Self Portrait Tuesday...

I've been seeing a lot about this and have been curious about doing self portraits. Actually, as an artist I have done this (using my self as study) in my work. I've used various mediums and photography is one that shows an interesting and unexpected interpretation.

Here is my first SPT:



I fee like I'm always trying to catch my self in between my children...either they speed past me or I speed past them and we are always trying to hold onto each other. This is a photo from a few months back. We finally got a digital camera but I'm still learning to use it.

I wish I could write something profound and insightful given all that has happened and is happening in the Gulf right now. All I know is many people are suffering. My thoughts and prayers go to those who have lost everything. Donate to the redcross.org.

One thing I have to say is when I went to my Unitarian service last Sunday, our speaker said that we don't see any of these "officials" out there, physically helping. What I gleaned from this is, we have huge separations of the people and "elected" officials. People who are elected are, in this day and age, people of means. If you don't have the means you won't get the attention of the media and of the masses. It comes down to class. This separation of people by class is so apparent in our society. We might try to ignore it and try to hide it but it is every where and it is certainly alive and thriving in the US. Class divisions are a reminder of how much we have progressed or have not progressed at all.

Right now, there is a huge campaign trying to spin, spin, spin everything away. But the truth is people were left to die. Certain areas of the state were left with little money to help their own constitutes. And as another person at the Unitarian meeting said, "it was the end of the month. People who live on pay check to pay check just didn't have the any resources left to leave." And I'd add lots of people feel shame and will not say I don't have money, please help me. Why? Again, we live in an extremely class oriented society and it would be looked upon as bad as murder (and to some worse) to be called poor. Strange values we have here in the US.

All these explanations should not pacify us. They should be making us aware of these wrongs. And they are wrong. The idea that every man for himself, that man can do everything on his own, man is an island, etc are flawed. They are intensely flawed. We are all here together and we need each other. This was exemplified by the people who survived in the old districts of New Orleans. They formed "tribes" or co-operatives and shared skills and what they had. http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050905/NEWS/509050307

And one last thing, I wouldn't blame people for wanting to stay. They have little communication with the outside and are afraid. These are just a few hundred people...while there were thousands that would have liked to leave but could not, and others that died because they were abandoned (hospitals, retirement homes, etc).

Telling someone to leave and not bringing aid to leave is the most irreponsible act I could think of. It would be like me telling my great aunt Myrt of 92 years to leave her little house and she can't even drive and doesn't even have a car.

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