Power and the Obvious

Let's settle this right
here and now, oh ye
American.

First, an Aside

The Canary would like to interrupt his usual programming for a short rant:

I've heard a lot of discussion this past week about the two recent spats of violence: the shootings at the Federal courthouse in Atlanta and the mass murder at the school in northern Minnesota. Most of the talk has been about how we can better detect and prepare for humans who suddenly snap and turn violent. At the Easter Service I attended at church, the pastor even used these acts of violence as examples of how humans are flawed (I disagree this). So, anyway, the point being, no one happened to mention the OBVIOUS: That it was easy access to GUNS that lead to these deaths. GUNS, GUNS, GUNS! Now, out of the billions of humans on this Earth, I believe that there will always be a few rabid people that become violent. Certainly, we should address the risk factors and the root causes that leads to violence, but more importantly, we should GET RID OF THE GUNS! Now, in both of these recent cases, the mad humans would have done far less damage without a hand gun. Maybe they could have slashed one or two people with a knife, but that would have been it.

Last week there was also a lot of discussion about rising fuel prices. A few days ago, gas surpassed the $2 mark and the talking heads in the media were blaming it on investors and rapidly growing economies. Amazingly, no one mentioned the REAL reason gas prices are going up — our exploding national and global population. There are more people competing for limited resources. If everyone showed responsibility and held their family size to two or less children, the energy problem could be solved.



When talking about rising gases prices and other world ills,
the media always fails to mention this little problem.

Now Let's Talk About China ...

Well, the People's Republic of China is controlled by an authoritarian regime that operates under the guise of communism. The United States of America is run by a corporate-controlled regime operating under the guise of democracy.

Remember this: The sole purpose of power is to preserve comfort.

The elite, privileged, and wealthy of both nations — China and America — have entered into a mutually beneficial relationship that preserves the "comfort" for both ruling parties. China gets money and trade from the United States. They put their endless masses of people into workshops to make cheap products for the Americans. The U.S. corporate warlords now have cheap products to sell, and they enjoy greater profits.

Even though China is a repressionist society that deprives their citizens of basic human rights, well, we occasionally slap their wrist, but in the meantime we give them billions of dollars to buy their cheap goods. Maybe our American leaders figured that an intensive trade relationship would help avoid a war.

But we can NEVER forget Tibet, Falun Gong, and Tiananmen Square!

The power structure of China is bent on preserving their COMFORT, and for the most part the United States coalesces with the Chinese rulers for mutual economic benefit. This isn't about the people — this is about the rich getting richer and the powerful becoming MORE powerful.



Unquestionably, this is the most classic photo ever taken of
the People standing up to THE MACHINE. The peaceful
demonstrators of Tiananmen Square are among the world's
greatest heros and should never be forgotten.



A Canary brother is martyred
on June 4, 1989.


Lesson Learned ...

We think that a Tiananmen Square could never happen in the U.S., but don't be surprised. But then again, would the populace even BOTHER to hold a mass, peaceful demonstration? Well, not as long as THE MACHINE keeps them content, or screws with their minds enough.

I don't blame the Chinese government for their brutal suppression of the student demonstrators. After all, THE MACHINE was only trying to protect its POWER. What I do blame is the mass Chinese citizenry who did not come to the aid of the peaceful protesters. I'm sure THE MACHINE used all its favorite tactics to keep the rest of the population passive. They probably tried to brand the student democracy activists as criminals, traitors, etc... See, THE MACHINE is an expert at playing with people's heads.


"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

— Edmund Burke, Irish philosopher (1729-1797)

Neocons

Let's conquer the world! On
to victory!

Neocon? Neo Nazi? Is there a difference?

I've been reading a lot about Neocons the past two weeks and what I'm learning really scares me. Most frightening, when I was at lunch a couple of days ago I was behind a good ol' boy pickup truck with a bumper sticker that read: "Condoleezza Rice For President - 2008." Now that really scares me because while I would love to see an African-American woman as president, I just don't think Dr. Rice is the right candidate. In fact, her words, actions, and attitudes are that of a true Neocon. My mom says she likes Dr. Rice because she is a "Christian." So, what a great candidate the Neocons have for 2008 — someone who will attract more woman, minority, and conservative Christian voters. With her as a candidate, the Republicans might attract just enough voters to win yet another election and thus, KEEP THE NEOCONS IN POWER!

What is a Neocon, Canary?

Neocons make my feathers stand straight up. They are the complete opposite of everything I believe in. When I see a group of them gathered at a White House press conference, I can't help but see the parallels to Hitler and his inner circle. There are a lot of similarities between the Neocons and Nazis.

Attributes of a Neocon:

• Believe that the U.S. is God-ordained to dominate the world.
• Don't like the UN.
• Not afraid to use military force to advance their agenda.
• Are masters of deception.
• While screaming "values" they work toward the corporatization of the U.S. government.

A Lesson Learned

My thought for the day: "Those who have the power will do anything to keep their power." This explains the "Condi Rice for President" movement. This explains the recent nomination of Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfwitz to lead the World Bank. See, the Neocons are simply trying to broaden and perpetuate their power.

George Orwell's 1984

I read this book in 1984. Now, it's terrifying to see it all come true 21 years later.

From a recent letter writer to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Orwell described a society based on misinformation, suppression of truth, distortion of reality, calling something the opposite of what it is, and playing on fear to manipulate people's perceptions. The Orwellian society is also characterized by loss of personal freedoms, egregious intrusions into private life, and complete state control by an elite who believe they alone are qualified to lead. This describes what is happening now in America with the radical corporatization of the state.

In the Orwellian state, the basis and purpose of government is to serve the ideology and interests of the wealthy and powerful. In this country, the parallels are sobering.

Does That Surprise You, Canary?

Well, if you'll read my blog entries and web site, you'll see that I was quite freaked in 2003 when I first discovered what was going on in my country. Now, I'm used to it. It no longer surprises me to think that a group of people have taken over the U.S. government and they want to mold it to: first, re-engineer government to be the slave of corporations and second, to push their so-called "values" on the rest of the world. What they are really trying to do is make the world submissive and subservient to the U.S. and her economic interests. Rest assured, this isn't about democracy — ultimately it's about MONEY.

And it no longer startles me when Neocons play the Christian card to get the votes they need to keep "their people" in power. And it no longer surprises me to think they will find minority and female candidates to run for office to again, attract more voters.

I understand that corporate America has infiltrated our government. They have collected the best minds to figure out ways of controlling and manipulating the American people, with the primary goal of keeping them submissive.

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

But I Have Hope



The beautiful thing is that the real power is ultimately in the hands of WE THE PEOPLE. The people with the POWER will try to manipulate us and lie to us, so that they can keep us subservient. But when we get angry enough, we can go to the polls and vote them out, we can go on strike and shut down their industry, and we can go to their capital to demonstrate. When they see thousands of peaceful demonstrators in the streets, in most cases they will back down (but not always).

The recent peaceful demonstrations in the Ukraine and Lebanon have been beautiful events. In both cases, the people stood up to corrupt and unjust governments and said ENOUGH! Both mass demonstrations made positive accomplishments. As for the hippy movement and peace marches in the U.S. during the Vietnam War, again, that was a beautiful thing. The people stood up to an unjust war and a corrupt establishment and said ENOUGH!

The Canary thinks it's time to hit the streets again. The Power mongers know how to play the game better — they can do a better job of keeping us passive. But maybe not for long.

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece?"
— Excerpt from Nuremberg Diary

Drilling De Arctic

It's an ugly place, really, it is. Honest. It's not
like we can build condos there.

The End is Really the Beginning

I can't express enough my anger and exasperation over the U.S. Senate vote this week to drill the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. On National Public Radio I heard plenty of Republican Senators justifying their votes, and, well, all their arguments are STUPID. The point being, is that not hardly a word was mentioned about CONSERVATION.

See, the Senate Republicans don't mind rolling over the environmentalists and screwing the local Native Americans who live in the region, but they won't dare stand up to the auto and oil companies. After all, they are the "milk tit." And may I remind everyone that now that the Senate is packed with more Republicans, this long-time controversial issue finally passed by a vote of 51-49.

"This project will keep our economy growing by creating jobs and ensuring that businesses can expand," Bush said in a statement. "And it will make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, eventually by up to a million barrels of oil a day." — AP Wire

So, this is the usual trite Republican propaganda that has no bearing on reality. See, SURPRISE! The world's resources are finite and we can't keep growing forever. I know this is a shock to tunnel vision conservatives, but the reality of the next few decades may sober them up. The truth is, the population and economies of the world are exploding in growth and the poor oil pumps and refineries can't even keep up. This is causing oil prices to rise and the oil sucked up and sold to SUV owners will only make a small dent in overall demand.

Come on — oil demand is increasing, global population is skyrocketing, and industrial economies are expanding. What, OH WHAT do you think is going to happen?

I will tell you. The days of cheap oil are ending. So, about everything in your life is connected to oil, including the tons of plastic you throw in the trash every day. Not to mention your car, your airlines, your tires, your dandruff shampoo. OH MY GOD! We are all going to have flaky heads and have to walk everywhere.

In the next three decades we will see intense competition for the remaining oil, fresh water, food, and other natural resources. There will be wars, terrorism, mass environmental ruin, endless crowding, new diseases, and mass misery. Millions, if not billions, of people will die.

We could change our ways now and make a sharp U-turn. But the religious conservatives who now control the money, the government, the largest religious institutions, and the corporations, well, they are thick-headed and will have to learn the hard way.

To President Bush and your "base," mark my words: On March 19, 2005, I, the Yellow Canary, have warned thee. You can either heed my warning and make major changes, or you can continue living in your Business-As-Usual fantasy world.

"So, what happens, Canary? How does the story end?"

After the end of The Oil Age, the surviving humans will learn to live VERY differently. These will be mainly humans who lived in remote places and planned for this event. They will learn to live a lot more peacefully and sustainably. Technology and material wealth will mean little to them, and spiritual values will take precedence. They will discover that fulfillment in life is not about material possessions, but rather, the sheer joy of living and learning to live in communion with other animals and nature..

I would like to sum up my rant with the words of a fellow Canary named Tom. He does a perfect job of expressing my sentiments for today:

The opening of the ANWR to drilling is a sad milestone in the the history of human civilization. Please remember, however, that there is no "end of Nature."

This event symbolizes civilization's war on the rest of the world, and as they say, Nature bats last. In this case, geology plays a central role. For almost two centuries, civilization has "industrialized" using fossil fuels, and I am convinced we are now entering civilization's final phase, where cheap petroleum becomes harder to obtain and civilization's generally-accepted notion of unlimited "progress" becomes painfully naive to many.

Our leaders have no Plan B, other than to enact ever-more-desperate attempts to hoard what material wealth remains and prolong the business-as-usual. In their minds, civilization is non-negotiable, and the opening of ANWR to drilling proves this mindset.

I feel a sense of loss, but not so much for the nonhuman inhabitants of the ANWR. Eventually, the grass pushes through the cracks in civilization's abandoned parking lots; the dams are breached; the steel bridges rust. The caribou may even find their way home. I feel for the real losers: us and our heirs--especially those who have no clue about what's happening.

If you have not already done so, now is a good time to imagine what steps you'll take if our System does fail--either gradually or suddenly. And keep an eye on the news about oil prices...

He's Back ...

I'm back...

So much has taken place in the last two weeks. I'm glad things are slower now.

Me little racing mind has many thoughts:

• Making Changes. How can I expect the World to make the big changes needed for a sustainable future, when it's so hard for me to even make the little changes? Starting an organic garden and riding public transportation one day a week would be a big step toward my goal, but these things require time, and my life is full and crazy. On those rare times when I do have a free moment, I just want to go, "Ahhhh" and chill.

• The Middle East. President Bush is evolving "his story" about Iraq. Now it's a noble cause to promote democracy in the Middle East. But, you know what, I can't help but agree with him. I really do believe that democracy is a beautiful thing, but war is not the way to achieve it. However, while I disagree with 99% of the President's policies, I did like his speech today — about no longer being afraid and about the great struggle against authoritarian rule. And I am happy for the students of Lebanon who are standing up against the Syrian occupation. Maybe we should applaud those Iraqis who are standing up against the American occupation? Whoops, I know that is a bad thing to say, but doesn't the double standard just kill ya?

• Infinite Growth. So, the cover story of Georgia Trend magazine says that metro Atlanta will be up to 6 million people by 2030. Wow, that's a lot of people! The north Georgia plateau is badly overdeveloped, yet humans are going to keep multiplying and spreading their sprawl until the whole of north Georgia is gone!!!! All the country people will finally get to sell their land and make big bucks, and the developers will get new luxury cars, and the illegal immigrants will get work, but as for the residents and the environment — we are screwed. We will drown in our own excrement — our millions of septic tanks will foul the groundwater, our millions of cars and our power plants will continue fouling the air, and we will spend half our day in gridlocked traffic. Yet, couples will still continue to have three and four kids, and still won't have a clue that their family size ultimately has an impact on their quality of life. People just can't make that connection between the number of children and traffic congestion. And then there's the drunken county commissioners who take a swig from the bottle and scream, "Growth," and when their county is built out they start screaming "Quality Growth," and then in their sleep they scream, "We need more JOBS!" See, politicians just can't let go of the "GROWTH" thing. It seems to be ingrained in these leaders that growth is ALWAYS good and that it should be infinite. But look around you, damnit. You've scalped the Earth, the trees are gone, your streams are yellow and your sky is purple. That is your legacy.

• Human Existence. Hmmm, they are doing a fund-raiser this weekend to help prevent underweight births, which is the leading cause of infant death. Now, the loss a child is a horrible thing and this is a worthy cause. However, why aren't there fund-raisers for family planning? Why aren't there education programs linking family size to environmental impact? Why aren't people with seven children publicly shamed? After all, their selfishness and ignorance is, in effect, stealing "life quality" from future generations. Do you REALLY think we can all keep having millions of babies indefinitely? Do we REALLY think that resources on the Earth are infinite? Come on, wake up! And as for all these people who have "accidents," my God, it's not like you hit somebody's bumper. Accident? More accurately, I think it's a DISASTER. Yes, I love children dearly, but aren't two enough? Do you need a little brochure to read? Or don't you have the courage to get a VASECTOMY?

• Human Export. I am generally opposed to immigration reform, but I do see one reason for it. I won't name names, but there are SOME countries who have the technology and finances to provide family planning to all citizens. Yet, it's not "in the culture" so what happens is that these nations become net exporters of humans. In effect, they are the world's incubators. The United States is a recipient of several nations' excess population. When the U.S. is filled up, they will just move somewhere else — maybe Antarctica? Yes, children are cute, a joy, and help to feed the ego, but again, why can't we just stop at two???

Well, I'm just sour grapes because I came back from my trip on Sunday and found a bunch of new developments going up. For the record, those who engage in this greedy, ravenous development are murderers and rapists. They are selling out our environment and future so that they can have a second home and a boat in Florida.

"Are you feeling angry tonight, Canary?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."