Over the past month or so, these are some of the random thoughts posted on that iconic social media, facebook. They're perseverative, redundant and rebellious. It's just the way a warped mind works after this nation sent me to a war even an 18 year old like me at that time could determine immoral. Some will interpret my rants as "un-American" but I have no idea what America stands for as a nation. I do feel it my duty as a citizen of the world as well as the United States to object to immoral and illegal acts and conditions our government allows. Citizenship comes with some responsibilty. Dissent is one when a government fails to do its duty to uphold the Constitution. The Bill of Rights has been shredded by years of oligarchic rule and Americans have passively accepted it. We come up with many reasons to look the other way from jobs to material possessions. But can we look at the younger generations and say we did our best???
1.) If American workers cared enough about restoring their country to what it should be, they'd shut down the t.v., put down the damn phones and shut down the workplace. How much more shit do we need to have our noses rubbed in to come to realize the banks, the government and the big corporate bosses don't give a damn about our welfare? They only care about the welfare of the tax dollars bailing them out and funding their theft from the working class. Hundreds of thousands can watch a football game played for billionaires by millionaires but can't get their assses out in the streets to demand an end to the tyranny of the rich????? Working in healthcare, I can honestly say the bosses of the health industry, including "non-profits", don't care about their patients nearly as much as they care about their bottom line. And they expect healthcare workers to feel noble enough not to object. Time to get over that nobility when there is no reciprocating respect from the management. Maintaining the status quo isn't good patient care, it only prolongs the misery of patients not getting necessary services. They'll try to lay a guilt trip on anybody daring to suggest a work stoppage or collective bargaining but where is their guilt in expecting unsafe patient to caregiver ratios in clinics and hospitals???? Where is the guilt when turning away the indigent by putting their ER on diverts and triaging the poor out of care?
2.) The rich and powerful aren't content to "just" be rich. They want their serfs, the American workers, so tired, so in debt and so discouraged they won't object, won't protest against the insidious and overt oppression money can buy for them. Seeing Scott Olsen this morning on Dem. Now reminded me why we can't allow the oppression to beat us down. We can resist in whatever way is possible for us. But, as 2012 nears, for our own personal integrity we need to resist, object, protest and continue the struggle. This is our country!
3.) A recent post indicates 3 times as many returning veterans (from Iraq/Afghanistan) have died as a result of suicide as have been killed in action. Sadly that ratio is the same as the suicide rate of Vietnam vets. The real crime is the military and the mental health community had ample knowledge about the emotional toll of combat and sexual assault in the military but failed to prepare for it. How many lives were needlessly lost because of this failure? And the bigger question would be why were we ever at war and why did millions of innocents die because of our reckless imperialism??
4.) What kind of mind feels it acceptable to kill a woman in front of her kids because he can't possess her? Or spit on an eight year old girl because she dresses "immodestly"? It can only be the hate for women that consumes so many of us males that leads to such acts. Or is it religious fanaticism? But then again misogyny rears its ugly head in so many of the so called pious religions. These things don't surprise me.....just depresses me.
5.) Here's to pissing off the mindless mobs who never give a thought to the wars we inflict on others nor the victims we dehumanize as collateral damage. If I'm pissing you off by reminding you of the uncomfortable things you don't like to hear, I'm elated!
1.) If American workers cared enough about restoring their country to what it should be, they'd shut down the t.v., put down the damn phones and shut down the workplace. How much more shit do we need to have our noses rubbed in to come to realize the banks, the government and the big corporate bosses don't give a damn about our welfare? They only care about the welfare of the tax dollars bailing them out and funding their theft from the working class. Hundreds of thousands can watch a football game played for billionaires by millionaires but can't get their assses out in the streets to demand an end to the tyranny of the rich????? Working in healthcare, I can honestly say the bosses of the health industry, including "non-profits", don't care about their patients nearly as much as they care about their bottom line. And they expect healthcare workers to feel noble enough not to object. Time to get over that nobility when there is no reciprocating respect from the management. Maintaining the status quo isn't good patient care, it only prolongs the misery of patients not getting necessary services. They'll try to lay a guilt trip on anybody daring to suggest a work stoppage or collective bargaining but where is their guilt in expecting unsafe patient to caregiver ratios in clinics and hospitals???? Where is the guilt when turning away the indigent by putting their ER on diverts and triaging the poor out of care?
2.) The rich and powerful aren't content to "just" be rich. They want their serfs, the American workers, so tired, so in debt and so discouraged they won't object, won't protest against the insidious and overt oppression money can buy for them. Seeing Scott Olsen this morning on Dem. Now reminded me why we can't allow the oppression to beat us down. We can resist in whatever way is possible for us. But, as 2012 nears, for our own personal integrity we need to resist, object, protest and continue the struggle. This is our country!
3.) A recent post indicates 3 times as many returning veterans (from Iraq/Afghanistan) have died as a result of suicide as have been killed in action. Sadly that ratio is the same as the suicide rate of Vietnam vets. The real crime is the military and the mental health community had ample knowledge about the emotional toll of combat and sexual assault in the military but failed to prepare for it. How many lives were needlessly lost because of this failure? And the bigger question would be why were we ever at war and why did millions of innocents die because of our reckless imperialism??
4.) What kind of mind feels it acceptable to kill a woman in front of her kids because he can't possess her? Or spit on an eight year old girl because she dresses "immodestly"? It can only be the hate for women that consumes so many of us males that leads to such acts. Or is it religious fanaticism? But then again misogyny rears its ugly head in so many of the so called pious religions. These things don't surprise me.....just depresses me.
5.) Here's to pissing off the mindless mobs who never give a thought to the wars we inflict on others nor the victims we dehumanize as collateral damage. If I'm pissing you off by reminding you of the uncomfortable things you don't like to hear, I'm elated!
6.)Think about this.....around 400 families have more combined wealth than the poorest 150 million Americans combined. One hour of a wealthy CEO or corporate owner's salary could equal the entire 430, 000 dollars of donations for the poor in a recent Denver food and clothing drive. The pigs of the Congressional and Presidential trough bicker over a measly hundred dollars per week for the middle class and poor in payroll tax deductions and extending unemployment. They attempt to allow big corporations to be exempt from provisions against preexisting condition disqualification in the Affordable Healthcare Act. They attempt to portray the building of a pipeline carrying the dirtiest form of oil in the world crossing the largest fresh water aquifer in this nation as a jobs program and damn our children and grandchildren with the burden of the environmental disaster the is inevitable. Unions, workers, parents and grandparents need to wake up!!! The national debt isn't the problem. The national welfare state for the rich and entitled is what is destroying us. Profits from wars and profits from the sick and dying are where our nation's moral compass clearly points. We are sacrificing our morality to become economic serfs. When do we become outraged enough to stop the insanity???
7.) I watched a short video of a sheriff's department evicting a family from their home. The obviously traumatized family saw their personal items being put out on the street while the sheriffs kept saying they were only doing their jobs. Seems that mantra is always being used to justify carrying out the acts of the immoral. As cops sprayed demonstrators with pepper spray they later commented they were only doing their job. The demonstrators, many homeless, dared to pitch tents on public property. The mayor claimed health department regulations made him just do his job of clearing them out. The governor, with the most hilarious excuse, claimed he just did his job to prevent a flash fire amongst the tents. Just doing my job. The lame excuse whenever we humans decide to carry out immoral acts.
8.)Is the world better off because of globalization of labor? Look at China where it seems most everything consumed by Americans is produced. There is the wealthy few and then the rest of the Chinese people living in near poverty or poverty. So has Wal-Mart improved the lives of the Chinese in the country they have their biggest distribution center? Has Nike kept children from making their exorbitantly priced shoes? The economic boom of China and other nations we exploit for their cheap labor has come at the cost of workers being abused and treated as serfs much like in the middle ages. And the same companies who advertise themselves as true-blue Americans and exploit the troops by including them in their advertising schemes don't pay taxes to help grow this nation, they've effectively decreased the wages of every working American by undercutting and undermining collective bargaining and they continue to strip jobs from the American economy. How patriotic can they get? The Waltons, Koch brothers and all the oligarchy have only one flag they swear an allegiance to and it isn't the red, white and blue. They will have you believe they have been great philanthropists with their charitable deeds but their business practices erase whatever good deeds they perform. And like the "good" Christian who lets everybody know how righteous he is by blatant demonstration of faithful prayer and charity so too do these rich racketeers make sure their deeds are part of the advertising of their goods.
If true globalization of labor is to happen, all workers will make a living wage and be able to prosper for their endeavors. And the rich will still be rich. History shows when labor has been at the highest levels of unionization this nation was at its most prosperous.
8.)Is the world better off because of globalization of labor? Look at China where it seems most everything consumed by Americans is produced. There is the wealthy few and then the rest of the Chinese people living in near poverty or poverty. So has Wal-Mart improved the lives of the Chinese in the country they have their biggest distribution center? Has Nike kept children from making their exorbitantly priced shoes? The economic boom of China and other nations we exploit for their cheap labor has come at the cost of workers being abused and treated as serfs much like in the middle ages. And the same companies who advertise themselves as true-blue Americans and exploit the troops by including them in their advertising schemes don't pay taxes to help grow this nation, they've effectively decreased the wages of every working American by undercutting and undermining collective bargaining and they continue to strip jobs from the American economy. How patriotic can they get? The Waltons, Koch brothers and all the oligarchy have only one flag they swear an allegiance to and it isn't the red, white and blue. They will have you believe they have been great philanthropists with their charitable deeds but their business practices erase whatever good deeds they perform. And like the "good" Christian who lets everybody know how righteous he is by blatant demonstration of faithful prayer and charity so too do these rich racketeers make sure their deeds are part of the advertising of their goods.
If true globalization of labor is to happen, all workers will make a living wage and be able to prosper for their endeavors. And the rich will still be rich. History shows when labor has been at the highest levels of unionization this nation was at its most prosperous.
9.) The question could be posed to a man with a conscience if he could take the job of building nuclear weapons knowing they would be used or refuse to take part in the nihilist practice of life. Or if a man or woman knowing a war was immoral could continue fighting that war simply because they were ordered. Our lives are confronted with such choices everyday. Will we choose to be a positive force or go along knowing we're contributing to the negative forces that are destroying life. Our morality is based on these things. Do we criminalize the homeless or recognize they exist? Do we drive past a person in danger or take a chance? Do we sacrifice our values day in and day out thinking someday we'll reclaim them? I'm sick of observing those who care only how they're doing and look away at the suffering of others.
10.) I visited Senators and representatives before the wars began and after they began. They patted me on the head as if I had no idea of the corruption. They turned red in the face when I confronted their lies and blustered noncommittal answers. They may pepper spray me, beat me and jail me but I will no longer meekly sit by and politely ask for my rights. I plan on demanding my rights. They may imprison me but they can never imprison the idea there can be no peace without justice!! A cell is not a thing that can contain the idea of freedom and basic rights for all people. 2012 presents us with the opportunity to gather twice as the rich and elite of both parties divvie up their prizes in their conventions. Americans need to show up.
11.) I was tear gassed in a Marine brig, beaten and gassed at a convention, jailed for non violent civil disobedience, shackled and cuffed as I walked across the tarmac of National Airport in DC as a GI resister. Go ahead Mr. President, sign a bill that tries to take away my rights. I no longer fear the fascist pigs of police brutality or the attempts to revoke basic rights. I remember during the days of the freedom riders when Mississippi decided they'd imprison all the riders. It only created greater solidarity and a greater sense of dedication. They were beaten, water hosed and had dogs set loose on them but they kept returning And so must we!!!
11.) I was tear gassed in a Marine brig, beaten and gassed at a convention, jailed for non violent civil disobedience, shackled and cuffed as I walked across the tarmac of National Airport in DC as a GI resister. Go ahead Mr. President, sign a bill that tries to take away my rights. I no longer fear the fascist pigs of police brutality or the attempts to revoke basic rights. I remember during the days of the freedom riders when Mississippi decided they'd imprison all the riders. It only created greater solidarity and a greater sense of dedication. They were beaten, water hosed and had dogs set loose on them but they kept returning And so must we!!!
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