I have some of my clearest thoughts as I wake up.
Our new coffee series Discourse & Dissent came in a waking dream, thoughts surfacing on what patriotism means and freedom as something that needs to be asserted in order to keep its significance.
As I awoke I was thinking that it is up to societies to decide, again and again, defining and asserting what Freedom means. For me, the 4th of July is a mark each year to consider this question. Being informed and engaging in vigorous discourse and dissent when one deems it is necessary is what the 4th of July is about.
Examples:
Examples:
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Our first two choices in this rotating series of contrasting coffees.
Discourse, dissent, education, commitment, openness, and multi-dimensional thinking are some of the bases of a functioning Democracy. As I woke and thought on it more, the case of Colin Kaepernick came into my mind. The discourse between Kaepernick and Boyer the ex-Green Beret as they challenged each other, heard each other and changed because of their dialogue represents for me a great example of what it means to be American. In my view, both in their actions demonstrate the essence of patriotism.
The Kaepernick question has been a flashpoint for our society, but I don't think it should be. First, in a healthy society, everyone would get to know the story before judging. Second, people wouldn't be fixed in their positions so that their minds are made up before they inquire. 3. Like these two men, and so many of the heroes through the history of our nation, they were willing to think, cogently argue, consider and in the end adjust because of their extreme dedication and love for our nation.
Here's the story. Read it. Suspend judgment. Consider, breathe deep, think, reconsider.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-kaepernick-kneel-boyer-20180916-story.html
Discourse, dissent, education, commitment, openness, and multi-dimensional thinking are some of the bases of a functioning Democracy. As I woke and thought on it more, the case of Colin Kaepernick came into my mind. The discourse between Kaepernick and Boyer the ex-Green Beret as they challenged each other, heard each other and changed because of their dialogue represents for me a great example of what it means to be American. In my view, both in their actions demonstrate the essence of patriotism.
The Kaepernick question has been a flashpoint for our society, but I don't think it should be. First, in a healthy society, everyone would get to know the story before judging. Second, people wouldn't be fixed in their positions so that their minds are made up before they inquire. 3. Like these two men, and so many of the heroes through the history of our nation, they were willing to think, cogently argue, consider and in the end adjust because of their extreme dedication and love for our nation.
Here's the story. Read it. Suspend judgment. Consider, breathe deep, think, reconsider.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-kaepernick-kneel-boyer-20180916-story.html
Our current world's social media, "news" and "discourse" have many times become so shrill, so quick to judgment before investigation or discourse, many people stay silent, which I believe does all of us a disservice. I can say that has in part been my case with any subject that can flare social media or the extremes. I don't have much tolerance for snap judgment or one-dimensional thinking regardless of where it is coming from.
At Cocoa Cinnamon and Little Waves Coffee, it has always been part of our mission to be a place where discourse and difference are desired and didacticism and dogma are not. As owners, Areli and I have worked to keep a distinction between our own, varied personal politics, and the assertions that our business makes in our mission.
We welcome and work to cultivate a community that invites as diverse a group of people as we can and strive, through commerce, craft, and service, to support a sustainable, discursive, democratic, and artistic way of being. As part of this mission, the company doesn't take on a specific political, religious, or didactic point of view. We work for engagement, invitation, creative and human affirmation in our multiplicity.
We aim to invite all and be a space and catalyst for discourse, which we believe is inherently more healthy, even subversive than telling or implying to any of our public how they should think or believe.
We believe discourse and dissent are inherently democratic and therefore patriotic.
Coffee has long been a catalyst for discourse and discussion, and in several places, it has been outlawed for fueling too much thinking, and on occasion revolution.
With our new coffee series Discourse + Dissent, we will feature a rotation of contrasting coffees. You get to love and savor these delicious coffees and we hope they will fuel your thinking as we as a society have a lot of thinking and reckoning to do.
Through the summer we will be offering coffee pairs that work hot or iced. Enjoy. We hope you'll take us up on asserting freedom in the ways you can, including in vigorous discourse, and where appropriate, dissent.
Yours,
Leon
Coffee has long been a catalyst for discourse and discussion, and in several places, it has been outlawed for fueling too much thinking, and on occasion revolution.
With our new coffee series Discourse + Dissent, we will feature a rotation of contrasting coffees. You get to love and savor these delicious coffees and we hope they will fuel your thinking as we as a society have a lot of thinking and reckoning to do.
Through the summer we will be offering coffee pairs that work hot or iced. Enjoy. We hope you'll take us up on asserting freedom in the ways you can, including in vigorous discourse, and where appropriate, dissent.
Yours,
Leon