A Tale of Two Cities

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only..."


My good and wise friend, Fred, points out to me that the current situation in Benton Harbor is like a Dickens Novel. Who would believe the cast of characters on either side of the issues (There are many). Who knows who to believe. Dickens opens his bleakest novel by saying  it is an allegory to his beloved London and this allegory has played out time and again from Cain and Abel to the Civil War and every time brothers have been divided by rivers, borders, birthrights and greed.


I leave it to others to point out the issues and you might go here to see different sides of the issues:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-420LU_Of0&feature=share


http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/04/column.html




I'm sure you can come up with the key words and Google the rest. I am also sure you can find the facts you need to bolster your own arguments, agendas and assign blame wherever you may need to. This is how arguing works... 


To me, there are two issues here: does the current EFM have the right to disband a duly elected body and did the city have the right to hand over a portion of the park for the purpose of building three holes of a private golf course. There have and will be many arguments on both sides on both issues. To me the bottom line is that both of these issues are about subverting the will of the people and the rule of law. The courts and the people will eventually rule on both but, on a deeper level, the damage is done, the die is cast and the sharp point of the knife has wedged in and not without blood.  It is a tale as old as time and not just about two cities.


To the first issue I can only add that the dark spectre of democracy simply being removed may or may not stir the people to act. 'Surely it has only happened to people who deserve it. Not to me'. 'Repression is sometimes necessary' is the underlying philosophy we hear in the rationalizations and justifications for this tragedy.  Pastor Niemoeller still weeps...


Dickens also wrote:

"Oppression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend," observed the Marquis, "will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof," looking up to it, "shuts out the sky."


One can also quote the pundits, politicians, profiteers and professional proselytizers but here are the words of a parent. The parent that deeded the park to the people of Benton Harbor. In perpetuity. The parent whose child died. In her childhood. The parent whose intent is being interpreted by others... In their greed.

"In taking an inventory of life, we all take stock of the circumstances surrounding the happiest moments. The giving of this park to the city of Benton Harbor has been to Mrs. Klock and myself, the happiest moment of our lives. The deed of this park in the courthouse of St. Joseph will live forever. Perhaps some of you do not own a foot of ground, remember then, that this is your park, it belongs to you. Perhaps some of you have no piano or phonograph, the roll of the water murmuring in calm, roaring in storm, is your music, your piano and music box. The beach is yours, the drive is yours, the dunes are yours, all yours. It is not so much a gift from my wife and myself, it’s a gift from a little child. See to it that the park is the children's.”

I am Fred

Many of you are wondering about my new picture on Facebook. Many of you know that I am A) Never so dapper and B) hardly ever look so smart. No, it isn't me. It isn't Doppleganger month and it isn't wear a Bow Tie month. What it is is this:

I want you to vote for this man.

I also want you to read this even if you don't live where I live and think this is a campaign ad.

Here is why. In recent months we have seen the effects of an increasingly extreme element reaching deep into the  political landscape. Attacks on our teachers, public servants and education itself are pouring out of the Trojan horse of the revolution that replaced hope. Constitutional principles like representative government, separation of church and state and free speech are being replaced with the viewpoints of a small but activist minority of extremists who wish to foist their own beliefs on everyone.

So who is this man and why am I telling people who live far away to vote for him?

Meet Fred Sebulske. He is a retired teacher and a brilliant actor and moving director. He is also the Founder of Actors' Theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan. You probably haven't heard of him, but in an area that has long been known for its conservatism and homogeneity, this man recognised that even here there were voices, faces and souls that needed to be heard, seen, recognized, tolerated and even embraced. In years past he and his theatre spoke eloquently to those that were in the minority and convincingly to those that were believed to be in the majority. He did so quietly, relentlessly and with great integrity and class.

The world changed. The area that he taught and directed in is much more like the world he showed and imagined. The theatre companies who used to be safe are now producing daring, controversial and relevant theatre. Even theatre in faith based colleges like Calvin, Cornerstone and Aquinas are doing diversified, meaningful productions and much credit goes to Fred. You would think his work is done.

But in this new age there is also fear. There are those who would have us go back in time. There are those who would advocate for a narrow view of humanity and community. There are those who believe a  college that is paid for by all should hold the views of a few. There are those who believe that extremism has some sort of good relationship with liberty.

You may not care about theatre. This isn't really about that. It is just a metaphor. The whole world is the stage and well... you ought to know the rest. I do because this man taught it to me. I also know that the little dramas, comedies, musicals, etc. that he and his people brought to the stage made up the powerful messages that inform my own beliefs, my voice and my need to keep it moving forward.

The political arena has become theatre in many ways and, like when he started Actors', it is time for a voice to be the voice of 'All'. The voice that believes that education, politics and our community is to be enjoyed by all equally needs to be heard. Fred is that voice. I am another Fred. So, I hope, are you.

If you vote in Kent County, please vote for Fred Sebulske. If you want to know more please visit http://www.sebulskeforall.org/ and if you want my opinion on the rest of the field I also recommend former GR and Lowell school chief Bert Bleke. Two very different men who share one thing in common: the belief that education should be for all.

If you do not vote in Kent County, please know that there are many Freds out there. There also many who represent fear, divisiveness, narrowness and would use government, education and democracy to take us back to a time that enslaves all and enriches a few. Find the Fred in your neck of the woods and vote for him or her. The situation we find our selves in is not because of the people who we believe are against us but because we who are Freds did not vote. Use your vote. Use your voice. Find your Fred.