People my age are tired of Israel

First, I share thoughts about the Gophers vs. Michigan football game of this past Saturday on my "Morris Mojo" podcast. Here is the link:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brian1610/episodes/Gophers-crushed-by-Michigan-52-10-e2aal6o

 

People of my generation, the boomers, have had news thrust at us about Israel all our lives. A certain weariness builds up over this. Is the existence of Israel really so essential? I think the members of my generation would be relieved if it just came to an end. 

Many of us tired of how the media has a consistent bias toward Israel. How Israel gets portrayed as the force for good automatically, sans truly sober analysis. 

"world atlas" image

So Israel was created as a haven for Jewish people in the wake of World War II and all that happened. Is there any menace like the Nazis hovering at present? I mean in Europe, away from the Arab world? And the Arab world has been pissed because of the existence of Israel. 

Columnist Dave Barry got tired of the pattern of news coverage once. Every tidbit of conflict as with the suicide bombers got such headline attention. And it became prolonged. The media defines news as something we don't necessarily expect. We call it "man bites dog." Barry had enough at a certain point. Time after time, prominent headlines about violence directed at Israel. 

To put this in earthy terms, is Israel more trouble than it's worth? I strongly believe it is. And I don't see Israel as having always been this angelic force, confronting the bad guys. Oh but "Israel is a democracy," we're told. 

The whole concept of democracy has become dicey in our USA. Trump wanted to overturn it. He had so many compliant people behind him like our own congressperson here in western Minnesota. I mean, she bought into the basic Trump strategy of delay. Delay leading to what? Buy time to keep Trump in office, we can assume. So Michelle Fischbach made her big statement on January 6 in which she talked about "voting irregularities too voluminous to ignore." 

Michelle Fischbach, District 7

There is an established system for challenging the handling of elections. Fischbach voted against certifying the election results. Her ultra conservative colleague Tom Emmer did not choose to do that. So with the Republicans making democracy look questionable in its essence, should we really be that impressed with "democracy" as a prime principle to respect in connection to Israel? 

Obviously Trump wants to assert himself as an autocrat. He wears this on his sleeve. No elections then? Well an election system would continue but with all sorts of impediments to true democracy. Elsewhere around the world this is called "sham elections." But Congressperson Fischbach would probably proclaim we truly have democracy. Make it a crime to bring food and water to someone standing in line a long time to vote? A crime? You know the kinds of things that Republicans can do. 

Our elected leaders now have way too much of a knee-jerk tendency to support Israel. A recent news item suggested that our elected leaders are behind the times relative to the broad public. The broad public does not consider it so essential to thump our chests and "support Israel." It is taking time for the popular sentiment to influence the power brokers. 

I do not feel that Israel has a "right to exist." I agree fully with the late Helen Thomas who despite her extreme skepticism about Israel, was right at the top for being a respected establishment journalist. Remember how she got to ask the first question at press conferences so often? Going back to Nixon. And how she should have been seen as a hero to the feminists. She did in fact build up some feminist cred - I would have lauded her - but she was no friend of Israel. 

And I agree with what she said fully: she said the Jews of Israel should just "go home." She told them to "go back to Europe." Just filter out, go find your place, and then this tinderbox in the Middle East could recede to peacefulness. 

I have always felt very sorry for the Palestinians. If the Palestinians could have their homeland restored, I think I would literally cry. The advocates for Israel have so often grated on me. I feel an annoyance like what Dave Barry expressed. 

Israel supporters including a U of M attorney who was well-known at the time - last name of Rotenberg - outwardly protested the media's use of the term "suicide bomber." Rotenberg made some comments on TV. He should have been concentrating on his work for the U. The Star Tribune had a readers' ombudsman at the time who took pains to try to explain why "suicide bomber" was a rational and even suggested term. It took a mere ounce of common sense. 

Obviously the Israel advocates can practically go mad when they take umbrage at something. Makes you suspicious about their whole cause. It is easy to see the Israelis as the "bad guys" in many instances. 

So what did Rotenberg and others want to see in place of "suicide bomber?" Well, the suggested alternative, bought by Fox News, was "homicide bomber." OK that's juvenile - let's call a spade a spade. And what is Fox News? With Greg Gutfeld in their ranks, they are juvenile. "Homicide bomber." 

Well of course the bomber has intentions of hurting and killing people. That's just understood. What makes the suicide bomber distinct is the person's willingness to take his own life. You would not expect that. So it's "man bites dog." 

My generation wonders if we will leave this world having been relieved of the litany of Mideast conflict or Mideast turmoil stories. Israel is at the flashpoint. Why can't it just go away? The Jews of Israel can "go home." They can do this for their own safety. 

Anti-Semitic? I barely know what it is based on. All ethnic groups have some popular images attached to them. I do know Jews are intelligent and driven people who value education. Hardly seems like liabilities. I guess they can go far in business or in their professions. Seems like the American way to me. 

Mom told me once that so many Jewish people are highly intelligent because "they are a pure race." Is that really a pejorative comment? I don't think so. It means they are lucky I guess. But all of the stereotypes of Jewish people point to them having potential to accomplish a lot. Well congratulations. 

I personally have great admiration of "Jewish intellectuals." I'd love to be able to pass myself off as one of them! I admire these people because they have a fine understanding of parody humor. Many people have trouble understanding such humor - you might say it goes over their heads. I think parody reveals a lot, gets to the essence. 

Maybe Jews go out of their way to help each other. Well I imagine it's a common human trait of finding "your own" to be more relatable. I'd appreciate them not pushing me out of their circle. 

So I'm not at all like Billy Graham and Richard Nixon whose anti-Semitic thoughts in connection to Hollywood entertainment got on tape. Jews are highly perceptive and analytical people in the entertainment business. They know what people want and give it to them. 

Ah, network TV entertainment of the 1960s. Would be good for America to have a dose of that now. Compared to Greg Gutfeld.

 

Of course we love our UMM

Paying attention to UMM

A friend needled me the other day about a suggested habit I have of complaining? I had thoughts to share in an emailed rebuttal.:

 

Was I a complainer a couple years ago when I expressed dismay at UMM having its big spring concert of choir and band in Alexandria with no repeat performance here? Was I that far out in left field for saying something about that? Or this past spring, when we had such a low-budget graduation ceremony? Was I just an irritating complainer? We're a four-year school with a music major, not like Crookston, and we can't have a band and/or choir for graduation? Well for many years we did, and it was super, and I guess we took it for granted. 

No printed programs for graduation? Was I a "complainer?" You had to use your Smartphone? Is that a universal now? Even if it was, the printed program would be nice as a tangible souvenir. How can I in good conscience give money to UMM again? Can you rebut me on this? 

UMM needs to end the free tuition thing for the Native Americans. If it's not based on an actual treaty, then the policy should end because of the Supreme Court wiping out affirmative action. If it's not ended, then it just shows the court's decision meant little - just words. Am I a complainer when I talk about the U president we had here for three years who just kept sending her resume around? There actually was a shake-up with the board of regents, if you read between the lines in the Star Tribune. Why did we need a shake-up? The legislature is supposed to keep an eye on these things. Is it even required to have a board of regents? Now we have an interim U president. Someone joked "we should just get a Paul Giel type and let the University run itself."

Was I a complainer about the UMM Homecoming concert? No current students, an outrageous $10 admission charge? Are you sure the $10 charge wasn't just a suggested free-will offering? Am I a complainer when I note that the University choir, Melissa Hanson's group from before, now appears dead? Laura kept it going in name only last year, I gather. The University choir (non-auditioned) concerts were once an "event" on campus. But UMM is no longer interested in doing dynamic things, if anything at all, because all these things "cost money," and UMM just wants to rake in money from people like me. I'm starting to think it's a scam. There was no charge for the University choir concerts and they attracted kind of a "raucous" student audience - that was fun. Gone with the wind. Again, we took it for granted.

First Lutheran needs to do the little things well to make sure we have a stable congregation with enough money coming in. Times have changed just unbelievably. But we should try to keep going. I'm not sure we even need a permanent minister. But the weekly service should be sharp. It was terrific to see Naomi Fynboh up there. I would have loved to stay on Sunday, but I thought "here we go again" with the mic problem. It never ends. And to think I took the trouble to shower and shave and put on a sportcoat. At least I looked good for my friends at DeToy's.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

What a win for the Tigers, 15-14!

What an incredible game for the MACA Tigers last night (Friday). Trot out the superlatives, any and all of them would be appropriate. The win and its very dramatic nature made the lengthy trip north worth it for our fans. I personally do not like such distances. But the Tigers and fans, hopefully more than a few of the latter, made the trek along I-29 over the barren but peaceful landscape. 

I personally have traveled along I-29 many times, would listen to the old Garner Ted Armstrong radio show. This was in the 1970s. These days I try to stay put. 

But what an adventure the MACA fans had last night up north. Absolutely, totally unforgettable. The Tigers were playing the high-quality Green Wave team of East Grand Forks. So East Grand Forks is separate from the main Grand Forks. The Wave had a win skein of three going. These three wins were over Perham (13-9), Fergus Falls (17-14) and Thief River Falls (23-14). Their season had started out with a 33-7 win over Crookston. 

So this was an oft-potent team that the Tigers were facing. The Tigers have shown to date that they can score a lot of points but also give up a fair number. How would they fare in their big Friday test? Incredible: we won at the end with the final score 15-14. We snatched victory from the jaws of looming defeat. I can imagine the exhilarated feelings of MACA fans on the long ride home. 

MACA has a 4-2 record now, 3-2 in conference. We're doing well as road warriors, now with a 3-1 showing in road games. We're 1-1 at Big Cat Stadium. We now have two games remaining. Next up: Perham at home on Friday. Then it's Fergus Falls on the 18th, Wednesday, also at home. We hope the weather facilitates.

 

What a game!

Now let's plunge into the most satisfying details of the Tigers' 15-14 win at EGF. A poised quarterback Drew Huebner connected with an equally poised receiver Riley Asmus with just four seconds left. Asmus made his catch in the back of the end zone. This was a 30-yard completion. 

But we're still not on top with the score. We'd need to grind things out some more. So we lined up for our essential conversion play. Essential for tying the score? It could have been that way with a conversion kick attempt. But no, the orange and black lined up for two! 

Going for the win! You know that if this had failed, the second-guessers would be out. I'm sure the old Vikings' coach the late Bud Grant would have gone for two! In that spirit, our coach "went for it" along with his totally focused group of Tigers. They weren't about to make the long trip home having been denied. 

Coach Pope called for the offense to be "spread out wide." The pigskin got handed to Owen Anderson. The run went "up the middle." Failure on a play like this would no doubt bring hand-wringing by our fans. A run up the middle? But the coach is a wiser person than I. His scheme worked. Anderson's run worked. 

The play was strategic but most of all, the kids executed. Two points for the Tigers! A win in the final 15-14 score. Incredible! 

Coach Pope said he did not hesitate in making the decision to go for two. "Two to win," he commented to a newspaper reporter. "You're on the road. We have faith in the guys." 

I believe Tulane University also goes by the "Green Wave" nickname. The EGF facility is called "Senior High Field."

Our fans had some worry late in the game that the EGF offensive line was wearing us down. This looked to be a factor as EGF scored on a two-yard run on third and goal by Clyde Anderson. At this point we are down 14-7. The time remaining: 67 seconds. 

The kick return had no promise for us, as it was short, so we took over at our 30. No timeouts remaining for us! Goodness! The Tigers advanced big on the second play with a 29-yard pass, Huebner to Jackson Hallman. It was an over-the-middle pass. Now the ball is at the EGF 38. 

Huebner-to-Hallman worked again for eight yards. Not entirely good news because the clock kept running. This was because Hallman was stopped short of a first down. 

The Tigers assembled for a rushed final snap. Paydirt! Huebner sent the ball in the air a fair ways. Meanwhile Asmus found himself double-covered. Recipe for failure? It was a recipe for success. Asmus is a 6 feet-4 sophomore. The EGF defenders collided with each other. Asmus gathered in the precious pigskin at the very rear of the end zone. 

Drama enough, but the Tigers would have to succeed on the two-point conversion. Owen Anderson finished things off to put this key game in the win column. 

The MACA volleyball team won by sweep over Benson on Thursday. Please click on permalink below to read my wrap on "Morris of Course." Thanks so much and God bless.

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2023/10/tigers-sit-at-6-10-after-sweep-over.html 

 

Surveying local media

I am finishing my first draft of this post on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. So what are the other media doing on the Tigers' big game? It's nothing but fun to write about this, isn't it? Just my opinion. 

The kmrs site has a heading "Friday night high school football." And what do we get? Scores. Just scores. What a letdown. Shall I even check the Morris newspaper website? I will waste a few seconds doing so. Yawn, you know what I find there, nothing but UMM. People need to start getting on the paper about this. We see "Volleyball rocks North Central." Obviously UMM. UMM has its own totally go-to website with all the bells and whistles. So strange how our local commercial media just chooses to duplicate that. A real head-scratcher. 

The Morris print paper only comes out once a week.

Our MACA athletes ought to be front-center. Even if the coverage is not always perfect or timely, just give it a try. Just "riff" a little. The commercial media outfits have people who are paid to do this. 

So my role is what? An independent unattached journalist? Well so what. People might say "Well you're not with the paper any more." Well so? Today's upperclassmen were born at about the time I left the Morris paper. 

Just because I left does not mean my brain cells have deserted me for writing. I hope some local people are aware of what I do. Further, I wouldn't mind getting some formal acknowledgment sometime. Maybe this is drastic but I wouldn't mind getting a mention at the fall sports banquet/program. Like in the old days? Someone told me Jerry Witt did this once after I left the paper. 

I really poured it on with coverage of MAHS Homecomings. Oh, C-A too! I still have vim and vigor today.

 

Addendum: I mentioned being very familiar with I-29 from my travels in the 1970s. I did that in my 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado, perhaps the greatest car ever made! Our family acquired it from the late Bill Dripps. You see a photo of it below. I pose with my mother Martha. This was during the "disco times" of the 1970s. You had to be there to understand the decade. For example, "The Gong Show."

Note my "1970s look."

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Such pleasant "Goldilocks" weather

(photo by B.W.)

We're maybe in the most pleasant time of the calendar. Mid or early fall, the term depending on the exact weather conditions. Remember the "Halloween Blizzard" in Minnesota? Well right now in early October it appears we are most blessed. No frost yet but that could come at any time. Looks like I'm safe to publish this post with the pronouncement of no frost. 

The second we get a taste of freezing, my zinnia flowers in front will be instantly "zapped."  They have been beautiful as usual this summer. They continue a tradition that my late father started. He had another trait of appreciating trees. Maybe in a previous time this was nice. But the property has gotten overgrown and I have had Craig Beyer over several times. 

Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) was an ideal time for soaking in the "Goldilocks" weather of early fall out along the biking/walking trail. I will remind y'all that the city has tried to get a grant approval for extending the trail system. Out to the golf course, or so I've heard. At last word the answer has been "no" on the grant request. Those who'd favor this might "work on" the appropriate local officials to try to get this idea through. 

Morris is not a lakes recreation community so we need to build on whatever other natural assets we have. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Lake Crystal could be transformed? But I guess it's not in the cards. So people still seek to "escape" Morris for the Alexandria area so often. I feel no such pull. But it seems rather the norm, especially among the more well-heeled among us. 

Morris gets so slow in summer, I was concerned over this past summer that I might show up for church at First Lutheran and find maybe just 5-6 people in the whole building. That fate did not arrive. Right now the church appears to be stabilizing again. We have been sort of "at the edge." We have the reputation of being "liberal" in a variety of ways. We listen to public health experts on covid. We take climate change theory with 100 percent seriousness. We are inclined to support women's reproductive health rights. 

All these things would seem to go against the grain in 2023 America, unfortunately. We have no problem with gay people. And we certainly are not a hangout for the MAGA crowd, heavens to Betsy no. There are other churches locally that fit the bill quite well for that. 

I have reached the point of almost giving up waiting for the end of MAGA. All my rational senses have told me it's really crazy and irrational. But it's out there and has been giving off an odor for so long. It has been incredibly stubborn - I've never seen anything quite like it. So I repeatedly try to explain it, so I can at least rationalize the grounds for why so many people have been taken in. 

Are so many people really so vulnerable to being drawn into a "cult?" Is that human weakness really so pervasive? I recognized Donald Trump as a total charlatan from before he was elected in 2016. I have felt a little restrained trying to point this out. I have had friends drift away. Maybe I am a little "liberal." But I do strive to be fair-minded. 

I will listen to an intelligent conservative any time who wants to cite real facts. Conservatism definitely has its place. 

Democrats be damned for how they have had this alliance formed with teachers unions. I am convinced that the Democrats lost the Virginia governorship because Terry McAuliffe was tone-deaf about this. So he campaigned openly with the national union head in the days leading up to the election. 

This affinity with teachers unions has been an Achilles heel for the political left. The political right was too stubborn for too long resisting basic gay rights. 

Is it possible that now, finally, Trump's accumulating legal troubles will slowly penetrate the brainwashed minds of MAGA? Get through to the parishioners of certain Morris area churches? I have identified a couple of these before. I imagine some people will be pissed off if I do it again. Why should I care really? 

I have not yet checked the news this Thursday a.m. Of course there will be another "batch" of headlines focusing on Trump. We'll see little thumbnail photos of him as if we need reminding of what he looks like. The cloud continues to hover over all of us. 

All this while our congressperson Michelle Fischbach apparently feels we must focus on the possible impeachment of Joe Biden. Really truly. I have been on her email list for a while, although I "unsubscribed" just the other day. I had had enough, had come to know what she was all about. She voted against certifying the 2020 election results. She thought there might have been "voting irregularities." 

Aren't there standard legal channels by which objections on this front can be made? Weren't there in fact a number of failed lawsuits? Something like sixty? So when all that failed, the conservative crowd sought to take matters into their own autocratic hands with the coup attempt. 

What's the matter with all you people? Couldn't you all see the abject outrageousness of all that? Evidently you couldn't. Whither the future of the United States of America? Y'all will miss democracy when it's gone, I guarantee it.

My current podcast on "Morris Mojo" reflects on last Saturday's U of M Gophers' football win over Louisiana Lafayette. The link:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brian1610/episodes/Football-Gophers-win-35-24--improve-to-3-2-e2a2lfs/a-aae76uv 

"Out Here in Morris"

by Brian Williams

(sung like a school "fight song")

 

Out here in Morris 

We will always get it done

With a college that implores us

To work hard and have our fun

Go Morris!

Out here in Morris

We will work to victory

So let's all join in a chorus

And fulfill our destiny

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

What's in a name? Interesting question

School sports team nicknames can be quite the thing. A tempest in a teapot sometimes? Who would really care about a particular nickname? The matter has gotten thorny in certain places. Best example: University of North Dakota. 

A nickname is a trivial thing and yet the matter can become hugely controversial. It lasted years at UND. I think there was a cooling-off period before the new nickname was anointed. So they're now the "Fighting Hawks." And you know what? No one seems to care much if at all. The nickname is routinely used and life goes on for everyone. 

We here in Morris have been guaranteed no controversy with our names. As I have stated previously, we have the default "big cat" names. When Carolina and Jacksonville entered the NFL as expansion teams, both chose the safe default route in this age of political correctness. Carolina is the "Panthers" and Jacksonville is the "Jaguars." We here in Motown have "Tigers" for the high school and "Cougars" for the college. Makes our school administrators breathe a sigh of relief to be sure. "Nothing to see here." They then can return to their many other problems. 

Wally Behm once told me that whenever a new administrator checks in somewhere, his whole job is to tackle a bunch of "problems." 

The Benson school has been quite distracted by the nickname/mascot matter, hoo boy. I am certain that the board and administration at Benson wishes like heck that it never had its nickname. A particular nickname does not confer any special enrichment whatsoever. It's a throwaway type of thing. Administrators can thus pull their hair out over this. 

The Benson administration might not confess to the hair pulling but I'll bet it's true for them. (Years of experience in the small town media has instilled in me the feeling that school administrators typically do not say what is really on their mind.) 

Poor Wally: a heart of gold, intelligent, with a sense of humor and sense of humanity. But. . . He had a common affliction among school administrators: difficulty in adjusting to changing times, trouble realizing that in the end, you must always defer to the parents. Stay fixated on the latter and you'll always be fine. 

Wally was the "principal to the boomers" (generation) of this community. Such people did yeoman's work, would be preserved with fondness in any community's memory. No other generation has ever been quite like it. We were the first generation of young people to be marketed to. 

 

The what?

As I survey the sports nicknames out and around, I'm struck by the one out of Idaho. Not Boise State but rather University of Idaho, which plays in Division I but not at the absolute top level. It's at the second from the top. This can get confusing. So don't lump all Division I's together. 

U of Idaho came to our attention in a big way with the horrific-beyond-words quadruple murders. I have never seen such an explosion of "true crime" interest as what transpired in the weeks following the murder of the four young people along "King Road." 

The "NewsNation" TV network plunged in with Ashleigh Banfield. One night she noted that while all the media attention was not appreciated in Moscow, Idaho, the attention really gave the impression that the community and its campus were "a really charming place." 

Indeed, a city of 26,000 which in the national media might be presented as a "small town" - you know the stereotypes. But 26,000 makes the place bigger than Willmar - I see it as a quite viable place. Actually not too big and not too small. What might be a good example of the latter? Morris maybe? We hope the national media stays away from here. 

Well, U of Idaho has the sports nickname "Vandals." The what? Is there an alternative definition for the word that I don't know about? It turns out, no. The mascot is a man with a thick beard and a crown. A Viking? Well no. The U of I tells us that the nickname began about a century ago "because of the defensive style of the basketball team." 

Makes me think right away of our Hancock girls basketball team from when the notorious Dennis Courneya was coach. Aggressive as could be. I think "ugly" would be an objective description, of the style of play and not the girls. 

I use "notorious" in connection to the coach because he ended up in infamy, having to serve prison time. Nevertheless, his tenure at Hancock was such that his team could fill the UMM P.E. Center for post-season games. Maybe there should be a museum exhibit on this. It was truly a phenomenon. I fear we in Stevens County have largely forgotten. 

Hancock had a terrific rivalry with Wheaton. How did our Morris Tigers fit in? Not at all, not a trace, because our girls athletics in the high-profile sports lagged terribly in that time period. Why did Morris put up with this? Well, I could maybe write a book. Academic stuffed shirts? Perhaps. (Jim Morrison would laugh about that.) 

But I felt it was seriously sad, especially in our "progressive" community of Morris with its university which I would think would want girls/women to be high-achieving. I have never hesitated from asking difficult questions in this community. I have suffered for it. If I was so totally wrong with some of my inclinations, why couldn't people just ignore me? Maybe I had more merit than they acknowledged, but I wasn't swayed by certain "sacred cows."

 

Music for U of I

I got inspired to write a little song tribute to U of Idaho on Sunday. I call it "Hymn for U of I." Would it get any attention if I were to have it recorded? Honestly you never know about these things. Analyzing attempts at popular music is about the most unscientific thing you can imagine. 

U of I has a music department named for Lionel Hampton, the great jazz vibraphone player. So I raise a toast to University of Idaho! I invite you to read my song lyrics:

 

"Hymn for U of I"

by Brian Williams

 

We rejoice in higher learning

Out west in Idaho

Cutting edge for all we need

Building wisdom, planting seeds

Idaho, Idaho

For the good we applaud

Real vision here in Moscow

It will do the job

We can wonder why it happened

Four lives erased so fast

Xana, Kaylee, Madison

Ethan was a fine young man

Idaho, Idaho

Essence shining like gold

They will remain beside us

Never to grow old

BRIDGE:

Take a stroll on the "Hello Walk"

Feel its energizing vibes

Feel the atmosphere of Kibbie

Makes you glad to be alive

We salute our School of Music

Hampton is how it's known

Mallets were his stock in trade

Jazz the genre that he made

Idaho, Idaho

Music makes us agree

No place can match the value

Of our pedigree

We unite behind the Vandals

Strange name we know it is

Nothing reckless, nothing crude

We'll just take on any school

Idaho, Idaho

Touchdowns to our delight

Join hands for all who know that

U of I is right

BRIDGE (new lyrics):

Vandals are a breed of passion

Fun and serious collide

When the chips are down there's action

Makes us glad to be alive

We accept the snow in winter

Out west in Idaho

North of Boise, close to God

Friendly faces, no mirage

Idaho, Idaho

Mem'ries form that will flow

We'll stay a part of you

No matter where you go

 

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Today's society, lack of "follow-through"

Schools and $

The community of Morris sometimes does not set a good example with basic competence. I'm trying to pin down patterns of behavior with the right characterizations. So is it really Morris, a town whose leaders find excuses to leave so often, or more of a societal thing or a generational thing? Maybe older people always speak of the younger folks with a condescending smirk. "We were more responsible" or something in that vein. 

Maybe the lapses are related to this point in time, this epoch. Post-covid. That a factor? The disorientation we might feel from the profound disruption? 

I happen to be fortunate enough to have some financial resources. Enough that they might perhaps do some good. No one can predict the future. I often think we'll get a sudden shocking bulletin about the U of M-Morris. Might the place close for an indefinite time? Be closed while the institution is re-purposed in some dramatic way? 

Might the institution re-start with a clean slate and suddenly treat all of its charges/students equally? In other words, with no special eye for "who they are?" Maybe just admit them based on their potential for doing well in school and later in life. No "branding" of kids based on whatever - race, sexual orientation, you know what I mean. 

The new attitude would be associated with the once-standard ideal of the U.S. "melting pot." Academic people decided in the end they didn't like that. I would suggest it was because the concept is too simple. Didn't give them much to dissect and lecture us about. 

I'd even like to see Native Americans treated like everyone else. The status quo isn't based on a "treaty," is it? If it is, it is probably etched in stone. There's a big difference if it is not. If it is not, then I would suggest that the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action, wiping it out, would absolutely render the policy unacceptable. But academia is most often like a dark and foreboding forest. Like from a Grimm Fairy Tale. So who knows? 

But in all likelihood, some interesting back room discussions may be in the works. Not necessarily here but most likely in the Twin Cities. The latter is where the "big boys" meet. 

Let's weigh more the simple incompetence that can be manifested by people nowadays. I sometimes listen to KFI Radio of Los Angeles from the "iHeart" system. Tim Conway Jr. on his evening show said "there's just no follow-through these days." It stuck in my head. 

Last December I walked out to the UMM campus - I don't have a parking permit - and entered the Welcome Center. If nothing else you should get a warm welcome there. I had the impression that a "kid" was at the front desk. Where was Carolyn Peterson? Oh, the kid wasn't rude or anything like that. He didn't go the extra mile. 

I won't elaborate on my purpose for being there, except to say I had written out a 4-figure check. As a "community person" rather than UMM, I had failed to adequately weigh how the place slows down between semesters. 

I told the desk attendant I had something else to do and that I'd be back later. I walked downtown. I came back. I inquired again about seeing a particular individual. The individual at the time of my first visit was "on the phone." You know how that can go. I remember Jim Morrison telling me he was frustrated when Cullen's was in town: people were "always on the phone," he said. 

I made my second trip back to campus and this time got another little runaround. The individual who might have helped me was tied up again. No one else from that person's department was "in." It was "slow time." I might note that mid-December is when many people make decisions on charitable giving. I departed from the "Welcome Center" having struck out. 

My usual contact person there later contacted me. She coordinated what it was I wanted to do. I like (or have liked in the past) to help UMM as a means of keeping the memory of my late parents alive. This certainly is not for the sake of my own reputation. I have never felt comfortable around most members of this town's "intelligentsia" which is led by UMM. Although, the situation with that is better today than in past epochs of time. Much better, really. 

My December story is not done. My main contact tried arranging for a subsequent email to be sent to me. A receipt. She then tried to confirm that I got it. I had not gotten it. Ah, the gods who float around the U of M like at Mt. Olympus. Can be inscrutable. Eventually my main contact pushed the process to completion. Like pulling teeth. Zeus must have implored the god of bureaucracy. 

I'm not done with storytelling here.

Morris Area School Foundation

Am I really writing about the Morris Area School Foundation here, or am I writing about West Central Initiative (WCI)? Try dealing with one of these entities and you might be confounded. I tried submitting the tax ID number for the Foundation to a Morris bank and was told the number was for WCI. So I chose to assume one was as good as the other. A shrug, maybe. Make it a hail Mary. 

Just assume they are one and the same? I wish this could be spelled out better. 

Last December I contributed a check to the School Foundation and found I should write the check out to WCI. That's what I did. It was essential to include a note specifying that my aim was to help the Morris Area School Foundation. My receipt later did confirm that. Nice to see a basic trace of competence at some point. 

Now, when you seek to contribute $ for the benefit of the public school, you'll have a particular school program in mind, i.e. a priority. I really can't imagine contributing any other way. So I'm thinking music. I know MAHS music is aiming for a spring trip. I was told that I could in fact choose such a priority for my next $ gesture. Unfortunately it's not so simple. 

A sense of logic tells me the Foundation exists for the express purpose of accepting citizens' donations. I am now informed that if you really want to target things as with music, there is an alternative procedure. I just feel all this needs to be spelled out better for the innocent public. 

On Wednesday a very nice individual from the School Foundation, whose name I won't type here because of the generally negative tenor of my comments, drove out to my place to return a 4-figure check I had written. I got scissors and cut it up into little pieces. I had written it out to WCI. At first I was given the go-ahead to do it that way, then a meeting of some kind was held for elucidation, and a reversal was called for. 

 

Jeannie Maanum works in the district business office. She takes care of all the finances for the district. She mentioned that she takes donations frequently for teachers and she is able to issue a letter and receipt to the donor, so that the donor can receive the tax exemption. 

 

I would love to see the MAHS music department make its hoped-for trip to New Orleans in the spring. But now, "Mongo" (my alter ego) is in position to start all over. Imagine having a 4-figure check intended to benefit the school simply returned to you. We might be incredulous. But this is how life can be now. Not always the proper "follow-through" as Tim Conway Jr. would suggest. 

We tread water too often. We won't go the extra mile to consummate. 

However, the School Foundation person did go the extra mile to stop at my residence - credit where credit is due. I am still nowhere with my personal aspirations on this. And with UMM, I have various issues outside of simple incompetence or lethargy at the Welcome Center. Who would want to go in there again? 

I miss Carolyn. I talked to her when she was on a "TV screen" there once - just like on "Star Trek." 

I can't believe that a 4-year college that offers a music major can't have a band and/or choir at graduation. Am I just too old to appreciate these matters? And the UMM Homecoming concert this year included no current students. The concert used to be a big deal. Not only that, I seem to remember it was free. A friend told me there was a ten-dollar admission charge this year. I'm glad I didn't even go out there because I might have flown off the handle. 

You know, UMM wants everyone to just give more and more money. Here's the problem: In order to do that, you have to have a product. 

So, Homecoming was scheduled early for a particular reason? Did it have something to do with the football schedule? Well forget about football. Have a Homecoming soccer or volleyball match. Seriously. Football's stock is sinking all the time. St. Cloud State and Ridgewater-Willmar do not even have football anymore. Sheesh. 

The UMM campus

Have Homecoming when the music department can be prepared. But if music is now a no-show for graduation, can we ever assume it will make a zestful appearance? Ever? Is it dying? Is UMM dying? Or, is UMM as we've known it dying? The campus is too nice to abandon. 

I have theorized through the years that the campus would always need a music department, regardless of how else it functions. Now I'm wondering. A friend of mine accurately describes the HFA building as an "albatross" based on its design. My what an array of issues/problems are presented. And the "real" enrollment sans the online students and PSEO "kids" may be only about 500? 

 

Wash my hands here

Based on my problems in dealing with UMM and the public school foundation, maybe I ought to give money out of state to some institution where nobody knows me or has any opinions about me. How about the University of Idaho? U of Idaho has a music department named for Lionel Hampton. The late Jim Carlson would jump up and click his heels over that! So, that's good enough for me. 

I'm reluctant to give my money to an institution that chooses to give a paycheck to Sue Dieter, who in my opinion occupies a position best described as bureaucratic. 

Idaho? Wouldn't know a soul there. My kind of place. I bet they'd mail me a real nice T-shirt! 

Closing out, let me just say "Mongo just pawn in game of life." An inconsequential grain of sand on the beach.

The University of Idaho marching band. Very nice to have a marching band.
 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tennis shows winning flair vs. Benson/KMS

First of all, my thoughts on the Gophers vs. Northwestern football game of this past Saturday are on my "Morris Mojo" podcast. The link:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brian1610/episodes/Gophers-vs--Northwestern-football-e29otm9 

 

MACA/WCA won a hard-fought tennis dual over Benson/KMS 4-3. Benson as we speak is in the midst of dealing with their nickname/logo situation. Benson is seeking permission from Native American groups to continue with its "Braves" thing, complete with the symbol that has the feathers. 

Well, my reaction is that if Benson gets its way, then what was the purpose of the new state law? Benson has the standard disrespectful symbolism. Apologists for them might say they consulted with a Native American on logo design, to be properly respectful or whatever. 

Can't you see through that? If I'm the Native American who gets approached on this matter, in a patronizing manner, I am not going to want to throw cold water on it. I'd risk drawing some resentment. Because, the school might be forced into a nickname change and that would cost money. It costs more than you might think. 

I think Benson right now is in a game to see who blinks first. And by that I mean, if Benson just balks indefinitely, what happens? What kind of "enforcement?" Put the superintendent or school board chairman in jail? Well that would seem preposterous. But I don't know, we have a former president of the U.S. talking now that if he gets back in, we'll see executions of people, for example General Mark Milley. Treason. 

So our first reaction follows the pattern: "Oh that could never happen." Might we laugh? But as with all Trump things, time passes and then we slowly realize that the scariest scenario is going to happen after all. And so many of the most committed Christians are reluctant to ever counter Trump on anything. Is it time for all good people to begin roundly condemning the Christian faith? I would say "no" but that our attention should turn to the bastardized form of the faith, i.e. MAGA. Will the local Apostolic Christians ever start showing skepticism toward Trump? I'm tired of waiting. 

So my theory is that the Benson school will just delay with its Indian logo thing, "delay" being the Trump kind of tactic, and in the end the state will be forced to move in and spend state money to fix the situation. The Benson school administration will get a pat on the back for doing it this way. But what about the moral question of having held on to the nickname for so long? 

Does it always have to be about money? Well in 2023, I guess yes. 

Native Americans are not mascots.

 

Tigers 4, Benson/KMS 3

The No. 1 singles player for MACA/WCA in this win was Cate Kehoe. Cate wielded a winning racket. She turned back Elle Kletscher of Benson/KMS in a pretty hard-fought match. The outcome: 6-4, 6-4 for Cate. 

At No. 2 singles was my occasional server at DeToy's Restaurant in Morris, Chloe Zimmel. Chloe too had a winning racket. She was pretty dominant vs. Molly Jones with 6-3, 6-0 success. I'll have to congratulate Chloe this weekend. 

We didn't fare so well at No. 3 singles: Lilia Asmus was defeated by Ava Oakes 1-6, 3-6. Our fortunes slipped at No. 4 singles too: Ava Breuer fell vs. Tara Beyer 2-6, 3-6. 

Let's move on to doubles, and here we see Ashley Koehl and Nora Meek at No. 1. The Tiger pair downed Elise Duncan and Kya Oakes 6-0 and 6-3. At No. 2 the Tiger tandem was Izabell Hoffman and Grace Hauglie. The Tiger pair fell to Addi DeToy and Teagan Froelich, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 2-6. Our No. 3 team of Heidi Seales and Ellen Reed defeated Ella McGinty and Megan Anders, 7-5, 6-2.

Final thought

Benson athletic programs have appeared to show some weak areas over the past few years. Volleyball is really down at present. Maybe the school administration there should work harder on those matters than on clinging to a dated nickname/logo.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

The rain, the campus and other things

'Tis the kind of day that brings an expression you might find in Howard Mohr's classic book "How to Speak Minnesotan." I encountered the expression quite promptly first thing this morning. The expression is a question. I don't recall ever having been able to answer it. "Did you hear how much rain we got?" or "How much rain did you get?" 

In a sense I could answer the question by just saying "a heckuva lot," and my exact terminology might not be "heckuva." 

The Saturday night downpour had to be the most intense we in Morris have had in years. One thing I heard in my brief trip downtown for breakfast this morning is that our neighboring community of Hancock was largely spared. We got soaked in Motown. A check of the forecast later last night showed we're in for more of same now. 

It's the time of year to get one's furnace checked in preparation for you-know-what. I was astounded at the sheer length of last winter. Never again will I assume we'll get the reprieve in conditions for March and April. And that will be a downer to file away. Our high school softball season might last a mere one month. Hard to justify the expense of the "softball complex" in light of that. 

People like me with a newspaper writing background tend to be skeptical. It applies moreso to me because my formative years were during some real bad stuff. 

A newspaper writer knows to discard the public comments of so many officials who represent the big public institutions. My segue here is to the topic of UMM and how it is faring. I'm not sure it's even called "UMM" anymore. Such a fluid world we are in now. The fluidity is a downer all by itself. 

I have bent over backwards trying to put on a facade of feeling good about UMM. It is starting to become a headache. It is September and this time of year we get curious about UMM enrollment. All we want is the facts, those of us who might be described as stakeholders. I'm a stakeholder even if I never give another cent. And I may not. 

Remember the op-ed a few months ago by that older dude who represented something called the "Peach?" It was mighty therapeutic for a lot of us to read that. It articulated a lot of what so many of us have been thinking. Thinking but not saying? Why would we have inhibitions? Many Morris "lifers" are well aware that UMM has a rock-ribbed mission of pushing the "liberal arts." The emphasis to the exclusion of any modification has grated on many of us. 

Of course we want to support the institution because of what it means to our economy. I think the original pushers behind UMM coming here felt the essential survival of the community was at stake. We know the original pushers wanted nothing to do with a "junior college." I cannot understand why that was anathema. 

I think it was Vance Opperman - a well-known name although I can't cite his exact claim to fame - wrote that our campus would fit in better as a "state university." And I guess various big shots here including then-chancellor Sam Schuman had a conniption over that, had kittens or whatever. 

Remember when the state colleges sought a name change from "colleges" to "universities?" It seemed so superficial. It didn't appear they changed their functioning at all. They basically came right out and said the name change would help them market themselves better. Basically just prestige? As if that would fool anyone? 

Personally, I don't think Schuman ever got over the goalpost incident here. How could anyone? It happened in 2005. UMM got a lesson on how there are times for the reining-in of student behavior and shenanigans. My late mother said any time there was a dispute between a student and staff member at UMM, the institution bent over backward for the student. Within reason we can cut some slack for students. Within reason. 

Morris sure got its University branch. Important families like the Morrisons were happy and that was understandable. So many years ago. 

A friend told me just a few days ago that at present, the term "college" might actually be seen as desirable versus "university." 

There is an increased emphasis on the practical real world benefits of one's "higher education." One might think this always should have been elementary. UMM saw dividends in the raw liberal arts and there may have been a limited basis for that judgment, over a finite time. And I'll have to point out again that there is nothing inherently wrong with the liberal arts. But we must look at our changing world. It's a world now where just about all the knowledge in existence is at your fingertips with whatever "device" you have. 

Young people can so easily be self-starters to develop whatever knowledge they feel will be constructive for them. And yes they want to learn to produce something in our capitalistic economy. 

The guy who wrote the "Peach" thing came right out and suggested an alternative mission for our campus: be a "technology hub." 

Our UMM campus

As it stands, what are we doing now? In the interest of candor I will say that I shared with a friend the other day about how the UMM campus has been "a haven for aggrieved portions of the population." I mean like young people of color and gays. And of course Native Americans are a pillar here. Bless them and good luck to them but they don't pay tuition. And how much "Native American" do you have to be? Is it the "one drop" thing? I'm told you have to be a quarter. These things can get muddled? 

So are we serving Elizabeth Warren types? Are such folks mooching off us? I agree with much of what Ms. Warren says but she's a fraud if she got favors as a "purported" Native American. 

The late Mike Miller, UMM administrator, told me a long time ago that serious discussions were being had at UMM about whether the free tuition thing should even be supported. OK I give thumbs-down on that. 

What about the Supreme Court ruling nixing "affirmative action?" I laugh because I immediately realized that the clever people running colleges would find "end runs" around that. "Figures lie and liars figure." Jim McRoberts taught me that line. 

It was Donnie Eich who told me that all an education at UMM proves is that "you can read some books and then answer questions about them." Donnie was a tremendous supporter of UMM sports, even the more obscure teams, when his health was better. 

So, I'm a Watergate era writer who just searches for truth. You needn't be any sort of "crusader" to proclaim that aim, just embrace common sense and wisdom. In that vein I share below a portion of an email I received the other day from a friend who I have already quoted in this piece. If this friend is right, the wheels ought to be turning to seek a tweaked mission for our campus. I should say "beloved" campus. I have fallen out of that, and I won't say "sorry."

 

I talked to somebody recently about UMM enrollment, his wife works on campus. He said that even the stated enrollment of 1000 is inflated. That is everyone enrolled at UMM, and includes the students “attending” class online plus the PSEO students. According to him, actual on-campus students number around only 500.

 

Addendum: Another trait of Watergate era journalists: we enjoy the feeling of being "celebrities" as writers. It's an outdated feeling now, when anyone can find a platform for "mass communications." But it was an interesting feeling to have, back in the day. Journalists sped up the U.S. withdrawal from the Vietnam war. We sped up the exit of Nixon from the presidency. We sped up civil rights. What about Trump? Alas, we are in a new age.

 

Addendum #2: I quote again from the friend already quoted in this post. This is from a different email.

 

I remember when UMM was being promised, it was to be a regional 4-year school to accommodate area students who wanted a college experience without having to travel 100-150 miles from home. I wonder what Ed LaFave and the others that promoted UMM back in the day would think now. At the time (late '50s), Morris movers and shakers were presented with a choice: a branch of the U of M or a 3M plant? It was between us and Alexandria, Morris got the school and Alex got 3M.

 

My comment regarding above: My understanding is that the town's leaders were apprehensive about 3M coming here because of fear of unions. But as it turned out, government workers ended up thumping their chest with unions. The public school teachers became the most annoying. 

 

Addendum #3: The headline for this post is a takeoff on the famous song "The Rain, the Park and Other Things" recorded by the Cowsills in the 1960s. You might say it's their signature song.

 

The Tiger football game: loss at DGF

You may click on link below to check out my coverage of the Tigers' football game at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Friday. Tigers were dealt their first loss.

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2023/09/maca-football-has-first-2023-setback.html

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com