THE MUSIC ROOM

My wife’s younger sister lives in a typical suburban home in Murrysville, PA, with her Husband and two teenage sons.   What is not typical in this middle class home is the “music room”.  Several years ago, the family added a large addition to the existing house.  For most growing families it would have been the opportunity to spread out with a family room, large screen TV, lounging furniture and maybe a pool table.  In this house, the new room is captivated by a large piano and musical instruments of various shapes and sizes.  Music lessons are given, new pieces are rehearsed and impromptu jams are known to break out.

What I have come to realize is that the music room defines this family.  Options and priorities were discussed and music won.  The eldest son is tall, athletic and outgoing.   He is the perfect candidate for various high school varsity sports.  Instead, he is an accomplished cellist and has won awards throughout his high school years.  I have heard him play at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Youth Orchestra and most recently solo, with his Mother accompanying on piano, prior to the spring school band program.  His younger brother holds out promise of being an exemplary musician on the saxophone.

While the mother teaches piano, there is no evidence that any member of the family will have a symphonic career.  The high school graduate would like to be a pharmacist. The father, an accomplished musician in his own right, is a manager in a utility company.  This is simply a family that values lives well lived, enriched by music.

Two thoughts strike me about the music room.  First, in the Victorian era, music rooms were common, as were libraries.  These rooms were places to enrich the soul and sooth the spirit, apart from the drudgery of day to day labor.  In the absence of organized sports, around the clock social media, fixed media and the internet, the music room was a welcome respite.

Second, Federal Title IX has just celebrated 40 years of making sex discrimination in school athletics illegal.  This provision has made incredible progress in women’s sports throughout our country.  Women’s programs are often indistinguishable from men’s programs.   Some would argue that Title IX has touched much more than sports, by changing the role of women in society.

Perhaps we need a mirror Title IX program for equality in the creative arts.  The provision would outlaw discrimination against our young musicians, painters, writers, dancers and sculptures.  The finite resources available for activities would go toward sports and the arts, share and share alike.  We might see more music rooms spring up in suburban America and that would be a good thing.

AN AFTERNOON AT THE BARBECUE JOINT

            When the phone call came from the local Obama campaign office, I had already grabbed my calendar.  Another organizational meeting, I thought.  But the caller had a cryptic bit of news.  The next day Washington would be visited by an unnamed “administration official”.  Would my wife and I like to attend the meet and greet?

            On Thursday we were at the iconic Hog Fathers restaurant, along with a handful of older Obama volunteers and a contingent of the young people who help staff the Pittsburgh office.  We quickly learned that Vice President Biden was the attraction, his motorcade returning to the Airport from West Virginia and Ohio.  As is typical for these affairs, the VP would be late.  We were instructed to be discreet, have some barbecue and meet new friends.

            An hour later the pack of Chevy Suburbans rolled in.  A smiling Biden stepped out and greeted the owner.  The media in attendance was corralled behind the counter and the Vice President began what he came to do.  This was no photo op.  He wanted to talk issues and find out what was on the minds of South Western Pennsylvania voters.  While the secret service bought lunch for the ride to the Airport, Biden let each of us have our say.

            I brought up the Air Force Reserve Station at the Airport.  “Do not close it” I told him. “It will give us enough votes to make a difference”.  He listened and understood the dilemma.  There are national economic and strategic concerns he informed me.  Others spoke of education, health care and the upcoming election.

            With the exception of the Mayor, no elected officials were in attendance.  I am sure some egos got bruised.  The individuals who were invited had been with the Obama campaign 5 years ago when the politicians were not.  I guarantee that we will now work even harder to paint our small part of the country Obama/Biden blue on election night.

THE EQUALITY GLASS IS HALF FULL (the vintage is struggling, young & brown)

When I look beyond the 24/7 political noise, it is the best of times to be a social democrat in the United States of America.  In my lifetime there will be more positive gains in both civil rights and economic equality than at any time in our history.  As our country becomes younger and more diverse, further social change in both areas is inevitable.  

Moreover, it is no coincidence that the deprived generation coming out of the great depression readily adopted our first large wave of FDR social democracy.  Our younger generations most affected by the 2008 great recession will likewise adopt a second wave of personal and economic equality, with a flourish we should all see coming.  The equality glass is half full and the vintage is struggling, young and brown.

  Regarding civil rights, I proudly display in my office the Vernon Jordan quote: “After Years of disturbing the unjust peace- all men are finally created equal”, below a photograph of Barack Obama.  Within a few years, our changing social structure will guarantee that this quote also applies to our first female president and to a national affirmation on gay marriage.  Our founding fathers will finally be able to smile, roll over in their graves and sleep peacefully through eternity.

Regarding economic equality, it has become clear to me that modern western democracies will evolve toward universal economic opportunities and wealth leveling (both nationally and globally), in order to fulfill their potential.  Further, our next generation of leaders will adopt growth not austerity strategies during economic downturns and retain tax surpluses when the economy is vibrant, saving for the next inevitable rainy day.  In other words, the next generation will learn from our mistakes.

I have come to realize that within decades, Fox news and older Americans with deeply held prejudices will have no choir to preach to.  The moral majority is becoming the moral minority and the outcome of the cultural wars is becoming a foregone conclusion.  Like other flash points that have tried to hold up the equality train, the present brand of angry, homophobic social conservatism is losing its grip and will soon be an interesting footnote in American History.

Lastly, I have come to understand that this new landscape has little to do with the work of aging progressives like myself, or the constant political chatter.  Maybe my generation helped set the stage 30 or more years ago.  Sure, it would be nice if we could help win the next election.  But whatever the near term outcome, recession, youth and demographics will prevail in the long run.  My job is really to get out of the way and not muck it up before they take over and fulfill the destiny of this great country.