100 years, a buncha tears, and Ludlow

I have lived all of my 31 years of life in Pueblo Colorado, or as we so affectionately call it “Steel City.”  Pueblo got its nickname because for many years, we were the home of Steel production in the Southwest!  CF&I Steel Mill was a household name in Pueblo, and I remember for much of my childhood watching my grandfather leave for work and return from “the mill.”  Being a young child I didn’t know what that meant.  It wasn’t until I grew older and became a leader in the labor movement in Pueblo that the light bulb went off and I realized, “hey, my grandpa was a steelworker.”  Most people my age in Pueblo have that connection.  We had parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents who worked at the Steel Mill.  We remember our families going on strike, or as we term it “the seven year strike.”  I remember my godfather getting a settlement from the Mill, but didn’t connect the dots until much later.  In addition to that rich labor history I was surrounded with, I never knew about Ludlow.  Ludlow was a coal mining community about 70 some odd miles from my home town.  Please allow me to back up a little bit: I have held a job since I was 15 years old, and in that entire time, I have enjoyed my “fringe benefits” I thought my employer so graciously bestowed upon me.  I have enjoyed the 40 hour work week, weekends off (sometimes), minimum wage, overtime pay, health care, and as a small child, I wasn’t forced into labor!  After enjoying all of those benefits without question I started reading about labor history. 

During my research and reading I came across something called the Ludlow Massacre.  On April 20, 1914 between 19-25 people (mostly women and children) died violently during the strike of the coal miners.  Why were the miners striking?  For all of those benefits I had been receiving my whole life!  They died for me!  They died for safe working conditions, fair wages, and the 40 hour work week!  This past April was my first year attending the memorial in Ludlow Colorado.  I went down into the shelter (which is now paved) where the women and children suffocated when their camp was lit on fire during the strike.  I stood in that shelter and wept.  I touched the walls, and soaked in the ambiance of my surroundings.  When I emerged, I felt a strange peace, and an ignited passion inside of me.  I will NEVER forget my experience in that shelter.  As I sit and write this now I am brought to tears.

 What did I learn you ask?  I learned that nothing is free!  I learned that so many people have paid the ultimate price for my “fringe benefits” and rights in the work place.  Most importantly I learned the fight lives on in me, as a young worker and Next Waver!  I need to teach my brothers and sisters about the fight, our history, and the future of our movement.  I need to get them involved so history doesn’t repeat itself, because we are stronger together.  This year I was asked to sit on the planning committee for the 100^th anniversary of the Ludlow Massacre.  I am honored and humbled to be a part of it.  I am honored to carry on the legacy of so many before me; and I am sure there will be many more tears to come through planning and education.  As young workers, young unionists and activists, we must never forget the struggle and the sacrifice of those who came before us in the labor movement.  We must also never forget that the struggle and the fight continues.          

Colorado AFL-CIO Director Mike Cerbo and myself at the Ludlow Memorial April 2012

From the Battle Ground Bulliten 3-28-2012

Colorado Secretary of State Attacks Voting Rights; Promotes Corporate Agenda

Voting rights advocates are waging an on-line campaign to hold CO Secretary of State Scott Gessler accountable for his actions. (Image courtesy of gesslerwatch.com)
The coordinated national attack on voting rights sponsored by corporations like Koch Industries through groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has found an ally in the State of Colorado. Secretary of State Scott Gessler has made it his mission to advance an agenda that disenfranchises ordinary voters while giving corporate interests a bigger stake in campaign funding in the Rocky Mountain State. He has openly acknowledged that he believes his function is to “further the conservative agenda” through the policies and rules issued by the Secretary of State’s office. This is a markedly different vision from most elections officials, who view it as their mission to conduct fair and free elections to promote a healthy democracy.
Gessler has worked toward his goal by loosening campaign finance rules for corporations and tightening the rules for ordinary voters trying to exercise their constitutional rights. He has pursued this anti-working family agenda while still trying to moonlight at a law firm that advises the Colorado Republican Party and shadowy, right-wing political front groups working to elect anti-worker politicians. Progressive groups have launched a website to track and expose Gessler’s over-the-top partisanship at http://gesslerwatch.com/.

Gessler’s assertions in the media have been so provocative that Congress last year asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate his office, following his dubious assertions that as many as 11,805 undocumented residents were illegally registered to vote in Colorado and more than 4,000 had voted in the 2010 elections. Gessler never provided adequate evidence for this or other assertions that were primarily intended to increase doubt among the voters in the security of what is a model national voting system.

Gessler later filed suit against several Colorado counties to keep them from sending ballots (in an all-mail election last year) to eligible voters who missed the 2010 election. He argued that anyone who missed the last election, including active-duty military personnel who were defending our country abroad during 2010, should be declared inactive and not receive a ballot.
Just this week, Gessler is putting in place rules that open the doors to unlimited, unregulated, unreported corporate money in Colorado politics. One loophole in the new rules could allow Koch Industries or the Coors Corporation to give millions to a county party committee which could then turn the cash over to the state party to evade long-standing contribution limits. Gesler’s rules would also allow corporations like Walmart to spend up to 30% of their annual revenue to support anti-worker ballot measures without ever filing a report with state elections officials.

Our allies in this fight for voters’ rights filed a ballot initiative last week that would take the role of administering elections away from Gessler’s highly partisan Secretary of State’s office and put it in the hands of a non-partisan election administrator. AFSCME members in Colorado will continue these and other efforts to hold Gessler accountable and protect voters’ rights for the critical 2012 elections.

*Note: I did not write this, mearly copied it for dissemation of information to members of Local 1335. This post was sent out on the AFSCME Battleground Bulliten 3-28-2012

Pure Garbage!

Welcome back to the world of blogging, Josa! Its been a few weeks....

I am constantly amazed how journalists misreport campaign finance issues. After reading the article in the Pueblo Chieftain titled "Incestuous" I took some time to ground myself, and think of what I wanted to write as a response to such nonsense. I am hoping everyone takes the time to read this, so for those purposes I will refrain from my usual language. If you haven't read that mess you can see the piece here: http://m.chieftain.com/mobile/opinion/editorials/incestuous/article_36d9155e-7303-11e1-8c29-0019bb2963f4.html

The opinion piece references an article in the Denver Post that was both incomplete and inaccurate. It reports that liberal Independent Expenditure groups spent 150 times more money than the conservatives. This statement is simply absurd! The right wing, conservative forces move more money through 527s than independent expenditures, and they also move a lot of their money through their 501(c)4s, which do NOT report donors. The charge that big oil, payday lenders and Wall Street are being outspent by unions is just silly. The right wing is just more interested in hiding their money, while our side (labor, in case you didnt know what side im on!) believes in transparency and accountability. All of these negative assertions are being put forward because conservatives do not have a positive agenda to promote, and they can only point fingers at the successful campaign operations of their opponents. I would also imagine fear is a large factor in the deceptive and critic nature of their general arguments!

Corporate interests have always outspent unions by more than 10 to 1. Union members ability to pool their meager resources together is the only way to stem the gigantic tide of corporate spending and support an agenda for ALL working families. The rise of super PACs (political action committees), following the Citizens United decision, has seen that disparity grow. It is difficult to track how much more the Koch brothers and other big Wall Street interests groups are outspending unions, but conservative Super PACs have already spent $76 million and raised $121 million. Liberal Super PACs have only raised $23 million (source: http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php). And the campaign season has just started…in fact, election day is 223 days away!

As a union member, I also believe strongly in supporting policies and candidates that help ALL working families. While we do support positions that directly help our members, our larger effort is directed at improving the quality of life for all working families. A recent example of this is the Lilly Ledbetter Act. This act expanded workers rights to include equal pay for women! Did I mention this act helped ALL women not just union women! Corporate interests would have women working the same job, with the same duties, for less pay! This makes sense to them because it's a profit issue NOT a people issue. So, while organized labor is pooling their money so people like Lilly Ledbetter can be compensated at a rate that is EQUAL of her male counter parts, what is the GOP spending their money on?

Lastly, I would like to comment on the irresponsible lazy journalism in our local paper! Instead of doing their own research, they rely on the skewed, inaccurate reporting of the Denver Post. Is our editorial board too lazy to do their own research and provide the people of Pueblo with accurate reporting, or will they continue to take the information that best suits them and go off on tangents to mislead the public?! That is my rant for the day hope that helped shed some light on this issue! Until the next post…..

-Josa

Beyonce says you have such a big ego....I call Bullshit

Ego…..
This has been a theme that has recurred in my life for the past two days. yesterday while Lauren and I were reading our zodiac signs I picked up a book called “The Dark Zodiac” or something like that. It gives all the BAD qualities about your sign. Lauren made the statement “you might not like what you read!” So this brings me to the topic for the day:

There are certain things I KNOW about myself. The qualities of who I am have been ingrained in me for many years, they are not a secret, they are not pending issues, and they just are! I accept them, for they make up the core of my being. However, those not so nice little qualities about me, I try really hard (with some success) to keep in check! After 3 years of graduate school I was forced to take a cold hard look at myself, I felt naked if you will. Emotionally vulnerable! Like my boss always said “the only way to create change is to create discomfort.” Boy oh boy was I uncomfortable through that process. Change takes looking at the deepest darkest part of you and either changing it, modifying it, accepting it, or getting rid of it all together.

Too often in my little town of Pueblo Colorado I see people who have no clue. They live in this little bubble with no mirrors. I mean mirrors figuratively speaking only (no puns on peoples appearance although that’s another blog entirely). With no “mirrors” how can you take an objective look at yourself and realize that sometimes the problems aren’t with other peoples “jealousy” it’s about YOU!? I try very hard to be patient with people, and accept them where they are at, until they burn me in some way. So I decided to write this blog and just vent a little bit! I am VERY content with the variety of people in my life, I am content with the path I have traveled and the road that lay before me, so don’t take this entry as discontent! I just think people need to take the time to evaluate who they are! Stop hiding from your ugly insides and change them!

There will come a time in everyone’s life when they are faced with those “ugly insides” and we make choices. We ignore them and blame everyone else (which, gets us nowhere), or we evaluate, moderate, change, adapt who we are, how we interact with people, and how we treat our fellow man. This may be a higher level of thinking, and a higher level of being, BUT for the sake of this post it is IMPORTANT! Self actualization should be at the top of everyone’s “to do list.” I enjoy reading past journal entries and reminiscing about the person I once was, admiring the evolution of myself.

So this is a cheers to my former self, my current self, and my future self, I hope some people who I have encountered can also make the changes necessary to move towards being a happier, self actualized, person, if you cannot, you will forever live in your little bubble where everything is everyone else’s fault and you have no “egg on your face.” The rest of us will move on….

Internal collision....

Where all parts of me collide….

So here I go again, it’s a Tuesday Morning and I am having my morning cigarette watching Zoey take a dump in the back yard! I do what I do every morning, check emails, play words, and check Facebook. The mundane routine of my morning, at a quick glance before I deleted it….another email from Brad Clark…delete….WAIT, WHAT?! The preview caught my attention. Catholic Charaties threatens to pull funding if civil unions pass?!
This is where all of my parts collide…..I AM a catholic, I AM a lesbian, and I AM a social worker who utilizes services by Catholic Charities! So fuck me running if I think its wrong on all levels to make statements that they will pull funding from families if this passes. Lets do a quick fact check, shall we?! In Colorado BEFORE we place children we look (or are supposed to) at things like culture, belief and ethnicity. Those things are taken into account, BUT What is most important is love! Taking a child out of a traumatic environment and trying to put them in a loving environment! THAT’S what is important! Maybe I am naïve BUT if I were an abused or neglected child, I wouldn’t give two shits if I had two foster dads as long as 1. They didn’t hit me like my parents did! 2. They fed me like my parents failed to do and/or 3. They didn’t sexually abuse me like (insert perp here) did! Have we really lost that much focus?! Have we lost the core part of our values that as a religion we make statements and threaten our most vulnerable citizens?!

I struggle with this internal chaos happening right now. I am proud to call myself a catholic, because it meant so much to my grandma, and it has shaped the core of who I am. I am proud of who I am, because it took me forever to get here, and I am fucking raging that we would pull funding for services because of the clash or “beliefs.”

I have said it before and I will say it again….the bible is not a fucking weapon! The bible does not give you an excuse or justification for your bigotry! I read the bible, I have completed ALL of my sacraments (up to this point I’m missing marriage and death), and what I gathered from that LIFETIME of learning, was love, the bible says we LOVE one another! I get the whole “the bible says…” shit, but the bible says some other weird shit too, so you cant pick and choose which parts suit you for the moment! That’s my rant and rave for the moment…..Happy Tuesday friends!

PS if you think this is as fucked up as i do, sign the petition
http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35061/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=859

Where did all the women go?
I have taken some time to think about this subject. I mean REALLY think about it. Yesterday, as many of you may have seen there was a hearing on contraceptives. The panel…..5 men! It seems odd to have men testifying about something that does not concern them. It would be equally as odd to have me testifying either for or against Viagra, since it has no bearing on my life what so ever! I will NEVER be with someone who uses it, and never use it myself….unless upon a dare to see if it will make my hair stand straight up (more so than it already does). So, why would I have any business putting my two cents in about it?! I digress….so lets add this to the long list of things I don’t understand…..yesterday I read testimony from women, I saw crazy quotes of the day on Rachel Maddow, and the picture alone is worth more than I can ever say on here. (I wish i had the links but my computer blocks anything and everything)

I suppose the question I have, is when did MY rights as a women become cause for discussion by men?! When were MY rights to vital AFFORDABLE health services up for debate?! It’s about more than birth control…..it’s about my rights as a human being! I know many women who take birth control for reasons other than their desire to whore around Pueblo (sorry, putting the perception out there and it makes me sick but it’s a real perception by some.) Women who NEED birth control to maintain symptoms from PMS, disease, acne, etc. When did our country regress 50 years?! Also, are my voting rights going to be up for debate next?! Maybe because I no longer have affordable access to birth control and my hormones are all outta wack maybe I cant make an educated decision about who our elected officials are….wait what?! This whole thing is just super sad, and people don’t even know! They aren’t outraged, they aren’t running to the streets to shout “I’m a woman and I’m fucking pissed!” We just go on living our lives while our rights are being debated in DC by MEN! Fucking men, men who will NEVER know what it feels like to have menstrual cramps, men who will never suffer from endometriosis, men who will never understand what it’s like to be US!

Where do we go from here? How about talk about it….have an educated discussion with people you love about womens health care! READ! Read about whats going on and stop turning a blind eye to the decisions people are making FOR YOU! Every woman has a right to affordable health care! And for the misters who testified yesterday I say “YOUR religion has no bearing on MY healthcare! Also, YOUR religious freedom ENDS where my vagina begins.”

Look around tomorrow.....

The BIG day o’ Love:

So tomorrow is the big day for couples all over America! Whats the big deal? Why do the single ones feel so bad about it? I try to look on the bright side of things for people, like replying with “make your children your valentines and do something special!” This leads into my thought of the day! I remember being a younger Josa, thinking to myself that I was some sort of rare breed of loser because I didn’t have a “valentine’s day date.” All I wanted in my life was to “find love.” I put those in quotations on purpose because I think it’s a fallacy. It’s a lie! As humans, we lie to ourselves all the time. Why would I doubt the love I already have?! I bet if you asked Zoey who her valentine was going to be she’d say her momma, right off the bat! So why do I have to think extra hard about this and complicate things?!

I am, and have always been surrounded by love! I have love bursting at my seams! Maybe its not a romantic life, BUT its genuine love! Its unconditional and true, so why worry about anything else?! I suppose it’s a way of thinking that people aren’t accustomed to. However, I also think if I did have a significant other, February 14th would be just another day, and we would celebrate on the 15th when everything’s on sale! Ha! Really though, we should love and show love 365 days a year!

What would be an ideal gift anyway? Do you blow tons of money on candy (then later in my case, dental work), dinner, cards, lavish gifts? Personally, I am low maintenance so I would prefer something practical. Perhaps, a Redbull and a pack of smokes, a laptop stand, or a new comforter (that I have been asking for since Christmas…cough mom…cough). What on earth would I do with a giant teddy bear, or flowers, or gasp….Chocolate?! Honestly, I may be exiled from the female group that meets on Wednesdays for this….I don’t like chocolates! Really get me some cheetos or some gummy bears…speaking of….I just remembered I had some in my bag!!!! SCORE! Anyway, if you are thinking of a nice gift to give me (which I doubt but ill pitch it anyway) go ahead and make a donation to AFSCME PEOPLE, CPA, Planned Parenthood, or any other fund you think I would appreciate you donating to! There is my pitch for lavish gifts

So if you’re single, don’t worry about it! You have love in your life, so celebrate it, EVERYDAY! If you’re in a relationship, show love and appreciation EVERYDAY! As for me, I am going to take the ones I love and have a few drinks, and take the one I really love (Zoey) for a nice walk tomorrow! I would get her some treats, but she has TONS left from Christmas! For those of you baking treats for loved ones, feel free to leave some at my desk! J until my next rant……

<3
Josa

Pardon your ego sir, but im NOT emptying my pockets!

When is enough, enough?
As a community, when do we take a stand against bullies? When do we stand up for ourselves and say “I’ve had enough of this, and I’m going to do something about it?!” This leads me into my story for the day. I was approached by a tearful coworker today, on her birthday no less. She relayed a horrific story of her evening yesterday. She, her sister, and her children went to Hobby Lobby. This is not an abnormal activity for a Thursday night, I was actually planning on heading there myself last night. Still dressed in her business casual attire she went shopping for some odds and ends to begin a craft project. She noticed a man watching her, never thinking he was watching her due to suspicion of shoplifting! She also noticed a rather rude employee in the same isle also keeping tabs on her and her family. I suppose I should mention that her children are always well groomed and well dressed, her daughter maintains honor roll level grades in High School and her son is about 6 years old. Nothing abnormal here folks, keep looking on. OH did I mention they are Latino?

After continuing to shop with some man hovering over her family, he finally approached her. Flashing his badge as a Pueblo Police Officer in plain clothes he stated that they had her on camera putting items in her purse. To her surprise he made her, her sister, her 15 year old daughter, and her 6 year old son empty their pockets! Is this appropriate behavior? Do we now harass families shopping because we saw them “put something in their purse?!” I put things in my pocket all the time. Things that belong to me, my phone, my wallet, my keys…..am I next?! What are our rights as shoppers? Because I can tell you, I would have made a HUGE stink out of the situation, and may have left in cuffs! I have been called many things in my 30 years of life, but one thing I am NOT is a thief! I digress….after being humiliated in front of her family, my coworker went to find the manager of the store, asking questions and getting mixed answers! The final statement was that “they thought they saw her put something in her bag.” Is this now justification for humiliation? Now don’t get me wrong, I DO NOT think its ok to steal! However, I also don’t think its ok to profile people and follow them around the store making them uncomfortable, then later humiliating them and making 6 year olds empty their pockets for a dollar package of beads!!! Did I mention they didn’t find anything in her purse or the pockets of her children?! That should be noted!

So as a community, what do we do?! Where do we go?! I can tell you what I did! I got on the phone, and I got on the keyboard, and I wrote this story! If this EVER happens to me, I would request police assistance, and a uniformed female police officer to come search me! To find what, you might ask…..NOTHING, you will find nothing in my pockets but my dignity and a potential lawsuit and one hell of a complaint! I do NOT believe security guards in stores have the authority to ask you to empty your pockets! So if I am ever asked to empty mine….that security guard is going to get a big ol “fuck you!” out of me!

I have a lot of feelings....

Ever just have one of those days? Just for some small reason, or no reason you just get a case of the blues? Today has been a day like that for me! Actually, today there is a reason. Today is Desi’s birthday. She woulda been 22 years old today. I think about her often, and I miss her. Desi and I weren’t the best of friends, but we were friends. She meant something to me, she touched my heart. I never thought of Desi as an addict, even though I knew she was. My sister has seen this side of her, I have not. I am sure there were times when she was around and she was high…but I didn’t notice. I chose not to notice. I remember a conversation she and I had awhile back (several years ago) on my birthday. I was so mad at her I was crying, and I asked her to get help. I pleaded and probably begged for her to get help, and told her I would support her in anyway that I could. I didn’t see her that often after that. She was in and out of jail, and in and out of treatment. A few weeks before she died I was sitting on my couch upstairs, like I always am, and I heard the door open. It was Tish, and its never out of the ordinary for someone to just walk in my house on any given night. She was really happy saying “I have a surprise for you!” It was Desi! I was really happy to see her! I hadn’t seen her in awhile and she had just gotten out of jail. She greeted me with her normal giant hug and an excited “JOSA!!!!!!” We talked about a lot of things, I asked her how she was doing, how life was going for her, exchanged numbers, and we talked about her future for a bit. Same ol Desi.

Then, before I left for Vegas in July I talked to her briefly over facebook. She asked what I was doing in Vegas and I told her, work stuff. She told me to have fun and be careful. Probably a week later I got a call from Tish that Desi had overdosed on heroin and passed away. Such a wonderful little spirit she had, a warm heart, and an outstanding presence. She always made you feel important to her, and always let you know that she cared about you. I don’t know why I decided to write this today. There are a lot of things I don’t understand about the world. Why someone so special was afflicted with such a terrible disease, and why she had to go. Why certain people stay who arent good people. Life is a mystery for me……all I can say is that I miss you Des. I hope you have a happy birthday and ill see you again one day, and I hope I am greeted with the same ol big hug I always got….

Some sense and no nonsense....

We are so behind the times…
I am currently doing some research into the cost of allowing same sex couples insurance through Pueblo County. The County would contribute $ 83.00 to those couples a month! Really?! $83.00…. it seems so trivial when we just spent 50 some odd million dollars on an unneeded building (WARNING: MY opinion only), and my contribution to the recession here in Pueblo in 2010 was about $1,500.00.

I think aside from money it’s about much more than that. Let’s face it, I’m NOT married, nor am I in any sort of relationship that will be headed towards marriage anytime soon. I am married to my union, and to my job! Aside from having that big “S” on my legal documents, I AM a human being. I deserve the same rights my heterosexual coworkers have. I have no options, and in the eyes of my employer I will forever be a big “S.” My single heterosexual peers have the option of one day being married and adding their spouse to their insurance and estate planning. I do not have that to look forward to. Again, it’s not something in my near future, BUT what happens if the planets magically align and I change my mind? I am basically just out of luck! So does that make me less important? Less of a human being? Less deserving of basic human rights?! I DON’T THINK SO! I give just as much to my community and to my employer as anyone else. I put my heart, soul, and time away from friends and family into this job, but in the eyes of Pueblo County…..I am not equal. (I realize there is a larger scale here, but for the purposes of this post, im speaking locally only).

So change is on the horizon! Never underestimate the power of a large group of people with passion for any given topic! I believe in the power of the people! I believe in people doing what’s right, and just! Just this week Proposition 8 was ruled unconstitutional, so change is on the horizon! And WE wont stop! I realize that I have not been as active in the LGBT community as I should be, but I stand firm on my ideals 118%! I deserve equal rights, because I am just as good as the next person. This isn’t the life I CHOSE, this is the life I was given, and I embrace it. I also believe our elected officials should get with the times! Come up to speed with whats going on with the rest of the nation, and step to the forefront, and fall behind our state of Colorado, who has already provided benefits to same sex couples….updates to follow……

Josa

State of the Union Address

The State of the Union Address is much more fun to watch when you have your buddies giving commentary via text message. At one point when describing Speaker of the House Boehner I sent an emoticon of an orange and referred to him as "Snooki's dad." What an awful spray tan that man has! All joking aside, it was nice to see Gabby Giffords sitting front and center last night. I have so much admiration for that woman. The world at times seems to have gone mad, so its nice to see someone who has risen from the ashes and continues to be a role model for strength.

The Presidents words hit home for me. He talked about the issues "we" (my friends, CAC, Union Brothers and Sisters) have been talking about for the past several months. The status I posted that says something like "fuck yea our president rocks!" got 22 likes. Some of the most absurd things I post are well liked by people. It just blows my mind sometimes! Some of the most serious things aren't even looked at. The people I associate with are an interesting bunch of folks, ahem....diverse bunch of folks. So onward with 2012 election season. There is much work to do and i will continue recruiting folks so we can create a good volunteer base here in Pueblo. "Boots on the ground" is what I'm looking for I suppose. The only way to achieve the things our President talked about last night is to work hard, (and get the crazies out of office, but work hard too). I am anticipating some of these bills being brought up. Next up.....SB1 in Colorado, AND the extension of UI benefits! Rally on my brothers and sisters!

*I just noticed I really didn't write much on the SOTU but i agreed with 99.9 percent of what the President said, i figured you got that from this post!