I would like to point out that blind Americans, more than most people, have
traditionally depended on the mass media for our information. The library on
which a majority of us depend, is the National Library Service. For a majority
of people, books are entertainment. Those with extra funds, buy books from
Audible, now part of Amazon. As for the people who use Bookshare, a fraction of
blind readers, from what I have observed from the Bookshare users' list, most
read popular books and some use the list to find religious books. It would be
interesting if we could do a survey to see if there are young people who are
interested in one or another kind of socialism, as is becoming more prevalent
among some young sighted people.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Maurice Peret
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 4:01 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Much to deal with today.
Hi Roger,
Thank you for your selfless and tireless work on these publications. I cannot
truthfully answer the question as to why there is not more interest in these
titles except to acknowledge some form of disconnect with the proud fighting
legacy of our class or the success of the rulers in separating us from our own
history through a thoroughgoing indoctrination and complete whitewash resulting
in historic revisionism. One of the most profound things that came out of Jack
Barnes's speech on education under capitalism was in his recounting of his
father and so many other working people who were not illiterate because they
never learned to adequately read but because they actually unlearned how. He
asked his audience what reading or literacy had to do with most manufacturing
jobs these days when many machine parts and components are color coded and
numbered. I find it enormously frustrating that there is so much fresh and
youthful energy that is utterly wasted in radical reformist schemes to achieve
a "kinder gentler" capitalism. The reason I so respect and admire members and
leaders of the SWP is that I know of no other legitimate class-conscious voice
out there clear and courageous enough to break completely with the system that
has us walking backwards on the treadmill as represented by their twin
imperialist murder machines.
With that all being said, I do not dismiss the possibility or even potentiality
of a proletarian leadership emerging in the United States capable of taking
power from the parasitic and useless class.
Therefore, I believe that the work you are doing to make these revolutionary
writings available shall ultimately not be in vain. IN a purely selfish sense,
I am grateful to have them in the library because it was so frustrating to me
to know that these materials existed but to which I had no access. Hang in
there, Brother, these storms can't last forever and the massive giant wakes up
eventually.
In solidarity,
Maurice
On 3/30/21, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Oh, by the way, Maurice, since you have, indeed, been lurking for a
while I would have mentioned this before, but I wasn't sure that you
were still on the list. In Defense of the U.S. Working Class and
Malcolm X Talks to young People are now in the Bookshare collection
thanks to my collaboration with your comrades at Pathfinder, but two
others that I worked on are still on the Bookshare checkout list
awaiting proofreaders. Those are The Clintons' Anti Working Class
Record and Is Socialist Revolution In the U.S. Possible. No one has
even checked them out to look at. All the picture captions and
inserts made them a little difficult to prepare, but given that they
are so short they both should be rather easy proofreads. I don't know
why no one is taking them unless the titles just make them sound ponderous
despite their briefness.
___
Charles Bukowski “For those who believe in God, most of the big
questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept
the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust
to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a
command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are here to unlearn
the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are
here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at
the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take
us.” ― Charles Bukowski On 3/30/2021 2:05 PM, Maurice Peret wrote:
Greetings all but especially to my friend, Roger.
Begging your forgiveness for my silence on this list, for I am quite
immersed in work related activities much of the days and often
evenings and weekends, as well. For a period of time over the past
half year or so, I rather fancied that I could take up my prior
political banner in a more direct fashion from decades past but alas,
twas, for a variety of reasons, too much. As mournful as I am about
the loss of your mother, Roger, I am at least gratified to hear the
solidarity in the form of condolences extended to you and to which I
add my own. I can also relate to the onset of maturing years. My wife
is just a few short years away from retirement and, even though I
have a few more before I can do so, I am growing ever weary of the
rat race. I have been in some form of employ or another since the age
of twelve and perhaps in this sense, I am very French as they say in
contrast to the American ethos, work to live rather than live to work.
I'm not knocking it, please understand, there is much to be said for
being productive, earning a livelihood, and contributing to society
in that way. It is simply that the constant changes and spinning of
the wheels for what appears to be for its own sake, has less and less
meaning or relevance to me. Perhaps it is that I am growing
increasingly cynical or glib but it is hard for me to see it. The
changes of which I reference tend to bend to the socio-political
whims of neo-liberal social engineering recognizable in the form of
cancel culture among other things. I find these phenomena most
stifling and demobilizing. These are clearly trends that come, for
the past few decades since the Clinton administration, from the left
in this culture rather than the right. I see contradictory and
repulsive attitudes and behaviors of my liberal friends all the time
that mirror the very criticisms of the right. But surely I digress.
Your loss, Dear Roger, is ever heavy on my mind. My mother will turn
79 later this year and she is feeling her age, as tenacious and
cantankerous as she remains. My father passed far to young, at the
age of 62, due to self-neglect and addiction. It is simply not easy
to lose someone as close and dear as our parents.
I imagine this will present some adjustment and rearrangements in
your life. If I can in any way offer an extension of friendship or
support at this time, I hope you will not resist reaching out to me.
Incidentally, I'm sure that many on this list have at least caught
wind of the newest social media rage called Clubhouse. What's neat
about it in contrast to Facebook is that it is all audio based, often
coupled by many with Instagram. Often is the time when perusing
Facebook that I longed to hear the voices of friends or acquaintances
from lifetimes ago. Although it is getting better, people still
relate their stories through images and photos which do me no good.
Clubhouse is not video based and it is organized into rooms and clubs
wherein you can listen in on subjects of interest of your choosing.
Since I often feel like I live in a language desert, it has been
quite wonderful to listen in and speak in rooms set up for French
language dialogue. It is by invitation only, though, so you have to
rely upon the kindness of friends and contacts to send you an invite.
Well, I suppose I've more than made up for my silence by writing ad
nauseam here. If you remember nothing else from my musings, Roger,
know that my thoughts are empathetically with you during this tough
time.
With peace and regards,
Maurice
On 3/30/21, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
I wish you luck with the new computer. Don't forget about Bill White.
His
email has changed slightly because his internet service provider has
changed. His phone number is the same. Let me know if you want to
contact him and need help. Did you ask for your new computer to be
set up to look like windows 7? I did that because there's no way
that I can learn new stuff at this point in my life.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 10:11 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Much to deal with today.
When Cathy and I began our rehab business back in 1995, the future
stretched out forever. That ssimply is no longer true. And yet, we
live each day in basically the ssame manner, even though we're
"retired", and we do some frittering of Time, each day, listening to
books or taking cat naps.
Which reminds me, I just bought a new(refurbished)computer. It has
Windows Tenand the current JAWS. I gave up trying to set aside time
to learn NVDA on my lap top. Part of the problem with the lap top
is the difficulty I have in using the keyboard. But part of it is
that my "learning curve"
is
in need of being refurbished, too. Anyway, I expect to be focused
on mastering the new computer, for a couple of weeks.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/29/21, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Re: [blind-democracy] Re: Much to deal with today.
Well it does seem like an old age, but I got too thinking about that.
My mother was almost exactly 21 years older than me. I was born
five days after her twenty-first birthday. So I thought about what
was happening when she was the same age that I am now. Good grief,
that was the year 2000. It was right in the middle of the election
campaign of that year that was taking up so much of my attention.
Honestly, it seems like current events to me.
Well, it
will be just that long until I am at the age she was today when she
died and I expect it will seem to be even shorter than the last 21
years. I am reminded of a Facebook post I saw a few days ago. It
said, "it's really weird being the same age as old people." I
understand the sentiment.
Considering how much
time it seems has passed it feels like I just got through being a
teenager. I don't feel like an old person. But that twenty-one
years until I am the age of my mother I am sure will pass really
quickly for me and, frankly, I doubt that I will get that far. At
least, when she was the age I am now back in the year 2000 her
health was a lot better than mine is right now.
___
Charles Bukowski “For those who believe in God, most of the big
questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily
accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written.
We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love
need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are
here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our
educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war.
We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that
Death will tremble to take us.” ― Charles Bukowski On 3/29/2021
9:18 PM, Carl Jarvis wrote:
block quote
That's hard news, Roger. When my grandma Ludwig died my older
sister said to our mother, "Well, she was 92." "She was still my mother,"
mother said.
When my mother's time came, she died of cancer at the age of 84. At
the time it seemed like an old age...but now I will be 85 next month.
It's never the right time.
My thoughts are with you.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/29/21, Roger Loran Bailey
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
block quote
I suppose this is neither here nor there to you guys, but I am
mentioning it because it is strongly on my mind. It is on my mind
because I have spent all day dealing with the aftermath. My mother
died this morning. It was not with a lot of warning either. It was
six days after she entered the hospital and right up until last
night everyone was expecting that she would be discharged at any time.
___
--
Charles Bukowski “For those who believe in God, most of the big
questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily
accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written.
We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love
need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are
here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our
educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill
war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well
that Death will tremble to take us.” ― Charles Bukowski
block quote end
block quote end
--
Charles Bukowski “For those who believe in God, most of the big
questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily
accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written.
We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love
need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are
here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our
educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill
war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well
that Death will tremble to take us.” ― Charles Bukowski