Watching and waiting

Maggie says:
A strange weekend of alternating moments of connection and internalizing... but sometimes that's a perfect combination. Saw The Squid and the Whale last night, which is amazing. Literally, after the first thirty seconds of the opening scene, I whispered "this movie is already awesome." It's that good. And the night before that, a simply wonderful gathering with a simply wonderful hostess. Weekends like this one, connections remind us that our allies are all around us; internalizing firms up our own strength.

Currently in a Flying Star booth updating my resume, I'm eavesdropping on this idiotic Young Republican type trying to explain in very patronizing terms to the two terribly young girls sitting with him why repealing all taxes would actually benefit the poor. Because, you know, "The only reason I don't volunteer all my time at Joy Junction is because I'm too busy working to make up the lost money I waste on the sales tax when I shop at Wal-Mart." Mmm-hmmm. And the only reason I'm not sitting in a corporate cubicle working right now is because it's more fun job-shopping with my conscience. Can we all just admit who we are and where we stand? Can this crew-cut loud-mouth just go ahead and show his cards to these girls before they begin to think he's a good guy? And can't he find a better place to get his kicks and feed his ego than an audience of young girls who aren't yet ready to talk back to him?

Yet despite this idiot two booths down, it's a good Sunday. Good stories in the papers today, and this photo to marvel at: Amazing! In Hong Kong, more than a quarter-million people hit the streets to demand speedier democratic reforms. Anson Chan, a politician who before today was seen as a moderate and is now being called "Hong Kong's conscience," decided to join the march and stand up for her beliefs.

"I feel that there are moments in one's life when one has to stand up and be counted, and for me, I believe this is one of these moments."

How about it, Americans? What's going to finally make you stand up and be counted? If not now, when? How much more will it take?

In days and nights full of movies and dinners and conversations and action and thoughts, I wonder at the state of things, but more importantly, at the state of the people who stand by and watch without saying anything at all.