"He knows not his own strength ...

that hath not met adversity."   Cesare Pavese

Many of us know what it is to suffer because of our beliefs, which inspire our
fight to replace continual rhetoric and propaganda for real "liberty and
justice for all."  We should seek to recognize and be thankful for the strength
of character and purpose that has developed in us through that suffering, and
not let anyone discount or minimize what has been accomplished in us and in
the lives of others through us.  "Fresh activity is the only means of over-
coming adversity," stated Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, so we must not let
setbacks from the "powers that be" discourage us from continuing our actions
for social and political change that benefit those who most need a "break" and
a "bailout" from their present marginalized or ignored status.

"He who asks is a fool for five minutes...

...but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."   Chinese Proverb  

(@CheGarman)

In the AFTERWORD at the close of my book, No One Will Ever Tell! ,
I ask my readers to "question, research, and compare", something which
seems so obvious, but which seems to be so overlooked by the millions of
Americans who readily believe what they are told if it is told by "an
authority," in the Administration, Congress, the mainstream media, or
especially the military or law enforcement. Made to fear that they will be
disloyal or criticized, they don't ASK for evidence or proof, or think through
the personal motives, ambitions, or prejudices that such "authorities" may
very well have when  they declare an individual or group a "terrorist",
"criminal" or just plain "bad" as opposed to them, the "authorities," being
"good."  If each American was honest enough he could think of American
history and at least name one or two Americans who their government had
declared "bad" who were later shown to be far less "bad" then those
"authorities" who had labelled them.

"I agree with you ...

...that in politics the middle way is no way at all."

John Adams, 2nd U.S. President

The Republicans certainly understand that.  To them, their way is the ONLY
way things will be, and as they proved under Bush, they will do ANYTHING
to get their way, sooner or later. 

It is high time that President Obama and the Democrats start saying, "No,
period!" to the demands of the Republicans and started respecting the voices
and actions of those who already HAVE BEEN WILLING to say that ...
and to stand up for the millions of Americans, the working and non-working
poor, who struggle EVERY DAY just to maintain basic survival needs of
food, clothing, and shelter. 

I don't see any bailouts or breaks of any kind being offered by those in
power in the U.S. to the ones, who by far, need them MOST.

"Life is what happens to you ...

... when you're busy making other plans."  John Lennon (d. December 8, 1980)

Does our society use the lure of material gratification to keep us powerless ... so that we conform ...
and don't make a difference for good?

"It is good to have an end to journey toward ...

but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

Ursula Le Guin

Good advice from an ancient philosopher for us both as individuals & a nation...

"Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak."

Epictetus

There is no truth ...

...without risk

and no change without courage.

We are bombarded every day with what I call "the castle built on sand" notion...

...that success only comes from what we own or how many people we "lord it over," or control.

"Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered,
and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds."

Orison Swett Marden