Coffee With a View of Washington D.C.

By Carol Harper

(Not generated by AI) 😉

This weekend I made a big ol' pot of chili. It's my Mom's recipe, one that I know by heart because I've probably made it hundreds of times when she was alive and every single winter since moving back to Wyoming. Her birthday was on Friday, so it was fitting that I made a large pot in her honor.

I haven't always made perfect dishes while on my crazy cooking sprees. Oh, I've made plenty of mistakes! I once put cumin instead of cinnamon in some pumpkin spice muffins. I once put Italian parsley in my salsa instead of cilantro. I've looked up where I could use substitutes for ingredients in a recipe, and it just wasn't the same or what I expected. I don't know about you, but I've fixed entire meals where I'd be so excited to put that first bite in my mouth, then ended up spitting it out in the sink. That's how we learn, isn't it? Trial and error. Looking back, I could have saved a lot of time and money, simply by taking the time to read. Cumin, not cinnamon. Italian parsley, not cilantro. One of the big lessons? Real butter, not margarine or butter-flavored shortening!

An honor and a privilege...

My days on the Hill were fascinating. Priority Ambulance, the American Ambulance Association, and many EMS sponsors truly went out of their way to make the Stars of Life an experience to never forget. Even though the government was shut down, we were able to go on a group tour with a wonderful tour guide (a D.C. native) who took us to the monuments and memorials that were open. We were even able to venture out on our own if our schedules allowed. Mine allowed me to tour the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Military Women's Memorial.

It was difficult to get photos of everything I wanted to, because what I really wanted to do was to take it all in...the sights, the sounds, the people, the food (expensive, but fantastic), the culture. In many ways, Washington D.C. is like any other U.S. city. There are a lot of businesses and street markets bustling, there are good and bad parts of town, lights and sirens (can't escape it, lol), there's homelessness, there are protesters with bullhorns...lots of noise. And yes, there was a heightened police presence; however, I spoke with one of the cops in Lafayette Square and asked him about it all, and he calmly said what most cops (and first responders) would say: "Same shit, different day." 

Even with the shutdown, things were buzzing on the Hill. Speaking of noise, corporate media is plastered everywhere in the city; you can't escape it (CNN, MSN, Fox News, C-CSPAN, etc.) As I walked the halls of the House offices and Senate buildings with my hosts, I was surrounded by history (lots of wood, marble, and granite, lol). My first day, I had meetings with Senator Cynthia Lummis and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman; the next morning was my visit with Senator John Barrasso.

My main message to all three was a message I repeat quite often: "If you want to know the truth about your communities, ask a first responder."  If there was one takeaway I wanted them to have from my visit, that would be it. We have sick and hurting communities. Mental health issues. Substance abuse. Domestic violence. Assaults, stabbings, shootings. It takes very special people to be EMS providers and first responders, and there is a very concerning shortage of them. Imagine life without first response, without 911.

My other objective was to observe each of their reactions to my statement. Were they truly listening? Were they interested in what I had to say? I observed that each of them had their own style of business, different personalities, and it was a privilege to sit down in the same room with them and have an allotted amount of time to speak to them, as I know they all were very busy. They did take the time for me, and this was my time, too.

My takeaway from the visits? Our senators and representatives are people, like all of us. They get up in the morning (if they even slept at all, lol), and do their jobs the best they can. I felt that I could both agree and disagree with their politics and agendas, but when it really came down to it, I could see that, like anyone, all they're trying to do is the job their constituents want them to do. And I didn't realize until I witnessed it firsthand - not through the media and social media filters - just how terribly difficult their jobs are. I could see it in their eyes, in their faces, how they walked, how they moved, even how they thumbed through the papers my host gave them about the bills that were on the table.

What you see in the media isn't anything like reality on the Hill. I appreciated the pomp and decorum, but you have to understand that these are not beautiful swans gliding across the water with a tree and flower-lined pond surrounding them. No, these are tired ducks with feet going 100 miles an hour under the surface. These are folks who have to endure tons of pressure, be on constant alert about who comes through their doors, sort through piles of papers set on their desks, untangle mountains of red tape...all the while, people are screaming at them for not doing their jobs.

And they do make mistakes, just like anyone. They've probably put cumin in pumpkin muffins and Italian parsley in salsa. They might not have read the labels and just assumed that what is in the bottle is the needed ingredient for the "big beautiful recipe", and wouldn't know unless and until they've had a chance to taste it. What I could see is that the struggle is real, both from the top down and the ground up.

On one of my walks around the White House, there was a large group of Moroccans celebrating Trump's reaffirmed support of Morocco's sovereignty. Sure, there was a police presence there, and some media were there; not a whole lot, but I did take photos. Flags were being waved, the people were adorned in their country's colors, kids were running around, and I swear I could smell Moroccan food wafting through the air. Not exactly front-page news, but the celebratory atmosphere was so much nicer than the noise of an angry mob.

Afterwards, as I sat in the back of my Lyft ride back to the hotel, the experience caused me to think: "That was very interesting. I sure hope that Trump will recognize and respect the sovereignty of the Native American people, right here in the United States." I suppose that might be a story for the future. Time can only tell.

The Takeaway: Bringing it Home

My experience in D.C. brought out some new and different perspectives about the health of our communities of Wyoming, Fremont County, and our tribes. There are so many things we don't see as we go about our daily lives. Regardless of your political persuasions or beliefs, we are all people just getting up in the morning, going to work, running our businesses, going about our days. We scroll through social media or read/watch the news, but that doesn't even put a finger on the pulse of the truth and realities that happen every day, 24/7, 365. But our first responders know.

I recently attended the Northern Arapaho General Council. I actually like and respect the format of these meetings, because it's the one meeting where our tribal leaders hear and know the voices of the people. Anyone can get up and speak. All have a vote. Whether you agree or disagree with any of the agenda items or resolutions presented, the voice of the People holds (or should hold) weight and power. Then it is the responsibility of the tribal leaders to do their jobs. Respecting the process (again, whether you agree or disagree) and respecting those you voted in to do their jobs in executing the voice of the people is paramount.

That said...you can choose who and what you vote for, but you cannot choose the consequences of that vote. I cringe as I see our nation moving further away from a Constitutional government to a corporate one. I was conflicted as I saw my tribe's General Council vote for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana. But in the end, the voice of the people had spoken.

As my instincts and gifts of discernment and empathy have developed over my 59 years of life, they have guided me to understand the implications of the results of right and wrong choices made in history. Politics and corporate interests have made a mess of our nation's moral conscience, and as a result, we're all experiencing the effects and swimming through the muck. We've let social and corporate media, and AI influence and decide what information we process. How many voters don't know the ingredients or haven't read the labels? How many leaders would actually know the recipe for a great nation of the People, by the People, and for the People...by heart? Failure of a recipe, targeting and blame aside? A government shutdown is everyone's fault!

A More Perfect Union...of Respect

We know how the Creator achieves balance and control: it's called cause and effect. Regardless of what you believe (or don't believe) about God, you don't get a vote. You might think you have a choice about what you do with your life, mind, and body, but you don't have a choice in the consequences of those choices, and our first responders see the results of those choices every single day. How much do alcohol, drugs, sugar, chemicals, and preservatives impact the human body? How much more can the brain and internal organs take before they shut down? How much food can be withheld before malnutrition or emaciation sets in? How long does it take before someone freezes to death? How many people, elders, and children suffer from assault and abuse, go missing or murdered, die by criminal intent or suicide?

If you want to know the truth about your People...ask a first responder. Same shit, different day.

We are a sick, crippled, and dying country, and there is no big beautiful bandage that can stop the bleed until our leaders have the heart to try a good recipe that will heal the People who voted them in. But it is so much more than what floats across the desks of Congress and the White House. It's more than speeches from the pulpits, protests and marches, or the constant noise and rhetoric of the media, and nighttime talk shows. It's about basic respect for each other. It's about caring about what happens in our communities, and not turning a blind eye to the realities of human life because you're a Republican or Democrat.

I've always been about effective teamwork. You have to have the right people in the right positions, doing the right things for the right reasons. You have to hold your leaders accountable for their actions (or even non-actions), and not drop the ball. Our leaders need to make themselves accessible to listen and act for their constituents. I love that I had the opportunity to speak with my Senators and Representative. I love that our mayor sets aside time on Mondays for anyone to come in and visit with him. I love that I was included in a Joint Committee of people who took the time out of their busy lives, coming together as a team, and addressing three critical issues in our county. I respect any person - whether they sit in positions of leadership or simply out of love and compassion for their community - who sets aside the time and energy (and funding!) for the things that can help build "a more perfect Union."

I know that there are so many people out there who are angry with their government(s). But I also know that The People do come together in times of trouble. I was amazed (but not surprised) by how so many just in our own county came together for food resources during the government shutdown. Huge things like affordable health care should be of paramount concern. But the government and taxes don't have to fund everything. There are programs and non-profit organizations that struggle and continually welcome donors, sponsors, and funding, and there are so many to choose from! 501c3s are another way that the government helps! Giving Tuesday is coming up soon; give a gift of support to a local charity or cause! That said, again...you need the right people in the right positions, doing the right things for the right reasons as administrators of those programs and organizations, and they also need to be held accountable for any hypocrisy, corruption, and mismanagement.

Thinking about my Mom this weekend, she instilled several things in me that may have inadvertently prepped me for my trip to D.C. She would say things like: "It takes work for something to work." ... "Actions speak louder than words." ..."Quit sitting around talking about doing something and actually do it."  Was she the perfect mom? Am I? No. I've made plenty of mistakes, and not just in cooking! But my Mom had the perfect words to echo through my mind today and guide me on my life's Journey.

My last takeaway from my trip is...if you want to be respected, be respectful and respectable! None of us is perfect, and we don't have to always agree on every issue under the sun. But we should be mindful in our approach to each other, listen and be considerate of people's time, and not be ugly, bullying, and combative. And it goes both ways; our leaders also need to be respectful to We the People. We should not say terrible things about each other or approach with ulterior motives, hidden agendas, and malintent, but come together for the peace and the common good of the People.

Because at the end of a long work week, all this small-town Wyoming girl wants to do is make a nice big pot of her Mom's chili!