Living in Wisconsin, this has been an emotional, cold, and trying spring. The excitement of our growing grass-roots (real, not astroturf) movement vs. the anger and frustration with Republican attacks on everyday working people. The thrill of marching in Madison with 100,000 of my closest friends vs. the agony of trying to counteract the billionaire-supported campaign of Prosser. Support of our President vs. disappointment over the compromises made in recent budget negotiations.
And in the midst of this, one of my two pregnant ewes died, along with the twins she was carrying. Not just any ewe. Fiona was my first lamb two years ago. She was so sweet and beautiful, and this was her first pregnancy. My hope was to build my new flock with her and her mother, Spotsy. Her death was devastating to me and, in an odd way, became a metaphor for what was happening in the larger world around me. It fed my negativity, my sadness, my despair.
But I came home from work on Friday and found Spotsy lying down calmly in the sheep shed with her new lamb. He is as beautiful and sweet as his sister was, white with black spots around his eyes, on his ears, on his back. My flock management plan had been to keep the ewe lambs and have the male lambs butchered at about 10 months. In fact, last year's 100% organic male lamb is in my freezer. But not this little guy. If you're not bored or shocked by all of this farm talk, more after the jump.
I could easily argue that there is nothing more hopeful, peaceful, and healing for the soul than a spring lamb. All of the innocence and sweetness that the world can possibly give comes wrapped up in this little woolly, helpless, unsteady, and impossibly cute little package. Spot, as I'm calling him for now, came along just when I needed something positive to focus on, something to give me a balanced perspective of life, something to go right!
In the midst of this bliss, I've been reading the ongoing "discussion" about President Obama, the budget wars, the Prosser-Kloppenburg-Waukesha debacle, etc., etc., etc. I agree that people seem to be taking out their frustration on fellow Kossacks. It reminds me of some of the blistering diaries that were published during the presidential primaries in 2008 - Hillary vs. Obama vs. Biden vs. Kucinich, especially the Hillary vs. Obama diaries. Once Obama received the nomination, though, all of that conflict turned into hope. And that hope turned into donations of time and money. And that time and money turned into a win.
So, in the face of so much to be legitimately angry about and frustrated with, how do we get ourselves moving towards hope and energy and winning again? How do we turn this around?
Realizing that the vast majority of Kossacks don't have a cute little lamb named Spot in their backyards to help heal themelves, what CAN we all do?
Answer? Do SOMETHING!!! Sure, keep writing diaries, but for every diary written, a letter, email, or phone call should go to President Obama and your representatives in Congress AND your state legislators. That's what I did this morning, and it felt great!
Did I express anger in my emails? Yes. I hate to admit this, but Paul Ryan (yes, THE Paul Ryan) is my congressman. After making my points that the elderly will have difficulty dealing with vouchers and their health care costs will go up, I said that his plan "takes from the poor and gives to the rich. Shame on you!" So there, Paul Ryan! Then I sent about the same email to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis).
Did I express my frustration? Yes. I sent a different email to Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), expressing my frustration about his silence over the past 2 months. Then I sent the Obama 2012 campaign a message (no donation) that it was the Wisconsin 14 that energized and expanded the Democratic base, and, although I would vote for President Obama, my time and money was going to the Wisconsin 14 in 2012. Unless he ended the wars, the Bush tax cuts, and the free ride for Wall Street and banks, I didn't see that changing in the future. So there, Sen. Kohl and President Obama!
Next on my list? Sending a donation to the woman who's running against one of the Republican state senators that's being recalled.
And not a single Kossack was harmed in the process of doing any of this.
I understand the anger and frustration. I too get energized by self-righteous rage. "Can't these stupid people see how these billionaires are using them?" "Where the hell has millionaire Herb Kohl been during the battle for workers rights?" "Why are the Wisconsin 14 the only Democrats with balls in this country?" "Why doesn't Obama talk directly to the American people more? What a waste of eloquence!" Yes, I have frequently screamed things of this nature at my television. And Rachel and Ed don't seem to mind.
And you know what? It doesn't make a damn difference unless I translate that rage into an action that actually accomplishes something. The problem with me, and I suspect with a lot of us, is that I get stuck in the rage stage. I let it consume me because it's much more energizing and exciting than voting or writing letters or working on someone's campaign. I knew I had to turn that around, but I didn't know how.
And then Spot came along. My rage dissipated. And I wrote emails. I'm still angry and frustrated, but I am happily angry and frustrated. I've slept better. I'm thinking more clearly: how do I turn anger into hope into winning? The answer for each of us is different. For some, it may be more difficult than for others.
But we can all start by not wanting to send fellow Kossacks to the freezer.
I think I'm going to go out and hold Spot for a little while before I let him and Spotsy out with the rest of the flock.