Author Archives: JoAnn Chateau

Ashley Judd’s Full Speech at “Women’s March” in Washington D.C. – “I Am a Nasty Woman” | Youtube

It’s been a week; time to revisit. But if you haven’t yet witnessed actress Ashley Judd’s dramatic interpretation of Nina Donovan’s poem “Nasty Woman,” my advice is to sit down and buckle up. Your heart will likely lurch throughout the entire performance.

“Hidden Figures” Highlights an American Progressive Era

I went to see Hidden Figures yesterday. It’s a wonderful movie, entertaining and important. Based on a true story, we get to know three gifted, achieving black American women who made a lasting mark on NASA in the early 1960s. Yet the movie also made me feel sad. For two hours, we immerse ourselves inContinue reading ““Hidden Figures” Highlights an American Progressive Era”

Medea Benjamin: Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.–Saudi Connection | The Progressive Direction

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of peace activist group CODE PINK and human rights group Global Exchange, was in the Tampa Bay area last weekend to promote her new book: Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.–Saudi Connection. I attended one of Benjamin’s eye-opening talks…

Sound the Trumpet for Student Debt Jubilee

Maybe it’s time for Student Debt Jubilee. Student loan forgiveness would not only give a reprieve to those in debt, it would create an economic upswell for all of America. Imagine the boon to our economy if student loan debtors could afford to replace old shoes, cars, and washing machines — instead of merely paying down the compound interest of their student loans.

The Political Revolution Will Not Be Televised

The political revolution will not be televised, it will be live. (A slight variation of Gil Scott-Heron’s 1970 lyric.) Failure of the Fourth Estate We shake our heads in wonder because mainstream media consistently fails to report real, accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive, unbiased news. Isn’t the Fourth Estate supposed to inform citizens about significant current eventsContinue reading “The Political Revolution Will Not Be Televised”

Requiem for the American Dream | Documentary

If you haven’t yet watched it, I highly recommend the documentary “Requiem for the American Dream” starring Noam Chomsky. The soft-spoken, kindly Chomsky explains the hard truths of inequality. In a nutshell, wealth and power do not play nice with democracy…

Bernie Goes to the Vatican

A short story by JoAnn Chateau… humor, dogs, a tiny bit of politics… Gus’s next door neighbor, Lacey Cooper, dropped Chester off early that morning, before light. Not only did she have the dog in tow, her arms had been laden with dog paraphernalia: toys, food and water bowls, an old towel, zip-lock bags ofContinue reading “Bernie Goes to the Vatican”