Change Morphs to Chance

I was part of a large layoff from Wells Fargo, the only place I had worked since emigrating from Great Britain many moons ago. It felt like a gut-punch at first. When my job disappeared so did part of my identity.

I wondered what I was meant to be. Similar questions came and went and came back again. After drinking my morning coffee, I had no one to see and nowhere to be. I vacillated. I procrastinated. And then I took some time off.

With time came a changed perspective, and I began to think about what was next. I knew I wanted to find more purposeful work.  Some years ago, I completed my degree (English/Communications) as an adult. I love to write—using words to inspire, persuade, inform and tell stories. I have always known in my heart that that is where my passion lies. Although communication has been a critical component of past jobs, I resolved to attempt to make this long-term passion into a much tighter focus. More a change of emphasis than a change of career—a full-time communications role.

It took a forced change to refocus my goals. I had drifted into a career working with mortgages and stayed because it was the easy thing to do, but there was always the nagging feeling I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing. Sound familiar? Putting one foot forward and trusting my instincts seemed like a solid place to start: Be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Being without a job is scary for a myriad of reasons but I am learning that life has a way of challenging you to get closer to the person you want to be. That doesn’t have to be job-focused, but a job may help in reinventing yourself. 

Photo credit: Nataliya Vaitkevich

Fast Travels Time in the Rear View Mirror

After a lengthy hiatus, allinaword is active again!

What seems like only a few years since my last post is in reality much longer. As someone who loves to write, I am looking forward to posting my thoughts and comments regularly again.

Our world has changed much since my last post. This glance back from then to now takes a brief look at some of the major events in just two countries, Great Britain, where I grew up; and the United States, my adopted home.  

My last post speculated whether people in Scotland would vote to stay in the United Kingdom or choose to be an independent country.  We know now that they voted for the former, electing to remain part of the United Kingdom by 55-45 percent. But fault lines—that have widened over time—remain.

In another referendum two years later, in 2016, the majority of people in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union by a narrow margin of 52-48 percent, formally exiting that body one hour before Big Ben rang in the New Year of 2020. 

Also that year Donald Trump won the US presidential election, beating Hillary Clinton in an upset, but was defeated four years later by Joe Biden, who became the 46th president. Between the two elections, the 41st president, George H.W. Bush—resident in the Oval Office when I arrived as an immigrant—died in 2018.

In the UK, the revolving door to 10 Downing Street opened and closed in quick succession as five prime ministers sat in office behind that famous black door.

Last Autumn Queen Elizabeth II, the epitome of stability and continuity, died at the age of 96 while in Scotland. An ever-constant in my life, the Queen was always there. I watched from across the Atlantic as her coffin moved somberly through the Scottish countryside, with thousands of people lining the route. 

The Queen’s reign spanned 15 British Prime Ministers, beginning with Winston Churchill and ending with Liz Truss. During that time there were 14 US presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first; Joe Biden, the last. The Queen was succeeded by Charles III, who was crowned king at Westminster Abbey earlier this month.

2020 was a momentous year. The world shut down as result of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the US and the UK with many changes wrought in its wake. Remote work—not really widespread pre-pandemic—became commonplace with many workers reluctant to return to their offices. Behavioral changes such as social distancing, isolation and masking affected many of us. 

That same year, my city of Minneapolis witnessed the death of George Floyd at the hands of a policeman. The social unrest and demands for racial justice that followed touched many aspects of American life—sparking a reckoning of how American history is viewed—and spreading far beyond this nation’s borders.

In 2021, the United States also got an official new holiday, Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. 

On a personal note, I finally became a US citizen late in 2022.  More on that in an upcoming post.

Photo Credit: Mark Neal - Photography (pexels.com)

Scotland Decides

On September 18, people resident in Scotland and age 16 or older will answer the question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

The potential consequences are enormous. For the first time in over 300 years, the United Kingdom could be less united; Great Britain less great; and Scotland an independent state.  

Although I have lived in the United States for over 20 years, I still cling to my British identity. That hasn't changed since I have lived here. But Britain has. Born in England of a Welsh mother and an English father, I return to visit family often and remain passionate about the United Kingdom.

The referendum is for Scotland alone but the decision will have a dramatic effect on the rest of the UK. Scotland's population, at around 5.2 million, is one twelfth of the UK population, yet the decision on whether the UK survives as a state will be made without any input from voters in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

So what has happened to transform the question of Scottish independence? A change set in when Britain turned away from the Commonwealth to embrace a new European identity, but more recently than that were the Thatcher years. And it is here that real damage was wrought.

Not that long ago the British state mined coal and forged steel. It manufactured cars and trucks and employed an industrial workforce that did these things. If you were a miner or a steel worker or a car worker you were part of a community and shared interests with others in places such as Liverpool, Sheffield, or South Wales. There was a common identity and it was British.

Perhaps it signaled the end of a long period of industrial decline, but Margaret Thatcher's brutal policies destroyed these industries and did long term harm to social cohesion in Scotland (as it did in South Wales and large tracts of northern England). Communities were broken up and with it a shared British endeavor, replaced by the global market. I have long thought that the privatization of gas, electric, water and other national assets also served to take something away from a collective sense of Britishness, as it did in later years when British Rail was privatized.

Since the Thatcher years Westminster has shifted to the right while Scotland has remained left of center. Many Scots who once felt both Scottish and British no longer do so. And yet the ties that bind us are still strong: the NHS, popular culture, the BBC and the pound.  All parts of the UK are intrinsically linked by history, trade, and family. Issues affecting people in Scotland are the same as those affecting people in other parts of the UK. Living here I see more in common between the average Scot, English, Welsh and Northern Irish person than between people in many states of the US.

What unites us is infinitely stronger than what divides us. During our 307-year union we have discovered new medicines, made great inventions, created great works of art, fought together and died together. And, when faced with perhaps our darkest hour, we stood together and hurled defiance at Hitler when the whole world thought our fate was sealed.

Whatever happens on September 18, Great Britain will have forever changed. A yes vote maybe a vote for independence but it is also a vote to render asunder the United Kingdom. There is a vacuum of power in the world and this vote will have a direct bearing upon that too. Both Scotland and the UK would be diminished. Both would have less of a voice on the world stage. But perhaps the most profound effect would be on the national psyche.

Scotland doesn't need a seat at the United Nations to be a nation. She has as strong an identity as any country on earth but with the economic benefits and added security as part of the UK. I have traveled to most parts of Great Britain and see a wonderful diversity of nations within a nation and regions within those nations. Scots are welcomed everywhere. Britain, British, Brtishness all stand for something in the world - freedom, democracy, a sense of humor. We have built the United Kingdom together. Britain deserves another chance.

My view is a view from afar seen through English and Welsh eyes and it is for my own patriotic reasons that I want Scotland to stay. Scotland balances Britain socially, politically and culturally. It is my fervent hope that if the referendum is defeated a new sense of national identity emerges. For too long it has not been British to discuss what makes you British. I look back just a couple of years to the London Olympics and recall the pride I felt at what we achieved together.

Scotland must have bold new powers but so too should the regions of England. With devolved power in Wales and Northern Ireland, perhaps the United Kingdom could function as a more cohesive, fairer state. Scotland remaining in the UK would not be any less of a country but one that has recognized the advantages of political and economic union with the rest of the people who share the same island. The Union is an opportunity, not a threat.

The President, the Pope and the Prime Minister of Australia have all spoken in favor of the union as have countless celebrities from across the UK. Scots are traditionally averse to being given advice, however well intentioned. Perhaps they are listening; perhaps not. Strong of will and independent of thought, the decision is for them alone; yet it is bitterly hard for me to accept that the rest of the people in the UK will have no say as the fate of their country hangs in the balance. I hope that come sunrise on September 19 the people of Scotland will be secure enough in their identity, nationality and culture to continue to share with the people they have been together with through thick and thin for centuries.

At a time when wars rage across the globe, it is a testament to the democracy built over the centuries by the people of this remarkable island that this vote is taking place. The stakes for Scotland and the United Kingdom could not be greater. 

Scotland: The rest of the UK is holding its breath. They have no vote but want you to stay.

A Hidden Gem

Earlier today I visited the Museum of Russian Art in South Minneapolis. Located in a Spanish-revivalist church built to mimic the Alamo, the three floors of this beautifully converted church create a blend of art and culture greater than its parts.

The singular focus is on Russian Art. The permanent collection portrays the former Soviet Union’s tragic and unique history but there is also modern art as well as a photographic exhibition titled “Jewish Life in the Russian Empire”.

Having studied Russian, I have a place in my heart for Russia and Russian culture and I particularly enjoyed the paintings portraying the former Soviet Union from different periods, art which ranges through both time and style. What works about this museum is its enchanting use of space. I don’t tend to linger in museums but this one is small enough to read about each piece and be done in an hour; there may be bigger collections in the Twin Cities but the quality of art is amazing.

The architecture adds space for contemplation. If you are not familiar with Russian art or Russian culture do make a visit. It will educate and enlighten; engage and enthrall.

Guns and Freedom: An American Conundrum

I didn’t grow up with guns. I have never owned a gun. In fact, as a child and young adult in Great Britain, I never even saw a gun - except on television.

The United States is very different to Great Britain. It has different freedoms and a unique history that has given birth to those freedoms. Because of this, threats to take away people’s guns by force would go nowhere. Nor would it solve the issue of gun violence. Criminals will always get guns – legal or not.

In the aftermath of the murder of 20 six and seven year-olds, as well as six adults, at a Connecticut school, there has never been a more critical time for serious debate about guns. The National Rifle Association’s claim that the reason for mass school shootings is not the prevalence of military-style weapons but the lack of armed officers in schools left me cold. This misses the point entirely. It also assumes that living in an armed society is normal. It isn’t.

Even though I’m not a citizen, I have lived here as a legal resident for two decades and support the right to bear arms. But I would suggest some common sense restrictions, especially with regard to military-style assault weapons that release a round of bullets with one pull of the trigger.

The NRA has easy answers. Gun control advocates have easy answers. But the answers are not easy. The issue is far from simple, and changing the law is not going to make guns disappear from the black market. What is needed is dialogue, not unilateral dictates. Those children cannot have died in vain. After each of the recent massacres there has been excuses and inaction; now is the time for action.

Armed guards wouldn’t make classrooms safer, let alone promote a learning environment. There would have to be guards in every classroom and not just at the entrances as there are many ways to get into a school. A student simply has to put a gun in a bag, come to school as normal and start shooting, and there will be multiple deaths before an armed guard could get there. Schools should be safe sanctuaries, not armed camps.

So, what to do? For a start, severely restrict or ban the relative easy access to military style assault weapons, whose purpose is to kill human beings. Close the loopholes that allow guns to be sold without background checks, and have a mandatory training course for all guns purchased.

Consider the issue of mental illness and alienation in society. Most—if not all--of the recent perpetrators of mass shootings seemed to be mentally ill. Beef up the background checks for mental illness. And buying guns and ammo on the internet just seems like a really bad idea.

A recent no-questions-asked gun buyback program in Los Angeles was a huge success. Expand this to other towns and cities. Fewer guns on the streets can only be a good thing.

Today children are bombarded with violence throughout the gaming industry, movies, and the media. Where is the outrage about the ever increasing violence in video games?

In a free society there has to be reason and I hope there will be a shift in the conversation. America is better than this. What next? Kids going to school wearing bullet proof vests?

Why Malala Matters

Malala Yousafzai, aged 15, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman as she returned home from school in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Her alleged offense? A yearning for an education and her public pronouncements in pursuit of it.

Even as she recovers, after being flown to a hospital in Great Britain, the Taliban chillingly re-stated their intent to kill her - should she survive.

Fundamentalism is unbending and the Taliban’s obscurantist interpretation of Islam has nothing to do with religion. Scratch at the surface of this and many other authoritarian creeds and you’ll see a play for power and control. Imposing your will by force.

Malala, with her books and outspoken denunciation of school closings, threatened that; the alternative is to be a second class citizen.

A fundamentalist may claim that theirs is the path to true salvation, but how can faith be real and true if coerced? It is knowledge they fear. And it is knowledge that will set you free.

The enduring menace of the Taliban will have consequences for girls and women long into the future though perhaps this brave girl’s actions will a more enduring impact; after all, the Taliban targeted her because they fear the future that she embodies.

Three years ago she spoke out, in turn giving voice to thousands of girls like her – banned from attending school and hidden from public view. Her courage in facing down the Taliban is a sign they cannot win because without tolerance and education there is no future.

I hope Malala will inspire a new generation. The future lies in protecting children like her -- and there are millions of them.

Flame Fever Grips Britain

The London Olympics--for so long a glimmer on the horizon--are now just weeks away.

Last month, while staying with my dad, I saw the Olympic flame pass through Cirencester. Before it arrived on British soil I had images of lone runners splashing through puddles, watched by only hardy enthusiasts. The reality could not have been more different. A torch relay that began in uncertainty quickly became a phenomenon.

In Cirencester, the local schools closed early and the town center was filled with thousands of people. Long before the flame arrived they stood in lines six deep waving union jacks and school children clutched replica cardboard torches, creating a carnival atmosphere. The sense of anticipation was palpable.

In spite of the corporate sponsors’ choreographed efforts, the relay quickly took on a life of its own and became the people’s event. The same thing has happened in towns and villages across Britain. The triumph has been to make the London Games seem both national and local.

But not everyone is excited about the Olympics. Many people argue that the two weeks spent staging the Games is a misuse of tax payers’ money, and that the cost, £9 billion ($13.8 billion),--a huge increase on the original claimed cost of £2.3 billion ($3.5 billion)--could have been better spent on education or the health service.

Olympic history is also littered with white elephants and debt. When the Games are over, it will be the Government left holding the bag and the British taxpayer who will be paying for it for years to come. The government is confident there will be a lasting legacy of regeneration, at least in east London. We’ll see.

Despite the enormous cost, hosting the Olympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can‘t wait for the Opening Ceremony. In any event, Britain always rises to the grand occasion. Case in point: The Diamond Jubilee celebrations. And we certainly have the heritage. Just look at some of the Olympic venues: cycling at Hampden Court Palace; beach volleyball at Horse Guards’ Parade; road running in the Mall; and tennis at Wimbledon. Not bad for starters.

A serious failure, however, is the Games’ dog’s dinner of an official logo. In an apparent modern twist on the Olympic colors it looks like it has been dropped on the floor and the shattered pieces picked up and used anyway. Makes me dizzy just looking at it.

And let’s not forget the official mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, who as one commentator joked, look like the offspring from a one night stand between a Dalek and a Tellytubby. They are surely the worst Olympic mascots ever. At the very least, they are certain to scare many a small child.

But if nothing else, both the logo and the mascots play to Britain’s innate quirkiness and mild eccentricity that the country seems to revel in. We seem to enjoy laughing at our own failures. Perhaps they’ll grow on me, but I’ll not hold my breath.

On a more somber note, the Olympics will militarize London. Officers with machine guns will patrol the Underground; Police special forces, their faces covered by balaclavas, will be present; and the army will man supersonic surface to air missile systems capable of shooting down an airborne target from six sites nearby. A Royal Navy battleship will also be moored in the Thames.

There are the things I love about the Olympics that live long in the memory - the medals, the anthems, the great sporting moments. I wish it didn’t need to be branded like everything else. The people’s way of engaging has little to do with Coca Cola, Samsung, or Lloyds TSB.

In Britain, the Olympic spirit has stirred something in the collective experience. And given how much it has all cost it’s appropriate that the games belong to the people. There was an alchemy at work in Cirencester that May afternoon and if a similar reaction continues everywhere else the flame appears then perhaps we can expect magic come July.

Photo by Ian Lloyd-Graham