The most glaring failure of capitalism is how it's given way to corporatism. Powerful corporate entities have strip mined the people, bought our lawmakers, lowered pay, done away with benefits, and have gone unchecked for so long, it has become the norm.

This has had the unfortunate side-effect of forcing big government on all of us. Someone has to provide for people who do not have the means to provide for themselves, and the churches and private sector certainly haven't risen to the task.

I firmly believe a majority of those on public assistance would rather be earning their way, but we lack opportunity. Working for peanuts is hardly an incentive.

Our failure as capitalists has ushered socialism in through the back door. Our narrow view, short-term-profit mentality has created a mess that will dog us for generations. We could learn a thing or two from the Japanese and their long-term mentality, but we're too proud and too entrenched to listen.

If socialism is gaining ground, it's only because we gave up the ground in the first place. It's our fault.

Gun Control, Shmun control

From the old flint-lock musket, to today's pistol gripped, semi-automatic rifle, guns were designed to shoot tiny metallic projectiles at other living things for the sole purpose of inflicting grave bodily harm on that living thing. I share the same moral objections that many people do, which is why I choose not to own a gun.

So why am I anti-gun control?

Because the genie is out of the bottle. Guns are not going away, in spite of the moral objections and arguments to the contrary. The bad guys will never surrender them, and regulation will only encumber the law-abiding.

If the citizenry decided to give up their guns tomorrow, the only people that would have them would be the police, the military, and the criminal element. As the military is constitutionally prohibited from operating on the contiguous United States, this would leave a police force that quickly finds itself outgunned and outnumbered unless Martial Law is declared.

To counter that imbalance, the state would no doubt be forced to deputize hundreds of thousands of law-abiding citizens and arm them. Isn’t that the ultimate irony?  And as gun crime escalates, the state would have to bolster its ranks and begin curtailing other freedoms in its effort to address the inevitable spike in criminal activity. It doesn't take too much imagination to picture an increased police presence, a loss of liberties, the enforcement of curfews, and many other desperate acts, the sole purpose of which would be to maintain order.

While this scenario is admittedly the logical extreme of gun control and the crime that could escalate as a result, it is nevertheless supported by history.

Historically speaking:

·      Gun control leads to increased crime.

·      Increased crime leads to more police presence.

·     More police presence leads to the curtailing of liberties in the name of the common good.

This leaves us with little recourse but to jealously guard our Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms. There is no other logical course of action.

If you disagree, you're wrong.

The Great American Novel

This song has been in my head lately.  Although some of the lyrics are dated, the sentiment is true today.

I was born and raised an orphan in a land that once was free
In a land that poured its love out on the moon
And I grew up in the shadows of your silos filled with grain
But you never helped to fill my empty spoon

And when I was ten, you murdered law with courtroom politics
And you learned to make a lie sound just like truth
But I know you better now and I won't fall for all your tricks
And you've lost the one advantage of my youth

You kill a Black man at midnight just for talking to your daughter
And you make his wife your mistress, and you leave her without water
And the sheet you wear upon your face is the sheet your children sleep on
And at every meal you say a prayer. You don't believe but still you keep on

And you money says 'In God We Trust"
But it's against the law to pray in school
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
And I say you starved your children to do it.

You are far across the ocean in a war that's not your own
And while you're winning theirs, you're gonna lose the one at home
Do you really think the only way to bring about the peace
Is to sacrifice your children and kill all your enemies

The politicians all make speeches and the newsmen all take notes
And exaggerate the issues as they shove the down our throats
Is it really up to them whether this country sinks or floats
Well I wonder who will lead us if none of us would vote

Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped from whispering through the fence
You know every move I make, or is that just coincidence
And you try to make my way of life a little less like jail
If I promise to make tapes and slides and send them through the mail

And your money says "In God We Trust"
But it's against the law to pray in schools
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
And I say you starved your children to do it

You say all men are equal- all men are brothers
Then why are the rich more equal than others
Don't ask me for the answers, I've only got one
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son.

~ Larry Norman

The Politics Of Money

I am a child of the 50’s; a baby-boomer born at the tale end of the economic boom that marked the end of World War II. We witnessed the single greatest shift in spirituality, science, philosophy, and economics in history.  There had never been a generation quite like ours before and there may never be another like it again.

The 60’s ushered in an explosion of technology beginning with our ‘Race To The Moon,' heart transplants, and artificial intelligence. Along with unparalleled scientific discovery, we witnessed a radical shift in thinking with  the advent of the Peace Movement, Women’s Liberation, Equal Rights, and Free Love; all arguably noble, if not humanistic pursuits. The Bible and our Judeo-Christian heritage began its move from the front to the back as Eastern Philosophy, astrology and various voodoo spiritualist dogmas began to permeate our cultural thinking and slowly erode our once firm belief in absolutes and the simple concept of ‘Right and Wrong.’  We now find ourselves stuck in a smorgasbord of ‘feel good’ philosophies; slaves to the empty pursuit of spiritual meanderings, relativity of truth, political correctness, and vain celebrity worship. 

Factor in the advent of widespread corrupt corporate power-lust and its stranglehold on our government, and we find ourselves feeling controlled, uncertain, and unloved. 

We have become a very small cog in a big machine. 

While apologists can argue that much of this outward ‘religiosity’ and the rejection of absolutes, coupled with our cultural embrace of relative thinking and situational ethics has been a positive force of enlightenment, it has ultimately proven to be nothing more than the natural result of years of rationalization and the hardening of our collective heart. While the overall direction of this ‘realignment’ might suggest a ‘Shangri La’ of social, economic and spiritual openness, the opposite has proven to be true.  It’s beginning to feel like nothing more than a thinly veiled and malevolently designed consolidation of power; the only objective being to tighten the noose on our liberties while numbing us to the true consequences of our actions while stealthily picking our pockets.  The ‘god’ of this world has made his presence clearly known to those who have eyes to see.

The problem is we’re not seeing.

Is it mere coincidence that we find ourselves tossed about upon a sea of opposing and often confusing social and economic dogmas?  Is it an accident that we are constantly pulled left and right by claims of spiritual prosperity that lead nowhere?  When did relativist thinking take such hold?  When did the philosophy of ‘Looking out for number one’ become so powerful?  Is it really ‘okay’ to think of oneself first?  The popular “I’m okay, you’re okay,” philosophy is turning out to be less than okay.

Ayn Rand once wrote, "Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns- or dollars. Take your choice--there is no other." 

What a myopic and sadly distorted vision of the world. One only has to follow her premise to its logical conclusion to see the utter folly of her thinking.   History is rife with examples that stand in stark contrast.  Every war, every sadistic dictator, every proud crusade had, at its center, the quest for riches and the power that riches bring.  “Blood, whips and guns” have always been the tool of the oppressor in his dogged pursuit of riches, not the other way around.  Historically speaking, the love of money has never been a liberator.  It has always been a cruel taskmaster, enslaving those who pursue it. 

And I soundly reject the notion that money is some kind of ‘end-all- be-all’ solution for mankind’s dealings with one other.  There is no evidence to support the contention that money is a positive contributing factor in reasonable and civilized interpersonal relationships.  None whatsoever.  Sorry.

Grand historical references to the contrary are clear and are many. Sadly, we have grown adept at looking to the broad strokes of history and condemning the obvious as we skillfully skirt the essence of these lessons and avoid the application of them in our lives.

It is the smallest drop of water applied over time that cracks the heartiest of granite.  Our moral erosion, the subtleties of which pass almost unnoticed, has been steady and encompassing.  We only have to look as far as our wallets for validation of this truth. 

How many of us would rather pray for someone in need or 'put positive energy and thoughts out there,' than give out of our own need?  Why is it we feel guilty when we turn a blind eye and try and justify our own selfishness?  Why is it that the needs of a friend or family member become a nuisance over time?  How is it we can so easily scoff at those who seek government assistance and accuse them of seeking a hand out, all the while ignoring our part in the solution?  We become enraged at the needy and critical of a government that tries to help but refuse to help ourselves.  We claim to embrace the concept of charity, but do little to ease the burden of those who are less fortunate. Caring for the poor is okay, as long as it isn’t coming from our tax dollars, right? When did the politics of money overshadow the greater good?  When did it become right to care so little?  How did we shift the burden of caring for the poor and out-of- work to the shoulders of unnamed charities?

Man is a selfish beast.  We want what is ours and don’t much care for sharing.  We would rather stand strong in our point of view than acknowledge that we are a part of the problem.  We have become numb and polarized by the onslaught of our world and its baggage. We have somehow become firmly entrenched in being ‘right’ even when we are clearly wrong. 

Money is the tender of the god of this world.  Power is the objective. The love of money truly is the root of all evil.  The subtle seduction that began forty years ago has taken its toll. It has taken us hostage, hardened us, and blinded us to what really matters.  All of the pseudo-spiritual philosophy and so-called social awareness has done nothing to create the sense of urgency we need to face the challenges before us in our dealings with each other.  Instead, they have created a bloated, inward-looking numbness of feigned concern and confusing rhetoric, and we are lost as a result.

We have forgotten a fundamental and unchanging truth.  It has always been better to give than to receive. 

  

I Still Can't Believe That She's Gone

Got a hole in my heart as big as a stone
And it aches with the memory of a love that is gone
Should of told her I need her, now she'll never know
So I sit in this darkness and it won't let me go
I should forgive myself, but I'm not that strong
And I still can't believe that she's gone

So I wrote her a letter three days in a row
And I filled it with feelings that I never could show
And I sealed it with kindness and whispered a prayer
Now it sits in a dresser at the top of the stairs
I should control myself and I know that it's wrong
But I still can't believe that she's gone

If life were as simple as words on a page- I would write that whole chapter all over again
But it's more like a candle with a flickering flame
And the shadows like memories fade

If just for a moment she were here by my side
I would share all the secrets that I'd hidden inside,
But she probably knew them.  She always could tell
When my life was in Heaven or Hell
I can't convince myself what I want is gone
Something inside of me keeps holding on
I should control myself, but I'm not that strong
And I still can't believe that she's gone
I still can't believe that she's gone
I still can't believe that she's gone

Keith Winston
Written for my Grandmother

Gun Control

As an American, I must confess to being confounded by the power of the gun lobby. It seems common sense has gone right out the window. Our citizens are victims of gun crime every day. Unfortunately, only the most spectacular make the headlines.

But sometimes sensationalism is exactly what is needed to shake this nation from its lethargy and begin a dialogue about this issue. I wish the heartbreaking assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona was an isolated one, but alas, it is not.

That said, I do understand what our founding father's meant when creating the constitutional right to bear arms.

It is important to understand the historic underpinnings of this amendment. We were a nation being created. By and large, we came from England and a very repressive government. There was little trust for anything resembling government.

The right to bear arms was merely a reflection of that mistrust.

Most don't realize the right to bear arms was initially intended to protect the citizenry from THE GOVERNMENT and from tyranny. No government would be able to conquer and take control if the people were armed and could defend themselves. Not even our own.

Remember we were a nation at war. We needed an armed militia in order to win. And we did win, largely as a result of this militia.

There are those who argue that limiting anything having to do with guns creates a slippery slope. Once one law limiting the right to bear arms is created, another will follow. Once that process starts, it will never stop until that right, along with others, will erode and disappear.

Unfortunately, there is compelling historical evidence to back that claim. Bureaucrats and power mongers will not stop until they have complete control, if we let them. The right to bear arms gives these people pause. And it should.

In spite of this, concessions on gun control have been made, even by its staunchest opponents. In almost every instance, these pieces of legislation have been a mere token; the intent being to quell debate and remove the issue from the spotlight, not to limit gun ownership and affect real change.

And it has worked.

I believe in the right to bear arms. I believe there is profound wisdom in this amendment. But I also believe there is plenty of room for change.

~ Loopholes for gun sales need to be closed completely.

~ Restrictions on ownership need to be enforced without exception.

~ Mandatory penalties for the use of a gun in the commission of a crime need to be drastically increased and applied without mercy.

~ Military type weapons should be removed from the market and made illegal under all circumstances.

~ Hand-gun ownership should be limited to non-automatic weapons and the clip size needs to be limited.

There are many more changes, believe me.

But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Facebook

Having recently discovered the interactive social website Facebook, I am struck by many conflicting thoughts and emotions. On the one hand, connecting with family and reconnecting with long lost friends, many of whom I have not seen for over thirty years, has been as illuminating as it has been cathartic.  It has taken me back the the beginning of things.  A friend of mine admonished me not to look too much to the past as I run the risk of going off track.  While I may enjoy remembering my many friends of yesteryear and exploring their connection to me and mine to them, I know I do not live in the past.  There is no danger of being lost there. (And the admonishment is appreciated.  Thanks, Fred.)

I was surprised to discover that, while I may share many of the passions and beliefs of my friends, I do not necessarily share them all. Or even most of them.  But this diversity is a true test of friendship. I have never completely agreed with anyone about everything in my entire life.  The same can be said for all of us.

On the other hand, I realize there are many people I would rather have forgotten.  Those peripheral acquaintances I barely knew or never liked much to begin with. Or relationships from my past that did not necessarily end well, the memories of which conjure a completely different range of emotions altogether.  

These serve to remind me that there is no requirement to 'Friend' everyone I've ever known.  Sometimes it is best to leave the past firmly in the past.  Sometimes it is best to be selective.

And then there are long lost friends I have wished to add to my growing list who have never responded to my 'Friend' requests.  Could it be that the memory of my affection for them and theirs for me is a result of my over active imagination and sentimental nature?  It is a possibility.

Thankfully, that does not ring true to me in every case. I have not responded to friend requests I may have intended to.  I have been known to unintentionally hit 'Ignore' instead of 'Confirm' on more than a few occasions.  

I also realize that I do not necessarily want to know so much about so many. The trivia can be overwhelming. It can also be addicting.

Facebook can be likened to a large social gathering.  In that gathering are friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, and strangers.  Some I would like to get to know better and others I have no interest in. Conversations range from heady to nonsensical- deep to trivial- and the only prerequisite for gaining anything seems to be my willingness to participate.

As in any social gathering- be it a party or event- there are groupings. As I drift from one group to the next, conversations rise and fall. Some I choose to include myself in while others I choose to ignore.  Sometimes my contribution acts as a motor to drive the discussion in a totally new and fresh direction.  At other times I know people would pay real money for me to shut up.  But such is the way of things.

One fact has become crystal clear, and this serves to remind me of just how egocentric I really am, I suppose.  It is a little disconcerting to read about oneself in the third person.  Being a player in someone else's life story.  It's not an altogether comfortable realization. Let's face it. We are all accustomed to being center stage in our respective lives, are we not?  We would all like to believe that we have some semblance of control over how we are remembered or how we are perceived.

Facebook has reminded me of the folly of such thinking.  There is no control and there never has been.

One thing I know.  Remembering, sharing, bantering, and connecting are good things.  The experience has served to remind me of the person I once was, while fortifying the person I have become.  It is a welcome realization to discover as much as I think I may have changed, I really haven't changed that much.

I'm going to shut up now.