![]() We live now in a period where we are just as likely to run into someone saying that World War III is upon us as someone saying we are witness to worldwide change that will shift us into a global renaissance. After two in-depth programs on Israel and the issues surrounding occupation and apartheid there, it is difficult to see any light down the many tunnels of conflict worldwide. From Palestine, Israel and Gaza, to Afghanistan and Pakistan, to Iraq, Syria, Ukraine and many other lands, we are witness to a massive upheaval. Today sociologist Michael Schwartz and I discussed Iraq. More a failure than Viet Nam perhaps. Exxon and Mobil win; everyone else loses, especially the USA taxpayers. Our nation's treasure squandered for what? So the Church Of The Invisible Hand can preach the gospel of free market success? Hardly. If it takes $500 billion in subsidies for Big Oil and trillions for wars, then that is not laissez faire capitalism, that is immoral, illegal empire building so that a few tax-dodging multinational corporations can reap huge rewards. Blood on our hands from thousands of our military and over a million Iraqi people alone. At our own doorstep we have thousands of unaccompanied children forced north by ... USA meddling in the June 29, 2009 coup d'etat in Honduras. We helped overthrown a democratically elected present (Zaraya) when he was helping poor farmers, established a minimum wage and established a free healthcare system. The USA stood internationally alone in support of the coup and alone in not condemning it. Turns out we trained the coup leaders at the School of the Americas, Ft. Benning, GA. The most positive note to end this screed is that more and more we are hearing for a movement against the concept of empire here. This had better gain momentum soon and impact hard. Such a massive democratic uprising is far beyond the goals of Occupy and even the peace movement. So what will it be ... a renaissance, or WW3?
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![]() Today on "Everything is Broken" we took a peek into the future ... all the way to the 2016 election! The threshold question posed was: are you going to go along with the assumption that there is a viable 2-Party System to begin with? Are you going to champion Rodham-Clinton? And, more importantly, how will you handle your fellow progressives when we challenge you. Many fellow progressives will perhaps support Elizabeth Warren (fat chance any money bundlers are going to send the Brink's truck to MA), and then cast a protest vote for a Green Party candidate or Mickey Mouse or Jon Stewart or Susan Sarandon. We know now to plan to hear the following: 1. “Well, she will of course be better than” anyone that the R-side of The Corporate Party anoints. I would hope to hear a better defense of a neo-con hawk like Rodham-Clinton than that. “Tough on defense”? More like she drank the neoCON PNAC kool-aid and looks forward to more empire building. 2. “Im going to hold my nose and vote “lesser of two evils” – but ... isn't it ONE evil? 3. “Lets start pushing Rodham-Clinton from the left right now!!" There may or may not be merit in this one. But, haven't we "been there done that" too many times before? How did we do pushing Obama from the left? We got HOPE and empty promises about Gitmo and a raft of others issues, not to mention “worse than Bush” grades on torture, NSA data hoovering – outright Orwellian domestic spying and privacy invasion; killing USA citizens with drones and Tuesday “kill list” meetings for same. 4. “I want a woman president” – sure, WE ALL DO - so overdue it is shameful ... but not this one!! I may be naive, but I don't think Elizabeth Warren is in a race driver's suit with corporate owner logos emplazoned … yet. So, am I leaving you only with the elephant in the room: that our system is rotten to the core? Yes. So, where will you stand when this already decided (by the ruling oligarchs) election rolls around? And, how will you handle those on the left that will file a protest vote? PLEASE … lets not end up divided as we were when many of us went with Nader – some Democrats got downright ugly about that you may recall. Think about it. ![]() Hubris … a cultural tick? A byproduct of empire? The USA’s version is both in my opinion. Hubris is dangerous, as we learned with our slide into permanent war since invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq. Hubris kills. But has there ever been an empire that acted any different? Comes with the territory (no pun intended). “Everything is Broken” yesterday delved into hubris and then switched to a life saved by going against the cultural grain. Brad Willis, a.k.a. Bhava Ram was an international war correspondent for NBC News. He pushed thru a broken back for 7 long years; he was addicted to just about anything that could stop the pain. He was also diagnosed with Stage IV cancer (courtesy of the First Gulf War depleted uranium bombs). He told us his story and his climb out of the pit of despair and self-pity. He turned to Yoga and ancient healing arts like Aruveda. Now he teaches others how to heal themselves. He described his “Type A” personality and career arc; he resolved to work harder than anyone else. He soared high; he fell hard, broken. Check out his most recent book “Warrior Pose … a War Correspondent’s Memoir … How Yoga (Literally) Saved My Life", at his website. |
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