I had the high honor of being the MC at the Earth Day celebration in San Francisco this past Saturday. As mother of ceremonies it was my job to Shepherd the performers on and off the Gaia,stage while entertaining and enlightening the city folk about the benefits of living on the earth. I couldn't help notice that though we were surrounded by megatons of cement and plastic, right in front of my stage I could see grass poking up through the cracks, green and hopeful as ever. Trees still stood anchored in the ground birds flew gracefully and not one fell from the sky.
I was in the good company of feminist folk singers and activists that have serenaded and romanced mama earth for as long as I can remember and though the general audience was distracted by free samples from Cascadian farms and palm held devices, we had a job to do and we did it. One day we will grace and command the Main Stage at these events honoring our planet.
At first glance one would think we were there to entertain and inform the masses, but upon further scrutiny it became clear we were there for ritual in the name of mother earth. Afia Walking tree, born in Jamaica beat out the tribal rhythms for sacred barefoot dancing,The angelic Operatic aria of Carolluna saturated the city skies.
Joanne Rand belted out her prayer for the redwoods and the Kiowa and buffalo and off her newest CD Rise.
Here's a quote from one of the songs, Bones and All
"I am a woman, wit and will,
And wisdom are my backbone
Steady born, steady still,
All creation’s my home.
There’ll be no stopping hoof or horn,
And all that dies will be reborn, from what I see.
All you strangers hear me say,
There’ll be no stopping corn or grain,
And all that falls shall rise again, from what I see.
She sat in round robin with Kym Mamazon Trippsmith, Megan Mcelroy, and Marca Cassity. of the Raven fame. All of these voices sang out with indomitable spirit, truth, and sometimes fury in the name of Gaia, the Greek work for earth.
I also had the privilege of being on a Womens' Visionary panel. I sat next to Dr. Melanie Nutter Director of San Fransisco's department of the environment advocating controversial remedies such as mandatory composting and a proposal to require pharmaceutical companies to pay for safe disposal of chemical waste.
Delores Huerta was among us, co-founder of the national farmworkers assoc with Cesar Chavez and actually directed the Grape Boycott in 1965. At 80 years old, she has been arrested over 22 times and today she heads the Delores Huerta Foundation for Justice. She is a tireless and brilliant advocate for immigrants, workers, and their children.
Sitting next to Delores was Starhawk. So many of you know her as an author of such great canons of Pagan literature such as the spiral dance, a womanifesto on goddess worship, The Pagan book of Living and Dying and one of my personal favorites, The Fifth Sacred Thing, the story of a future ecotopia that exists in our very own bioregion on the verge of invasion by the "Stewards" who have exhausted all natural resources and are determined to pillage ours. This book is a must for every earth lover's shelf.
Patti Bellasalma represented Bay Area National organization of women, Amanda Cryer spoke in the name of 1 VOICE WORLD, a collective group of Entertainment professionals that have come together to shift the Entertainment and Media business, Cho cosh ho a oh, Chumash elder, reclaimed the definition of apocalypse to be a lifting of the veil, and rapture as ecstatic joy.
We discussed the importance of women taking on leadership roles as we are witnessing more and more of that in the world we encouraged each other and the audience to seek political offices as Ms. Nutter has and change the systems from within.
I then had the opportunity as Ma, the great Jewish Mother of us to bring much needed laughter to the serious nature of things and heard from the children in the audience they were growing gardens in their urban backyards.
Our stage was also graced by the presence of Riffat Sultana a courageous and talented artist from Pakistan defying her country's laws that prohibit women from singing in public. It was a local, international, spiritual, political,emotional ritual that filled us with optimism, passion and strength for what's to come. Because as we stood our ground in the center of this guzzling,buzzing, frantic metropolis the Armeggeddon truck circled the square and sent out it's minyans with signs forecasting the end of the world, complete with a 2012 in a red circle with a line through it and a date of May 21st as Judgment day, that's 26 days from now. That's when the shift hits the fan. Then god will destroy the world on October 21st. Check out the math for these calculations at family radio. com. It's mind boggling. I could not restrain myself from conversing with one of the protesters decked out in flyers and buttons.
I told her according to my calendar, non-judgment day is May 20th and she was welcome to join us. I said God loves us all no matter what, she said, God hates too. I had to laugh, talk about personification. I realize there is no arguing with someone's belief system or faith. So I asked her if prayer might help change things, she said, "I hope so" I said I do to. Ah common ground. Hope springs eternal. Earth Day Celebrations continue through May 21st in cooperation with "A Billion acts of Green" a world wide movement to make paradise, not just in heaven, but here on earth.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Dead Prez! It's Bigger than Hip Hop
I've been exploring the outskirts of my comfort zone. I've been hanging with the youth lately,
Last week we accompanied 21 Mendocino high school students including our daughter to Yosemite for Alternative Education week. It was intense and exquisite. I thought we were going on vacation, but this was get up at 630AM followed by a Highly disciplined schedule of exercise and education. I'm still sore. The kids, however, seemed supernatural.
On top of all their physical activities they were determined to have a campfire and enjoy smores as a integral part of their experience in the woods. But with ten feet of snow on the ground, (the basketball hoop was the only an inch or two above the snow) the site manager at Crane Flats did not encourage them. He cautioned them to be realistic. He didn't know who he was dealing with. That would be mendo.
So after four days during which the kids hiked up to the top of Yosemite Falls, crawled through spider caves, snow shoed 3 miles to the giant sequoias and cross country skied 6 young men and four young women picked up their shovels and dug. The night before we left Crane Flat we had a fire pit that was ten feet deep and twenty feet in diameter complete with snow benches and we all enjoyed a nice fire, puffy white marshmallows toasted to perfection squeezed between some chocolate and two graham crackers. The students were proud, so proud and I had a new respect for them and also the desire to spend more time with the kids
So this weekend I attended a production of Hip Hop artists Dead Prez at Crown Hall.
Peace Love and Light Productions offered the concert as an all ages show. I would say we were 13 to 65 years old as I saw a very nice showing of my peers there to get jiggy wit it. The vibe was beautiful and safe. Saturday was a bit like an initiation. An invitation to our youth to step up energetically, politically, artfully. to Make a stand because we have to. There is too much injustice in the world and the authorities/politician tell us we don't have the power to have the lives we dream of while they run off with the gold. The politicians say we can't have smores.
I first heard dead Prez in 2006. their Album Let's Get Free was the kind of Hip Hop that made sense to me. The voices of the oppressed rising up with a raging beat. I sure had a good time dancing my kids and their crew Saturday night. DJ Noah and Facillitator one (Johanna Schulz) rocked the house and Crown hall was overflowing with hoodies and thongs, the fruity scents of Fructis shampoo and ganja. Noyo Roots Crew, Cafe Gratitude. It was a benefit for the MEC and the Noyo food Forest. So in essence Benefiting the whole community and the earth.
M1 and Stic man the rappers from Dead Prez from LA had a lot to say, and a lot of it I couldn't understand, but what I did understand was this. These young men are dazzling performers, one is clean and sober two years and he is totally into fitness and good health and prescribes meditation instead of medication.
They sang out for the workers rights saying "I worked had all my life and I got nothing to show for it". Or the declaration that "too many black men are in cages". Confirmed by Michelle Alexander author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, told an audience at the Pasadena Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, "More African-American men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War began." That's what turned me on to Dead Prez is the way they tell it.
their message is so relevant to us all, especially today
tax day when once again the people being shook down
for money to pay for the things we don't want
The corporations getting off scot free
and the bill comes down to you and to me
GE, Exxon, B of A
how many billions did you make today
While my peeps got to work and slave everyday
we won't work for your wage
how bout we do some trade
That's my rap
You could understand what I'm saying more easily than you might understand Dead Prez, but we can listen better, can we not. Listen to the voices that are kids are listening to. I know I get a huge kick when I Find Bob Dylan,The who, or Pink floyd on my daughter's playlist. I'm glad she has the appreciation of the classics and it is my job to tune into her.
Let us not underestimate the truth and our youth, let us take a journey with them and discover who they are. Let them show us through their strength, resistance, humor, hunger, awkwardness, willingness and grace what the future holds. And may the voices of the oppressed make it to the radio waves and crash against the shore of apathy. And may the youth who enjoy the privileges of life dedicate some time to the less fortunate among us. Pick up a shovel, a hammer and drive that nail. Like Dead Prez says, "let's get free"
Last week we accompanied 21 Mendocino high school students including our daughter to Yosemite for Alternative Education week. It was intense and exquisite. I thought we were going on vacation, but this was get up at 630AM followed by a Highly disciplined schedule of exercise and education. I'm still sore. The kids, however, seemed supernatural.
On top of all their physical activities they were determined to have a campfire and enjoy smores as a integral part of their experience in the woods. But with ten feet of snow on the ground, (the basketball hoop was the only an inch or two above the snow) the site manager at Crane Flats did not encourage them. He cautioned them to be realistic. He didn't know who he was dealing with. That would be mendo.
So after four days during which the kids hiked up to the top of Yosemite Falls, crawled through spider caves, snow shoed 3 miles to the giant sequoias and cross country skied 6 young men and four young women picked up their shovels and dug. The night before we left Crane Flat we had a fire pit that was ten feet deep and twenty feet in diameter complete with snow benches and we all enjoyed a nice fire, puffy white marshmallows toasted to perfection squeezed between some chocolate and two graham crackers. The students were proud, so proud and I had a new respect for them and also the desire to spend more time with the kids
So this weekend I attended a production of Hip Hop artists Dead Prez at Crown Hall.
Peace Love and Light Productions offered the concert as an all ages show. I would say we were 13 to 65 years old as I saw a very nice showing of my peers there to get jiggy wit it. The vibe was beautiful and safe. Saturday was a bit like an initiation. An invitation to our youth to step up energetically, politically, artfully. to Make a stand because we have to. There is too much injustice in the world and the authorities/politician tell us we don't have the power to have the lives we dream of while they run off with the gold. The politicians say we can't have smores.
I first heard dead Prez in 2006. their Album Let's Get Free was the kind of Hip Hop that made sense to me. The voices of the oppressed rising up with a raging beat. I sure had a good time dancing my kids and their crew Saturday night. DJ Noah and Facillitator one (Johanna Schulz) rocked the house and Crown hall was overflowing with hoodies and thongs, the fruity scents of Fructis shampoo and ganja. Noyo Roots Crew, Cafe Gratitude. It was a benefit for the MEC and the Noyo food Forest. So in essence Benefiting the whole community and the earth.
M1 and Stic man the rappers from Dead Prez from LA had a lot to say, and a lot of it I couldn't understand, but what I did understand was this. These young men are dazzling performers, one is clean and sober two years and he is totally into fitness and good health and prescribes meditation instead of medication.
They sang out for the workers rights saying "I worked had all my life and I got nothing to show for it". Or the declaration that "too many black men are in cages". Confirmed by Michelle Alexander author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, told an audience at the Pasadena Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, "More African-American men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War began." That's what turned me on to Dead Prez is the way they tell it.
their message is so relevant to us all, especially today
tax day when once again the people being shook down
for money to pay for the things we don't want
The corporations getting off scot free
and the bill comes down to you and to me
GE, Exxon, B of A
how many billions did you make today
While my peeps got to work and slave everyday
we won't work for your wage
how bout we do some trade
That's my rap
You could understand what I'm saying more easily than you might understand Dead Prez, but we can listen better, can we not. Listen to the voices that are kids are listening to. I know I get a huge kick when I Find Bob Dylan,The who, or Pink floyd on my daughter's playlist. I'm glad she has the appreciation of the classics and it is my job to tune into her.
Let us not underestimate the truth and our youth, let us take a journey with them and discover who they are. Let them show us through their strength, resistance, humor, hunger, awkwardness, willingness and grace what the future holds. And may the voices of the oppressed make it to the radio waves and crash against the shore of apathy. And may the youth who enjoy the privileges of life dedicate some time to the less fortunate among us. Pick up a shovel, a hammer and drive that nail. Like Dead Prez says, "let's get free"
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The 411
The 4-11
Yes, that's the date today. Information day.
I went to college at San Diego State, majored in English with a minor in Journalism. I was taught that the most important obligation in joining the ranks of the esteemed 4th estate is, objectivity. The facts, and nothing but the facts.
In news today we have a plethora of opinionators who funnel facts through a selective sieve and squeeze out the the details that don't align with their agenda. While I chose not to be a journalist, I do enjoy this editorial position. I do not pretend that I report the news I simply comment on it. The news comes to us here at KZYX through the efforts of local reporters here in Mendocino and at our sister station KMUD in Humboldt. We all remember the timber wars brought to us via the silver tones of Annie Esposito, then came the cutting edge of Christine Anistad, (Both now editors of Mendocino Country, the newspaper left to us by our outrageous and beloved Richard Johnson, May he rest in peace), and our most recently retired news director Paul Hanson.
At the moment we are looking to fill that precious seat with one who knows us well, who respects and understands the woven history of this county and it's wild, active and restless inhabitants. Someone with a keen curiosity and sharp vocabulary. Are you out there?
It seems as though investigative reporters are an endangered species. The blogosphere has become the popular format of professional and amateur journalists of late and Many on the ground journalists are under fire and die trying to tell the story. Almost 150 journalist were killed since 2009 and many kidnapped. Reporters without Borders do their best to go where the danger is and document, witness and do their best to keep us informed. It's terribly courageous to tell the truth these days.
Just think about Bradley Manning who, as we speak, sits in solitary confinement subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, still only accused of leaking vital news information, or Julian Assange who brings us Wikileaks. Straight from the horses mouth, or should I say ass. Journalists in Mexico killed for reporting on the drug wars. Pakistani reporters are extremely vulnerable right now, 11 killed since April. And many may remember the killing of Spanish Journalists at the Palestine Hotel in Iraq when the war was first getting under way. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl beheaded by Al Queda. CNN's Anderson Cooper beaten in Egypt. Yes, it takes courage.
This radio station brings you Amy Goodman, Free Speech radio News, NPR, comity news, Alternative Radio, TUC. Jounalists from Maria Gallarding to Mitch Jesowitz, to Cyntyhia Elkins bring you as much information from those who are directly affected by current events. Amy Goodman's producer, Sharif Abdul Kaduz, present in Tahrir square, during the Egyptian revolution.
Then there's me, not a reporter, but doing my best to bring the 411 from the Elders, the seekers, the solution makers, the grandmothers, the dreamers. Good news and honest discussion that reminds you of your own responsibilities and roles to change the world and make it a better place.
Of late we have the phenomenon of TMI, shorthand for Too much information. like posting how your fart smelled when you first woke up this morning. Sometimes I get that feeling when I'm surfing the WWW. There's just to damn much information and people including myself can get tangled in the web and then have the blood sucked out of us by the spiders of doom, despair and disaster. Or we spun out on stupid silly strings, or get hooked on the fangs of Facebook, but here on the radio, it's like a companion, a friend, a very smart, focused friend, with a balance of information and entertainment. A friend that gives us the 411 and then sings us the sweetest songs to soothe the savage beast, stories that make us laugh, human voices, flaws and all. familiar voices that we have built a mutual trust with and when the shift hits the fan, will be there as long as the transmitters stay up. Hey, I'm not saying that this radio station is perfect, I'm saying it provides the 411 that I need, the most succinct, present, local, global, vital information that we can get. I hope the next news director understands and appreciates the timing here.
As we turn to face 2012 and that they deliver the news and information with a clear intelligent mind and integrity bringing us basic facts and current events. And leave the editorializing to me.
Yes, that's the date today. Information day.
I went to college at San Diego State, majored in English with a minor in Journalism. I was taught that the most important obligation in joining the ranks of the esteemed 4th estate is, objectivity. The facts, and nothing but the facts.
In news today we have a plethora of opinionators who funnel facts through a selective sieve and squeeze out the the details that don't align with their agenda. While I chose not to be a journalist, I do enjoy this editorial position. I do not pretend that I report the news I simply comment on it. The news comes to us here at KZYX through the efforts of local reporters here in Mendocino and at our sister station KMUD in Humboldt. We all remember the timber wars brought to us via the silver tones of Annie Esposito, then came the cutting edge of Christine Anistad, (Both now editors of Mendocino Country, the newspaper left to us by our outrageous and beloved Richard Johnson, May he rest in peace), and our most recently retired news director Paul Hanson.
At the moment we are looking to fill that precious seat with one who knows us well, who respects and understands the woven history of this county and it's wild, active and restless inhabitants. Someone with a keen curiosity and sharp vocabulary. Are you out there?
It seems as though investigative reporters are an endangered species. The blogosphere has become the popular format of professional and amateur journalists of late and Many on the ground journalists are under fire and die trying to tell the story. Almost 150 journalist were killed since 2009 and many kidnapped. Reporters without Borders do their best to go where the danger is and document, witness and do their best to keep us informed. It's terribly courageous to tell the truth these days.
Just think about Bradley Manning who, as we speak, sits in solitary confinement subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, still only accused of leaking vital news information, or Julian Assange who brings us Wikileaks. Straight from the horses mouth, or should I say ass. Journalists in Mexico killed for reporting on the drug wars. Pakistani reporters are extremely vulnerable right now, 11 killed since April. And many may remember the killing of Spanish Journalists at the Palestine Hotel in Iraq when the war was first getting under way. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl beheaded by Al Queda. CNN's Anderson Cooper beaten in Egypt. Yes, it takes courage.
This radio station brings you Amy Goodman, Free Speech radio News, NPR, comity news, Alternative Radio, TUC. Jounalists from Maria Gallarding to Mitch Jesowitz, to Cyntyhia Elkins bring you as much information from those who are directly affected by current events. Amy Goodman's producer, Sharif Abdul Kaduz, present in Tahrir square, during the Egyptian revolution.
Then there's me, not a reporter, but doing my best to bring the 411 from the Elders, the seekers, the solution makers, the grandmothers, the dreamers. Good news and honest discussion that reminds you of your own responsibilities and roles to change the world and make it a better place.
Of late we have the phenomenon of TMI, shorthand for Too much information. like posting how your fart smelled when you first woke up this morning. Sometimes I get that feeling when I'm surfing the WWW. There's just to damn much information and people including myself can get tangled in the web and then have the blood sucked out of us by the spiders of doom, despair and disaster. Or we spun out on stupid silly strings, or get hooked on the fangs of Facebook, but here on the radio, it's like a companion, a friend, a very smart, focused friend, with a balance of information and entertainment. A friend that gives us the 411 and then sings us the sweetest songs to soothe the savage beast, stories that make us laugh, human voices, flaws and all. familiar voices that we have built a mutual trust with and when the shift hits the fan, will be there as long as the transmitters stay up. Hey, I'm not saying that this radio station is perfect, I'm saying it provides the 411 that I need, the most succinct, present, local, global, vital information that we can get. I hope the next news director understands and appreciates the timing here.
As we turn to face 2012 and that they deliver the news and information with a clear intelligent mind and integrity bringing us basic facts and current events. And leave the editorializing to me.
Sick and Tired
The winds of change are mighty. Yes, Change is coming to the USA. The people are sick and tired. The workers are sick and tired. The families are sick and tired and
April is here. Ah spring, spring and Taxes. We are all getting ready to do our Civic duty and sift through all our crumpled receipts, fill in all forms and pay our taxes.
Woe is we.
It's stressful to think out of what little we have we have to pay more into a system that basically chews us up and spits us out. They waste our precious money on War after war and never have any left over for our basic needs, like education, health, and sustainable living. Many who are traditionally employed already have these taxes taken out of their weekly paycheck.
If you make a living wage, say $20 an hour and you work a 40 hour week That's $800 before taxes. that's 3,200 a month before taxes. Say, you take %30 in taxes that leaves about 2,400 for the month. It's super tight for one person, stressful for two and I'd say impossible for a family. And how many really make a living wage?
Now, let's look at the Corporation like Exxon who in 2009 made a profit of 19 billion dollars, paid no taxes and got a 156 million dollar refund. So not only do they make a ginormous profit, but they are rewarded a tax rebate because the IRS thinks 19 billion dollars, plus government subsides in the millions, is not enough. Exxon is also responsible for environmental disasters, for spending millions of dollars for junk science on climate change and they refuse to pay the remaining 4.5 billion dollars for the Exxon Valdez Spill oh so many years ago. Exxon tops the list of worst corporate tax evaders.
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Saunders was kind enough to put together of the 10 most offensive Corporations evading their taxes. You know who they are by now, Exxon, GE, Bank Of American, Goldman Sachs. The ones that rape and pillage the world and it's inhabitants and were bailed out by us the "taxpayers" to the tune of 800 billion dollars. Because without that bold move, the they gave dire warning that entire US economy would have crashed. We haven't been the same since.
And the reason, the far right tells us, the depression lingers on is because of the collective bargaining rights and benefits for the teachers, the firefighters, police officers, the nurses, plumbers,service employees, garbage collectors, dockworkers, electricians, truck drivers. The workers have to anti up.
Wall Street stole our money,hedged their bets, lost it somewhere, we still don't know where all our savings, investments pension funds went to, but no one feels the need to explain it. No one except Michael Moore in his film, Capitalism, a love story. It's pornography really.
The new Republican assemblies and governors are adding insult to injury by stripping the working class of their civil rights of collective bargaining. Governors are telling these folks to take pay cuts, contribute more for health care and shut the hell up while the Federal government continues to subsidize ,reimburse and continue tax cuts for the rich and infamous who feel none of the pain of this economically treacherous era we are shackled to.
The uprisings in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan in the face of such hubris and arrogance is exciting. I say Bravo! What a thrill it would be to see President Obama show up to one of these states and speak to the history, value, bravery, courage and necessity of American workers and the unions that protect them.
This was the middle class and now they are hanging like a chad. They are The ones he's always going on about, yeah the middle class, His pet. I know he's never talked about the poor, and while paying lip service to the middle class, other wise known as the working class they are tumbling into poverty where we won't have to mention them at all.
Imagine if Mr. Obama took the bully pulpit and made an executive order that until American Corporations and it's Multi Billionaires pay their fair share of taxes, we the American people are excused. None of us will be required to file anything. That's 138 million taxpayers that would not participate in support our own indentured existence. Imagine if we Forget about those credit cards, forget your student loan, Interest on you car payments. forget the debt, until the richest remember theirs.
And while we are at it, how about a general Strike? Yeah, If the state governments feel that all these working people are such a burden and so insignificant their portrait should be removed from the halls of Maine's Labor department to the economy, then let's give them a taste of something strong and bitter.
At least call in sick and tired for a week. No fanfare, no protestors out to get bashed by private security companies, just call in sick, The Wisconsinites have shown us amazing courage and solidarity. Oh, America find your will call in Sick and Tired and let them
empty the bedpans, mop the floors, drive all night,unplug the toilets,make the beds,pick the tomatoes,put out the fires.
April is here. Ah spring, spring and Taxes. We are all getting ready to do our Civic duty and sift through all our crumpled receipts, fill in all forms and pay our taxes.
Woe is we.
It's stressful to think out of what little we have we have to pay more into a system that basically chews us up and spits us out. They waste our precious money on War after war and never have any left over for our basic needs, like education, health, and sustainable living. Many who are traditionally employed already have these taxes taken out of their weekly paycheck.
If you make a living wage, say $20 an hour and you work a 40 hour week That's $800 before taxes. that's 3,200 a month before taxes. Say, you take %30 in taxes that leaves about 2,400 for the month. It's super tight for one person, stressful for two and I'd say impossible for a family. And how many really make a living wage?
Now, let's look at the Corporation like Exxon who in 2009 made a profit of 19 billion dollars, paid no taxes and got a 156 million dollar refund. So not only do they make a ginormous profit, but they are rewarded a tax rebate because the IRS thinks 19 billion dollars, plus government subsides in the millions, is not enough. Exxon is also responsible for environmental disasters, for spending millions of dollars for junk science on climate change and they refuse to pay the remaining 4.5 billion dollars for the Exxon Valdez Spill oh so many years ago. Exxon tops the list of worst corporate tax evaders.
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Saunders was kind enough to put together of the 10 most offensive Corporations evading their taxes. You know who they are by now, Exxon, GE, Bank Of American, Goldman Sachs. The ones that rape and pillage the world and it's inhabitants and were bailed out by us the "taxpayers" to the tune of 800 billion dollars. Because without that bold move, the they gave dire warning that entire US economy would have crashed. We haven't been the same since.
And the reason, the far right tells us, the depression lingers on is because of the collective bargaining rights and benefits for the teachers, the firefighters, police officers, the nurses, plumbers,service employees, garbage collectors, dockworkers, electricians, truck drivers. The workers have to anti up.
Wall Street stole our money,hedged their bets, lost it somewhere, we still don't know where all our savings, investments pension funds went to, but no one feels the need to explain it. No one except Michael Moore in his film, Capitalism, a love story. It's pornography really.
The new Republican assemblies and governors are adding insult to injury by stripping the working class of their civil rights of collective bargaining. Governors are telling these folks to take pay cuts, contribute more for health care and shut the hell up while the Federal government continues to subsidize ,reimburse and continue tax cuts for the rich and infamous who feel none of the pain of this economically treacherous era we are shackled to.
The uprisings in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan in the face of such hubris and arrogance is exciting. I say Bravo! What a thrill it would be to see President Obama show up to one of these states and speak to the history, value, bravery, courage and necessity of American workers and the unions that protect them.
This was the middle class and now they are hanging like a chad. They are The ones he's always going on about, yeah the middle class, His pet. I know he's never talked about the poor, and while paying lip service to the middle class, other wise known as the working class they are tumbling into poverty where we won't have to mention them at all.
Imagine if Mr. Obama took the bully pulpit and made an executive order that until American Corporations and it's Multi Billionaires pay their fair share of taxes, we the American people are excused. None of us will be required to file anything. That's 138 million taxpayers that would not participate in support our own indentured existence. Imagine if we Forget about those credit cards, forget your student loan, Interest on you car payments. forget the debt, until the richest remember theirs.
And while we are at it, how about a general Strike? Yeah, If the state governments feel that all these working people are such a burden and so insignificant their portrait should be removed from the halls of Maine's Labor department to the economy, then let's give them a taste of something strong and bitter.
At least call in sick and tired for a week. No fanfare, no protestors out to get bashed by private security companies, just call in sick, The Wisconsinites have shown us amazing courage and solidarity. Oh, America find your will call in Sick and Tired and let them
empty the bedpans, mop the floors, drive all night,unplug the toilets,make the beds,pick the tomatoes,put out the fires.
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