So, Insantorum ( pronounced: insane torum) wants to vomit because JFK spoke about separation of church and state. He did forget St. Ronnie Raygun also said similar things. I just wonder how Insantorum and all his followers reconcile their great hatred of the Islamic radicals and Sharia law versus Catholic dogma concerning a woman's body and status in the Church. All that seems to be missing is covering the face and obscuring the bodies of women. I still see older Catholic women who think they must cover their heads during masses. And believe me, the Church isn't going forward. It has decided instead to travel back centuries.
Insantorum and followers would have women denied birth control (other than the ridiculous rhythm method or abstinence). Then whenever a pregnancy occurs, no matter what circumstances, the woman by mandate of the men of the Church is to carry the pregnancy to term. In the insanity of Insantorum, even amniocentesis is forbidden. Why? His reasoning is the testing of amniotic fluid leads to abortions should there be any indication of problem such as Downs.
The insanity goes on and on. Basically, in the view of Insantorum and the good ol' boys of the Vatican, women shouldn't be allowed the priesthood, shouldn't be allowed to stop having babies under any circumstances...including rape....shouldn't be allowed to avoid pregnancies by use of contraception...including condoms, IUDs or any other method in addition to the pill. Even the use of condoms to prevent HIV in Africa is forbidden by the Catholic Church. Their workers are forbidden in the distribution of condoms in these areas of pandemic HIV infection.
The sanctity of life argument by these men, and the women who have fallen for their dogma, is life begins from the moment of ejaculation of sperm. Actually, a man having a vasectomy violates the catechism. But, this argument fails to reconcile with the actions of the "faithful" when it comes to war, famine and other sanctity of life issues. While the gospel clearly states humans shouldn't kill one another, the actions of the religious communities defy that basic tenet.
Time and again it has been the religious communities leading the charge to violence and war. Time and again women have been badgered to have children despite profound poverty by the leaders of religions. Time and again children have died from the effects of poverty. A poverty perpetuated by the actions of a male dominated clergy.
If you listen to Insantorum piously want to vomit because of separation of church and state, you'll also hear rhetoric indicating he'd be quite willing to start a war with Iran or any other non-Christian country he hates. And hate isn't too strong a word to use. The pious characters like Insantorum and the Christian right have no qualms about inflicting death on "non-believers". They consider themselves in a holy war already against women who would take control of their own bodies, against homosexual marriage, against the Islamofascist fanatics that bear a strong resemblance to the fanaticism of the Christian right and against big government intruding on the people.
But the very theocracy the Christian right claims to hate in the nations of Islam is the very thing they want to impose on the Christian USA. They maintain this is a Christian nation despite the Constitution or Bill of Rights. And they don't mind intruding on the sex lives or personal lives of others through the very government they decry as intrusive.
The vision of Insantorum and followers is not much different from the vision of white supremacists or the racists of Jim Crow laws. Their overt hatred of the first black President is palpable. Their condemnations of Obama's policies make absolutely no sense. The man has carried out the right wing agenda since first taking office. He is beholding to the power brokers of Wall Street and the lobbyists of the ultra-rich. What is not to like other than his color? And still we hear inane comments of the sell out President being a socialist or Marxist.
While some believe Insantorum could never be President, we have to keep in mind many thought an actor well past his prime of life could never be President. The scary truth is with voter suppression rampant and Citizens United allowing huge amounts of money to flow to candidates, insanity could very well rule more than it already does. Theocracy could become a reality in this nation.
Tuesday, February 28
Friday, February 24
A Friday Rant
For all the good words, speeches, rallies, marches and intentions the world continues to hurtle into a human abyss of hate, racism, Zionism, imperialism, sexism and on and on. The kind and gentle are ignored. The rational voices are ignored. Greed, materialism and nihilism are the norm. Our kids grow up playing games of war. Not the type of running in the neighborhood and choosing up sides. But realistically graphic, requiring only the movement of fingers and the mindless thinking of a well trained grunt.
But what do we expect? Hundreds of thousands will turn out for a football game. Mere hundreds will turn out to protect the planet, protect the humans on the planet and protect our future generations. Good intentions and good will are failing. No matter how angry some get, not enough seem to understand what to be angry about.
In the rural areas they turn to bloated blowhards on the radio. The words are angry and focused on the status quo. Code is spoken and clearly understood. The code is hateful and dismissive of anything or anybody challenging the rich masters of war and industry.
But these words mean little or nothing. It is like screaming in the hurricane winds we experienced around Denver the other night. Only we know the screams existed. Only we know our screams are nothing compared to the screams of dying mothers and their children. Their screams and the screams of the impoverished and forgotten are born of anguish.
Palestinian, Sudanese, Afghan, Iraqi, Lakota.....their anguish is unrelenting. Shame on us. Shame on our inability and unwillingness to stand up as a people to stop the madness. The neglect, apathy and disregard are everywhere. Even when it happens to our neighbor or friends we look helplessly on afraid to speak out or act out.
We are frozen by the fear so aptly disseminated by the evil tools of the Machiavellian princes of power. At work, at home, in public we fear the cameras, the overheard words, the perceptions of others who might "report" us. And people of color know their paranoia is based on reality. They know the blue gangsters care little about human intervention and a lot about violent intervention.
The gangsters in blue cry they are misunderstood but never attempt to understand. They patrol the slums and ghettos and go home to their sheltered, gated communities. What do they care about those who they "police"?
It's Friday. I need to ramble and rant. I could fearfully hide it, I suppose. Fuck no!
But what do we expect? Hundreds of thousands will turn out for a football game. Mere hundreds will turn out to protect the planet, protect the humans on the planet and protect our future generations. Good intentions and good will are failing. No matter how angry some get, not enough seem to understand what to be angry about.
In the rural areas they turn to bloated blowhards on the radio. The words are angry and focused on the status quo. Code is spoken and clearly understood. The code is hateful and dismissive of anything or anybody challenging the rich masters of war and industry.
But these words mean little or nothing. It is like screaming in the hurricane winds we experienced around Denver the other night. Only we know the screams existed. Only we know our screams are nothing compared to the screams of dying mothers and their children. Their screams and the screams of the impoverished and forgotten are born of anguish.
Palestinian, Sudanese, Afghan, Iraqi, Lakota.....their anguish is unrelenting. Shame on us. Shame on our inability and unwillingness to stand up as a people to stop the madness. The neglect, apathy and disregard are everywhere. Even when it happens to our neighbor or friends we look helplessly on afraid to speak out or act out.
We are frozen by the fear so aptly disseminated by the evil tools of the Machiavellian princes of power. At work, at home, in public we fear the cameras, the overheard words, the perceptions of others who might "report" us. And people of color know their paranoia is based on reality. They know the blue gangsters care little about human intervention and a lot about violent intervention.
The gangsters in blue cry they are misunderstood but never attempt to understand. They patrol the slums and ghettos and go home to their sheltered, gated communities. What do they care about those who they "police"?
It's Friday. I need to ramble and rant. I could fearfully hide it, I suppose. Fuck no!
Wednesday, February 15
Random Rants Redux
I'm still struggling with the new age of tweets and short updates about my personal life...like "I went to work"...."Went to lunch". REALLY?? I think in bigger chunks of gray matter. I'm a run on sentence walking. I can't sum up my thoughts in 30 words or less. Maybe I ought to seek help or get on meds? So, anyway from FACEBOOK....now a partner with Goldman-Sachs .....here's an update on recent thoughts. I've really not mellowed. Only my loving wife gets to read my mellow thoughts.
Wow...just got a 3% raise at work. With the 20-40% rise in gas prices resulting in the 10-20% rise in food prices and all the increases in healthcare co-pays and premiums, the wage cut I got means I slip further into the abyss of debt. Yeah it is a wage cut when you add it all up. Too bad I'm not an incompetent CEO crashing a company getting that 300% increase of salary.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
Just heard a report about a Lt. General coming out with the obvious reality concerning the occupation of Afghanistan. The reports of the commanders and the DOD are fabricated to reflect a positive light on the war. For us old geezers, it's sort of like the "the light at the end of the tunnel" Westmoreland and Colin Powell kept repeating in Vietnam.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
If only Catholics had such passion and fanatical opposition to aborting kids in their teens and twenties going to war. Or kids in foreign lands being killed by stray missiles or bombs. Instead they continue to assert their misogyny on the lay people. Here's a news flash....the Pope and his minions of priests don't want women to really be free.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
As the military rattles sabers against Iran, the big oil companies rattle consumers with dramatic increases in gas prices. As the budget of the Pentagon is about to be reduced from the original increase to only a marginal increase suddenly the issue of nukes in Iran once again surfaces and we can't possibly go ahead with those cuts to the Pentagon. Let's make the single parent kids and the old take that cut....or better yet, the mentally ill....they don't have lobbyists with any influence.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
The inevitable has happened. More contractors (aka mercenaries for the most part) died than American military in Afghanistan last year. Doesn't mean one life isn't as important as the other. Just means this nation has started down the slippery slope of a private military. As if the current military isn't used as a tool of the oligarchy already.
Monday Feb 13 at 6:42am near Denver
Can't help but wonder where the Catholic Church stands on viagra, cialis or levitra. I suppose it's a hard one for them. But they are sure where they stand on "the PILL". I often wonder, as a converted Catholic and now most likely considered an atheist, is it abortion to abort the life of an infant, toddler, child or adolescent using American made bombs, rocket, missiles, drones, rifle rounds, mor...tars, cluster bombs......my God...no wonder they want to keep wars going. Think of all the jobs involved in making all these armanents.
GOP ISSUES taking precedence over jobs, housing, education, nourishment, healthcare etc. listed below: (created by the twisted mind of an unabashed, sarcastic lefty)
Where do you stand on the missionary position?
What do you say about oral sex?
Should gays even be allowed to hold office or be in government jobs if they demand equal benefits compared to the straights?
Do you think gay marriage broke up Newt's first two marriages?
Do you think government is too intrusive in the personal affairs of the people? Shouldn't intolerant religions have that duty?
Are all welfare recipients a drag on the system and usually drug addicts? And either illegal immigrants or non-white?
Don't those without healthcare have the duty to die if they have expensive illnesses?
Shouldn't men make more than women since women just go out and get preggers and demand maternity leave?
I am sure there's thousands of other inane questions irrelevant to what is important to the welfare of all. Wedge issues the GOP,churches and haters come up with to intrude on others while all the time crying in hysterical voices about the government imposing itself on them.
And please, Catholics....you are the largest church in the world. You've been allowed to get away with one atrocity after another throughout the history of the church. You are not discriminated against any more than any other religious cult. Some do question if you'll ever get to the 19th century but it is doubful. So the title of misogynist and sexist shall remain with your priests and good old boy leaders. As a man, I fail to understand why women would tolerate your crap.
Just me, the incredible heretic, saying this.
February 11 at 12:05pm near Denver
The feds are going to fine five major banks 26 billion for foreclosure abuse. That's chump change and doesn't put people back into their homes. Of course the major take away from this is no one goes to jail for the deliberate fraud and corruption.
February 9 at 6:51am near Denver
If you're an American worker and you think your employer has your best interests at heart, think again. From mental health centers to high tech jobs employers are trying to sell a bill of goods about the need of the employee to sacrifice while management fails to do so. 2-3% raises with increases of healthcare benefits paid by the employee is a wage decrease. The cost of food, transportation and b...asic necessities aren't going down. Only our wages are. When was the last time any of us got a 375 % wage increase? Never? How about 10%? Can't remember or never? The average increase of wealth for the 1% is around that 375%. Newest way to screw employees comes from a Democrat suggesting high tech workers be exempt from OT pay. Being pushed by the likes of IBM. And you don't need unions???
February 8 at 7:01am near Denver
Wow...just got a 3% raise at work. With the 20-40% rise in gas prices resulting in the 10-20% rise in food prices and all the increases in healthcare co-pays and premiums, the wage cut I got means I slip further into the abyss of debt. Yeah it is a wage cut when you add it all up. Too bad I'm not an incompetent CEO crashing a company getting that 300% increase of salary.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
Just heard a report about a Lt. General coming out with the obvious reality concerning the occupation of Afghanistan. The reports of the commanders and the DOD are fabricated to reflect a positive light on the war. For us old geezers, it's sort of like the "the light at the end of the tunnel" Westmoreland and Colin Powell kept repeating in Vietnam.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
If only Catholics had such passion and fanatical opposition to aborting kids in their teens and twenties going to war. Or kids in foreign lands being killed by stray missiles or bombs. Instead they continue to assert their misogyny on the lay people. Here's a news flash....the Pope and his minions of priests don't want women to really be free.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
As the military rattles sabers against Iran, the big oil companies rattle consumers with dramatic increases in gas prices. As the budget of the Pentagon is about to be reduced from the original increase to only a marginal increase suddenly the issue of nukes in Iran once again surfaces and we can't possibly go ahead with those cuts to the Pentagon. Let's make the single parent kids and the old take that cut....or better yet, the mentally ill....they don't have lobbyists with any influence.
Wednesday Feb 15 near Denver
The inevitable has happened. More contractors (aka mercenaries for the most part) died than American military in Afghanistan last year. Doesn't mean one life isn't as important as the other. Just means this nation has started down the slippery slope of a private military. As if the current military isn't used as a tool of the oligarchy already.
Monday Feb 13 at 6:42am near Denver
Can't help but wonder where the Catholic Church stands on viagra, cialis or levitra. I suppose it's a hard one for them. But they are sure where they stand on "the PILL". I often wonder, as a converted Catholic and now most likely considered an atheist, is it abortion to abort the life of an infant, toddler, child or adolescent using American made bombs, rocket, missiles, drones, rifle rounds, mor...tars, cluster bombs......my God...no wonder they want to keep wars going. Think of all the jobs involved in making all these armanents.
GOP ISSUES taking precedence over jobs, housing, education, nourishment, healthcare etc. listed below: (created by the twisted mind of an unabashed, sarcastic lefty)
Where do you stand on the missionary position?
What do you say about oral sex?
Should gays even be allowed to hold office or be in government jobs if they demand equal benefits compared to the straights?
Do you think gay marriage broke up Newt's first two marriages?
Do you think government is too intrusive in the personal affairs of the people? Shouldn't intolerant religions have that duty?
Are all welfare recipients a drag on the system and usually drug addicts? And either illegal immigrants or non-white?
Don't those without healthcare have the duty to die if they have expensive illnesses?
Shouldn't men make more than women since women just go out and get preggers and demand maternity leave?
I am sure there's thousands of other inane questions irrelevant to what is important to the welfare of all. Wedge issues the GOP,churches and haters come up with to intrude on others while all the time crying in hysterical voices about the government imposing itself on them.
And please, Catholics....you are the largest church in the world. You've been allowed to get away with one atrocity after another throughout the history of the church. You are not discriminated against any more than any other religious cult. Some do question if you'll ever get to the 19th century but it is doubful. So the title of misogynist and sexist shall remain with your priests and good old boy leaders. As a man, I fail to understand why women would tolerate your crap.
Just me, the incredible heretic, saying this.
February 11 at 12:05pm near Denver
The feds are going to fine five major banks 26 billion for foreclosure abuse. That's chump change and doesn't put people back into their homes. Of course the major take away from this is no one goes to jail for the deliberate fraud and corruption.
February 9 at 6:51am near Denver
If you're an American worker and you think your employer has your best interests at heart, think again. From mental health centers to high tech jobs employers are trying to sell a bill of goods about the need of the employee to sacrifice while management fails to do so. 2-3% raises with increases of healthcare benefits paid by the employee is a wage decrease. The cost of food, transportation and b...asic necessities aren't going down. Only our wages are. When was the last time any of us got a 375 % wage increase? Never? How about 10%? Can't remember or never? The average increase of wealth for the 1% is around that 375%. Newest way to screw employees comes from a Democrat suggesting high tech workers be exempt from OT pay. Being pushed by the likes of IBM. And you don't need unions???
February 8 at 7:01am near Denver
Monday, February 6
You Get Over It!
You know every time I watch a sporting event I resent the obligatory color guard or field size flag trotted out so everybody can pay reverence to the flag of imperialism. Sorry, but that's just the way I feel. And every damn sporting event becomes a recruiting opportunity for the military. The closest thing to a rebuttal I've seen was the end of Madonna's stage show at half yesterday. The words "WORLD PEACE" were projected onto the playing field. But I'm guessing most of the crowd felt world peace came by occupation and imperialistic aggression by the force of the American military.
Last year I was at a Nuggets game and the halftime event was a Marine Corps drill team with twirling rifles and lock step precision marching. The crowd seemed to love the action. I had a sinking feeling in my gut as I looked out on the young faces of the Marines and wondered how many would die in the next year, how many had already been through the rages and self medication, how many were estranged from family. It sickened me as the crowd cheered and clapped without any regard to the kids who watched possibly being influenced to join the Marines so they can wear the dress blues and do drills. And how many would only wear the dress blues in a casket returning from yet another senseless war?
Sure, we love our military and our troops but is militarism, wars and violence what we aspire to be as a nation? Are our heroes always going to be warriors? I know plenty of veterans who hate this shit. Shouldn't we become mentors to our young brothers and sisters to rebut the myth of war being gallant and heroic? Shouldn't we advise those old bastards who have never had a shot fired at them with deadly intention they are masters of deceit and pimps for death?
Shouldn't we tell the real truth about wars? The long boring, miserable times in jungles and deserts interrupted by the deadly cacophony of rifles, rpgs, rockets and thunderous blasts coming from hidden landscapes. The horrible screams of wounded and dying bleeding out from the traumatic amputation of arms, legs and entire trunks of young bodies. The terror of the dying right before the light in their eyes go out. The attempts of the living to stay alive long enough to find the body parts of friends to send home to family. The soiling of ourselves when all bladder and bowel control disappears in the panic of dark ambushes. Join in. Warriors all have similar horror stories never told to the naive and foolish thinking it's all glory and parades when you join up.
Dalton Trumbo had it right in JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN. His character, a destroyed body with only upper trunk and brain intact, finally manages to communicate his desire for his remaining body to be put on display. The brass immediately stops any further communication between the "body" and a nurse who discovers the ability of the body to communicate. Make no mistake, embedded reporters were the deliberate calculation of the military never wanting the "body" in Iraq or Afghanistan to be put on display as it had been during Vietnam.
Bradley Manning understands the need for the display to happen. A public that has to face what it has done to the young they sent to war may wake up and object. It seems the babies and innocent women and children in our wars never cause an uprising or objection from the general public. Collateral damage. Unintended consequences. No, fucker! Humans!! People! Babies! Don't use your fucking parsing of words to soften the horror you are responsible for. Take responsibility.
Mark Twain knew the body had to be displayed in THE WAR PRAYER. He took it to the great religious leaders who rallied the young to war. Have the religous leaders of today changed all that much from Twain's time? Hardly.
Yeah, we need to display the bodies. Like the ones that run around in my head all the time. The ones that run around in the dreams and thoughts of so many warriors for the the masters of war. They need to see their death and destruction every single day like so many warriors do. They need to tear down their heroic statutes and display the body all over the beltway of DC to demonstrate what is perpetrated inside the lush government offices of the masters of war. Too drastic, too ghoulish you say? Think about how the occupied of our wars must feel when they see the result of our cluster bombs, our tanks with DU rounds or our white phosphorous. You want reality t.v.? Take a steady dose of death created by your government issued war machine.
Get over it, you say. No, I say you like it so damn much get off your asses and away from your CALL OF DUTY joysticks and PARTICIPATE!!! Try the real thing and then you get over it.
Anyway, I'll be damned if I'm standing for that stupid anthem or putting my hand over my heart or taking my cap off. I don't need to ask permission.
Sunday, February 5
Revisiting The Rabbit Hole
Once again we find ourselves observing the illogical thinking of a government fighting to protect the rights of the violent more than the rights of the peaceful. Bradley Manning, a small fish in a pool of sharks, is forced to stand trial for revealing the ugly truths of war crimes and lies perpetrated against the Iraqi and Afghan people and the world.
And logically, if we fall prey to the illogical reasoning of so many, the rapes and murders in Haditha and throughout Iraq and Afghanistan by American troops and the mercenaries labeled "contractors" go without punishment. In most cases they even go without trial. A recent buzz phrase by a military court was "in the best interest of justice" they were dropping charges against an accused killer of civilians.
The reality is a troop has to be totally stupid to ever face trial for a purposeful act of murder or rape. Assaults aren't even considered since it's all in the course of the duty of a soldier to "rough up" the hajis of military age being rounded up. Interrogation includes assault, water boarding and torture not considered torture unless it happens to an American. Then, by God, it's an atrocity!
I constantly shake my head in amazement and disbelief when I see who is considered the villain and who is the hero. It's like falling down the rabbit hole of Alice's journey into "Wonderland" on LSD.
For a President who promises transparency in government, Obama has done just the opposite. He has continued the policies of Bush and doubled down on secrecy and violations of human rights and the bill of rights under the guise of the Patriot Act and the terror of terrorism.
I heard a newscaster recently question how much freedom should Americans give up to protect American freedom. And she said it with all seriousness. I also recently saw an African American "activist" claim the Occupy Oakland group has been taken over by an unsavory group of people bent on violence. I wondered if he was talking about the Oakland police who have done such a great job in keeping the peace. But, no, he meant those criminals who refused to leave the park and streets. Those who broke the city laws of peaceful assembly in public areas such as parks.
America, this beacon of freedom to the world, has become the spotlight of hypocrisy. We proclaim justice but never avail justice to the innocent victims of war crimes. We proclaim freedom but violently beat and brutalize our own people who seek redress of the government that has gone rogue. We give person-hood to the Goldman-Sachs and Wal-Mart corporations that have gutted the financial well being of this nation but deny it to individual citizens who object to injustices.
We allow one fanatical religious group more power over the personal lives of all Americans than the rule of true law and freedom. The same group that clamors to get government out of their personal lives. They cherry pick their biblical verses to suit themselves and deny their evil hypocrisy every step of the way. They beat their chests in phony and pious rants to protect the sanctity of the unborn but after the child is born don't give a damn if it starves, lives in poverty, is killed in war or becomes addicted. This is the same group that demands the gutting of the social programs helping feed, house and clothe the impoverished. They live in country club estates, retire in comfort and eat enough each day to feed four or five humans. And blame the hungry for "milking the system" and taking food from their mouths.
Another religious group that has more followers world wide has become the satanic symbol of evil. Most of their followers are chaste and devout but like Christians have fanatics that sully the name of the religion. It is no mistake most of this religion that has been demonized have brown and black pigmentation. It is the American way. How many American wars have been against the "other" races? Other than white, that is. This nation began by killing the savage red man and altering history to reflect the heroic Columbus and pilgrims that followed.
Maybe I've always lived in an illogical world of lies, hypocrisy and evil ruling those who want peace and justice. Looking at history, even the revised history of the Europeans, seems to indicate this unquestionable truth. So, why go on? Why not become as narcissistic as those in power? I mean we are all self-centered and self serving to some extent, why not all the time?
I just can't stand myself living that way all the time!!!
And logically, if we fall prey to the illogical reasoning of so many, the rapes and murders in Haditha and throughout Iraq and Afghanistan by American troops and the mercenaries labeled "contractors" go without punishment. In most cases they even go without trial. A recent buzz phrase by a military court was "in the best interest of justice" they were dropping charges against an accused killer of civilians.
The reality is a troop has to be totally stupid to ever face trial for a purposeful act of murder or rape. Assaults aren't even considered since it's all in the course of the duty of a soldier to "rough up" the hajis of military age being rounded up. Interrogation includes assault, water boarding and torture not considered torture unless it happens to an American. Then, by God, it's an atrocity!
I constantly shake my head in amazement and disbelief when I see who is considered the villain and who is the hero. It's like falling down the rabbit hole of Alice's journey into "Wonderland" on LSD.
For a President who promises transparency in government, Obama has done just the opposite. He has continued the policies of Bush and doubled down on secrecy and violations of human rights and the bill of rights under the guise of the Patriot Act and the terror of terrorism.
I heard a newscaster recently question how much freedom should Americans give up to protect American freedom. And she said it with all seriousness. I also recently saw an African American "activist" claim the Occupy Oakland group has been taken over by an unsavory group of people bent on violence. I wondered if he was talking about the Oakland police who have done such a great job in keeping the peace. But, no, he meant those criminals who refused to leave the park and streets. Those who broke the city laws of peaceful assembly in public areas such as parks.
America, this beacon of freedom to the world, has become the spotlight of hypocrisy. We proclaim justice but never avail justice to the innocent victims of war crimes. We proclaim freedom but violently beat and brutalize our own people who seek redress of the government that has gone rogue. We give person-hood to the Goldman-Sachs and Wal-Mart corporations that have gutted the financial well being of this nation but deny it to individual citizens who object to injustices.
We allow one fanatical religious group more power over the personal lives of all Americans than the rule of true law and freedom. The same group that clamors to get government out of their personal lives. They cherry pick their biblical verses to suit themselves and deny their evil hypocrisy every step of the way. They beat their chests in phony and pious rants to protect the sanctity of the unborn but after the child is born don't give a damn if it starves, lives in poverty, is killed in war or becomes addicted. This is the same group that demands the gutting of the social programs helping feed, house and clothe the impoverished. They live in country club estates, retire in comfort and eat enough each day to feed four or five humans. And blame the hungry for "milking the system" and taking food from their mouths.
Another religious group that has more followers world wide has become the satanic symbol of evil. Most of their followers are chaste and devout but like Christians have fanatics that sully the name of the religion. It is no mistake most of this religion that has been demonized have brown and black pigmentation. It is the American way. How many American wars have been against the "other" races? Other than white, that is. This nation began by killing the savage red man and altering history to reflect the heroic Columbus and pilgrims that followed.
Maybe I've always lived in an illogical world of lies, hypocrisy and evil ruling those who want peace and justice. Looking at history, even the revised history of the Europeans, seems to indicate this unquestionable truth. So, why go on? Why not become as narcissistic as those in power? I mean we are all self-centered and self serving to some extent, why not all the time?
I just can't stand myself living that way all the time!!!
Saturday, January 21
Resisting Defeat
Six more dead Marines. Six more dead from accidental drone attacks. A few here. A few there. Kids dying of starvation in Somalia. Distended stomachs in Haiti across from NGO compounds serving steak. Racist hate spews from the hypocrital mouths of those that would be President. Oblivious masses frozen in front of wide screens watching the "big game". Lavish spending on ads for the Super Bowl. Obscene spending by obscurely named Super-PACs funded by the bastards causing the dead Marines and the families killed "accidently" by unmanned weapons. If they're unmanned, who pulled the trigger?
Who is going to remember the Marines from Hawaii? Who will remember the dead families in Pakistan or Afghanistan? How many care about the sunken eyes of the dying children? How can we walk by the filth and despair of the refugee camps in Haiti.
Just trying to keep up with all the despair makes me weary and think it would be easier to not know. But if I didn't know, would I be human? If I stopped caring would it really make a difference? Too late. I do know. As one individual, the whirlwinds of despair, hatred, volence and bad news intimidates and frustrates me. My mind is always in turmoil. Should I go to the job or make my job one of attempting to change things?
The cold reality is trying to change things isn't primary despite my best intentions. I still need to work in order to eat and have shelter. I want to simplify in my mind but the will to do so is often too weak. And so, I fret and curse and worry. What will become of us?
I look at my granddaughter and wonder if she will still face a world or sexism, misogyny and hate for women. She's seven. Already the brainwashing of institutionalized education has started. Who will look after her that she might be free to be herself?
My oldest grandson faces an unsure future. In two years he will leave high school. What choices will he have. Will recruiters come for him? Will he fall prey to the seduction of war. The narcosis of war. Or will he become indebted to be able to get a college degree worthless in a job market seeking only to pay less than living wages?
My youngest grandson starts first grade. Will there be any freedom left for him when he reaches adulthood? Will his parents see the need to enter the struggle against the hatred and oppression to ensure there are still freedom and rights? Or be too worn out, too exhausted to care?
And, still, my mind returns to the continued wars ripping apart families. Breaking the hearts of parents. Scarring children. Making wives or husbands cry in despair. The images of mothers holding obtunded babies in the hellish camps of the impoverished are hard to forget. The memories of the 9th Ward of New Orleans or the relocation camps of Vietnam aren't going to go away.
It would be easy right here to say it's hopeless. It may be in the long run. I have environmentalist friends who tell me it's too late. We've passed the tipping point. But I notice they keep fighting for their cause. They don't give up in depressive despair.
Helplessness and hopelessness are a deadly duo that leads to suicide. It can be a physical suicide or an emotional one. One where all we do is exist until we die. But in the face of all the reasons not to care or resist, can we quit? Can I ? There are certainly days when it seems like I could. But those days pass. I can't quit because I don't want to just exist.
I like to be around the energy of the young and old who have passion. I like watching my grandkids smile and enjoy life. I want that for all children. I enjoy hearing the idealism of young students and rebellious anarchists. I respect the elders of my generation who continue to battle against the tidal wave of evil that seems overwhelming.
The empathy toward those who face only poverty and hopelessness is a hard thing to maintain. But, if not us, who will it be? Do we alllow the racists, the imperialist without regard for other humans, the narcissistic politicians who sell out to be elected or the masters of war to succeed in their destructive ways?
I can't stomach the idea of allowing the rapists of women, the polluters of Earth or the bigots of this world to think they've won. That they can go unchallenged. Maybe it's rage and hatred that fuels me to stupidly think we can really "overcome". I hope there's also love in my heart. I think there is but the outrage can obscure things. The past has numbed my emotional thought processes. Many of my veteran friends can understand what I mean. But I like to think that same past has made us care.
So, despite the doubts, the outrage and despair I still feel compelled to continue the sometimes hazardous course of resistance. I don't want to be a cog in the destructive machine producing the hatefulness that kills babies, slaughters the innocent and creates the hatred of divisiveness among humans. Rather than just exist I want the adventure of living to fight for peace and justice. How totally naive and unrealistic. I can't seem to grow up!
.
Who is going to remember the Marines from Hawaii? Who will remember the dead families in Pakistan or Afghanistan? How many care about the sunken eyes of the dying children? How can we walk by the filth and despair of the refugee camps in Haiti.
Just trying to keep up with all the despair makes me weary and think it would be easier to not know. But if I didn't know, would I be human? If I stopped caring would it really make a difference? Too late. I do know. As one individual, the whirlwinds of despair, hatred, volence and bad news intimidates and frustrates me. My mind is always in turmoil. Should I go to the job or make my job one of attempting to change things?
The cold reality is trying to change things isn't primary despite my best intentions. I still need to work in order to eat and have shelter. I want to simplify in my mind but the will to do so is often too weak. And so, I fret and curse and worry. What will become of us?
I look at my granddaughter and wonder if she will still face a world or sexism, misogyny and hate for women. She's seven. Already the brainwashing of institutionalized education has started. Who will look after her that she might be free to be herself?
My oldest grandson faces an unsure future. In two years he will leave high school. What choices will he have. Will recruiters come for him? Will he fall prey to the seduction of war. The narcosis of war. Or will he become indebted to be able to get a college degree worthless in a job market seeking only to pay less than living wages?
My youngest grandson starts first grade. Will there be any freedom left for him when he reaches adulthood? Will his parents see the need to enter the struggle against the hatred and oppression to ensure there are still freedom and rights? Or be too worn out, too exhausted to care?
And, still, my mind returns to the continued wars ripping apart families. Breaking the hearts of parents. Scarring children. Making wives or husbands cry in despair. The images of mothers holding obtunded babies in the hellish camps of the impoverished are hard to forget. The memories of the 9th Ward of New Orleans or the relocation camps of Vietnam aren't going to go away.
It would be easy right here to say it's hopeless. It may be in the long run. I have environmentalist friends who tell me it's too late. We've passed the tipping point. But I notice they keep fighting for their cause. They don't give up in depressive despair.
Helplessness and hopelessness are a deadly duo that leads to suicide. It can be a physical suicide or an emotional one. One where all we do is exist until we die. But in the face of all the reasons not to care or resist, can we quit? Can I ? There are certainly days when it seems like I could. But those days pass. I can't quit because I don't want to just exist.
I like to be around the energy of the young and old who have passion. I like watching my grandkids smile and enjoy life. I want that for all children. I enjoy hearing the idealism of young students and rebellious anarchists. I respect the elders of my generation who continue to battle against the tidal wave of evil that seems overwhelming.
The empathy toward those who face only poverty and hopelessness is a hard thing to maintain. But, if not us, who will it be? Do we alllow the racists, the imperialist without regard for other humans, the narcissistic politicians who sell out to be elected or the masters of war to succeed in their destructive ways?
I can't stomach the idea of allowing the rapists of women, the polluters of Earth or the bigots of this world to think they've won. That they can go unchallenged. Maybe it's rage and hatred that fuels me to stupidly think we can really "overcome". I hope there's also love in my heart. I think there is but the outrage can obscure things. The past has numbed my emotional thought processes. Many of my veteran friends can understand what I mean. But I like to think that same past has made us care.
So, despite the doubts, the outrage and despair I still feel compelled to continue the sometimes hazardous course of resistance. I don't want to be a cog in the destructive machine producing the hatefulness that kills babies, slaughters the innocent and creates the hatred of divisiveness among humans. Rather than just exist I want the adventure of living to fight for peace and justice. How totally naive and unrealistic. I can't seem to grow up!
.
Insidious Play For Lives
As you watch the NFL playoffs this weekend, notice how many military recruitment ads there will be. As you watch the NBA on any weekend notice how many ads for the military. The military and their bosses pulling the puppet strings like to equate the military and professional sports. They like to use team work as being something you can find in the military. And of course, there are troops being in...ducted during half times, troops holding those field sized flags, color guards in dress uniforms. "God bless America" during the games. Yep, if you can't grow up to be Dirk or Lebron, you can grow up to be Pat Tillman.
What does it say about organizations dominated by people of color on the playing fields allowing recruitment to be done throughout the games? What target audience is there watching these ads? Does Steve Nash and Champ Bailey plan on letting their kids join the Marines real soon? But even more egregious are the Donald Sterns and Mark Cubans of the management and ownership groups. They know the effect of the ads on young people. But somebody has to fight the wars on the cheap while boys and girls playing kid's games make millions each year, right?
We shouldn't put a damper on sports, though. The insidious ads of recruitment are everywhere. They want you to "be all you can be", "Army tough" and "Semper Fi" but unlike those ads selling you all the wonder drugs that list all the side effects in small print and fast talk overs, the recruitment ads don't tell you, "WARNING: enlistment in the military can cause death, dismemberment, traumatic amputation, PTSD, TBI, MST and other serious side effects. Talk to a veteran before you enlist"
What does it say about organizations dominated by people of color on the playing fields allowing recruitment to be done throughout the games? What target audience is there watching these ads? Does Steve Nash and Champ Bailey plan on letting their kids join the Marines real soon? But even more egregious are the Donald Sterns and Mark Cubans of the management and ownership groups. They know the effect of the ads on young people. But somebody has to fight the wars on the cheap while boys and girls playing kid's games make millions each year, right?
We shouldn't put a damper on sports, though. The insidious ads of recruitment are everywhere. They want you to "be all you can be", "Army tough" and "Semper Fi" but unlike those ads selling you all the wonder drugs that list all the side effects in small print and fast talk overs, the recruitment ads don't tell you, "WARNING: enlistment in the military can cause death, dismemberment, traumatic amputation, PTSD, TBI, MST and other serious side effects. Talk to a veteran before you enlist"
Jim Crow 2.0
I hate hearing or seeing anything about the Republican primaries, "debates" or candidates for presidency. Impossible if I turn any radio or tv on or read a paper. So, the little attention I have paid tells me the GOP is in SC speaking the code of the racist white man as usual. Newt talks about "food stamp President", Romney sucks up to the ultra right and Santorum has made it clear how he feels about people of color. And all think a big old fence should surround American borders to the south....didn't hear anything about the north where rogue Canadians could be crossing over right now to steal citizenship and jobs from Americans. It's like the old blues song...."if you're black, get back, if you're brown stick around, if you're white, it's alright. Get back, get back get back".
Old Jim Crow is supposedly dead but old racist bigots are still around and running for office. From voter suppression laws requiring "just the right ID" to all that code speaking we might as well have the candidates at the debates wearing the hooded garb of the Klan while they stand on stage. And camera scans of the audience show deliriously happy good ole boys and girls whenever the next candidate drops some line about those welfare queens or food stamp mamas. Or illegals taking over the jobs. Seems the only way America can survive is if we keep it tidy white and moral. Well except for "open marriages" advocated by a former congressperson who went on a witch hunt when a certain President had an oral thing with an intern.
My skin crawls watching this crap. Please.....are people this stupid really running for the Presidency? But, I realize it isn't stupidity that creates this slimey circus. Not stupidity of the candidates. It's cynicism and the basic hate for true ideals of morality, justice and equality. The candidates are only giving the likely voters what they want. All you had to do is listen to the cheering when the code words are used. Or the cheering when it was suggested a while back anybody without insurance should be left to die if they get a serious illness they can't pay to have treated.
Is it any wonder we drop bombs on innocent people. We pander to hate and racisim toward our own people. Why would we act more appropriately toward foreign nations and people.
And the worst is yet to come. Wait until the super PACs and all the corporate "persons" start their attacks on Obama. Wait until the big money starts the hate campaign in earnest. There will be little truth spoken by either side and the clowns will be in charge. The circus has only begun.
This year the media will fill our minds with the great importance of the 2012 election. But what we really have is a con game. We'll be asked to keep our eyes on the circus while the masters of war and plunder are planning their next assault on the rights of men and women around the world. They'll be planning on how to further enslave the working class and steal the rest of their savings while we'll be watching the clowns prancing and preening from town to town acting like they're relevant to our lives.
Old Jim Crow is supposedly dead but old racist bigots are still around and running for office. From voter suppression laws requiring "just the right ID" to all that code speaking we might as well have the candidates at the debates wearing the hooded garb of the Klan while they stand on stage. And camera scans of the audience show deliriously happy good ole boys and girls whenever the next candidate drops some line about those welfare queens or food stamp mamas. Or illegals taking over the jobs. Seems the only way America can survive is if we keep it tidy white and moral. Well except for "open marriages" advocated by a former congressperson who went on a witch hunt when a certain President had an oral thing with an intern.
My skin crawls watching this crap. Please.....are people this stupid really running for the Presidency? But, I realize it isn't stupidity that creates this slimey circus. Not stupidity of the candidates. It's cynicism and the basic hate for true ideals of morality, justice and equality. The candidates are only giving the likely voters what they want. All you had to do is listen to the cheering when the code words are used. Or the cheering when it was suggested a while back anybody without insurance should be left to die if they get a serious illness they can't pay to have treated.
Is it any wonder we drop bombs on innocent people. We pander to hate and racisim toward our own people. Why would we act more appropriately toward foreign nations and people.
And the worst is yet to come. Wait until the super PACs and all the corporate "persons" start their attacks on Obama. Wait until the big money starts the hate campaign in earnest. There will be little truth spoken by either side and the clowns will be in charge. The circus has only begun.
This year the media will fill our minds with the great importance of the 2012 election. But what we really have is a con game. We'll be asked to keep our eyes on the circus while the masters of war and plunder are planning their next assault on the rights of men and women around the world. They'll be planning on how to further enslave the working class and steal the rest of their savings while we'll be watching the clowns prancing and preening from town to town acting like they're relevant to our lives.
Love America, Hate the Politicians
People say, "Why do you hate America?"
I say I don't hate America. I love America. I hate the actions of the government bought by the rich corporate PACs and the wealthy who don't give a damn about Americans or the rest of the world. They only care about themselves. Their motto is "I've got mine and screw the rest of you."
There is still this mindset of "America, love it or leave it." Yeah, well my mindset is this nation is better than that. This nation is part of the rest of the world and is obligated to make the world better for all people. Rather than bombs and troops we could drill wells and reduce the number of children dying by millions. And it would be billions and billions cheaper. So why not? Stupid question. There's no profit to be made in improving the lives of the impoverished and most miserable peoples of the world.
Look at Haiti, if you can without crying or puking. Where did all those billions of dollars go to help the people? NGOs claim they've improved things but the people say things have gotten worse. If you only have 6-10 toilets per 8-10,000 people and the toilets aren't cleaned out daily is that considered an improvement over no toilets?
There are a few thousand different NGOs taking the money to bring relief. In their free time many of the staff have nice beds in luxury hotels. They eat steak and shrimp across the street from a refugee camp so crowded cholrea will kill thousands before it is controlled.
The USAID, a US governmental agency gives relief but there are certain conditions. If they buy grain it has to be American grain. If they send equipment it has to be equipment from American corporations. 93% of the billion or so dollars sent for relief is recyclyed to America corporations, many of them within the beltway of DC. Even when the food or equipment is cheaper or closer for immediate needs from non-American sources. Is this how the US wins hearts and minds?
Americans are so ethnocentric and Eurocentric they either can't conceive of the squallor of Haiti or other nations ravaged by wars and famine or they don't want to know. They don't think there are consequences for American foreign policy over the years and when there are attacks on Americans become the whining, bitching, never forgetting victims. What the hell do they think when they allow our government to impose corrupt leaders on nations, bomb, strafe and destroy civilian population centers and rape the land for natural resources? Do they really think because we're America everybody should love us.
Americans are better than they've allowed the government to be. But their voices of reason are being sold out. And too many think they deserve freedom but anybody different doesn't. Tim Tebow is the darling of the American public. How would he fare were he Muslim? How would he fare if he were gay? Intolerance has not diminished because we have laws against hate crimes. It just manifests itself in different and more sinsister ways. If we say our hate and racism is part of our religous beliefs should we get an exemption from the laws?
Or how about the Catholic Church and others who have openly bashed gays for hundreds of years? Or women who choose to have an abortion are murderers but a President sanctioning torture and indiscriminate bombing isn't a war criminal?
I don't like this America! I don't like an America where hate and violence prevail. I don't like the America where greed prevails. I don't like an America where corporations are considered people and allowed to buy my government. You can tell me to love it or leave it but I'll tell you I'm not leaving and neither are some of my best friends.
I say I don't hate America. I love America. I hate the actions of the government bought by the rich corporate PACs and the wealthy who don't give a damn about Americans or the rest of the world. They only care about themselves. Their motto is "I've got mine and screw the rest of you."
There is still this mindset of "America, love it or leave it." Yeah, well my mindset is this nation is better than that. This nation is part of the rest of the world and is obligated to make the world better for all people. Rather than bombs and troops we could drill wells and reduce the number of children dying by millions. And it would be billions and billions cheaper. So why not? Stupid question. There's no profit to be made in improving the lives of the impoverished and most miserable peoples of the world.
Look at Haiti, if you can without crying or puking. Where did all those billions of dollars go to help the people? NGOs claim they've improved things but the people say things have gotten worse. If you only have 6-10 toilets per 8-10,000 people and the toilets aren't cleaned out daily is that considered an improvement over no toilets?
There are a few thousand different NGOs taking the money to bring relief. In their free time many of the staff have nice beds in luxury hotels. They eat steak and shrimp across the street from a refugee camp so crowded cholrea will kill thousands before it is controlled.
The USAID, a US governmental agency gives relief but there are certain conditions. If they buy grain it has to be American grain. If they send equipment it has to be equipment from American corporations. 93% of the billion or so dollars sent for relief is recyclyed to America corporations, many of them within the beltway of DC. Even when the food or equipment is cheaper or closer for immediate needs from non-American sources. Is this how the US wins hearts and minds?
Americans are so ethnocentric and Eurocentric they either can't conceive of the squallor of Haiti or other nations ravaged by wars and famine or they don't want to know. They don't think there are consequences for American foreign policy over the years and when there are attacks on Americans become the whining, bitching, never forgetting victims. What the hell do they think when they allow our government to impose corrupt leaders on nations, bomb, strafe and destroy civilian population centers and rape the land for natural resources? Do they really think because we're America everybody should love us.
Americans are better than they've allowed the government to be. But their voices of reason are being sold out. And too many think they deserve freedom but anybody different doesn't. Tim Tebow is the darling of the American public. How would he fare were he Muslim? How would he fare if he were gay? Intolerance has not diminished because we have laws against hate crimes. It just manifests itself in different and more sinsister ways. If we say our hate and racism is part of our religous beliefs should we get an exemption from the laws?
Or how about the Catholic Church and others who have openly bashed gays for hundreds of years? Or women who choose to have an abortion are murderers but a President sanctioning torture and indiscriminate bombing isn't a war criminal?
I don't like this America! I don't like an America where hate and violence prevail. I don't like the America where greed prevails. I don't like an America where corporations are considered people and allowed to buy my government. You can tell me to love it or leave it but I'll tell you I'm not leaving and neither are some of my best friends.
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