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Friday, July 13, 2018

Dear Mr. President we have a difference of opinion about greeatness





Dear Mr. President, you just don't get this greatness thing. Greatness to you appears to be.. lift me up, lift me up, and more lift me up.
Greatness is not lift me, or us against them, it's lifting all.
Imagine, a nation that refuses to provide equity for all children in its public schools calling itself great?
Not I

Imagine a nation that gives a trillion dollars in Tax Breaks to its wealthiest people, and cuts school budget after school budget, calling itself great?
Not I 
Imagine a nation where it's Secretary of Education refuses to defend the civil rights of all its children in its public schools, calling itself great?
Not I.
Imagine a nation so afraid of their neighbors, it walls itself in, calling itself great?
Not I. 
Imagine a nation putting children in cages, putting them in courts alone, calling itself great?
Not I.
I imagine,
A nation whose teachers and parents unite together to demand equity and justice for their public schools, for all children,
A nation brave enough to pull down its walls,
A nation that does not cage children,
A nation that does not permit children alone to appear in its courts.
This is the greatness, I imagine,
This is the greatness, I'll fight for.
Imagine parents and teachers defending all children,
This, I'll march for,
This, I'll organize for,
This, is our greatness struggle,
And this is the only struggle that offers America greatness.
This is the greatness, I'm marching for,
This is the greatness I'm voting for come November 6, 2018,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner




If you like to listen to the song that inspired my walk this morning...its "When I travel my last mile" by Ronda Vincent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyXF44V2Anw&index=26&list=RDPNjH8rEJjDc 

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Act against evil tomorrow, today, every day.


Ethiopian Regent, Emperor, and World Statesman Haile Selassie said: "Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph."

If you believe this world is headed in the wrong direction?
If you believe the agents of racism, misogyny, injustice, evil are running amok in our White House, Congress, the Senate, the Courts, and our State Houses?
Then, if you remain indifferent?
Then you help evil to triumph.

If you want to stand against evil?
Then, reject cynicism,
Then, reject indifference,
Then, reject that apathy of your own safety.

If you believe, silence is not neutrality?
Then, speak up,
Then, stand against evil,
Then, march against evil,
Then, act against evil.
For, not to act is evil.

If do not act against the evils of injustice?
Then you are unjust.
For, if you remain indifferent to evil,
You are evil.

Act Tomorrow,
Act Today,
Act Every Day,
Act Now,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner
Easter Morning "House of Shame" Sermon at 2013 UOO USDE Occupy 


If you like to listen to the song that inspires my walk over the Avon Mountain today...its Adra Day's "Stand up for something https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GhY7qXGx-0

Thursday, July 5, 2018

I never wanted to be an activist, all I ever wanted was to teach




This is me at my best,
This is me helping another child celebrate their first chapter book,
This is me opening doors to literacy for reluctant readers,
These plastic gold medals are all the data I need to know I am doing right by the children I teach.

I rather teach, than be a CEO,
I rather teach, than be president,
I rather teach, than be in the movies,
I rather help one child smile, than make a million dollars.

I rather teach, than march,
But, march I must,
I rather teach, than walk 400 miles,
But, walk I must,
I rather teach children, than test them,
To Teach, is all I want,
I rather teach, than fight high stakes testing,
But, fight I must,
I rather teach, than have to fight for the equity denied Black, Brown, Poor, and Special Education Children,
But, Fight I must,
I rather teach, than be an activist for immigration,
But, an activist I must.

I rather teach, but justice for all children calls,
I must answer,
I rather teach, but equity for all children calls,
I must answer,
I must fight for all to teach for all.

Like millions of other teachers, all I am asking is to,
Let me teach in the public schools our children deserve,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

2011 Save Our Schools March in DC 
If you like to know what song inspired my walk over the Avon Mountain this morning..its...8,000 Rock Choir members singing Libi Siffre's Something Inside So Strong live at Wembley Arena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYgMkFk8V78 

Walking and singing: "The more you refuse to hear my voice The louder I will sing You hide behind walls of Jericho Your lies will come tumbling Deny my place in time You squander wealth that's mine My light will shine so brightly It will blind you Cos there's...... Something inside so strong I know that I can make it"

Monday, July 2, 2018

The difference between President Tump and a simple teacher



Dear Mr. President, did you really believe that America would be indifferent to your policy of breaking apart families, detaining children, having children appear alone before immigration judges?  

Perhaps "Night" wasn't on your library list? 
Perhaps you never read Elie Wiesel's words on indifference?  
Let me remind you...Elie said: "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death."
Perhaps you fell asleep during the history lesson on Emma Larazus's poem "The New Colossus"?
" Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Perhaps you fell slept through every civic lesson?
Well, while you slept I held on to every word, and while you glorify yourself, and turn immigrants into infestations...I am holding Emma's lamp high...saying:
"“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” 
The difference between us?
You forgot your history lessons,
I remember every single one,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner
I am an Immigrant 

If you like to hear the song this walking man listened to on his walk over the Avon Mountain this before, before he join the Abolish ICE Action @ 9:AM on Main Street in Hartford Connecticut...it's "Deportee" by Arlo Guthrie 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2eO65BqxBE