I'm going to be in D.C. this weekend. My college friend just got back unharmed from his tour in Iraq and it's party time. We won't be back until Monday night because while we're in the country's seat of power and decline, I'm going to drag the kids around to various monuments and museums. The three year-old is excited but I don't expect the excitement to last once he figures out that monuments aren't toy stores and museums don't come equipped with slides and moon bounces - unless we go to the National Slide and Moon Bounce Museum. For the other two, I'm hoping to remind them of what is supposed to make this country great (cross the DLC headquarters off my list) and put a dent in the hardening cynicism they are developing about their homeland.
In the meantime please check out and bookmark UnCapitalist.com. It's your one-stop UnCapitalist shop. There are forums to discuss issues like economics, trade, workers rights and protests, rallies and boycotts. There's a blog with a list of contributers that will make your head spin devoted to globalization stories that slip through the cracks. This post, about water rights in developing countires is a good example of catching a story that has been missed. So is this one about our attempts to destabilize yet another democratically elected leader in the Americas. (hint: the guy's name ryhmes with Schmavez)
e - a suggestion. If you take the kids to Arlington, go in the late afternoon and take them back of Lee's house close to sunset and sit on the porch. National Park Service will be driving up on a jeep and will likely ask some child if they want to help take down the flag. It's a very cool photo moment if you can wangle it, looking over the Potomac and all.
Posted by: PSoTD | July 22, 2005 at 12:20 PM
Oh my gosh - we're going to do that. I can't wait. They'd better not pick some other kid.
Posted by: eRobin | July 22, 2005 at 01:34 PM
Wow, cool! Let's see, other tips: Smithsonian Museum of American History. Really very good, I think, not sugar-coaty. Had and I think still have an exhibit on Japanese internments, and/but/or also many others. Air and Space really is cool, I think. I'll try to think of other things....
Posted by: Thomas Nephew | July 22, 2005 at 02:24 PM
The Arboretum is nice although likely to be steamy this weekend. If you go to Arlington, go late in the afternoon, and put yourself and your kids on the back porch of the Lee House, overlooking the Potomac, before sunset. At dusk there will be a jeep coming up with staff to bring down the flag at Arlington, and they usually ask a child (or an adult if no child is available) to help bring down and fold the flag. It's a GREAT photo op, but you have to be there.
Posted by: PSoTD | July 22, 2005 at 03:37 PM
Sorry e, I didn't realize my first comment took, my computer froze up at that point and I had to reboot, and I didn't see my first post when I scanned before commenting again. ;)
Have fun!
Posted by: PSoTD | July 22, 2005 at 03:38 PM