Spurs Magazine

Roses and Doorways


I am standing on a white limestone paved street, staring at a garland of red fabric flowers.
In the middle of the garland is a photo of the smiling face of Sally, a young woman that many in my community adored.

She was killed here in Oaxaca, Mexico sometime in the last couple weeks. Her friends say that because she was actively working to support Oaxacan's in their struggle against corrupt government, she was killed for political reasons.

The government reports that her death was a random act of sexual violence. In either case, we are left in rage and mourning that her life was taken.
During her brief life, she fought to transcend ingrained oppression amongst people and in our social and political structures. To create a world where families could be made of love; these are true ...

In response to "send me your thoughts:

"In this time and place "equality" is the most overly sold iconic "value."

The notion that "everyone" can be "anything" they wish is phony, yet, retains immense sales value. Numerous projects are lavishly funded, based primarily on this notion.

The spurious logic at work is the misinterpretation of the concept "equal opportunity" into the message "equality." Over-selling "equality," is the classic work of apparatchik, social engineers. The only true measure of their success is in their retaining their own positions, salaries and benefits, while doling out phony hope and recognition to armies of poorly educated, marginally trained aspirants, but from which once-in-a-million a star does rise.

Finally, when these career bureaucrats (public or private, no difference) socialize, it's rarely, if ever, with the "equalized" masses they presumably serve. They prefer to move among the "elite," whose guilt, due to their success, due in large part to their privilege, it is their real mission to ameliorate. Mission success does then, hopefully, lift them out of so-called public servitude, into the realm of the "elite."

Better than "equal" any day, but never mentioned as it is proscriptively "off message." Indeed, some really are "more equal than others."

© 2008 Jackie T. Gabel

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My name is Justin King.
Here is a painting that I thought would be appropriate considering your title.
I have been a stay-at-home Dad for the last three years. That is probably the driving force behind my newer paintings. I found that it was difficult to pursue the large scale abstract paintings that I had prior to having children. I slowly transitioned into working small scale and started working from images that I discovered in my daily surroundings. The image that I sent you is of our bath tub with my oldest son's toys (some broken and some not). Emotionally, I have mixed feelings a about the picture. It reminds me of my son and his toys seemingly everywhere I step, while It also reminds me how confining being a stay-at-home parent can be. I doubt anyone would perceive a sense of confinement in the picture but that was certainly in the back of my mind while painting it. Aside from the painting's content, I fell in love with the beauty of the subtle color transitions caused by Oregon's soft winter light.
I hope that I answered your question. Please let me know if you have any more questions
Justin