Year-End Giving Made Easy

The World is Full of Problems.
GlobalGiving is Full of Solutions.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

New Ts for BOLD Nebraska {dot} ORG

It was a big year for progress. Despite all the madness, 2010 looks pretty good for big steps forward. I’d say Hopey Changey is working out for this guy. If you’re on Facebook and want to chime in, we’re listening: What’s your BOLD Statement on BOLD Actions?

For more on progressive politics in this oh-so-conservative state of NE, do visit BOLD Nebraska {dot} ORG.

arcade fire – the suburbs
yeasayer – odd blood
wolf parade – expo 86
midlake – (random songs)
rancid – and out come the wolves (my own personal 2010 revival)
sole and the skyrider band – plastique (released in 2009 but i didn’t get it until 2010)
live at kexp volume 6
CocoRosie (new band discovery)
Pela (new band discovery)
NAS + K’NAAN + Damian Marley (courtesy of Bil Johnson)

I just downloaded Live At Ancienne Belgique from Yeasayer

Celebrate the close of 2010 with some live Yeasayer.

19x25" Screenprint on 140lb CVR French Paper; Smart White

Hello and Welcome!

It’s the final weeks of 2010. Holiday time is upon us. Good tidings. Great cheer. Et cetera and so on. And I for one am looking forward to a little down time. A nice bit of “slow down” if you will. Perhaps some reflection, a little visioning for the coming year and for certain some booze. Maybe even lots of booze. This is America after all. Amidst all the food, family and shopping, being driven to drink is certainly a national pastime.

Reflecting on America in 2010, there are a couple of other certainties that will be with us as 2011 is ushered in. The war isn’t over, even if we want it. The economy not recovered. And the environment is still being left to the polluters.

The education system is abysmal for most. Health care now even more corporatized. Big money floods like never before into our elections. More tax cuts for the rich, less jobs for the rest. Glenn Beck is still talking insanity. Sarah Palin’s out there doing whatever the hell you call that thing Sarah Palin does. And John Boehner is set to be the new Speaker of the House. While President Barack Obama, from this lefty’s perspective, is leaving a lot to be desired.

The least we can do, instead of building that damn wall, demonizing the Islamic cultural center in New York or keeping our gay and lesbian service members in the shadows of the military, is all be a little more welcoming. It should be handshake first (or hug, whichever you prefer), suspicion second. It’s the core of that American Dream Representative Boehner is so fond of.

It wasn’t always “innocent until proven guilty”. And it doesn’t have to be “this is America, learn to speak English, these colors don’t run, USA-USA-USA” or whatever else we chant to assert our “dominance.”

Instead, we can be a little less of a jerk.

For the record, we need not worry about taking our country back from anyone. There’s plenty of America to go around, we just need to learn to share it a little better. Sometimes it can seem impossible, what with all the wealth up at the top. But we can change that. And fix the environment. And end those wars. And make education available to all. Same with health care. It will take time. And a lot of effort. Along the way, I think it would be best if, instead of that wall and whatever demonizing of the other we’ve got going on this week, let’s put the friendlier side our nature out front first. And save all the energy we’ve been putting into that damn wall for some new schools instead.

So let’s keep being the place where anybody, anywhere can come and make a go of it. That’s certainly something to be proud of.

Now say it with a smile:

THIS IS AMERICA. HELLO! AND WELCOME.

You can purchase a print of This Is America Hello! and Welcome for $20 HERE. It’s my End-O-2010 poster being sold so I can keep doing random projects like this. Thank you for your support.

– Justin Kemerling, Designer. justinkemerling.com

SHIPPED IN A STURDY TUBE

I watched the live stream of the Rally to Restore Sanity on Saturday. Pretty funny. The Roots were awesome. The large Colbert puppet a nice touch. Plenty of laughs and lots of not taking ourselves too seriously. That right there is a good takeaway from the whole thing. To stop taking ourselves so damn seriously. But the closing speech by Jon Stewart was highly appropriate on many levels and a great way to close out the day. These are “hard times” not “end times” indeed. Some highlights:

• The country’s 24-hour, political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems, bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen. Or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the dangerous, unexpected flaming ants epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.
• We hear every damned day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate, and how it’s a shame that we can’t work together to get things done. The truth is, we do! We work together to get things done every damned day! The only place we don’t is here (in Washington) or on cable TV!
• Most Americans don’t live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do! But they do it. Impossible things, every day, that are only made possible through the little, reasonable compromises we all make.
• Because we know, instinctively, as a people, that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light, we have to work together. And the truth is there will always be darkness, and sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the promised land. Sometimes, it’s just New Jersey.

In 01 Day : 02 Hours : 01 Minutes : 08 Seconds at the time of this post, the Rally to Restore Sanity will begin. Should be a good time. It’s 2010. We’re in America. An election is coming up fast and furious. All sorts of people are saying all sorts of crazy stuff. And there is just so damn much to laugh at. The absurd nature of things at this very moment can of course lead to something better. So let’s just keep our heads. Happy Friday.

Fabric Of America By Adam Elliott

In less than a week, on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010, the American Voter will decide the future of the republic as it moves forward in 2011. Or backwards. And goodness, have you talked to the “American Voter” lately? It’s a bit worrying. A couple years ago, I remember a lot of discussion about that American Voter being patient. And willing to make sacrifices as the Obama Administration made some very tough decisions about fixing the economy, health care, Afghanistan, the auto industry, credit cards, etc. To the American Voter, I say Ha! Voting Republican this year is like eating a Big Mac. It may taste good at first, but it’s so bad for your health, the environment, gives you a headache in 1-2 hours and shouldn’t you be buying local?

Now, voting Democrat, you may be pissed at them, but really, they are the only chance of using that powerful tool known as the federal government to do really important shit. Like investing in solar, building a light rail system (remember, the FG built the Interstate system), stimulating the economy (yes, the stimulus was a good thing) and doing all the other things only the federal government can do in order to fix our big problems with health care, energy, environment, education and so on to eternity.

So, if you’re so concerned about our deficit, about leaving our children with piles of debt, well let’s get to making some sacrifices. No more wars, tax cuts, oil subsidies, social security and Medicare.

If you’re more concerned with leaving our children with an uninhabitable planet because our carbon emissions officially ruined all chances to grow healthy food and breath clean air, well we still need that ole federal government. Because the states are a bunch of whiney crybabies.

If you’re tired of politics and would prefer to stay at home on November 2nd, really, some people are going to do that?

And if you’re a designer and want to make a poster about all the batshit craziness that is American Politics, please submit to PowertothePoster.org.

Thank you.

The Great Oil Leak of 2010 Poster Project: We’re graphic designers, illustrators, web designers and artists from all around the world who’ve come together to do what they can to provide support to the Gulf Coast Fishermen. A nice little poster project from John Gibby and Jeff Lush. In partnership with Gulf Aid of Acadiana to use art to bring aid to the local fisherman affected by this disaster.

Some very nice posters here:

Rowboat - by Erin Olcsvary

Stuck - by Alyssa Rose

Save the Gulf - by David Vogin

Addicted - by Jude Landry

Get your yard sign.

A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

Here’s one for you: a designer, a programmer, a community organizer, a communications task force and a group of committed peace and justice types ranging from well-seasoned academics to bright-eyed progressives get together to advocate for a better world. It’s a collaboration of the first order with high-minded goals concerning matters of crucial importance.

The focus is how to make a peace and justice organization more effective at making peace and justice happen. In the back of a local coffee shop, huddled over the local paper with some veggie sandwiches and fair trade coffee, the plotting and scheming goes strong once a week for many months. Usually in good spirits, with lively discussion and debates about how a little non-profit organization moves forward, what has come out of the effort has been something quite remarkable. We certainly accomplished a streamlining our communications efforts, developing a new website, creating several media campaigns to stoke the political fires and training key staff members on technology that can be used to keep things current. But there’s also been a rejuvenation of the collective spirit. I saw what I thought was glowing from several people at one of the last meetings. It could be because we’ve finally seen the sun out here in the Midwest, but I like to think it’s been this whole “working together” thing that’s the root cause of the newly intense hues.

A bumper sticker for every bumper in Nebraska

Hang out in Lincoln long enough, especially downtown, and you’ll come across several deep blue bumper stickers reading “Nebraskans for Peace.” It’s probably one of the most successful bumper sticker campaigns in American history. And a nice visual mark of identity in the community. (If anybody needs one, I’m sure I can get a couple dozen by the end of the day to whomever’s asking.) In the back of that local coffee shop, a rag tag bunch of liberal peaceniks responsible for those stickers got together to grow this organization. And in between deep conversations about the sad state of affairs for America’s foreign policy, I’d say success has been had. We set out many months ago to make Nebraskans for Peace the best damn peace and justice group it could be, building on the old school tactics of political organizing while embracing some 21st century digital activism. And today, we are moving ahead as planned.

At the beginning of the process, a communications plan was put together. Nebraskans for Peace is the oldest group of this nature in the country, so we needed to re-establish core principles and look at the changing landscape, both in political and technological terms. There are definitely things the organization does well, and of course, other things not-so-much. But coming back to the focus on community building, education and political action, after 40 years of existence, 2010 certainly was an appropriate time to look at making this little non-profit better at being a voice for change out here on the great plains.

Communications Overview for 2010

To make Nebraskans for Peace better at what it does, we looked at four areas: online, in hand, via telephone, and face to face. A new website that can be easily updated by anyone working for the organization. A continued push for thoughtful articles and stories in the bi-monthly publication called the Nebraska Report. A renewed effort at phone conversation and dialogue with the membership and an increased presence in the community with rallies, marches and protests as well as more yard signs and bumper stickers. (Have a sticker already, how about one for your neighbor’s car?) All four areas are currently being carried out feverishly. Give it a year or two, with all of our streamlined advocacy, and war will most likely cease to be acceptable and will thus have to end as more and more people rush over to our side.

The two wars America is mired in are certainly one of the issues that brings people to the group. But as a peace and justice organization, the tent is meant to be big, and includes issues dealing with the environment, civil rights and economic justice and bullying in our schools. Broad thinking on global issues certainly informs the Priorities, but how they apply locally is where the most impact can be had. If Nebraskans for Peace isn’t concerned about the military base just down the road that’s conducting warrantless wiretaps on our citizens or orchestrating drone strikes on Afghans, then who else will be?

Stop the Drones

It’s the grassroots versus the drones. Those drone planes that drop bombs indiscriminately on villages. The tea party droners who go on and on about government spending but have yet to make a peep about our bloated war budgets. And those war hawk droners who love to hold up all the marvels of our technological prowess as if that’s the high point of human accomplishment — dropping a bomb in Yemen from a control panel in Nebraska.

The new, shiny NebraskansforPeace.org

The website is the online arm of the group. Carrying articles of in-depth analysis as well as graphic campaigns designed to get to the heart of bigger issues. The military base is in our community, but those drones belong to everybody. Drones that carry quite an expensive price tag.

Goin' Broke Paying for War

The “Goin’ Broke Paying for War” campaign has become a focus in these times of seemingly unending war. It’s especially appropriate as the worry about deficits grows and the cries against “big government” get louder. The fact is this: if you want to cut down on our debt you cannot do it without cutting our war budget. We spend an absurd amount on blowing things up. Way more than we spend on kids, the elderly, our roads or sick people combined. It’s really kind of sad, building up all that weaponry while the livingry is left to fight over table scraps.

It’s as if we’re out for a crazy night at the carnival thinking our time in the bounce house never stops. We just keep jumping up and down, laughing and giggling as our bodies flail about. Perpetual motion, getting “massive air”. On and on, forever and ever. That is, until China won’t lend us money any more and the whole things deflates. Out there in a dessert. And there we are, with a case of motion sickness and no sense of direction.

As many as you need.

It’s Fourth of July time in 2010 and the battle of ideas in America continues to go on. One side is saying we spend too much, therefore strip down government. Cut medicare, privatize social security and really take on the deficit. The other side simply says, stop spending all our money on war. That’s the side I’m on. The side that says enough of these stupid, pointless wars, 700+ military bases all over the world and this thirst for empire that’s done so all other countries will do what we say. C’mon, it’s just not a 21st century way to behave.

Goin’ Broke indeed. Because of all the war we’ve got goin’ on. It seems too easy anymore, talking to my conservative friends who think we can’t afford Universal Health Care. My response: shift priorities and we got it no problem.

So my question now is, can there be common ground? Is the Tea Party and the Coffee Party set for a union of sorts? Perhaps Obama’s push for bipartisanship is rubbing off on me. Really though, the problems we face are large. Structural problems that exist at the core of our country, whether in education, economy, environment, foreign policy or our general sense of unhelpful exceptionalism. They require a large effort in response. The “fix” cannot just exist along the margins. It must be a full-on assault of all our best intentions from everywhere by everyone. With so much uproar brewing over our debt, it just may be the thing to bring together far left and far right in a very kumbaya moment.

In the back of that little coffee shop it can all certainly seem insignificant. The anti-war movement in general can seem insignificant. The noise it’s made over the last decade hasn’t really accomplished much. Though we didn’t have a major cable news network to back us. But still. One can easily become disheartened. Feelings of futility sink in. It seems like nothing is happening. And nothing is going to change.

But that’s really not true. It’s just self-inflicted drama grabbing hold. Take an honest assessment, and things are getting better. At least for this little community of collaborators. The general agitators that enjoy each other’s company enough to make the little incremental movements that assure the rest of the population that yep, we peaceniks are out here. Still making noise. As long as there’s war to be had, they’ll be peace to throw at it.

So from the designer, the programmer, the community organizer, the communications task force and the group of committed peace and justice types, here’s to a better world.

– Justin Kemerling, Designer. justinkemerling.com

"The Suburbs"

Let’s hear it again for 2010. Out in August. Available to pre-order now. Arcade Fire’s new album “the Suburbs” has quite a lovely cover design and adds to what will be one of the best years ever for new music.

http://www.yeasayer.net/

2010 will be quite a year for new music. My favorite thus far is the new Yeasayer. I will not comment further. Just listen.

What's next in 2010? All of the above please.

This morning I received an email from my good friend Dan Schreiber. It was his response to the folks at barackobama.com as to why he was unsubscribing from their email list. I loved it. Such a small form of protest, but so significant. I’d say it captures a particular mood a lot of us are feeling: “Well yeah we’re still with you, but damn man, I’m not so sure you’re with us.” It’s hard to rally around compromise, and it’s even harder to enthusiastically back things that make the corporate interests smile. So. Now that 2010 is really rolling, we’re of course in for throwin’ down. And for all-of-the-above. (Getting at the structural problems that if not addressed will make the next 50 years non-too-pleasant.) Just remember, those of us with punk rock sensibilities aren’t too keen on sellouts. It’s time to lead with a little less COM-PRO-MISE and a little more YES WE CAN. 

For the time being, I’ll be unsubscribing as well. And here is Dan’s response, with the following disclaimer: Those of you who know me best will know where I’ve bridled the appropriate profanities. 

‘Handing MA voters that awful woman was an insult. You are reaping what you sowed. I support President Obama, but we need to follow through. PUSH. RECONCILIATION. Let blue dogs know that they fall in line or fall out. We – President Obama, Congressional Democrats and I – are most certainly not too far left. We are too centrist. Let’s show the world that we have the [golly darn gumption] to give our people what they deserve – real health care reform. We must offer all we have to our neighbors, brothers and sisters in Haiti right now. If we are to continue fighting at home during this period, it must be worth the effort. Unless we move to make real change happen, I won’t blame the American voters for electing another Scott Brown in 2012. For crying out loud – MASSACHUSETTS elected the male Sarah Palin. Please make me believe again that you know what the hell you’re doing in our name. Thanks.’ Dan Schreiber