According the the pop clock there are 7 billion 905 million 574 thousand 331, 32, 33 of us. Yes, there are a whole hell of a lot of us human beings. Now out of that seven billion, according to luxist.com there are 24 million millionaires. Now if you think of them as the rich and the richer and then add up, their henchmen and thugs that keep them in power, you could probably quadruple that number and will would only have 100 million. And if not all of them are evildoers, jut because they are rich, let's say that a 1/2 of them are decent folks. That only leaves. 50 million really bad guys. that's not very much. The odds are certainly against them. when you think big.
What we are witnessing today, is a global popular revolt against teeny tiny repressive regimes, (with big guns) and even democratically elected administrations that have stolen our money, livelihoods and our dignity.They are completely out of touch with reality and the power of civil society, now known as the social network. It is strong and growing exponentially and even if a nasty despot, or governor wants to shut down the internet, he will also be cutting off his military's and financial systems from being able to function. We are all connected. We are one. Now, Instead of having to rely on phone trees and leaflets, with the click of a button we can reach thousands, millions, and potentially billions in a moment and they will appear as if out of the woodwork to dispose of unwanted dictators and Corporate rapscallions.
This Weekend in Britain social activists invaded forty banks across the country and turned them into day care centers, classrooms,walk in clinics and launderettes to protest austerity measures that are being inflicted on truly hardworking people. (The ones not responsible for the global financial meltdown). International governments in cahoots with The Wall street tycoons have mismanaged our precious resources and treasuries and now are putting the burden on us, instead of the 24 million millionaires and billionaires and the corporations they use as a magic invisible shield under which they pay absolutely no taxes. We're talking Citicorp, Wells Fargo, Exxon,GE and Boeing who paid no taxes last year. That is not only unfair, it doesn't make any sense. The people, who are hungry and very tired of it, say enough is enough.
The success of non-violent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt have inspired those in Wisconsin, Yemen, Algeria, Iraq, Morroco, Iran, and have fueled the fires of Libyans who are dying as we speak to lift the yolk of totalitarianism from their necks. As of this morning the protests have jumped the Atlantic into Central America, Nicaragua has begun online protests, started by a young blogger, because the people as of yet are so afraid of repercussions from the Ortega regime, (financially backed by the murderous Qaddafi) and are gathering strength in numbers before they hit the streets. It's almost impossible to resist the invitation to rise up.
So many are speculating, especially on the mainstream new stations as to what the future holds. How can anybody really predict what will replace the corporate criminals and defunct dynasties. Will it be worse, fascists? extremists? terrorists? But the Egyptian faces that I saw on the cover of Time magazine don't look like they are ready to destroy anything, quite the contrary, they want life and freedom and peace in this world. A lot of these young adults have lived their whole lives in poverty and war zones. It is not conducive to their artistic, creative desires to have a future. They see the futility and it is my assumption that they believe in human rights, not based on nationality, but rather on, existence. and the right to have food, housing, education,sustainable industries, and decent services, including water, electricity, and sewage.
It is particularly the youthful demographic that has up till now defied labels, to become the revolutionary generation mastering the art of text messaging, twittering and facebooking to organize, expose, and blog the night away,
This is what we've been praying for; Self-made, representative democracy, with the help of digital media, made in alliance with the weary militias and worn out police who realize, they are working class too and their budgets are all but busted. They see that the odds are against them and they become bound to the resistance. Whether it's the police in Wisconsin refusing to kick the protesters out of the state capitol building or the army in Tripoli defecting or the Egyptian tanks that did not fire on it's own people.There's something happening here. The people are on the move. Where there is injustice, poverty, and political greed the natives are restless and willing to lay down their lives for the future. They have so much in their favor and what becomes clearer with every tick tock of the population clock, there's more of us than them.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Valentine's Day/All you need is Love
Ah dear hearts, what a week. Sending out great admiration and appreciation of the Egyptian Revolution overthrowing a corrupt and cruel regime with non-violent tactics, beauty, song and dance and a social networking that one can only dream of.
Revolution on Friday, into Lincoln's Birthday on Saturday and today it's all about the love. My parents are celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary in Heaven It's my brother's 14th wedding anniversary and My wife and I are celebrating our 4th. Romance runs in the family.
I saw the Egyptian revolution as a love thing as well. That popular uprising had so much love and faith and courage. Did you see how they cared and protected each other? Yes, they have triumphed. Watching this unfold over the last three weeks was a privilege and a duty, or as Obama would say "a teachable moment". What did we learn? We learned that there is an exciting youth movement in the world. That young minds adept at cyber communication are using it to advance freedom and democracy all across the Arab world. We learned that even when "they" send in government thugs demonstrators must remain calm and non-violent. We learned that what seems impossible is only so in our minds. The power of collective cooperation is unstoppable.
The underlying causes of the Egyptian revolution were the thirty years of oppression and dictatorship, the immediate cause was the self immolation of a vegetable vendor in Tunisia who set himself on fire in protest of Failed economic policies and hopelessness. this sparked the revolt in Tunisia and spread like wildfire into Egypt. They say Yemen, Iran, Jordan, Algeria and Syria are poised on the precipice of revolution as well. I say huzzah. In'shallah, That means God willing, or Allah willing.
People wonder if the same kind of popular revolt could happen here, what with the unemployment rate, unprecedented foreclosures, food and gas prices going up, the gutting of the US economy by corporate raiders in cahoots with the Feds. People are scared and angry, but the likely hood of a non-violent overthrow of the gov't doesn't seem destined for us. Why? We'll first and foremost one of the key factors to the success of Egypt's revolution was the fact that they were all Egyptians. Egypt is not a "melting Pot" like the U.S. supposedly is. We are not one people.
We don't care for each other or pretend to love each other in America. Class and Racial divisions are dangerous, mean, violent and resentful. The power of unity/similarity like mindedness common ground is essential for that kind of victory. We have nothing like that in this country.
The other extremely obvious difference is that our civilian population is armed to the teeth. 287 million guns. The Egyptians were unarmed. They did have knives and used them for self defense and defending their neighborhoods, business, hospitals and so on. But they did not have a civilian army protected by a 2nd Amendment.
The other key to their success was the alliance of the military, love if you will. That was one of the most moving images coming across the screen of this popular movement; People sitting on tanks sitting in the street and the soldiers being gifted flowers and food. Can you envision that kind of accord here? I don't think so. Americans are estranged,suspicious, polarized and looking for an excuse to blow each others heads off. So what happens next?
We ignite an American revolution of self respect and love, using social networking tools, we search for the ever allusive common ground.. How do we solicit that kind of fundamental transformation. We start with ourselves. Today is a perfect day to fall in love with yourself. Sure send your sweetheart some chocolate, but give yourself some flowers too and a great big hug and lots of kisses. Call your answering machine and leave yourself a message, everything you want to hear and promise to cherish yourself forever. That could be the key to world's liberation. Because we all know Love makes the world go round in a what? In a revolution.
Revolution on Friday, into Lincoln's Birthday on Saturday and today it's all about the love. My parents are celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary in Heaven It's my brother's 14th wedding anniversary and My wife and I are celebrating our 4th. Romance runs in the family.
I saw the Egyptian revolution as a love thing as well. That popular uprising had so much love and faith and courage. Did you see how they cared and protected each other? Yes, they have triumphed. Watching this unfold over the last three weeks was a privilege and a duty, or as Obama would say "a teachable moment". What did we learn? We learned that there is an exciting youth movement in the world. That young minds adept at cyber communication are using it to advance freedom and democracy all across the Arab world. We learned that even when "they" send in government thugs demonstrators must remain calm and non-violent. We learned that what seems impossible is only so in our minds. The power of collective cooperation is unstoppable.
The underlying causes of the Egyptian revolution were the thirty years of oppression and dictatorship, the immediate cause was the self immolation of a vegetable vendor in Tunisia who set himself on fire in protest of Failed economic policies and hopelessness. this sparked the revolt in Tunisia and spread like wildfire into Egypt. They say Yemen, Iran, Jordan, Algeria and Syria are poised on the precipice of revolution as well. I say huzzah. In'shallah, That means God willing, or Allah willing.
People wonder if the same kind of popular revolt could happen here, what with the unemployment rate, unprecedented foreclosures, food and gas prices going up, the gutting of the US economy by corporate raiders in cahoots with the Feds. People are scared and angry, but the likely hood of a non-violent overthrow of the gov't doesn't seem destined for us. Why? We'll first and foremost one of the key factors to the success of Egypt's revolution was the fact that they were all Egyptians. Egypt is not a "melting Pot" like the U.S. supposedly is. We are not one people.
We don't care for each other or pretend to love each other in America. Class and Racial divisions are dangerous, mean, violent and resentful. The power of unity/similarity like mindedness common ground is essential for that kind of victory. We have nothing like that in this country.
The other extremely obvious difference is that our civilian population is armed to the teeth. 287 million guns. The Egyptians were unarmed. They did have knives and used them for self defense and defending their neighborhoods, business, hospitals and so on. But they did not have a civilian army protected by a 2nd Amendment.
The other key to their success was the alliance of the military, love if you will. That was one of the most moving images coming across the screen of this popular movement; People sitting on tanks sitting in the street and the soldiers being gifted flowers and food. Can you envision that kind of accord here? I don't think so. Americans are estranged,suspicious, polarized and looking for an excuse to blow each others heads off. So what happens next?
We ignite an American revolution of self respect and love, using social networking tools, we search for the ever allusive common ground.. How do we solicit that kind of fundamental transformation. We start with ourselves. Today is a perfect day to fall in love with yourself. Sure send your sweetheart some chocolate, but give yourself some flowers too and a great big hug and lots of kisses. Call your answering machine and leave yourself a message, everything you want to hear and promise to cherish yourself forever. That could be the key to world's liberation. Because we all know Love makes the world go round in a what? In a revolution.
The Winds of Change/Walk Like an Egyptian
The winds of change are blowing. Do you feel them? It's inevitable, Everything has been stacked so high with little infrastructure, it all must fall. Remember Yertle the Turtle? There is this underlying tense expectation today because we all know on some level that we are experiencing an acceleration of change, a climax if you will, both natural and man made.
And as we look to the East to our Arab and Egyptian Brothers and sisters. What began in Tunisia has blossomed into the most exciting dramatic display of transformation in human revolution and we are so fortunate to be able to witness this catharsis through the power of the internet. Presente!
How beautiful are these Brown faces flashing peace signs, sweeping up trash, singing, dancing. Seeing the women empowered in the street thrilled to express themselves alongside their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons. This is a good sign. Until the intervention of the financially backed Pro-Mubarack mobs we were giddy with pride and hope for the actualization of a non-violent revolution organized in the Streets and on Facebook and twitter.
The symbiosis between the social networking and social activism today is a priceless addition to our progress into a promising future. The silent majority are finding the strengths of a medium that can be extra large. Even as the Dictator ship of Egypt tired to disrupt the internet broadcast of the crackdown on non-violent protestors and journalists, images, stories and audio still leaked into our hands. When the say the whole world is watching they are not kidding, not only is the whole world watching the whole world is witnessing and thinking and comparing our own very precarious positions. As it becomes more glaringly obvious that what we have here is a struggle between the World's rich Corporate Governments and the poor.
American people pay the government through taxes, as though they work for us. And they do, but They then spend all our money on a few social programs but a whole hell of a lot on it on things we said not to invest in, like wars and propping up a banking industry. Now they are telling the people who have worked really hard their whole lives they must work a little longer and endure austerity programs as they shred the social fabric. This is True in so many countries. Like the US; Ireland, Greece, Spain, and Britain. Total financial mismanagement. Then their are countries like Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, Like Egypt. Not only have government officials wasted and stolen money, and completely overindulged themselves, but some have oppressed the civil society through brutality,
So the people are idle, nervous, frightened, broke, with not even enough money for food. When people are hungry and there is food on the shelves but the people can't afford it; There's going to be unrest and uprisings.The revolution in Egypt is a direct response.
The Egyptian people are calling for change,yes, but the change in heads of government is not going to provide them with jobs or money or lower food prices. It appears we cannot rely on the patriarchal system of one leader of a government. It's over. There's got to be a better way.
The majority of The people of the world are good. Most have worked their whole lives to provide a home, food, education, safety, but it is the government assisted by the military that have dominated our lives, stripped us of our precious resources and have feathered their own nests while foreclosing on ours.
As I watch the Egyptians in the streets, doing their best to maintain their dignity and exercise their human rights I long for more signs of solidarity ( I'll make one) and decentralized leadership. The Egyptians are saying this, We take better care of each other than our government.
Governments have failed to advance with the times as far as employment They want to rely on Manufacturing, but, it's over. Our earthly resources are entirely depleted not to mention the cultures who sit on top of them. We must accept the end of the industrial age. Now, We have our selves thoroughly planted in the Age of Technology, but what they haven't figured out is how to manufacture new sustainable jobs instead of robotize the ones we have left. We must find a way for a family today to earn a living an survive.
There are two ways I see going; One is back to the small family farms, like the Heifer International Model. Just getting a chicken coop is a bright beginning. And together we could usher in the age community organizing and of recycling. taking all of our manufacturing infrastructure and using it all to remake, recycle. That takes care of employment and our never talked about garbage crisis. (Like taking those trillion plastic water bottles filling them with some pebbles and making musical rattles). We call for an artistic recycling economy, Shift the paradigm. This is not just a solution for us, but for the whole world. Change isn't easy, Whether it be on the economy, climate, human rights, change is coming. So let the winds blow and fill our sails.
And as we look to the East to our Arab and Egyptian Brothers and sisters. What began in Tunisia has blossomed into the most exciting dramatic display of transformation in human revolution and we are so fortunate to be able to witness this catharsis through the power of the internet. Presente!
How beautiful are these Brown faces flashing peace signs, sweeping up trash, singing, dancing. Seeing the women empowered in the street thrilled to express themselves alongside their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons. This is a good sign. Until the intervention of the financially backed Pro-Mubarack mobs we were giddy with pride and hope for the actualization of a non-violent revolution organized in the Streets and on Facebook and twitter.
The symbiosis between the social networking and social activism today is a priceless addition to our progress into a promising future. The silent majority are finding the strengths of a medium that can be extra large. Even as the Dictator ship of Egypt tired to disrupt the internet broadcast of the crackdown on non-violent protestors and journalists, images, stories and audio still leaked into our hands. When the say the whole world is watching they are not kidding, not only is the whole world watching the whole world is witnessing and thinking and comparing our own very precarious positions. As it becomes more glaringly obvious that what we have here is a struggle between the World's rich Corporate Governments and the poor.
American people pay the government through taxes, as though they work for us. And they do, but They then spend all our money on a few social programs but a whole hell of a lot on it on things we said not to invest in, like wars and propping up a banking industry. Now they are telling the people who have worked really hard their whole lives they must work a little longer and endure austerity programs as they shred the social fabric. This is True in so many countries. Like the US; Ireland, Greece, Spain, and Britain. Total financial mismanagement. Then their are countries like Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, Like Egypt. Not only have government officials wasted and stolen money, and completely overindulged themselves, but some have oppressed the civil society through brutality,
So the people are idle, nervous, frightened, broke, with not even enough money for food. When people are hungry and there is food on the shelves but the people can't afford it; There's going to be unrest and uprisings.The revolution in Egypt is a direct response.
The Egyptian people are calling for change,yes, but the change in heads of government is not going to provide them with jobs or money or lower food prices. It appears we cannot rely on the patriarchal system of one leader of a government. It's over. There's got to be a better way.
The majority of The people of the world are good. Most have worked their whole lives to provide a home, food, education, safety, but it is the government assisted by the military that have dominated our lives, stripped us of our precious resources and have feathered their own nests while foreclosing on ours.
As I watch the Egyptians in the streets, doing their best to maintain their dignity and exercise their human rights I long for more signs of solidarity ( I'll make one) and decentralized leadership. The Egyptians are saying this, We take better care of each other than our government.
Governments have failed to advance with the times as far as employment They want to rely on Manufacturing, but, it's over. Our earthly resources are entirely depleted not to mention the cultures who sit on top of them. We must accept the end of the industrial age. Now, We have our selves thoroughly planted in the Age of Technology, but what they haven't figured out is how to manufacture new sustainable jobs instead of robotize the ones we have left. We must find a way for a family today to earn a living an survive.
There are two ways I see going; One is back to the small family farms, like the Heifer International Model. Just getting a chicken coop is a bright beginning. And together we could usher in the age community organizing and of recycling. taking all of our manufacturing infrastructure and using it all to remake, recycle. That takes care of employment and our never talked about garbage crisis. (Like taking those trillion plastic water bottles filling them with some pebbles and making musical rattles). We call for an artistic recycling economy, Shift the paradigm. This is not just a solution for us, but for the whole world. Change isn't easy, Whether it be on the economy, climate, human rights, change is coming. So let the winds blow and fill our sails.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
God Bless You and Your Children
The whole world is watching, and tweeting as the people of the Arab world are rising up with relentless energy, courage, and strength. The revolution started in Tunisia on January 5th with the strike of 26 year old vegetable seller, Mohammed Bouazizi's match. May he rest in peace.
He went up in flames followed by the government in Tunisia, now in Egypt, and it looks like Yemen, Algeria and Jordan all have tons of kindling.
Our prayers of protection go out to all who risk their lives to bring change where change wants to come. Few know exactly what that will look like, but they are willing to find out. They are willing to let go of the familiar oppression. same old dictatorship and have that leap of faith. May God Bless and protect them. Or should I say Allah? It's all God right, God in a different language. Still in doing so we speak to a God who is beneficent not vengeful.
And while we constantly ask for God's protection. We see the hand of Man, especially the Man of the United States happily vending the arsenal to put down the people's revolution. Amy Goodman on Democracy Now today reported that the major weapons systems for the Egyptian regime from Tanks to tear gas are provided by the US. You knew that didn't you? You knew that the US is responsible for 30 percent of the worlds ammunitions. Our economy hinges on people killing people. As of this moment while the Egyptian people struggle to liberate themselves from 30 years of dictatorship they are being put down by chemical weapons made in the good old USA. (I remember those non-lethal weapons well from our uprising in Seattle back in 99. Especially the tear gas. It makes me cry just thinking about it. Many of you who have stood up to Big Timber and Big government are familiar with Pepper spray, rubber bullets, sonar weapons made right here at home.) Does God Bless this?
I think of the Presidents SOTU address and every speech that he makes for that matter because it always ends with God Bless America. Does that mean that God should make America stronger than other countries or does it mean safer than others. Does it mean that God should ignore the 194 others or curse them. Does it mean that God will give us the courage and strength to come to our senses and disarm? What is God blessing? The second amendment? Guns. Don't weapons interfere with God's job? Isn't it up to God when we die? Or is it up to General Petreus, Jarrod Loughner, Mark David Chapman or Dylan Klebold?
They say President Obama is about to address gun control in a speech. I look forward to it. Because everyday we see almost a hundred people killed by guns in this country. We see a new rash of police killings too. Michele Bachman may be pleased to know the people are armed and dangerous. Here and abroad. Yes, by this measure, We're number one and growing stronger every day. We need to stem the rising tide. Just a couple of days ago a mother shoots her two teenage kids in their heads because they were mouthy. So it is imperative that we follow the connection between anti-depressants and homicide. The combination of Pharmaceuticals and guns can lead to death. We're talking major side effects here.
Two weeks ago President Obama spoke at a memorial for the victims of the Tucson massacre. I was moved by his compassion and his call for civil discourse and the idea that our country to live up to the expectations and trust held by 9 year old Christina Taylor Green before she was gunned down. Even the first lady composed an open letter to express her feelings about the tragedy in Arizona. And yet neither of them went beyond our borders with their final blessing. How about extending that prayers to the children of the world who are killed on a daily basis? How can they be so empathetic toward one little girl in Tucson and not the thousands of children in Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo, Ivory Coast? How 'bout living up to their expectations and calling for an immediate moratorium on the manufacturing and sale of all weapons? While I do appreciate their prayers for the dead and wounded, actions speak louder than words. And If the President is going to invoke the Lord. Perhaps he could say instead of God Bless America. God bless you and your children. That way any one who is listening, Here or across the world, the sane or crazy, will be given a blessing.
Here's a few of my favorites
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10
He went up in flames followed by the government in Tunisia, now in Egypt, and it looks like Yemen, Algeria and Jordan all have tons of kindling.
Our prayers of protection go out to all who risk their lives to bring change where change wants to come. Few know exactly what that will look like, but they are willing to find out. They are willing to let go of the familiar oppression. same old dictatorship and have that leap of faith. May God Bless and protect them. Or should I say Allah? It's all God right, God in a different language. Still in doing so we speak to a God who is beneficent not vengeful.
And while we constantly ask for God's protection. We see the hand of Man, especially the Man of the United States happily vending the arsenal to put down the people's revolution. Amy Goodman on Democracy Now today reported that the major weapons systems for the Egyptian regime from Tanks to tear gas are provided by the US. You knew that didn't you? You knew that the US is responsible for 30 percent of the worlds ammunitions. Our economy hinges on people killing people. As of this moment while the Egyptian people struggle to liberate themselves from 30 years of dictatorship they are being put down by chemical weapons made in the good old USA. (I remember those non-lethal weapons well from our uprising in Seattle back in 99. Especially the tear gas. It makes me cry just thinking about it. Many of you who have stood up to Big Timber and Big government are familiar with Pepper spray, rubber bullets, sonar weapons made right here at home.) Does God Bless this?
I think of the Presidents SOTU address and every speech that he makes for that matter because it always ends with God Bless America. Does that mean that God should make America stronger than other countries or does it mean safer than others. Does it mean that God should ignore the 194 others or curse them. Does it mean that God will give us the courage and strength to come to our senses and disarm? What is God blessing? The second amendment? Guns. Don't weapons interfere with God's job? Isn't it up to God when we die? Or is it up to General Petreus, Jarrod Loughner, Mark David Chapman or Dylan Klebold?
They say President Obama is about to address gun control in a speech. I look forward to it. Because everyday we see almost a hundred people killed by guns in this country. We see a new rash of police killings too. Michele Bachman may be pleased to know the people are armed and dangerous. Here and abroad. Yes, by this measure, We're number one and growing stronger every day. We need to stem the rising tide. Just a couple of days ago a mother shoots her two teenage kids in their heads because they were mouthy. So it is imperative that we follow the connection between anti-depressants and homicide. The combination of Pharmaceuticals and guns can lead to death. We're talking major side effects here.
Two weeks ago President Obama spoke at a memorial for the victims of the Tucson massacre. I was moved by his compassion and his call for civil discourse and the idea that our country to live up to the expectations and trust held by 9 year old Christina Taylor Green before she was gunned down. Even the first lady composed an open letter to express her feelings about the tragedy in Arizona. And yet neither of them went beyond our borders with their final blessing. How about extending that prayers to the children of the world who are killed on a daily basis? How can they be so empathetic toward one little girl in Tucson and not the thousands of children in Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo, Ivory Coast? How 'bout living up to their expectations and calling for an immediate moratorium on the manufacturing and sale of all weapons? While I do appreciate their prayers for the dead and wounded, actions speak louder than words. And If the President is going to invoke the Lord. Perhaps he could say instead of God Bless America. God bless you and your children. That way any one who is listening, Here or across the world, the sane or crazy, will be given a blessing.
Here's a few of my favorites
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10
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