When Is It Time?

One question that keeps popping into my mind is, "When is it time?"

Early on in "the troubles," the cashier at the grocery store asked if we were having a revolution. I flippantly responded, "Not yet!"

Here we are nearly four months later, and I'm watching disagreement among the resistance regarding when civil disobedience should become uncivil disobedience.

I am sensing a desperation that combines frustration, fear, and anger.

My view has always been, in the words of my farmer father-in-law, that the only way to fix a dent in the bucket is from the inside. In other words, we effect change by working within the system. Use the processes that have been put in place and forged over time to determine what is best and work to make it happen.

Lately, though, I'm finding myself thinking that sometimes, you just have to throw the biucket out and get a new one.

I've been to quite a few Republican events with my husband, and yesterday and today I worked the information desk at the Democratic convention. Both parties work the same. They trot out their platform and then spend the whole time bragging about how great they are and how horrible the other guys are.

Really? This is how we make change happen?

I am thrilled to have gotten to be part of the convention experience. I had lots of wonderful chats and even got to meet one of my #wiunon twitter friends. This morning, I had a powerful conversation with a Vietnam combat veteran who works to support veterans affairs in the state.

But no one was taking about changing or improving anything. Everything was about taking the state back.

I was so disheartened to feel like I'm a prop in a statewide game of keep-away.

So when is it time to be drastic? Do we want to change things, or do we just want to change them back?

How do we know when it is time?