I wonder why the candidates never mention where their country excels.
USA is, for instance, #1 in income inequality.
It is also #1 in the number of people in jail, and in a class by itself in the number of private prisons where the inmates work as slaves.
#1 for the percentage of citizens with food insecurity among “developed” nations and tied for #1 for students with the least knowledge of Math.
Although only among the 10 lowest in the developed nations for life expectancy, its rate of decline is #1.
It ranks 108th of 133 nations in terms of bank soundness, but you’d think the candidates would mention being the #1 supporter of the banks with money taken from the people.
They could at least brag about a #1 position for mother independence. American mothers, unlike all other developed nations, get no maternity benefits, not a penny.
But most surprising of all is the lack of pride in military spending. The USA is an outstanding #1 here spending as much as all the other countries combined. It is also #1 in weapon sales. Why the silence? These achievements allow them to be #1 in killing people throughout the world.
The candidates must be sick or something. A sore throat perhaps. No, that’s not possible. The US ranks #1 in spending on health care and on having obscenely rich medical insurance companies.
Hmmm, what a strange silence, not to mention the silence of their cheerleaders in the other “developed” nations.
They must be very modest.
(Tomorrow: Great Simplicity)
The angel of knowledge has a body of passion
eager to embrace nourishing information.
She has wings of truth to maintain her independence from conventional wisdom and titled authorities.
Golden intelligence whirls in her head reflecting the lessons of nature.
Don’t be fooled by the solid iron ring behind her head. It’s not a halo, but a ring of support formed by her community joined in a search for knowledge.
(Tomorrow: Strange Silence from Shouting Puppets)
Nurit’s 13-year-old daughter’s life ended an instant after the young suicide bomber’s.
The media was quick to inform everyone that General Peled’s granddaughter had fallen victim to terrorists.
They squeezed among the mourners at Nurit’s home drooling for a comment about revenge.
Nurit answered them, ”No true mother would wish this on any other mother.”
This true mother, who had been a classmate of Prime Minister Netanyahu, then pointed her finger upwards and stated, ”My government is responsibile for this. Their policies drive young men to such depths of dispair that they offer their lives and the lives of others in their desperation.”
I feel certain that Nurit Peled-Elhanan will win a place of honor in History’s House of Fame under the title:
A True Mother.
(Tomorrow: The Angel of Knowledge)
– Wow, those are the biggest lemons I’ve ever seen.
– They’re Washington lemons.
– Washington lemons?
– That’s where all the big lemons* are.
* ”A lemon” is a colloquial term for something inferior, poor quality, defective or disappointing.
(Tomorrow: A True Mother in History’s House of Fame)
I don’t go to a circus that has no clowns or to an election with nothing but clowns.
In the real circus we laugh at the clowns. In the political circus the clowns laugh at us.
Ancient rulers clapped their hands and clowns entertained them. Modern citizens tap their remote and are entertained by rulers acting like clowns.
(Tomorrow: The Big Lemons)
Sculpture by Gunilla Tyrberg, Motala, Sweden
It’s easy to feel helpless,
to be stuck in green dreams in a cell of grey reality.
Even if we are willing to give support no one wants it if we expose our impotence.
Theoretically, we can go far. Practically, we can’t even stand while crossed with doubts.
Our heads are in the right place but here’s no bottom to us.
Perhaps if we got off our pedestals and stopped looking down on everything,
we’d find ourselves surrounded by millions of people who feel helpless but who are eager to give support.
Perhaps we’d feel the strength of standing shoulder to shoulder.
We could lift our heads and become the heroes of our dreams together with all the other heroes shedding their helplessness to become a part of a reality
that exceeds our fantasies.
(Tomorrow: Circuses & Clowns)
We are the news.
We are the carriers of information.
We are the researches.
We are the distributors.
We are the flowers of the fruits of knowledge.
We are the whispers blowing on the seeds of truth.
We are the drops falling on dried hopes.
We are the rays penetrating clouds of doubt.
We are the smiles cracking the shadows.
We are the caresses encouraging ambitions.
We are the laughter breaking the chains.
We are the beauty in the life of humanity.
We are the people.
(Tomorrow: Helpless Heroes)
Everyone follows someone who doesn’t follow everyone.
One leans out from the row of conformity and takes a look around, orients itself with a personal vision.
Behind it a new row leans in a new direction.
The cold doesn’t seem so cold.
The march doesn’t seem so long.
A whisper runs along the row, ”We are on our way to meet the spring.”
(Tomorrow: Beautiful People)
The AmPol award is passed out directly after an election.
It is a one-eyed, two-faced, big-mouthed, empty-headed, promise-making, hidden-handed figure.
The one (very small) eye symbolizes lack of vision. Not only is it incapable of seeing ordinary people and victims of injustice, it is nearly blind from staring up the asses of campaign contributors.
The one face stares forward because of long hours in front of a mirror practicing smiling without smirking and looking knowledgeable despite being clueless. The second face (looking blankly to the side) reveals how simple and clueless he is.
The big mouth is his most distinguished feature. Although we can’t see the empty head from this angle, everything dropped into the head rolls right out of the mouth. It says the same thing day after day, somethings several times during the same day. A recording could do the job, but the different audiences must be given the impression that he actually gives a shit.
The arm goes up every time he makes a promise. Now he keeps it raised as it would look silly going up and down all the time like a broken mechanical dummy.
The significance of the hidden hand is disputed. Some say it hides his crossed fingers. Others claim it is taking bribes. Doctor Shrynk explained that he’s scratching his ass because his heads itches.
Thousands of AmPol awards will soon be passed out to everyone who voted.
(Tomorrow: Outside Conformity)
Not a collage. Picture of a serving tray with flower in the foreground.
When I’m 64
Will you still need me? Will you still READ me?
Will you still respect me? Or will you neglect me?
Thousands of years of struggle
Seas of sweat and blood
For you our children
We are your ancestors. This is your heritage.
Do not dishonor us.
Do not allow the treasures of our experience
to be buried under the lies of greed.
It is not an ornament.
Let it nourish you. Let it protect you.
Let it strengthen you. Let it guide you.
It is the fruit of our hard-won truths.
Those who trample on these truths
walk on the bones of your ancestors
on their way to steal your future.
Do not dishonor us.
Defend your rights.
Defend humanity!
*
__________________________________
We are approaching the 64th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
(Tomorrow: The AmPol Award)
System Humanity 