ENOUGH IS

We got an eNotify from the City.

Statement Issued by Santa Clara Mayor

Lisa M. Gillmor Regarding Bay Area Protests

Post Date: 05/31/2020, May 31, 2020

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Due to civil unrest in the neighboring city of San Jose that has resulted in some looting and rioting over the weekend, City Manager Deanna J. Santana in her role as Director of Emergency Services has declared a Local State of Emergency for Santa Clara . . .

Santa Clara and San Jose have shared borders where both Westfield Valley Fair and Santana Row Shopping districts are located and have been identified as locations of potential interest for protests and raids. At this time of issuing this release, there is already credible activity in the area . . .

In collaboration with the Santa Clara City Council and Police Department, City Manager Santana has issued a citywide curfew which will be in effect from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., beginning 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 31 until further notice.

The statement goes on --

About the City of Santa Clara

Located at the heart of Silicon Valley about 45 miles south of San Francisco, the City of Santa Clara truly is “The Center of What's Possible.”

Here – this backyard!

Squirrels and birds, neighborhood dogs occasionally, come to visit. They're not on the mailing list for the City Calender, and are unaware of the Statement. Being the Center has about as much meaning for them as I find in it.

This place centers around the bird bath and a couple of feeders. A civil word, or even a friendly thought goes a long way. Friendships develop. And where possibilities can't become speculations, neither are impossibilities ruled out.

A male hummingbird and I are friends. He comes along, sometimes, when I take kitchen scraps to the compost. As I sit late afternoon in my lawn chair, sometimes he hovers by the brim of my hat.

Yesterday as I refilled his feeder he was nowhere to be seen. Until I took it out that is, and then he appeared. Like magic. It's amazing, how fast he can fly. As I hung the feeder up, he brushed past my hand, flashing that incredibly bright red band of feathers. A couple of inches from my cheek he siphoned out long sips of nectar. How does he know? How does my cat know I'm coming to the door to let her in at night?

It's fundamental, how we're all connected, though humans tend to be less aware and tend to neglect what's actually obvious.. What's considered impossible, or buried amidst the usual possibilities, gets buried. All that stuff that's taught and learned. Remember Rodney King, “People . . . can we JUST get along? Can we get along?”

Slave culture, industrial culture, humans being made into just units of production. Habits of appropriation and neglect are an outmoded legacy, carefully cultured, breeding a residue of rulers and leaders who believe they are pearls. When those who have been tossed down to the bottom of the heap finally rise up in anguish and anger, isn’t it time to listen? The cry resonates.

This is one planet. We all live here.

And as I write, believe it or not, my friend appears out of nowhere to hover over my shoulder . . .

Enough said?