US People: AWAKEN!
Bu2
Posts: 1,693
I’ve been thinking a lot lately.
Friday’s news got me really down. For those of you who might not have been paying attention, Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program got approved at the very last minute, when some feeble-minded jelly-backboned Dems caved in to his schpeil about terrorist threats. The story is here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-r-stone/the-new-fisa_b_59383.html
I’m not the only one who kinda got upset with this news. Steven Weber, my favorite blogger on Huffinton Post, has been losing it for months now (with his usual comedic grace and style, bless him). Who would’ve thought that the funny brother from “Wings” would end up being the voice of our sinking liberty? Steven went off the deep end this weekend, and wrote a powerful, dark piece that is almost disturbing, but oh so true.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-weber/tango-terrorismo_b_59220.html
And while I’m also very interested in a) the threat of global warming and our need to run away from Big Oil and utilize better alternatives that we all know are out there and b) the tragedy on the bridge and all the other tragedies we’ve had here in the US like Katrina, et.al. and c) last but not least the ongoing occupation of Iraq, I can’t help but feel that a and b and c all somehow tie in to the warrantless wiretapping, as do so many other of our country’s current ills, simply because WE LET THEM HAPPEN.
We get angry, like Steven Weber, and we post about it on blogs and here in the Pit. But as I’ve said before, getting angry and posting is a great first step. And yes, we can “move on” further and write our Congressmen and Representatives and newspaper editors…..once in a blue moon, we might even get our letter published, or answered. (Hillary Clinton’s Senate email team wrote me a canned response to my “Impeach Gonzales” email, but at least the canned response was to the point -- not that it gave me any satisfaction. Anyone interested in seeing what she said, PM me.)
Obviously, getting angry and emailing our representatives isn’t enough.
We could all join progressive groups like MoveOn.org, only to get bombarded with emails each week that ask for $25 or more to help the movement progress…..but it doesn’t really progress.
So what is the answer to the anger and the apathy?
Start a people’s movement? It’s been tried. Look up “People’s Party” in Wikipedia….look up “Reform Party”, look up “Libertarian”, etc. It’s all been tried, and done. Most People’s Parties are in different countries. The US doesn’t really seem to have one, but if citizens do form a party it usually goes the way of becoming an Arian movement. My thoughts on that: Why in the hell would one US citizen try to fight another US citizen when the REAL fight is with our current administration?? THAT’S where all our freedoms are disappearing, my friends!
MoveOn.org claims to be on watch, all the time, for more administrative abuses and they do a good job of searching the news and making arguments, but I think we really need more. We need an Admin Watch group, no fees, just people like me who really like hanging out on the internet reading progressive blogs like Huffington Post and so many others. Watching isn’t enough, though. In the end, it’s going to take conversations, it’s going to take meetings, organizing talks with locals in your hometown who feel the same way you do. If each town in the US had a group of people who feel like most of here do…..wouldn’t you sleep better at night? Wouldn’t you, at the least, feel like your voice is being heard, and that others around you feel the same?
Is anybody with me? Does anybody want to start a group in your town and utilize organizing websites like meetup.com to attract others in your ZIP code who might want to hang out one night after work and talk about all the shit going down and what needs to be done? If nothing else, it will get us out more -- introduce us to other people who also see the country doing down the tubes and who want to do something about it.
Anyone who starts such a group could report back here, periodically, and let us know how it’s going.
It’s that simple, really: Stop reading and complaining, and start talking and inspiring. Heh…it worked for Barack…I think.
Friday’s news got me really down. For those of you who might not have been paying attention, Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program got approved at the very last minute, when some feeble-minded jelly-backboned Dems caved in to his schpeil about terrorist threats. The story is here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-r-stone/the-new-fisa_b_59383.html
I’m not the only one who kinda got upset with this news. Steven Weber, my favorite blogger on Huffinton Post, has been losing it for months now (with his usual comedic grace and style, bless him). Who would’ve thought that the funny brother from “Wings” would end up being the voice of our sinking liberty? Steven went off the deep end this weekend, and wrote a powerful, dark piece that is almost disturbing, but oh so true.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-weber/tango-terrorismo_b_59220.html
And while I’m also very interested in a) the threat of global warming and our need to run away from Big Oil and utilize better alternatives that we all know are out there and b) the tragedy on the bridge and all the other tragedies we’ve had here in the US like Katrina, et.al. and c) last but not least the ongoing occupation of Iraq, I can’t help but feel that a and b and c all somehow tie in to the warrantless wiretapping, as do so many other of our country’s current ills, simply because WE LET THEM HAPPEN.
We get angry, like Steven Weber, and we post about it on blogs and here in the Pit. But as I’ve said before, getting angry and posting is a great first step. And yes, we can “move on” further and write our Congressmen and Representatives and newspaper editors…..once in a blue moon, we might even get our letter published, or answered. (Hillary Clinton’s Senate email team wrote me a canned response to my “Impeach Gonzales” email, but at least the canned response was to the point -- not that it gave me any satisfaction. Anyone interested in seeing what she said, PM me.)
Obviously, getting angry and emailing our representatives isn’t enough.
We could all join progressive groups like MoveOn.org, only to get bombarded with emails each week that ask for $25 or more to help the movement progress…..but it doesn’t really progress.
So what is the answer to the anger and the apathy?
Start a people’s movement? It’s been tried. Look up “People’s Party” in Wikipedia….look up “Reform Party”, look up “Libertarian”, etc. It’s all been tried, and done. Most People’s Parties are in different countries. The US doesn’t really seem to have one, but if citizens do form a party it usually goes the way of becoming an Arian movement. My thoughts on that: Why in the hell would one US citizen try to fight another US citizen when the REAL fight is with our current administration?? THAT’S where all our freedoms are disappearing, my friends!
MoveOn.org claims to be on watch, all the time, for more administrative abuses and they do a good job of searching the news and making arguments, but I think we really need more. We need an Admin Watch group, no fees, just people like me who really like hanging out on the internet reading progressive blogs like Huffington Post and so many others. Watching isn’t enough, though. In the end, it’s going to take conversations, it’s going to take meetings, organizing talks with locals in your hometown who feel the same way you do. If each town in the US had a group of people who feel like most of here do…..wouldn’t you sleep better at night? Wouldn’t you, at the least, feel like your voice is being heard, and that others around you feel the same?
Is anybody with me? Does anybody want to start a group in your town and utilize organizing websites like meetup.com to attract others in your ZIP code who might want to hang out one night after work and talk about all the shit going down and what needs to be done? If nothing else, it will get us out more -- introduce us to other people who also see the country doing down the tubes and who want to do something about it.
Anyone who starts such a group could report back here, periodically, and let us know how it’s going.
It’s that simple, really: Stop reading and complaining, and start talking and inspiring. Heh…it worked for Barack…I think.
Feels Good Inc.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
It's essentially a full blown dictatorship what we have now. I mean let's not kid ourselves, it's a tyrannical level of power at present. Full military and police mobilization with zero possible legal intervention towards an all encompassing means. Not to impose the word tyrant in the typical negative sense of the word, but really...it's a thin line.
The problem is that it isn't going to go away overnight. So many billions in manpower and machines have been built up to enormous proportion. What to do? If you are perceived to be a threat to security...god help you. Your life is over....essentially ruined.
To avoid myself the insanity factor, and anti US rhetoric; to give the benefit of the doubt, I think the problem lies with diminishing resources, and no one has bothered to put the effort into finding alternatives. Frankly, the ones making these decisions are making so much money it would be like shooting themselves in the foot.
Then I think what a miserable failure of mankind. How pathetic.
Then the population issue factors in, and gets me thinking further...
I keep saying to myself...there's gotta be something I'm missing. It all can't be that diabolical. I think perhaps there is going to be some kind of crash and these people are grabbing all they can to weather it, and most likely, keep the country afloat. There HAS to be pride of country undermining the entire scenario. It's inherent to the human psyche.
Everyone is competing and growing...busting at the seams. Exponential growth. Statisticians are plugging away raw data day and night that we are not privy to, and I believe the actions being taken, may very well be necessity to maintain the status quo.
War and imposed domination may be the ugly consequence in order to maintain the Americanized level of existence given all the existing circumstances.
The price to pay to have everything maintained at it's current level so to speak.
Everybody wants everything, but not everyone can have it.
Then I say to myself what is the lesser of the two evils?
This is where I'm at right now with all this.
Still deciding....
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
But....we can SEE it.
Alternative means of power already exist. Diplomacy already exists. The Constitution and the reasons it was written, already exist. The evils that our founding fathers foresaw (say that three times fast) already exist. These are things that any informed citizen knows about.
But so many other citizens of our country don't want to, or can't, see it.
What is it that they say about France....the people there will uprise over any little thing their government does. Look at Britain tonight: Brown has just demanded the release of 5 Gitmo detainees who are British citizens with scary names.
We can't let America become Rome. I refuse to fiddle. I just flatout refuse.
First the Patriot Act I, II,III, then Habeas Corpus and now another 6 month ruling by our pussies in Congress. No one seems to have any backbone, it seems that they just own us and can shove anything at us and we will willingly accept it. Check out this 3 minute video by George Carlin called
Who owns you?. Nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care.
When will we get out of this complacent state of mind and wake the fuck up. A friend said to me yesterday, "these people only know about money and how much of it is going into their pockets. One thing that would get their attention is to refuse to pay taxes."
He's right the politicians would surely be awakened then, cause it's affecting their pocketbooks. I wonder who will get the contracts for all the easedropping data that will be collected? Do ya think Haliburton....follow the money trail.
Peace
Earle
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Yeah, I wish more people were activists. More public participation is absolutely necessary. Not in the sense to promote anarchy, but maintain balance through lines of healthy communication. It's just too extreme right now. Extremes never seem to weather the test of time, and there is always a consequence that seems to slip it all back into place. I get the overwhelming feeling somethings going to snap. I believe the approach was/is wrong, the effect is going come back negatively. Karma is real. I wish everyone subscribed to it.
We need to live more modest lifestyles. Getting ultra rich by stepping on anything and everything should not be the ultimate goal in life. I think it's a broken equation, and the consequences are becoming inescapable.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
I don't want anarchy -- I want the answers that already exist to be stated out loud and understood. I would like to see all citizens of the US to be on the same page so that we can figure out "who done it" and solve the mystery and move beyond it, to the happy ending.
Is that too much to ask?
What, this is America....."Greed is Good".
Peace
Earle
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
FIGHT THE POWER!!!
POST MESSAGES ON A ROCK BAND'S MESSAGE BOARD!
THAT IS REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!
Next, Cornell will be "raging against the machine" by doing an online concert for WalMart!
I don't think it's too much to ask really. For some yes...change can be frightening...the unknown and unfamiliar is often overwhelming. Keep everything the same they shout.
I lot of people misinterpret Anarchy. It's about really nobody telling anyone what to do and respecting everyone's right to expression no matter what. I don't think it will work however, it's just not as bad as what people make it out to be (total chaos and confusion) There are a few good points to it.
Funny...it all reminds me of a bad relationship where there are so many underlying problems exist in the past, but they couple just trails along in spite of...and the result is a crappy, miserable life.
Right now there is so much controversy that it's a pretty big problem. A lot of people are waking up to the fact that a new approach or "rebirth" needs to take place.
The question is..can it?
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
follow the money trail and you find the culprits.
Our representative gov't pushes the agenda of its constituents 1st, then the american people.
You would think they were one in the same.
-Greg Dulli