I appreciate Scott’s remarks at the top. They resonate a lot with where my head has been this week. So forgive me as I go long on this for a few minutes.

I saw this today and it is the most remarkable photo I’ve seen in some time. I wanted to share it with those of you haven’t seen it yet:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBABNNkFcJt/?igshid=lt5x28wl5tbs

A confederate monument in Richmond remade into a memorial to George Floyd and a middle finger to the police state that murdered him. It captures so much of what’s been at stake in the last two weeks. The mourning for a life cut brutally short. The deep cultural myths that have sustained that violence. The urgency of destroying that old order and building something new in its place.

The other image that really resonates with me is the picture from DC, of the road that leads to the White House transformed into Black Lives Matter Plaza:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBD9kX8pyXA/?igshid=1olps5g39eeo3

I don’t know much about DC politics, but I’ve read some critical responses calling this a symbolic gesture from a mayor who has too often sided with the police and against communities of color, that she just wants to appease Trump, etc. I don’t know how much water that holds but I know symbolic measures aren’t good enough. However, it’s as a symbol that I find this instructive – like the previous it reimagines the iconography of American power and nationhood in a way that centralizes blackness where what was previously enshrined was whiteness.

Today was the first day in a long time where I felt hopeful about anything. I read an instructive article by a colleague which argued that the crisis we’re seeing is nothing new, that what’s new is the response. George Floyd’s murderers have been arrested because the people demanded it. Thousands are taking to the streets, making donations, sharing resources, having hard conversations. The public has clearly sided with the protestors demanding justice. Real reforms that would have been unimaginable a decade ago are on the table In cities across the country. And none of this happened because of some generic trend toward progress, that pat liberal myth about the arc of the moral universe, but because of the work of the Black Lives Matter movement and it’s allies.

I don’t say that to encourage complacency or self-congratulation. Particularly not for those of us who are white and have much more to learn and to give. Of course there is a lifetime of work to be done and a lot of battles that will be lost before it is done (to the extent that it can ever be done). I just want to point out that the possibility of victory is a real one, that some extremely courageous and visionary people have put it in our maps and we can now make the choice to move in that direction.

Based off what I’ve seen this week it seems like pretty much everyone here, staff and commenters, is in this fight. And we need to be. But we can’t fight if we can’t even imagine the possibility of winning. So let’s try to imagine that. So much of the art that’s being made, the organizing that’s being done, the visions of justice and community being set out by activists enable us to do precisely that, if we’ll just listen to them. They aren’t telling us to be despondent or to wallow in guilt. And we owe them better than that.

I’m still angry. I’m still sad. I’m still overwhelmed. But it doesn’t feel impossible. I know there’s a lot that could be said against this perspective – there’s always plenty of evidence for the argument that things never really change – but thinking about what I’ve seen in the last two weeks I see a lot to suggest that things are changing because people are out there fighting like hell to change them. And I just wanted to share this one optimistic thought that I’ve been having because I’m sure many of you could badly use it too.

You either a) sing “nicotine, valium, vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy, and alcohol!” to yourself at random intervals in your day-to-day life or b) have just never heard this album.

I don’t know how Don would feel about this, but “Don’t You Want Me” makes me think about Don, and that’s a good thing. In the 70s Don was part of our group, and my oldest brother’s best friend. He was one of the UofM hockey fans who’d claim our section of general admission seating to cheer on the Gophers. One game, Don and his friend Brice were joking around, talking back and forth in high pitched voices, saying the other’s name. One of the extras that night, someone who knew neither Don nor Brice, said this about Don, “He’s sick.”

My other brother responded, “Excuse me, do you know Don? How do you know he’s sick?”

Her response, “I’m a psychology major, I know a sick person when I see one.”

My brother, “I’m a veterinary student, and I know a horse’s ass when I see one.”

In the 80s, Don’s home was party central. The basement of his Nokomis neighborhood home had elements of the 60s, 70s and a touch of the 80s. The parties run together in my mind, so I might get some historical data wrong, or combine elements from several parties, but whatever. In the late spring of 82 Don had a party that was memorable for three things.

First, we were there to watch a Minnesota North Stars play the Norris division championship game. Long story short, they won. The locker room celebration was memorable for one image. During an interview, a naked, hairy, hockey player butt walked across the screen. They quickly apologized, and I immediately thought, “That butt is nothing to apologize for.”

Second, once the hockey celebration ended, the music and dancing started. “Don’t You Want Me” was moving up the charts and already was a favorite among my friends. I had a theory that the second verse, sung by Susan Ann Sulley, was what connected everyone to the song. Most people had empathy for her story, and her lyrics were the ones they’d sing along with. I had “Don’t You Want Me” on a mix tape, and on cue Don adopted the high-pitched voice from hockey night and belted it out. Nearly everyone was singing along, but Donnie was the one I remember.

Third, Don’s wife at the time made some comment about my beard, and how she didn’t like it because it obscured my dimples. As a young Bix I had endured having my dimples tugged, twisted and pinched by so many adult women, hiding them was a feature, not a bug. Plus, at nearly 25, I looked younger, so the beard helped with that. Still I had contemplated shaving it and was prepared. She made the comment, and I said, “I have half a mind to shave it.” I went up to the bathroom and returned minutes later with half of my beard shaved off, the right half. I kept the porn moustache you see in the H&O picture.

As I moved away from the Twin Cities, I lost touch with Don, but would see him every few years at my brother’s place. I was aware of his marathons, his hiking, his fishing trips with my brother, his multiple jobs as a Pharmacy school professor, Doctor of Pharmacy at one of the state’s most prestigious hospitals, and member of the State Pharmacy Board. He was unstoppable, and every single Pharmacist that I have talked to said he was a great teacher and mentor.

Last year I was texting with my siblings, updating them on GBear. My brother informed us that Donnie was diagnosed with cancer. As a well-informed person in the medical field, he knew what he was facing. Chemo was successful and stem cells were harvested. Due to Covid-19, even with his many connections in the medical field, he couldn’t have the procedure to transplant the cells. Feeling well, he visited friends for a weekend in March. He went to bed Friday night and never woke up.

Don: 10/10

ME, AGE 20: Ha ha, I like the riffs, but these Rage Against the Machine lyrics are kind of corny.

ME, AGE 40 (at a cocktail party): You know, some of those who work forces are actually, no joke, the same who burn crosses.

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) June 22, 2018

I’ve heard of an actor winning a part, but never a Win acting a part.

“As far as i’m concerned you and Pink are completely done.”

That’s one of my favorite sentences ever.

LADY ANTIFA

What—and I cannot stress this enough—the fuck.

OK everyone! LISTEN

We all know the blacks have been fucked over by the jews for 100 years in the good ole USA.

Just not in the mood for any of this political bullshit tonight. Where’s the fucking story on A Night For Austin?

But still thugs are allowed, no encouraged to fill the streets

Both “bands” suck, but besides the point artists + the sports realm should stay neutral + out of politics. Cant alienate fans + expect to survive, esp those that pay ur bills (successful + educated).

Black Looting Matters (BLM)

It really does not live up to the promise of “Fox,” sadly

When my ex-wife and I got married, we did our vows simultaneously, so the officiant could say, “Do you promise to love, honor and be excellent to each other?” Then we yelled “Totally!” and did air guitar, while the guitarist who played the bridal march (in the style of Hendrix doing the Star-Spangled Banner) played a sweet riff.

You could say I’m excited about this.