Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
"DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM" Howard Zinn (1922-2010)
As I've previously written, United States citizens and residents have been
losing their Constitutional Rights at an alarming pace since the Bush regime
took control of this country following Bush's theft of the 2000 Presidential
Election, just over ten years ago. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration
left many right-wing Republicans in place or has catered to those of their
mentality in the areas where they can do the most damage to the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights: the Department of Defense and the
Department of Homeland Security. Furthermore, Obama has not followed
through with the promises he made to the millions of poor and marginalized
citizens who voted for him: to root out human rights violations and abuses
practiced by the Bush regime; hold accountable and punish those responsible
for them; and to drastically change course in the way the U.S. treats people
both at home and abroad.
Americans need to quickly get it in their heads: the United States is NOT a
democracy, and it continues to move in the direction AWAY from
democracy, despite its non-stop rhetoric ABOUT democracy. The quotes
by both Benjamin Franklin and Howard Zinn (which has a similar thought
in a Thomas Jefferson quote), speak for themselves, and we had better
start digesting those truths and demand that OUR Government REVERSE its
course, or we will be under a totalitarian regime before another ten to twenty
years passes by.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
It was very predicable on Wednesday that the Republicans resumed their
power in the U.S. House of Representatives with talk about how they
would roll back even the meager health care reform enacted during the
last Congressional session ... as well as any thought of cutting from the
slithering snake that is the military and "security" budgets. Any suffering
on their watch will be borne by the usual scapegoats: the poor and the
marginalized groups.
What is less predicable and can end up being more hurtful is the silence
or the inactivity of those we consider our comrades, or to use the cliche,
those who we know "give a damn about their fellow man." With all of the
blowhard rhetoric we expect to hear from self-centered shallow wealthy
politicians between now and the next presidential election in less than two
years, it is the solidarity of kindred spirits that we need more than ever.
We must not let the high ground be taken from us with our silence, our
timidity, or an attitude of defeatism. We can and do make a difference
every day that we encourage and support our friends, those with our
common goals, in words and in deeds, and let them know that they may
sometimes feel lonely but they are never alone.
It was very predicable on Wednesday that the Republicans resumed their
power in the U.S. House of Representatives with talk about how they
would roll back even the meager health care reform enacted during the
last Congressional session ... as well as any thought of cutting from the
slithering snake that is the military and "security" budgets. Any suffering
on their watch will be borne by the usual scapegoats: the poor and the
marginalized groups.
What is less predicable and can end up being more hurtful is the silence
or the inactivity of those we consider our comrades, or to use the cliche,
those who we know "give a damn about their fellow man." With all of the
blowhard rhetoric we expect to hear from self-centered shallow wealthy
politicians between now and the next presidential election in less than two
years, it is the solidarity of kindred spirits that we need more than ever.
We must not let the high ground be taken from us with our silence, our
timidity, or an attitude of defeatism. We can and do make a difference
every day that we encourage and support our friends, those with our
common goals, in words and in deeds, and let them know that they may
sometimes feel lonely but they are never alone.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."
Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804)
It seems that on almost a daily basis now, the rights of people living in the United States are being restricted.
Tuesday's news alone first included a directive by the Government to monitor employees in agencies and ferret out those who might have complaints against the Government and might be prone to want to leak classified materials. Instead of doing the right thing after the scandal resulting from the Wikileaks revelations, which would be to start dealing ethically, morally, and legally with the American people and the peoples of the world, the U.S. Government is only intent on covering up its dirty deeds more thoroughly. And it is we the taxpayers who are paying for this Government's hiding of what they are doing with OUR money!
Then secondly, a ruling in this Government's largest state, California, now
allows police to search cell phones, computers, or other electronic devices
without a warrant. Any evidence they gather from combing through a
person's most personal data can be used to convict them of a crime. Since
this ruling is being appealed to the Supreme Court, with Bush's right-wing
demogogues in the majority, it is likely that this will become the new law
of the land ....
It is a land that, since "those who stand for nothing" didn't even give a
whimper of protest when the anti-democracy PATRIOT act was quickly
rushed through by the Bush regime in 2001, has become more like the
Nazi and Fascist states of Germany and Italy of the 1930s and 40s than
few Americans could ever have imagined 10 years ago. Who now is
going to stand tall and say, "Hell, no!" this country belongs to ALL
Americans and not just the egomaniacal few who think that all power,
money, and control belongs in their hands and the rest of us are just
slaves to their whims!?
It seems that on almost a daily basis now, the rights of people living in the United States are being restricted.
Tuesday's news alone first included a directive by the Government to monitor employees in agencies and ferret out those who might have complaints against the Government and might be prone to want to leak classified materials. Instead of doing the right thing after the scandal resulting from the Wikileaks revelations, which would be to start dealing ethically, morally, and legally with the American people and the peoples of the world, the U.S. Government is only intent on covering up its dirty deeds more thoroughly. And it is we the taxpayers who are paying for this Government's hiding of what they are doing with OUR money!
Then secondly, a ruling in this Government's largest state, California, now
allows police to search cell phones, computers, or other electronic devices
without a warrant. Any evidence they gather from combing through a
person's most personal data can be used to convict them of a crime. Since
this ruling is being appealed to the Supreme Court, with Bush's right-wing
demogogues in the majority, it is likely that this will become the new law
of the land ....
It is a land that, since "those who stand for nothing" didn't even give a
whimper of protest when the anti-democracy PATRIOT act was quickly
rushed through by the Bush regime in 2001, has become more like the
Nazi and Fascist states of Germany and Italy of the 1930s and 40s than
few Americans could ever have imagined 10 years ago. Who now is
going to stand tall and say, "Hell, no!" this country belongs to ALL
Americans and not just the egomaniacal few who think that all power,
money, and control belongs in their hands and the rest of us are just
slaves to their whims!?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Martin Luther King, Jr. @Gengxinn
This is true not only in one's personal life when it comes to making decisions,
but it is true for the advocate or activist that deeply wants to speak out about
an issue or take an action to demonstrate opposition to government policies.
One doesn't know how the words or action will be received, or what
consequences or accomplishments will result from them, but as people like
MLK, Jr. or Gandhi found, both literally and figuratively, a journey of a
thousand miles always starts with one step. And if your heart's desire is to
help those who are suffering in one way or another, your first step of faith
will never be in vain.
This is true not only in one's personal life when it comes to making decisions,
but it is true for the advocate or activist that deeply wants to speak out about
an issue or take an action to demonstrate opposition to government policies.
One doesn't know how the words or action will be received, or what
consequences or accomplishments will result from them, but as people like
MLK, Jr. or Gandhi found, both literally and figuratively, a journey of a
thousand miles always starts with one step. And if your heart's desire is to
help those who are suffering in one way or another, your first step of faith
will never be in vain.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
"A stand can be made against invasion by an army; no stand can be made against invasion by an idea."
Victor Hugo
A new year ... same old wars. It can be frustrating and anger producing.
Yet we must remember that all the trillions of dollars spent on military force
will not crush the ideas of the demand for economic justice, social equality,
and the rights of freedom of speech and association. There is something
hardwired within the millions of poor people that are continuing to be
denied these things, that these are basic rights. And, therefore, those rights
will continue being pursued in 2011.
A new year ... same old wars. It can be frustrating and anger producing.
Yet we must remember that all the trillions of dollars spent on military force
will not crush the ideas of the demand for economic justice, social equality,
and the rights of freedom of speech and association. There is something
hardwired within the millions of poor people that are continuing to be
denied these things, that these are basic rights. And, therefore, those rights
will continue being pursued in 2011.
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