar :-) by ayawisgi - 158
7 mojo gratefully accepted by teacherken - 146
8 TIPS for Voter Enfranchisement by JustAngry - 130
9 We do the Republicans a favor by feeding by Geekesque - 124
10 just a reminder of by clammyc - 118
11 The Bush Legacy by TheBlaz - 116
12 This by Athena - 112
13 Really kind of takes your breath away by nyceve - 112
14 Tips to January 3rd and Change!!! by icebergslim - 106
15 Tip Jar by PLS - 91
16 NOT standing up to Bush is incredibly dangerous by cskendrick - 87
17 True, by PLS - 85
18 I'm voting for Edwards by Salo - 85
19 What if we already are by Danjuma - 84
20 Tips by DemDog - 82
21 errr, is that my mojo down there? Tip Jar! by PhillyGal - 75
22 And one more thing... by redhaze - 71
23 Tips for family. by funluvn1 - 70
24 In any negotiation by ayawisgi - 69
25 I'd Give My Musicians' Hands For You to Have That by Gooserock - 69
26 I am sure I have posted this before. by panicbean - 69
27 Tips by jamess - 67
28 I am older and gray.... by SallyCat - 65
29 Senator Russ Feingold by deepsouthdoug - 64
30 "We cannot replace Corporate Republicans... by NCDem Amy - 63
Send Your Nominees for Top Comments to topcomments(at)gmail(dot)com!