A Theme Song

 A THEME SONG

After much reflection and anguish, I am suggesting a theme song for our legislature, the Iowa legislature in its current manifestation.  The idea of a theme song with which our legislators can identify should have been accomplished several years ago, but either a lack of imagination or inertia has caused the delay in finding such a symbol for such a distinguished group of individuals engaged in the public business.

As I said, after much reflection and anguish, I am introducing a suggested theme song:  Jerry Jeff Walker's "Pissin' in the Wind".  To me, it captures the essence of our current legislature and I am putting this idea forward for further comment.  One should always be willing to debate any  suggestion of a theme song, even those to whom it is not directed should be able to comment on the appropriateness of a particular tune to reflect such an august body of Iowans.

Now for those not familiar with either Jerry Jeff Walker or Pissin' in the Wind, one can find most of his songs on You Tube which I direct anyone interested to for edification.  Jeffy Jeff popularized London Homesick Blues and produced Red Neck Mother which made an immediate impact on the vocabulary of America.  Having a song by Jerry Jeff as a symbol of our legislative body would do credit to both our legislators and Jeffy Jeff.  

A symbol is a shortcut - - a shortcut to the nub of an idea, a method of understanding by osmosis; it doesn't require thought which as we all know is in short supply.  And as a shortcut, it can be very usefully utilized by almost anyone.  "Hey, the 'Pissin' in the Wind'" guys are at it again!  What more does one need to understand the activities of the group so symbolized?  None, it says it all in one phrase.

I realize that there may be dissenting voices and I'm more than willing to discuss the issue if discussion is suggested by anyone dissenting.  But, I would suggest in advance that they have any arguments against "Pissin' in the Wind" as a theme song for our Iowa legislature thought out before the discussion commences.  Simply saying you don't like the idea isn't going to get it.  What we will need are specifics, such as how the song "Pissin' in the Wind" does not precisely fit; or, what alternative might you suggest, if any.

I am fairly confident that I have found the perfect symbol for our legislature.  The suggestions for new laws and the enactment of them reinforce the idea daily.  I can just see them now standing on the statehouse steps facing the gale.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo 

Is It Meaningful

 IS IT MEANINGFUL?

Over the centuries books have been written, ideologies have been pursued, activities encouraged, all in the search of meaning.  The eternal question appears to be "Do our lives have meaning?"  Of course, the answer is no - - unless you make some for yourself.  It's up to you to create some meaning in your life.  A camel doesn't think about or want any meaning in its life, it wants enough to eat and drink and find a mate once in a while.  There are humans like camels, but most of us try to be different to some degree.

The current question to ask is whether a group of people, as a group - - a collectivity - - can create meaning for itself, an identity.  There are always groups of people attempting to do so.  I want to focus on just one group and that is the current Iowa legislature.  They are desperately trying to either find or generate some meaning for themselves and an identifiable identity.  They want to be meaningful and they want an identity.  

Currently their attempt at creating these things is not limited to themselves as persons; they are intent on creating meaning and identity for Iowans in general.  They desperately want to give our lives some meaning it currently doesn't have and they are doing this by legislation.  For instance, they are encouraging us to dislike anyone different from ourselves.  This appears to be at the top of the legislative agenda. I should only approve of a person like me; if you are not like me then get that way.  I don't want you around causing issues.

A second and related agenda item appears to be my identity as a person.  Not only are they (our elected representatives) insisting that I have certain ideas about people different from me, they are insisting that I have certain ideas about myself as well.  They want to give me two categories with which to claim an identity - - male or female.  Now for me, that doesn't necessarily create a problem but I understand that for some it very well may.  Meaning and identity can not be separated;  which apparently is known by our legislators from some form of osmosis in that there does not seem to be any articulated reason for their efforts.  

You are allowed certain things  to make your  life worthwhile;  if you are male you have a male identity and you do male things and  if you are female you have a female identity and do female things.  To our legislature, other identities are not only irrelevant but somehow subversive and they are not going to have it.  Apparently all other methods of creating some identity and meaning in your life are not to be tolerated.  These would include your occupation, your education, your religion, your daily activities, your family and friends.  These things don't appear to be relevant to our legislators who insist that sex is the only identity and that is what is going to give meaning to your life and that is what  matters and there's only two of them and that's that.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

You Tell Me

 YOU TELL ME

Our governor is on the right track here, she has decided that neither you nor I are able to determine our own sex.  Unfortunately she has identified only two - - male and female.  Apparently some unidentified person who is in charge of filling out birth certificates at the place of birth will be the one who makes the decision as to your sex.

Sex here is referring to the biological distinction between someone with a vagina and someone with a penis.  These are to be the determining factors in the determination of a person's sex.  Now as one grows older and begins to have some doubts about the apparatus they were born with, it won't really matter because you will be stuck with the word on your birth certificate "male" or "female".  You will never find a birth certificate with the word "uncertain"; simply won't happen.

And as I mentioned above, the government should have the right to tell you what sex you are.  After all, it's the government and the government is in charge; if it so desires it can tell you who you are and what you are.  We have a long history of this.  It really doesn't matter what you think about yourself; you're not the one to decide your own identity; thankfully you will be able to avoid all identity crises - - no longer necessary.  

I do think, however, that the governor may be making a tactical mistake in limiting the choice to two - - male or female.  In our current thinking on the subject, there are such things as gender identity, gender fluidity, etc.  Some people, either by choice or by actual bodily features would prefer to identify as something other than just male or female.  This, it would seem, to be a proper area of discussion when debating this proposed statute.  Maybe they could sneak in a third category somewhere without alienating too many constituents.   

So, simply a word of caution, let's give this some thought to make sure that what we need to be  included in this proposed bill actually gets in there.   By the way, the proposal is entitled House File 2389 and apparently introduced by the Education Committee of the House (what education has to do with it, I can't imagine) and I recommend you all take a look at it.  It will give you a proper perspective on who and what you are even if it is not adopted and signed into law.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo

Three Cheers

 THREE CHEERS

I'm giving three cheers to our four representatives in Congress:  Randy Feenstra (my favorite), Ashly Hinson, M. Miller-Meeks, and Zachary Nunn.  In their work for us, the citizens of Iowa, they have voted for the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.  However, it is somewhat unclear the reason and as usual, I would like some clarification.

Is it because his name is not Smith or Johnson, but some foreign sounding name like Mayorkas?  Is it because he lives in the wrong neighborhood in DC?  Is it because he hasn't issued any orders to gun down refugees crossing the Rio Grande?  It is unclear.  In regard to the latter, you simply can't have bodies floating down the river bloating and causing trauma in young people.  So just exactly what is it that causes our representatives to give their attention to something that has no effect of any kind on our lives here in Iowa?

They must be in contact with our governor who has decided that our national guard and law enforcement are not sufficiently busy so is sending some of our extras to the border with Mexico to do what, I'm not sure, is the answer to under employment and idle time.  Why be idle in Iowa in February when you can be in Texas on the border with all the snow birds?  Somebody must have got to the governor and convinced her to give them a free winter vacation at our expense.

What we have here are our elected representatives doing nothing in the guise of doing something that will garner them votes from those who somehow believe they are doing something when they are in fact doing nothing.  It is actually interesting to see.  And apparently it works - - at least one can assume so since they continually make these gestures in the guise of accomplishing something.  

Now, I understand that in some unidentified manner, impeaching the Secretary of Homeland Security and sending national guard members to Texas are somehow suppose to be to my benefit - - but for the life of me, I can't tell you what it is.  So I am asking for clarification.  M. Miller-Meeks is my representative in Congress and I am asking her personally to address this issue.  Hopefully, she'll have staff members scouring the pages of local newspapers for signs of disaffection and address whatever issues seem to be of concern. 

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo