Political Solutions Are No Longer Working

So I was thinking after listening to this talk (at the highlighted link) by Howard Zinn on the topic of patriotism, government and citizens in a democracy.  His words got me to thinking and then I began to write. Listen to his lecture. 

He's an interesting guy who participated willingly in the destruction of Germany during WW2 and became a historian and social critic afterward. At the following highlighted link is Zinn talking about "Three Holy Wars."

Americans and the rest of the people in the world are in the grip of something that is strangling the life out of them. That something is the current economic organization of society which mandates the present world conditions as a likely outcome of the rules governing the economic system. 

"Grin and bear it, it will get better." we have been told.  The experts are not that hopeful anymore even as the politicians hold rallies and avoid confronting reality by selling promises never meant to be kept.
It's a bitter bread they're baking that we the people are being forced to buy and eat.  

The people who were elected have sold us out. Ninety percent of the time lawmakers give the non-voting donor class what it wants. To support this obvious obfuscation the important decisions at the highest levels of our government have produced a propaganda program that has the characteristics of a madcap party hosted by the Marx Brothers, Albert and Costello and Laurel and Hardy. We recognize that madcap party as the Trump Administration along with it's supporters in congress and out.

People are capable of extremes of behavior. We can make war and we can make peace. Is it possible the present economic system does not hold the possibility of peace? So far it has not worked out. You can see that, right? (Smedley Butler at the link)

If you think your civil rights are still intact it might be a good time to begin using as many of them as you can. At the highlighted link is an audio essay by Henry Thoreau.  Thoreau is an American original. This work on THE DUTY of civil disobedience has inspired many. At one time it was required reading. It was time of war with no end in sight leaving only a horrible past to remember and an even more horrible future to imagine. 

Here we are again.

I'll let Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky leave something for your thoughts about what to do with your civil rights.

"The April Fools Movement" (worker satire) APRIL FOOLS ISSUE

After posting I encountered this interview with economist Michael Hudson.

The movement began on the first day of January  with a post on the internet by the eccentric and mysterious billionaire from Zambia, Melon Husk, with an offer of forming a world wide workers union. Husk offered to provide a 'bottomless' strike fund to support the workers while they were on strike.  It was a brief message with a web address where workers anywhere in the world could register and join the union. There was no trouble convincing the labor force to join.

The message said: "If you are underpaid, if the quality of your life is not to your liking join the Worldwide Workers International Labor Collective.

The WWILC will make your life better."

At the website the goals of the WWILC were simple. A living wage, completely paid healthcare, affordable housing, ample free educational opportunities, paid vacations, and one year of fully paid maternity leave for each parent.

The idea spread like a virus in a daycare facility and before the first day of March a billion workers worldwide had joined and more were learning about it and joining daily.  There was to be, on the first day of April, a worldwide strike. And so there was.

On April 1 the entire WWILC membership of slightly more than one billion workers did not show up to work. Instead they were on the sidewalks with informational brochures explaining the strike and the conditions which caused the workers to organize. Around the world commerce ground to a halt.

Banks could not open, no restaurants opened, no gas stations opened, grocery stores were closed, the doctor might be in his office, but his staff was not. Every aspect of life that required labor to provide a service was affected.

It was a successful strike that lasted the entire month of April.  Every sweatshop around the world ceased production and when it was over The People had won. The strike came to be known as "The April Fools Movement" and the first day of April is now celebrated annually and the workers lived happily ever after.

If you have not heard the song "Banks of Marble" listening to it may inspire you to rise up and improve your chances which are growing slimmer every passing day.

Mr. and Mrs. Goose

Mr. and Mrs. Goose returned some time around the first of March.  When they began showing up I was pleased to see them again and began bringing out cracked corn each time they returned.

All was well up until a couple of days ago when a second pair of geese landed in the pond and there was a flurry of interaction between the two pairs of geese.

Later that afternoon only Mr. Goose returned.  Mrs. Goose had flown off with the other pair and abandoned him. 

He came just before dark and called and called for her and she did not answer.  I stood in the yard with him as it grew dark while he called over and over again. His voice was like the sound a saxophone with a split reed makes. His cry brought tears to my eyes because no one answered him. It was a lonely, sorrowful, heartbreaking squawking cry and he repeated it over and over before he flew away alone.

This morning a single goose flew overhead I heard it honking and looked out the window.  Mr. Goose has not come for corn today.  I hope he comes back.

Reflections (poetry)

Reflections

Several times today

in windows and mirrors and memories

I saw my face.

.

The years have taken almost all

of  what was "Me"

and what is left is leaving...

for an eagerly anticipated rendezvous.

Several times today I thought

of a flower gone to seed;

and the time for planting once again

approaching.

 

© David H. Roche 2019

Reality Check (political poster)

An Uncomfortable Truth

after making this post Jimmy Dore presented a timely interview with Norman Finkelstein it can be seen at the link.

I made a poster this morning as a correction of the slanted nature of the corporate news reporting on the atrocities being perpetrated in Palestine. They'd just have to stop and think and it would be plain to see who is the anti-Semite in this equation. The only Semites being persecuted are the Palestinians and they are being persecuted by the State of Israel, a government.

The 'Machine' is broken.

The repairman says it cannot be fixed.

It has to be replaced.

Vespers (Poetry and photography)

Vespers

At dusk Mr. Goose stands guard

as Mrs. Goose eats corn.

This is a protocol I have noticed.

She eats,

he stands guard,

and then he eats.

There will be goslings this spring.

That's what this is all about.

After dinner Mrs. Goose preens

and Mr. Goose eats

before both waddle away

to watch the sunset on the edge of the pond.

© David H. Roche

Cold Snap (nature photography)

I came across the video while looking for one I did not find. You might like it.

                               Cold Snap

Enjoy!

The Sacred And The Profane (poetry)

The Sacred And The Profane

At 7:30 yellow sunshine spreads faintly across the grass and blacktop accompanied by the long pale shadowy hints of trees and rooftops.

Two Canada Geese eat corn sprinkled in the grass. 

One eats and the other stands guard

and then the other eats 

while the mate stands guard.

They make soft grunting sounds,

eating their share and leaving some behind

for the scrappy jays,

the mourning doves and

the red-winged blackbirds.

"Purple-Dee" the red-wings sing.

"Oooo, Oooo" the mourning doves moan

and a chorus of fifty Mallards quack softly while devouring grass and corn. .

It was a beautiful day until 8:30

when I turned on the news

and saw what men were up to. 

(C) David H. Roche 2019

Mr. And Mrs. Goose Return

This morning ten Canada Geese, a much larger bunch of Mallard Ducks, a few Red-winged Blackbirds and a single Flicker showed up for a breakfast of cracked corn.

Last year a pair of Canada Geese mooched off me daily until all at once they left. They did leave, but of the two one returned for several days. It was the male that returned to say good-bye on two or three successive days. Then he was gone.

Both were accustomed to greeting me and would walk up to within a foot or two of me to be fed. I would speak to them. I wanted to touch him, but I didn't dare. They may be birds but they can strike like a cobra. Their snake-like necks are weaponized with beaks that bite like a lightning strike!  Hard! It's amazing to see.  I didn't want any part of that. 

Anyway Mr. and Mrs. Goose left at the end of May last year and I think they may have returned on the first of March.

At this link is a video of Mr. and Mrs. Goose from last spring.  And another from the day of his last visit when he encountered Spot, my cat.

While watching them there began among the geese a conversation that started with honking. I recognized it as the signal to take off.  (Note: As the honking increases it rises into a frenzy until the flock takes off.) Eight of the ten entirely agreed, and flew off.

The two geese remaining have come back for lunch… and afternoon snacks. I'm hoping they're Mr. and Mrs. Goose. I'm hoping they'll be back tomorrow morning.

Enjoy the videos