This Rhyme Royale was penned by my snarky political alter-ego Sly Fawkes with love to the village idiot currently occupying the White House--as much love as he deserves, anyway.
The prompt was to write a poem about my favorite birds. The bald eagle is one of my favorite birds. This one looks angry.
It's hard for me to type a post about anger without using salty language, but I'm going to keep it clean.
Can I inspire you to open your eyes and see that things just aren't right?
Can I inspire you to see that it isn't right that people should be forced to sleep on the street?
Can I inspire you to face the fact that those people don't "deserve" this?
Can I inspire you to understand that it isn't right for people in the lower classes to be unable to afford decent housing?
Can I inspire you to see that it's wrong for people with disabilities to have to choose between eating and having medical care and being able to earn a living wage?
Can I inspire you to see that it's madness for people to have to be in debt for years for trying to better themselves by getting a higher education?
That it's madness that most higher-paying jobs require higher education but that education is out of reach for the poor?
Can I inspire you to realize that a society of haves and have-nots benefits no-one but those in the highest positions?
Can I inspire you to realize that the only thing "trickling down" is a word that I can't use in a "family friendly" post?
Can I inspire you to understand that the homeless are not "just lazy," that the poor are not "just stupid," that the "welfare queen" is a myth, that only a very small percentage of people attempt to defraud the welfare system?
Can I inspire you to see that very vulnerable people are falling into the cracks and have nowhere to turn for help?
Do you know that many elderly people live in poverty?
Do you know that many single parents live in poverty?
Can you see that there are a lot of people who used to work a "good job" but now need assistance, that the help is not there, that they didn't suddenly become "lazy" and "shiftless?"
Can I inspire you to realize that people with substance addiction issues deserve help, not jail?
Can I inspire you to understand that mental illness is not "laziness"?
Can I inspire you to understand that everyone deserves adequate food, shelter, medical care, and education?
Can I inspire you to understand that service workers are not "lesser" and do not deserve to be stuck working multiple jobs to make less than a living wage?
Can I inspire you to be angry today?
Because until we all get angry enough, nothing is ever going to change.
If nothing changes, things are only going to get worse for all but the wealthiest one percent.
I like to think the piece speaks for itself, but I will include a little personal history.
When I was a young child in my early school years, I was very proud when it came time to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I sprang to my large and far from dainty feet, puffed out my scrawny chest, put my hand over my stalwart young heart, and spoke those hallowed words in my biggest voice.
I was born in 1965. I didn't go to Kindergarten. Many years later I had a nightmare that Ronald Reagan ordered me to go back to school starting with Kindergarten. Initially, I attempted to comply, but then I realized that there was no legally binding reason for me to do this and I said "I quit," and walked out of the classroom to the sound of Mr. Reagan's voice berating me as a loser.
From first through third grade, the Viet Nam war was still taking place. I believed that the United States would eventually see that the war was a bad idea and would end it, so I said the Pledge proudly because I believed that my fine country would eventually do the right thing because we were the Good Guys.
During the next several years, the country was healing from the aftereffects of the Viet Nam War. I believed that we were headed in the right direction, and I thought that Jimmy Carter was a fine president and would continue to take us that way.
The Reagan era began when I was fifteen years old and I came to believe that we were all doomed to either eat flaming death in a nuclear holocaust or freeze to death in the nuclear winter which would follow. The Pledge of Allegiance lost its former wondrous appeal to me, but I still said it because I felt it was my duty as a patriot to try and believe in my country.
As my son says, the United States is still one of the best countries to live in, but we have a lot of problems. The election of Donald Trump brought a plethora of pathology boiling to the surface.
We are not post-racist or post-misogynist and we are severely intolerant of anyone who isn't a God-fearing American "Christian." I put Christian in quotes because I don't think the behavior of those who subscribe to the ideals of American religious fundamentalists is Christ-like in any way. There is a frightening new wave of nationalism, and free speech is under fire. There is normalization of bigotry and intolerance.
This is not the America that young me believed in when she put her hand over her heart to proudly say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school and even at home in her bedroom on Saturday and Sunday because she thought it was the right thing to do.
This America brings tears to the eyes of middle-aged, working class me as I write these words. I despair for the loss of innocence in the heart of the child I once was and fear for the future of who I have become, for those I love, and for my fellow citizens of this world.
This blog was created to discuss metaphysics, philosophy and spirituality. I later incorporated mental health issues into the curriculum. I then incorporated politics, because, like it or not, politics does affect our world.
However, lately I feel as if the political posts have become akin to dropping trou and letting loose in the middle of the living area.
So, I created a bathroom.
If you want to talk politics, join me at Sly Fawkes so we can clear the air on this blog.
The following is my response to a post by Josiah Brown about his feelings on the abortion his ex-girlfriend had.
"There would be fewer abortions if comprehensive family planning were more widely available.”
THIS! I (and many others) have said it for years, but people still don’t listen.
Cutting funding to women’s health clinics does not prevent abortion. It only decreases the likelihood that any abortion performed will be legal and safe. It also increases the likelihood of unplanned and unwanted pregnancy by removing access to education and methods of contraception.
I am not “pro-abortion.” However, I realize that abortion is going to happen whether I am “pro-abortion” or not, and it happens for many reasons, both reasons of medical necessity and personal reasons. My own personal feelings should not determine the ability of others to make this difficult choice.
While I was able to conceive (I am now post-menopausal) I said that I would never personally have an abortion, but I fully supported keeping abortion safe and legal. I still support keeping abortion safe and legal, and I always will. I also support preventing abortion where possible through education and access to contraception.
On a planet where we are pushing the limits of our resources, I cannot for the life of me understand how people still think that “being fruitful and multiplying” is any sort of necessity. Regardless of what your religious convictions are, it’s time that archaic law was written off the books. I suggest it be replaced with “have fewer children and do your best to insure they are well educated and well adjusted.”
A thoughtful discussion by Jason Cockrell regarding Libertarian ideology.
I enjoyed listening to this young man. He presents his ideas in a calm and rational manner, which makes me want to hear more of what he has to say. He seems to have thought things through before making his presentation. I subscribed to his channel because I would like to hear more of his thoughts.
As the blog address suggests, we are seekers. To simplify, we are taking an agnostic approach to spiritual topics. We have a variety of spiritual beliefs and, while we are not working in a laboratory, we are attempting to be analytical in our approach.
We may dislike religious institutions, but we are not hateful towards those who believe in deities. Some of us do. All of us believe there is a power greater than ourselves.
We believe that skepticism is healthy, but cynicism tends to be poisonous.
We are not going to belittle religious beliefs wholesale by sneeringly comparing deities to the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, or the Tooth Fairy. We may crack wise about religious institutions, but we believe them to be more political than spiritual in any case.
There are many paths, but there is one truth. That truth must be Love, or we are all doomed.
Love our cosmos, our planet, and all dwellers thereon. Love and respect one another.
Beyond that, it's all just so much theory, which is fun to discuss.
