Bullies and Wimps...and Zombies

Bullies and Wimps. That's the two-party system our 'representative republic' has become.

More than just being a system of government where the head of state is not a monarch and where, in theory, the people have a voice in how they are governed the term 'republic' comes from the Latin phrase 'res publica' which is often translated as 'public affairs' (Wikipedia).

Also from Wikipedia: "In modern political science, republicanism refers to a specific ideology that is based on civic virtue and is considered distinct from ideologies such as liberalism." and "Civic virtues are personal habits and attitudes that are conducive to social harmony and group well-being."

Where is the 'social harmony' and 'group well-being' in using bully tactics to create fear and lies about health care reform by 'Republicans' (like Joe Wilson and all other GOP and non-GOP tea-bag rabble-rousers) who I've yet to see offer sensible and creative alternatives of their own except to maintain the status quo. How is this behaviour conducive to 'social harmony'?

Democracy in this country is a vital adjunct to being a 'republic' and is more than just another self-governing system. Coming from the Greek 'demokratia' or 'popular government' its two basic principles, freedom and equality, are guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

So, with regard to our 'public affairs', in its very essence our 'democratic republic' is our 'popular government' where civic virtue conducive to social harmony and group well-being is exercised to help guarantee freedom and equality.

So why am I seeing the 'change' that I voted for in Nov '08 being handled with so much backsliding, cowering and kowtowing to special interests? We had eight years of 'chump change' and what do we get: more of the same. Why have President Obama, obviously an intelligent and thoughtful man, and the rest of his Democratic party behaved so wimpishly on the issues they were entrusted to address and then have even continued many of the same questionable and failed policies (war, sexual abstinence, bowing to big $$) of our previous error in leadership.

I know it's still early in a President's term and trying to fix a monumental preexisting condition while simultaneously attempting to move a nation forward with much needed change cannot be an easy task but still I'm aghast! Public debate on anything has devolved to childish rants on the right and cowardly maneuvering on the left. Somewhere in the middle is a voice of reason but nobody's listening. Where is the real leadership I hoped for and truly envisioned? I fear the D.C. culture has become such a cesspool of self-serving zombies who have taken our President (and perhaps the rest of us) with them.

Have we become Zombieland?

Dance the dance!

It's been more than a year since my last set of words here. It would take a whole dictionary's worth to completely relay life since then but I'll abbreviate and simply recall that I've turned both 50 & 51 and shared with family & friends the end of days for my Dad at 84. He, like so many before us, has slipped beyond the Veil. The months from his diagnosis to his departure was difficult but not without joy! Spending what time we could with him will always be among the most cherished memories I have despite, and maybe even because of, our "family" moments. (Oh, you know we all have them!)

As my father's child I never really contemplated the notion of reaching the half-century mark. It was always "My Dad is 50. I'll never be that old!" So now after 50 & 51 I realize 'how silly'. I mean "for cry'n out loud" I AM my Dad and yet I don't feel at 50 now what I felt about 50 as a kid. My Dad was, naturally, already an "old fart" to the scope of my 16 year old life. Now, aside from the small but slowly growing repertoire of senior moments I'm assembling, I don't at all feel like an old fart! (I like to trust my hygienic habits enough to hope that I also don't exhibit that old fart fragrance!)

It's interesting and amusing how our perceptions and experiences colour our "reality". Perhaps it's my age bias showing here and at the risk of stirring up controversy I always thought anyway that "old fartdom" was truly the reserve of 80+ or maybe my perception now is playing synchronous games with my childhood worldview. I may be wrong and probably am. If I'm fortunate enough to reach 80 I'm sure I'll reflect, with a twinkle in my eye, on the childhood of my 50's.

My Dad touched the sky within days of Father's Day. I stayed up virtually all night when the following words spilled out of my childhood and the experiences of my Dad.

Father's Day
"Up all night on Father's Day.
'What's the agenda today?', I can hear him say.
So I'm up all night on Father's Day.

Just sitting around writing a song about my dear old Dad.
About the good times and the bad. Oh, the times we had.
We didn't see him coming up the drive
Sometimes his love was such a surprise!
Then you know it's Father's Day.

Up all night on Father's Day.
'Get your fannies in gear!', he was known to say.
It's got me up all night on Father's Day.

I'm trying hard to put into words some thoughts about my Dad.
About the happy and the sad and the love we had.
Now he's flying higher than his model planes
Where I'll see him in the clouds again
come every Father's Day.

Up all night on Father's Day.
'Aw, for cry-yi', I'm sounding just like him today.
Keeping myself up all night on Father's Day.

Deep in the night I'm singing a song about my Dad
And the stories that he'd tell about the love he's had.
Being born on the day for mothers
Gave my Dad a heart like no other.
Here's to my Father's Day."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Turning 50 in some ways continues the "experience of my Dad". It's a milestone of childhood proportions, a place I never thought I'd be but here I am! On the cosmic scale it dances to the rhythm of what Ram Dass calls "The only dance there is".

If I Flare In The Glare
"Well, I made it to 50 and I'm feelin' fine
And I got my long hair flyin' across the sky
There's something about this plane I'm on that carries me around the world

Walking through another 50 so far, so good
I'll play my day like sunrise through darkness as we should
There's something about this stage I'm on that hurtles me about in space

If I flare
Will you see me there
If I flare

Yeah, I made it to 51 and I'm living well
'cause now I know the difference between heaven & hell
There's something about the human race that doesn't seem to have the time

If I reach a hundred I will paint the sky
As long as I've got my mojo working I'll be alright
'Cause if I have the time to spend I'd rather not be afraid

When you're lost in heaven you are everywhere
Listen to the stillness it will take you there
There's something about the universe that's inside and inside out

In the glare
Will I see you there
In the glare"

^^^^^^^^^^^

Dance the dance!

gw

"Impeachment: Not just for blowjobs anymore!"

As the bumper sticker headline says it could be time to consider impeachment for this president. Bush's actions have done nothing but place the U.S. in even greater harm's way and cause us shame. Nothing he has done has made things better in Iraq. It's brought mostly chaos. Is he trying to fulfill his own sense of Christian prophesy? Truly Orwellian times we are in!

Linked below is a sensible assessment of the outright danger our current president is willing to keep us all in! Thank you Keith Olbermann!

"Bush's legacy: The president who cried wolf" by Keith Olbermann

(PLEASE NOTE: Keith Olbermann does not necessarily endorse the views expressed on this blog.)

gw

Being Here Today

One thing in life is certain - regardless of our levels of comfort and success we all have our karma to burn. Karma is the 'dark matter' of our lives. We know it's there due to its pull and as human beings we cannot be without it! All our sufferings and all our joys are just noodles in the cosmic soup! Eat up!!

Being Here Today

Sometimes I cannot speak my heart so clearly.
Sometimes there ain't no use in trying.
I can piss my time away with all kinds of useless games
but then I'd miss the times I'd be with you when being here today.

Sometimes I would lose my mind in thoughtlessness.
Sometimes there ain't no reason why.
I can piss my life away in all kinds of foolish ways
but then I'd miss the love that used to be when being here today.

Breathe deep, slow & often
Breathe deep, slow & often
Breathe deep..........slowwww.................. often...

Sometimes I cannot walk the walk so steadily
Sometimes there ain't no need to talk at all
I can piss myself today and find another need to pray
but then I'd miss the love that I could live by being here today!

gw

(Thanks for the inspiration, bro!)

So long, Saddam! Where's Osama?

It's so good to know that the man the U.S. govt. helped support in the 80's & supply with many of the very weapons he used to commit his crimes in the 80's has finally been punished. Where does U.S. culpability fall for placing a loaded gun in the hands of a known madman and for the death of innocents...or innocence?

So now Iraq is a safer place with Saddam gone. I mean, after all, take a look around there after almost 4 years of redecoration!

Where's OSAMA?

gw

Chronology of U.S./Iraq relations since 1983

Box of America

A famous saying states that "History is written by the victors", a notion that merits obvious distrust in my opinion. History is history regardless of who wins or loses but the truth about those who lose gets lost too often in the mythology of the victors. A nation often cited as being, and having been from the outset, a "Christian" nation has rarely acted truly Christlike in practice. From the moment "Christians" set foot on North America there began the "subjugated freedom" of whole cultures of human beings. I'm hardly saying that our ancestors (or our misguided soldiers at Abu Ghraib for that matter) were the first to treat other human beings with fear & disdain but when a national tragedy gets filtered through an overblown sense of 'nationalism' and religious rancor then we must own up to the consequences of whatever actions we take as a result. As human beings we are a greater species than what we were; as a nation we know we are a greater people than what we allow ourselves to become from time to time. We aren't the first "civilization" with both a grand and sordid history and no doubt we won't be the last. But maybe we could start to not box ourselves in so much!?

So here we have more opinionated post-9/11-themed lyrics for a song-in-progress drawn from thoughts & ideas that go back to the day. I'm not really saying anything new that hasn't been said before but I had fun with the words (I suppose that's the Lennon/Ono influence!) Anyway, I set them aside for some time always with the intention of returning and with the hope that a little distance would help bring some focal perspective.

Box of America

"Do you really think that towering fall
was so unique in the scheme of things
while so many die in a Babylon of cries
every day in this world

Do you really think it's such a surprise
that so much anger is coming our way
while so many try to live without being lied to
every day in this world

Chorus:
Think outside the Box of America
So packaged & processed and air....uptight
Look outside this Box of America
Where no one really buys that 'might makes right'

Do you really think that American history
is so different from the rest of them all
with a flag we disguised our negligent eyes
in pursuit of a brave new world

Do we rest on arrogant dreams
Can't we hope for better aspirations
For freedom imposed is no freedom at all
any day in this world

Chorus:
Think outside the Box of America
So packaged & processed and air....uptight
Look outside this Box of America
Where no one really buys freedom through lies

Empty this box from time to time
but hang onto the lessons that increase the peace
and fill the box with a new vibration
that overflows with only love that heals.
Fill the box with a new vibration that overflows with love"

gw

Nov 29

With love to Mom (d), Uncle Al (d), Cousin Rob (b), & George Harrison (d)

Nov 29

"Been gone away so long
You're on my mind
Somethin' about this date
Hard to define

I remember knowing you
You were there we shared a laugh or two
I remember loving you

Been gone longer than yesterday
A twist in time
Somethin' about this date
Plays on my mind

I remember your touch
You were there whenever I hurt too much
I remember loving you

I remember you calling me
And together we sang a symphony
I remember loving you

Been gone so far away
another lifetime
Something in the way this day
Stays on my mind.

I remember you holding me
You were there we danced a step or three
I remember loving you

Been in my heart so long
Way deep inside
Gathered around this day
Love & Souls & Light

gw