Forgive and forget? Pass the amnesia

Why do our instincts for forgiveness and mercy find their highest expression when exercised on behalf of the most powerful in the land? An example - Martha Stewart walks free after a couple of months at a spa that doubles as an incarceration unit for white collar criminals while some unemployed black kid with a couple of marijuana joints for sale gets sent up for twenty years. 

So here is Barack Obama saying he'd rather concentrate on the future then spend time recriminating about the errors of the Bush administration. At first glance, about the time we get to focus on a headline before moving on to other concerns, a ringing cell phone, a child whining for lunch, it seems an admirable decision, in line with Obama's high road political style which has won him so much in so little time. But there's the matter of accountability that gets left out when we rush into the future. On the other hand I believe our easy going democracy is what sets us apart from many nations.  I remember for instance when I lived in England and watched parliamentary dealings on the BBC and couldn't help but cringe when the Honorable George Jones from Merseyside bellowed for someone's hide because the pound had devalued unexpectedly. Here Washington seems so far away it's easy for us to pretend it didn't happen - there never were orders for torture, never was a rush to war based on misinformation and propaganda that made the Soviets seem like amateurs, never was an energy policy drawn up behind closed doors in sessions with oil industry executives. Our ship seems righted once more, so why not get on with things? Don't worry, be happy.

But wouldn't it be great if the rich and powerful were made to actually feel the pain of their decisions? Or is it better to forgive and forget? I believe the criminality of the Bush administration, carried over from past Republican administrations, needs to be dealt with in a more serious manner if we aren't intending to suffer historical amnesia. Do I think there will be commissions appointed, war crimes trials and the like in Washington any time in the future? Not any more likely than the revolution of the powerless. A better bet is a black guy getting the death penalty for shooting a cop. If you want a morality play go to the movies. Every thing else is also anesthesia.

French Pond Road - Chapter Two - No Man's Land

Mickey and Cata burning up the road on a Kawasaki 650. Listen to Mickey's thoughts as they find a place to camp for the night.

In the new year I could use a little escape myself, but am at the stage in life where there's no going back, and the way ahead looks long and arduous. That's why writing this was fun, because I could look back on my teenage years when burning up the road was the imperative need, felt right, was right was the code to live by, and didn't have many people I needed to apologize to at any one time. Now, it's a different brand of coffee I drink. But that's another story, another conversation. 

Not that I'm having many good conversations, either. This blog is an interesting theoretical construct in that it resembles a void. But there is a sense that there must be some consciousness touched somewhere on some level, even if it's just some large machine, some form of groupthink that's being raised. And let's not kid ourselves, entire careers can be spent in the dark. Down all the days.

French Pond Road Podcast

Take a listen to this week's podcast of French Pond Road...

"She'd thought of herself as a mover and shaker, hired by Bert's Ski Peak as a Marketing and Events Planner at the tender age of thirty-two..."

Ice Storm

Powerful again after three days of camping. Thank God for the wood stoves and charades. Our tenants, Bill and Lisa, toughed it out. Bill grew up on a farm in Maine, and, when he's not drinking, is pretty cool. How their water pipes did not freeze I have no idea. Yesterday we bought a X-mas tree and decorated it. Michael went out on his 1st ever date with a girl, watched her ice skating recital at the Tri-town rink. Stephanie did Santa Baby and afterwards her grandparents took them both out to Friendly's. When he came back, Susan and I were in the living room with the candles on. He came in and said, "This house is nice," the first time he's ever had anything good to say about his home in the modern era.

First snow

Here we are in front of the barn posing for the X-mas card. It's snowing and today I stayed home from work to get some stuff done on the local energy committee, writing the minutes and thinking about what we're actually trying to get done there. I'm also organizing a renewable energy forum in january with a professor at the local college, and today I did some telephoning around to get speakers for it.

The one car broke down, water pump seized up and last night it wouldn't start in the cold and after jump starting it and racing it down the road to Bradford suddenly the belt stopped shrieking, the lights did something funny and I knew something was not right. So today I had a chance to pick Eve up at dance class, see her do a cartwheel for Miss Dee Dee and then take Michael to his wrestling practice in our remaining vehicle.

Audio Podcast French Pond Road

A lot of water under the bridge. Back at work, the frenzied factory setting where the youth pass through the gauntlet. Times are hard, which means we come down harder on them. The shit, after all, rolls down the hill.

There's a new president elect, a new breeze blowing. but it might not be enough to stave off the shit hitting the fan, to continue with my bodily wastes metaphor, of our cankered and cancerous body politic. In the end, though, we will emerge a better nation, more aligned with the good.

Here's my two bits again. If this works, the theory is I will be broadcasting a weekly installment of French Pond Road, in the authentic quavering voice of the self-published author. You heard it here first.

French Pond Road Launch Extended

Here's the news release which went out today:

New Hampshire Author Extends Marketing Launch of Inspirational Road Novel

HOPE MOUNTAIN PRESS, (Henniker, NH) -- New Hampshire author Anthony Catlin announced today that due to interest from readers he was extending the launch of a road novel hailed as inspirational.

The novel, French Pond Road, is the story of a father and son reunited after sixteen years, and is published by Hope Mountain Press. The marketing launch, originally scheduled on July 31, featured a package of bonus gifts offered by experts and authors along with the purchase of one copy of French Pond Road.

“I’m very pleased by how it’s done so far. Many people have contacted me and asked to have the offer put up again,” said Catlin.

Responding to the interest, which saw sales of the book steadily grow since the end of last month, Hope Mountain Press extended the package of bonus gifts through the end of August.

The novel has garnered critical praise for its vivid characters and uplifting message of redemption and hope against the odds. Catlin is a writer and high school teacher in New Hampshire and is also the author of a previous novel, Birdman, published by Trafford Press in 2001.

Both novels feature Billy Kagan, an itinerant roofer who struggles with a legacy of youthful crimes and peccadilloes, including losing contact with his wife and child. He has found some peace of mind and a semblance of order in middle age while living in a trailer on the edge of a state park in central New Hampshire. His way of life is interrupted when his son, following in his father’s delinquent footsteps, appears in his driveway on a motorcycle with his Venezuelan girlfriend in tow.

“It’s about how both father and son struggle with their own self-images in the course of coming to grips with their love and need for each other,” said Catlin.

Authors and experts featured with bonus gifts in the French Pond Road sales offer include creativity expert Mark Fox, personal coach and spiritual mentor Sandy Schussel, parenting consultant Vanessa Van Petten, psychiatrist Dr. LesliBeth Wish, and sustainability expert Roy Morrison. More information can be found at http://www.frenchpondroadoffer.com.