Friday, July 31, 2009

From Cardiff to Swansea: stops along the way, photos by Dan Cohen

Castell Coch View












Chorus members in red vests













Ann Gael, Moshe Rothenberg and Doris Solomon at St. Fagans Museum of Welsh Life























The Grand Pavillion at Porthcawl












The Chorus sings outside the Grand Pavillion joined by some new friends.











With another new friend (extreme left).












The Chorus sings on the stage of the Grand Pavilion at Porthcawl where "In 1957 a US Government travel ban prevented Paul Robeson from appearing in person [at the Grand Pavillion] at the Miners' Eisteddfod, however he still performed live via a secretly arranged transatlantic telephone link up."

House progressives wake up from a deep sleep

MoveOn.org comments:
Huge news! Yesterday [Thursday], 57 members of Congress ... stood together and showed unified support for a robust public health insurance option.
Luke Russert reported on MSNBC:
House members of the Congressional Tri-Caucus -- comprised of the Asian Pacific American, black and Hispanic caucuses and the Progressive Caucus stated they would not vote for health-care reform legislation that did not include a 'robust public option.'
All I can say is it's about time.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

The last night in Cardiff and the departure photos by Dan Cohen

Dinner at our favotite Cardiff pub The Heathcock, conveniently down the road from The University of Cardiff, where we were staying.






























The owner of the Heathcock and his daughter












Departure from Plas Gwyn Hall, Llandaff (Cardiff)

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Big Pit photos by Dan Cohen

The Big Pit (at Blaen- aveon), the last of Welsh coal mining. Just for the record, Ann and I didn't go down int the Big Pitt.




















The politics of the end of Welsh coal mining























The Chorus sings as they wait to go down into the Big Pit












Georgia Wever leads the singing as they wait.










The Chorus sings to celebrate Welsh coal miners. After they went down into the Big Pit.



Abergevenny photos by Dan Cohen

Abergevenny, where Ann and I had lunch at a wonderful pub in the Swan Hotel.

Raglan Castle photos by Dan Cohen





Tintern Abbey photos by Dan Cohen

The most interesting thing about Words- worth's poem is that he never mentions the abbey, except in the title, which is in full "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour." (July 13, 1798).

Ann Gael at Tintern Abbey.

(Below) Choristers at Tintern Abbey: (left to right) Denise Jones, Jesse Stith-Wilson, ?, Susan Zugaib

More choristers at Tintern Abbey: Ann Gael, Ione Foote, Jesse Stith-Wilson, Brenda Ryan, Albersha Williford, Denise Jones, Lois Ross







Monday, July 27, 2009

Prof. Gates did not show "proper" deference so the cuffs came out

I have been spending allot of time sorting out my Wales photos, but the incident in Cambridge, Mass. in which Prof. Henry Lewis Gates was involved seems to require some comment. Here goes.

The first thing that I think needs to be emphasized is that if Prof. Gates were white he would never have been arrested. That I think is the bottom line of all this.

The second thing is that if a policeman asks you to step outside your house, unless the policeman is arresting you, don't do it.

It seems, from all the evidence that has been presented, that Sgt. James Crowly was incapable of dealing with a middle-aged Black man (Harvard professor or not) who didn't show what Crowly thought was proper deference. The simplest solution to the problem would have been for Crowly (when still in Gates home) to say: "Whatever you say, I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you." And to have walked away.That's what he couldn't do.

That was the key moment. When Gates was not in Crowly's eyes sufficiently deferential. Crowly made Gates step out on to the porch because he couldn't charge him with "disturbing the peace" if he was still in his own home. Crowly needed Prof. Gates to acknowledge Crowly's control of the situation. I think Crowly intentionally provoked Prof. Gates to follow him on to the porch (and create a disturbance) so that he could arrest him.

The whole incident had more to do with Crowly's racist insecurities than with anything Prof. Gates did. Let's not forget that Boston has for many generations been one of the most racist northern cities. And with many previous incidences Sgt.Crowly was acting like a Boston (Cambrige, last time I looked, was a part of greater Boston) cop. Remember the school busing struggle.

Maybe the next Republican hero can be Jim the cop.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Cardiff Castle: photos by Dan Cohen



(Top 2 photos) Cardiff (Caerdydd) Castle

(#3 ) "Cardiff Castle presented to the City of Cardiff [in 1947] by the 5th Marquess of Bute."

(#4) On the Cardiff Castle grounds, the symbol of Wales and some choristers

(#5) Ann and the Welsh Red Dragon

(#6) A ceiling inside Cardiff Castle

(#7) No sense of missing any religious bets.

(#8) An aviary on the Castle grounds.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

International Brigade memorials in Cathay's Park. Photos by Dan Cohen

The NYC Labor Chorus performs at Cathay's Garden of Remem- brance to the Welsh Inter- national Brigade volunteers


(Below, right) Cathay's Castle

Cathay's Park, the Garden of Remem- brance

(below) Chorus member Georgia Weaver with a memorial to the Wales volunteers in the Inter- national Brigade

Closeup of the memorial plaque.

Ann at Cathay's Garden after singing