15% voter turnout

I enjoyed participating in a panel discussion this week in Newark about voting. It was sad but unsurprising to learn that in the last local election, only 15% of Newarkers came out to vote. Why is that unsurprising to me? Because I’ve heard the people who tell me that the candidates don’t listen to them, don’t represent them, don’t care about them. I’ve heard the people who told me they are spending so much time and energy just trying to survive that they can’t deal with all the political games and propaganda out there. I’ve heard people tell me that government is not about or for them. They’re right.

There were Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Greens and Independents at this forum and many seemed to agree that the establishment and its duopoly are problematic. Time to return power to the people.

I was also so glad to meet some of the amazing Newarkers who are activists working to make a difference in their communities. They are the leaders we should be supporting and following, not the politicians. I’m looking forward to working with them more in future.

Greens support those affected by Dover fire

Sometimes a place is just a place. And sometimes you find that a place has seeped into you and become a part of you. You feel that a piece of your heart has been left there, added to all the other pieces of many other hearts, and so you have in return become a part of that place as well.

For me, this includes a variety of places, but few as meaningfully as the town of Dover, New Jersey, in my county. Whenever I have been in need of friendship or compassion or support or uplifting or something to eat, the people of Dover have delivered without even being asked, even when they didn’t know me.

And so my heart goes out to all of those who were affected by the fire that happened there on Monday. Some 80 people were displaced by this fire, but the generosity and love of the community ensured that they had places to stay (hotels, the community center, the homes of friends, family, or even strangers) and emergency provisions. But the road to recovery will be long and expensive for these people, many of whom were struggling even before this.

In Dover, the local Green Party chapter and I are working with local friends and one of the churches to provide clothing, toiletries, and other necessary items while also collecting donations of cash to help secure new homes and replace important documents and other items.  This help does not go to any of the big agencies but directly to the people affected.

We need as much help as we can get, and so I ask you to provide any amount you can, whether in money, e-gift or regular gift cards, or other kinds of donations. Please email me at theresa@markila.com to learn more, or use this email address to donate by Paypal.

Thank you, with love, for your ongoing support and generosity.

See https://patch.com/new-jersey/morristown/6-businesses-totally-destroyed-dover-fire-prosecutor?fbclid=IwAR1JsiDPWEBZ0Tvaqk_wCQfG__jZ1zFrq5PxNLFjmW2lj44ZtXtUl-y0XcI

March for Peace: End the Wars

I participated in a rally and march in Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey on September 15th in support of peace. It is so frightening to me that none of the mainstream candidates or their fans are stepping up and speaking out about the devastating effects of war and our military-industrial complex around the world.

Here is the text of my speech:

“When bombs fall from the sky and tanks plow through the land, what do people do? We run and try to find safety.

When global corporations drive down our wages, exploit our workers, pollute our water and soil, what do people do? Try to find survival and a future elsewhere.

We have always migrated, as have other species, when our homes are no longer livable. This is natural and this is our right.

In addition to the other damage done, the US military is a major contributor to climate change. Instead of doing anything to fix this, the military is preparing for the effects of climate change by shoring up their own defenses in their hundreds of bases around the world and finding ways to keep climate refugees in place in harm’s way.

The same military-industrial complex that is terrorizing and killing people and separating families around the world is also working to prevent people from fleeing for safety. Our government is not only militarizing our own borders, we are helping other countries to build walls and militarize their own borders, to keep refugees out and to bring profits to the manufacturers who are building the weapons, the ammunition, the vehicles, and the walls.

The biggest threat to this country does not come from abroad. It comes from within our own borders. From our reluctance to question what our government is doing in other countries. It comes from our blind allegiance to capitalism and the status quo. It comes from the anger and suffering of communities here that have been neglected for so long. It comes from partisan politics, where debates between candidates are more of a game of putdowns then a discussion of issues that affect us all. It comes from the xenophobia and misinformation put out continuously in the media, including social media. It comes from the increasing number and power of hurricanes and other climate-related disasters we face and the fact that this administration has diverted 100 million dollars from programs that can help us deal with these disasters, like FEMA and the Coast Guard, into ICE’s programs of detentions and deportations of people who are simply trying to find a better life for themselves and their families.

This is not the way to behave in a shared world where our differences are superficial but our needs are the same. We all need peace. We need shelter and clean water and food and security. War has never brought any of those things. War only brings more war. Cooperation and compassion can bring peace and allow us to provide for everyone so that there will be no more need for war and no need for borders to keep each other at a distance. We can achieve this. But only together, and so it’s great to see all these different movements come together and use your voices to demand real change in all the ways that we need right now. Thank you all for being here.”

The United States has neither the moral authority nor a people’s mandate to police the world. We have no business trying to influence other countries and change other cultures when we’ve failed our own so much. When we look at the poverty, hatred, xenophobia, inequality, racism, sexism, homophobia, illness, desolation, materialism, consumerism, pain and suffering and hopelessness in our own country, how can we say ours is a system worth exporting to the world?

We say that we are out there defending democracy, and we know this is a lie even as we’re selling it. But the profits are high and in this system, that’s what really matters.

No amount of profit is worth this violence to me. Is it worth it to you?

Imperialism: A Forum in Morristown

Morristown and Morris Township Library
1 Miller Road, Morristown NJ 07960
Sunday, October 14th from 2pm until 4:30pm.

Imperialism is one of the biggest issues of our times, having created much of the state of the world today, but it’s largely left out of most political conversations. It is an issue that affects all of us though, whatever our political affiliations, as it is responsible for most of our taxes, it makes us less safe in the world, it increases violence, poverty, hate, and environmental destruction/climate change, it restricts our freedoms and opportunities, and it is killing our civilization, our humanity, and our children as well.

I am organizing this public, non-partisan, community forum on behalf of the people (not the parties or their front groups) not only so that we can all learn about the history of US imperialism and how it is being used still today to oppress and destroy people, cultures,  environment, and more around the world and here at home, but also so you can share your own views, ask your questions, and be a part of this urgently-needed discussion.

We are inviting all candidates for office in our area, as well as experts on the topic or people with lived experience in the countries affected (that includes our own!), to participate in this forum. If that’s you, or if you’d like to contribute a question or share a story, please give me a shout at contact@markila.com.

Labor Day 2018

Most of the time, our culture and governments recognize and cater to the wealthy and powerful capital class. But on one day each year, we recognize and honor the workers and the contributions that the workers’ movement made to labor laws that protect all of us. On this Labor Day, let’s take a moment to reflect and remember those who fought for the rights of all workers, even at the expense of their own lives. We would have no safety protections, no minimum wages, no weekends or vacations, and no hope of escape without them.

Workers drive the economy that we have: making/providing and buying the goods and services that we all need, and paying the taxes that fund our schools, infrastructure, emergency services, and other social programs. Our contributions are worth far more to current society than the powers-that-be would have us think.

While we urgently need to get off the capitalist and consumer systems that are destroying people and planet (a transition to eco-socialism being a necessity), we can still honor the people bound to this system for their daily needs and thank them for their sacrifices while we fight for a better future for all of us.

The Democratic and Republican Parties are working hard to keep us from getting living wages, access to affordable public healthcare, appropriate public transit, and anything that benefits workers and communities over corporations. But it has never been them who won the things we value; it has always been the affected individuals ourselves. We must carry on the fight despite political parties’ responses.

We need living wages now for all workers (no carveouts for different types of workers like prisoners, agricultural workers, or youth) and full protections for those workers for safety, against discrimination, for job security, etc.

We need to recognize that the workers are the job creators, not the CEOs. And we need to find more ways to move away from top-down structures where the work is done at the bottom but the profits flow to the top. Workers have the power of numbers to stop supporting capitalism and start supporting themselves and their communities, but we also need local, state, and federal governments that will remove corporate welfare and bureaucratic roadblocks and channel their efforts into helping the workers keep the fruits of their own labor instead.

Outside of this, a Universal Basic Income would go the final distance toward providing short- and long-term security and stability for individuals and for communities. As automation takes over, there is no way we will ever have enough fulfilling and sustaining jobs for everyone.

It is time to rethink the idea of “work” itself, and the need to do work for corporations. There is enough work to be done outside of that structure to keep everyone satisfied. Art, music, poetry, community-building, parenting; all these things, and more, have value to the world that rises above mere money. We don’t actually have to while away our lives in depressing, humiliating, pointless jobs, but we can choose jobs or work that fulfill us and meet our own goals and needs. The wealthy and powerful want you to think this isn’t true so that you’ll keep doing what they want – keep giving them more profit and power and not rise up against the system.

It’s up to us to start doing something different. All we have to do is choose it.

Talk to your co-workers. Organize. Speak out. Support one another. And enjoy your well-deserved day off with your loved ones.

#itsinourhands

Change comes from the people

Whether the issue is rights for people with disabilities, people of color, people in poverty, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, or any other oppressed or marginalized group, the changes won for the people are always won by the people themselves, never the politicians. Remember to support people in their own causes and let them be the voices and decision-makers.

Nothing about us without us.

It is not about which elected representative finally says yes, but about ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for themselves, supported when they do so, and celebrated when they win.

I stand with all who are fighting for justice. Feel free to share your story of struggle, victory, or lessons learned in the comments.

Want to learn about the history of disability activism? Check out AAPD’s virtual exhibit on Google: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/VwLy4PBo_Ty9Jg

Cultural attitudes toward security

I recently traveled to Finland and Norway and the experience really made it hit home to me how paranoid, narcissistic, and xenophobic the US seems to be.

When I got off the airplane in Helsinki, Finland, I was directed through the terminal to an exit and I kept expecting to see a customs/immigration station that I’d have to go through. But instead, I ended up outside and able to go on my merry way without any kind of check besides scanning my passport when I checked into my flight on the departing side.

The same thing when I landed in Oslo, Norway, where I actually asked someone at an information booth and she smiled with pride as she told me I could just leave the airport.

I saw only one or two police cars in each country, and they were marked brightly so as to be easily seen by those in need of help (as opposed to being in hiding to try to catch people doing wrong).

These peaceful countries are so open and welcoming and treat people with dignity. It was so beautiful, and everyone I encountered offered the same sort of polite kindness to me and to the tourists I saw from all over the world. Drivers slowed down for each other and let pedestrians cross the streets safely.  Residents were quick to answer questions or provide help when asked, or to offer it even without needing to be asked. I felt comfortable and safe everywhere.

And then on my trip home, I had to go through several layers of security on both sides of the Atlantic, simply because it was a US-bound flight. And there were extra rules that the crew seemed apologetic and embarrassed to have to say: “Don’t stand by the restrooms”, “Don’t congregate in any part of the plane”.

The US government treats us all like potential criminals instead of adult human beings. This is a problem and it seems to me to be sourced in an ingrained part of US culture that I am still trying to understand but that I believe truly needs repair and healing. Our own police and security and military forces are making us less safe, less welcoming, and less human.

Learning more about my own Finnish and Scandinavian culture and heritage on this, my very first trip to my ancestral lands, was an eye-opener in many ways, and I’m bringing back a lot of lessons from this trip.

Why do you think the US is so prone to make policies based on fears and maintaining control rather than on solving root problems and making things work better for the future and the people?

Why do you think it is that these two countries with fewer security measures than we have are more at peace, more relaxed, more happy, and more safe than we are in the US?

Day of Action because Families Belong Together

It is strange for me to not be at an action today, as I usually am. I’m on a much-needed vacation weekend, but the struggle cannot take days off. The people in limbo or in detention or separated from their families and in fear due to our unjust and racist immigration system aren’t okay with waiting around for their rights and freedoms. So I am there with you all in spirit, and I am taking some time for work I can do from afar, and I encourage all of you to find an event near you and do something today to show your support and to make change.
 
 
For those who don’t know, I’m an immigrant from Canada who had to wait for DOMA to fall before I could apply to immigrate here on a marriage visa. I believe strongly in immigrant justice and in providing pathways to citizenship for anyone. And deeper, I believe in a world without borders where we can all freely live and thrive according to our own needs.
 
I believe in decolonization, in ecosocialism, in ending white supremacy and patriarchy, in abolishing the police and ICE, in universal single-payer healthcare, in quality education for all, in tearing down our current corrupt, corporate, capitalist system in favor of a world where we can all decide our fates, and where we can all be fulfilled and healthy. I believe we can achieve this, but I fear there is not enough time left.
 
That’s why I will fight with every breath and every step and every beat of my heart until the last day. For my community and for all communities, for our shared humanity and beautiful diversity, here and around the world. Incremental change and “vote for a bad candidate who is more likely to listen to you than the other bad candidates” is killing us all. We need to see the forests as well as the trees. I hope you will join our causes.

People are people

Undocumented people are not animals. They’re not “illegals”. They are individual human beings moving to find a safe place to live and raise a family and work and build community, most often because they have no choice if they want to protect themselves and their children and have opportunities to thrive and succeed. If there is no legal path for a desperate person to go through, they will flee in whatever other way they can, the same as any other parent around the world. You would do the same.

All people are created equal and have the same human rights. Religions tell us that. Morality and decency tell us that. Even our U.S. Constitution specifies all people, not all Americans. We are all family, whatever imaginary lines in the earth we happened to have been born in.

Saying that we shouldn’t call members of the undocumented population (or any human beings) “animals” is not a defense of MS13. It’s a defense of humanity.

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan Mubarak to all my Muslim friends and those around the world. May you see peace and love.

This is a time for reflection and giving and healing and sacrifice. Muslims believe that following these practices during Ramadan will lead to self-purification, self-control and bring them closer to Allah, which some may call God or love or countless other names.

Each year, I do something personally meaningful for me in solidarity with my Muslim friends and siblings and to work on my own negative patterns, biases, and behaviors, and re-connect with the people I care about and all of our greater family of humanity around the world.

This past year was both a particularly difficult one and a particularly wonderful one, on a personal level. For Ramadan this year, I am sacrificing some of my time to meditate every day, to grieve and move on from the losses that haunt me and to find ways to remove jealousy, anger, and other negative thoughts, while appreciating the generosity and love of friends, and strengthening my resolve to live and love selflessly, openly, and honestly.

Those who know me will understand how much of a challenge it will be to find 10 or 20 minutes each day to be quiet and still.

💚🌈