America: Stirred, Not Shaken
Night One of the Democratic Convention Proved My Hypothesis
In July, my husband and I celebrated our twenty-second anniversary with our first cave dive. The guy who checked us in said, “cover your flash light, if you see lights in the tunnel, it’s a swim through. If you don’t, look around for the Grim Reaper signs. If you go beyond those signs, you probably won’t get back out.”
That’s what it’s been like writing “My Year in the Middle”… “Life on the Run”… “Uncontemplated”… and that is why I finally decided there is no light at the end of that tunnel. There is only MAGA Reaper signs. The torch-bearer, for me, is the legacy George McGovern handed us and I am headed the way of the light.
The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius
Last night, Monday August 19, 2024, there was a rare Super Blue Moon hanging low in the sky. In blue moons, the moon flies as close to the sun as it can and, in return, the sun amplifies the moon. But according to astrologist, Lisa Stardust, last night was more complicated than that.
The lunation is in Aquarius, a sign focused on on humanitarianism, community-driven activities, and group dynamics.
-Lisa Stardust-
In addition to the moon and Aquarius conspiring to make us better humans, last night was also the kick-off of the 2024 Democratic National Convention. There is no word on whether or not the organizers consulted the planets when creating the line-up but if Aquarius’ goal was to give rise to the humanity and community of a group of folks; Aquarius hit the mark.
Memory Lane
Now, admittedly, I have been obsessed with the threads that tie 1972 to 2024. The people, the problems, the cyclical nature of it all has been fascinating to me and I hold firm to the idea that it will be fascinating to others. Because, even though, his name was not uttered at the DNC kick-off, the fact is that if not for George, the speakers and the messages they carried may have been dramatically different.
It was George McGovern who gifted the young Reverend Jesse Jackson with his campaign mailing list. It was those names that became the base of the Rainbow Coalition. He did the same for Morris Dees who parlayed them into Southern Poverty Law Center supporters.
It was George who hired the young Hillary Rodham to spearhead Texas for McGovern and it was Hillary who got to help impeach Richard Nixon.
It was the Silent Majority turned Moral Majority (which we now call MAGA) that targeted and toppled Senator McGovern in 1980.
It was President Bill Clinton who awarded Senator George McGovern the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000.
It was President Barack Obama who after consulting with George McGovern, announced the “withdrawal of 10,000 troops in 2011 and 23,000 in 2012” from Afghanistan.
It was George who inspired a young Joe Biden to run for office. “Biden said that watching McGovern on the national stage gave him the ‘courage’ to jump into the 1972 Delaware Senate race as a 29-year-old running against a popular incumbent in what was then a solidly GOP state.”
"And what an incredibly privilege it was to serve with him."
Vice President Joe Biden
At McGovern’s memorial, Vice President Biden closed his remarks by calling McGovern a “hero,” telling the nation, that he knows of no one who “loved this country more,” than Senator George McGovern.
We’re Not Going Back
Each member of the Class of 1972 has done their part to inch us a little closer to a more perfect union for us all. Night one was a reminder of that. It was also a reminder that we are not done and, now, the outcome is wholly dependent on the cusp Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, Gen Z, and early Generation Alpha’s.
There was no swim through for George and still, despite his personal pain at being shunned by the party he helped build, he was the Democratic torch-bearer for all the days of his life.
I have given up on the idea that party leaders will ever publicly embrace the legacy of George McGovern but those of us who are hell bent on uniting, healing, and reinvigorating America for all American’s know one thing for sure -