"Visionary political astrologer" Caroline Casey has been finding new ways to talk about old things for a long time--people have called her a stand-up philosopher. She gives us tidbits like, the etymology of "protest" means to grab your balls in affirmation. "So," she asks whimsically, "can we start protecting and stop protesting?" She tells us about wonderful things her friends observe like "if you watch a horror movie backwards, everyone gets healed by chainsaws and then goes camping." She suggests that we, like some native American tribes did, make friends with our prey instead of fighting and coax them into what we want, like nuzzling cute little big oil under the chin and saying "whose a polluting industry that's too expensive to succeed? oh yes you are, yes you are" And when encountering police at a seemingly conflict-laden moment, chant "give the cops a raise, give the cops a raise." If you, like me, are thirsty for someone who can awaken in you a hopeful, energizing, fun approach to social change while being grounded in history, reality, and the very real consequences of the time we live in, Casey's radio hour, "The Visionary Activist Show"should be at the top of your podcast list (attention luddites: there is a built-in app for podcasts on your smart phone, type in the name of this show and push a button and you are subscribed automatically and for free and will get every episode and back ones).
I particularly urge you to listen to her Post Cataclysmic Election Town Hall Talk which she played the first (and best) half of on her November 24th show -- Click here and scroll down to access the November 24th show -- this is juicy wonderful stuff, people.
I first encountered Casey when we both inhabited Washington, DC in the 90's--a daughter of a congressman and Brown University graduate might seem an unlikely candidate for a career in astrology--back then Casey would say she was doing "astrology for cynics." Today we both live in northern California, Caroline in Marin county, I'd guess and me for sure in Sacramento.
She urges us to toss old, violence-laden or tired metaphors into the bubbling cauldron and stir up something new. So, as Caroline Casey might say, desperate times, call for delightful measures.
