Still processing. Still grieving

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

Stories and Journeys is three years old. Happy Birthday! An amazing human being by the name of Amy once observed that writing is how I process my life. Others have claimed to have made the same observation. So, here I am still processing my life as the writer of Stories and Journeys. And still I am grieving as I write with a sense of loss as a result of the presidential election – loss of our democracy and the emergence of an American oligarchy with its ruling class and Trump as authoritarian president.

The humble beginnings of my interest in democracy
I was in junior high (maybe high school). I had discovered a book in the Des Moines North High library on marriage and family. One of the chapters discussed the idea of a family council. Once a month a family sits down and has a meeting. The purpose of the meeting would be to talk about how family life is going. A chance to talk about what's going well, air grievances and propose changes to which every one can agree. I pitched the idea to my mother, father and brother. They did not reject it. They just did not seem to get what I was trying to say. Looking back I believe our family's behaviours were so ingrained that something like regular family meetings seemed foreign. I thought it was a chance to take time out to give everyone a chance to have their voice heard without judgment, identify and work out conflict. An exercise in family democracy. Fast forward to a much larger universe today.

Delusional, deceitful and dangerous Donald wins re-election
At this moment here's where I come down as to what happened. A low information electorate (many of whom can't even name the three branches of government) easily swayed by disinformation perpetuated by what I used to know as the right wing echo chamber, lead by what I call Fox so-called news, leads me to believe that disinformation won the election. Or even better I like the story of Robert Reich, economist and former Labor Secretary, writing on his Inequality Media Civic Action web-site:
"Back in 1994, after Republicans won control of the House and Senate in a crushing election not unlike the one we just lived through. ..." He recounts he gave a speech in which "he warned that America was becoming a two-tiered society, divided between the super-rich and disillusioned working people, whose anger could easily be manipulated by an dangerous demagogue." And so 30 years later it has come to pass. We have our demagogue.

Medicare Open Enrollment come and gone
It is still the case that Medicare Advantage plans are not Medicare. They are insurance plans using the name Medicare to market themselves. I consider them a threat to actual Medicare. Messenger reader Joel wants to have a conversation about the three columns I wrote during Medicare Open Enrollment last year. I have invited him to Elder Voices at Turtle Bread.
So, dear reader, if you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river(flow) of life experiences that is Stories and Journeys.

Briefly:
I am aware of a blind man who wants to read Stories and Journeys. It is possible if he goes online, according to owner Tesha M. Christensen writing in her Too Much Coffee column called "We've Got Audio – Check Out Our Website."
I chair the All Elders United for Justice Care Giving Committee. At its last meeting we agreed to take up the topic of how the policy and practices of United Health and other like insurance organizations contribute to the health outcomes of elders.
Judith Graham is the Navigating Aging columnist for KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues. Recently she interviewed me. My story and picture were the lead in one of her columns that appeared in the Washington Post newspaper.
Alex Lawson is the executive director of Social Security Works. He spoke at the November monthly meeting of the Minneapolis Regional Retirees Council (AFL-CIO). I missed the meeting because I was testifying before the Minnesota Legislative Task Force on Aging.
The Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging is planning an open house meeting for Jan. 15, 1 p.m. at Westminister Presbyterian Church. It is open to the public to come learn about the work of the committee and the process for joining.There are open seats from several wards.

Elder Voices (Telling Our Stories/Sharing Our Journeys) is scheduled to Meet Jan. 31, 10-11 a.m. at Turtle Bread,4205-East 34th Street.
Look for the table with the All Elders sign. I missed in November due to a combination of illness and inclement weather. If you are processing your life or sensing a loss, do show up

In gratitude.
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice Board of Directors.