It Is A Serious Thing, Just To Be Alive, This Fresh Morning, In This Broken World


Bastia umbra Invitation, by Mary Oliver

Calabanga “Oh do you have time

to linger

for just a little while

out of your busy

and very important day

for the goldfinches

that have gathered

in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,

to see who can sing

the highest note,

or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,

or the most tender?

Their strong, blunt beaks

drink the air

as they strive

melodiously

not for your sake

and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning

but for sheer delight and gratitude—

believe us, they say,

it is a serious thing

just to be alive

on this fresh morning

in this broken world.

I beg of you,

do not walk by

without pausing

to attend to this

rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.

It could mean everything.

It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:

You must change your life.”

Do Not Pass Go


The Supreme Court’s rulings gutting the U.S. government last week have made two political realities clear: White male Americans will do anything to retain power; and we must be stripped of it soonest.

And it starts with demonetizing journalism. In an era where misinformation runs rampant and profit-driven media outlets dominate the landscape, it is imperative that we rethink our approach to journalism. The truth, a cornerstone of democracy, should never be for sale.

Publicly funded journalism, exemplified by NPR, PBS, and the BBC, offers a model that prioritizes accuracy, integrity, and public service over corporate profits. These institutions have proven time and again that quality journalism can thrive without the influence of advertisers and shareholders.

When profit becomes a driving force in news, the pursuit of truth takes a back seat. Sensationalism, clickbait, and partisan spin replace objective reporting, leaving the public misinformed and divided.

We must treat journalism as we do our public libraries: essential pillars of a well-informed society. Just as libraries provide free access to knowledge, publicly funded media should ensure that everyone has access to reliable information.

Public funding for journalism would safeguard against the corrosive effects of corporate interests. It would allow journalists to focus on uncovering the truth without the pressure to generate revenue.

The truth should be free, accessible to all, and uncompromised by the pursuit of profit. By adopting a public funding model for journalism, we can create a media landscape that serves the public good rather than private interests.

It is time to defend and fund journalism as a vital American fixture.

Or we’ll lose that, too.