By: Jeff Bloom

Jeff Bloom — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 19:05:52 +0000

Ed — yeah, I’d vastly prefer not paying close attention to politics. I’ve always liked to keep up just enough to stay informed, but to put my focus and energy elsewhere. But, it seems now, that the potential effects of our present situation could result in losing our home, our major sources of income, and our healthcare, which is particularly problematic for us to care for our chronically ill and disabled son. And, we’re probably not as bad off as most other people.

By: Ed Marston

Ed Marston — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:43:31 +0000

my primary communities of the moment are Frenchtown NJ Presbyterian Church and Bucks Community College Printmaking Class – two rather divergent entities. The church is a place we became involved with because of a certain liberal & compassionate Pastor, and a music director who was brilliant – both were wonderful teachers, now gone elsewhere but the habit of that community continues. I don’t consider myself to be devout, by any stretch of the imagination but I appreciate how this branch of organized religion is continually aware and talking about the inevitability of death and the need for love and compassion among all people.
Printmaking class is simply a workshop atmosphere involved in the intricate processes of making 2-d art into multiple prints – again, I’m taking the class because of the teacher and this is probably my 5th semester over many years.
Politics is something I’d prefer to let run itself. Though I monitor the daily news and long-term trends assiduously and vote in every election no matter how local or unimportant it may seem, I rarely go to township meetings. Church is already tedious enough…but now we no longer have the luxury of letting politics take care of itself. So I’ll be at protests and other forms of citizen push-back, including sporadically writing and calling our Congressman. Even though he’s a Republican who claims to be moderate but always votes with the Trump majority. And I’ve made my point of view clear to anyone who’s interested, on facebook. Thanks for your essay, Jeff – and I appreciate your aspirational ideas for a legislative body that has integrity written in to the bylaws but we both know that integrity exists first from within oneself.

Comments on: Can’t Write What I Really Want to Write

By: Jeff Bloom

By: Ed Marston