No title

In my world today

Confusion, contradiction

I really don't know anymore.

What is it that I want?

I think I need a break from all of this.

Starting now.

 

Under fire - A rant for everyone

 

Once again I am faced with a blank page and have no clue what to write. There are so many words and thoughts bubbling up inside me. There is so much that I want to say, but I just don't know where to start.

I am finding the world to be so disheartening. I don't even want to turn on the news or go to the online sites. I normally love to hang out on Twitter and chat with my friends, but my stream is filled with links to stories and articles that cause me great despair. I begin to worry about the state of the world, my country and my community. I feel like I am being attacked on all sides. Everything I believe in, everything I care about is under fire. My first impulse is to shut it all out, immerse myself in music and find respite from all of it. Tempting, but, I know that is not the answer.

It is this kind of attitude that has led to many of the problems we now have in this country and in the world. It is easier to turn a blind eye and bury ourselves in everyday life and pursuits, to escape into something more pleasurable and less stressful. And to be honest, life does intrude at times and distracts us from the problems of the world overall to our more immediate concerns. It is hard to care about who to vote for in the next election and what is happening in another part of the world. It is hard to keep track of what our elected officials are doing in Washington DC and in our state capitols when we are also worried about how we are going to pay the rent, fill our gas tanks and buy groceries to fill our bellies.

However, we must do just that.

We must make an effort to care about these issues.

Why?

Because, perhaps the reason we are having problems paying the rent, filling our gas tanks and our bellies is because of the policies being formulated by our elected officials. They like it when we are so distracted by life's problems that we do not realize what they are doing.

They are also fond of misdirecting us by creating fear when there is no reason to fear, by creating doubt in others and creating a sense of urgency so that they can effect radical change.

And why are they doing this? Perhaps to cover up information like this:

Off-the-charts income gains for super-rich

And this from Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times:

The One-Percenters

This last link was found to be so threatening to some that it was reported as abusive on Facebook and I could not post it there. Please read it and judge it for yourself.

I could go on and provide many more links. But, I guess the point I am trying to make is that we all must do our best to be informed no matter how busy we are. We must check out the candidates ourselves and not rely on their campaign commercials or even the mainstream media. They will package themselves in the best possible way to get elected and then do as they wish once they get into office. We as voters must dig deeper to find the truth. We must become educated voters and then hold our representatives accountable for what they campaign on. An educated voter is dangerous to many politicians, particularly if you can remember what they promise to get elected.

I fear that we are in for a fight. Our basic rights and our way of life are being challenged by a few powerful people. We cannot be silent anymore. Educating yourself on the issues is the first step. Then you must contact your representatives and express your opinion. And finally vote and encourage others to do so as well.

And perhaps we should also follow the example of the citizens of Wisconsin. Maybe it is time for all of us to raise our voices in protest and take to the streets when we find that the interests of the voters and our country are not being served. It is time to stand up before we are all run over in this wave of change.