The Legacy of the Pope

"Of course there are also a very few people with genuine consciences who still call themselves Americans, but they really would be better off just calling themselves humans. Forget the national label. Let evil people call themselves Americans as they goosestep down the street for The Homeland. Patriotism is primitive tribalism. Nationalism is nothing more than collective egocentricity."
— From the freespeech.org network


Hello to everyone out there in TV land! It's been two weeks since I blogged — sorry to keep you hanging. During this time Terry Schiavo's feeding tube was removed and the Pope died. Both events provided raw meat for a bored and shallow press.

I'm not sure what to say about the Schiavo case — I mean, who really wants to die? But at the same time, what's the point of living in a "vegetative state." The husband was the legal guardian, he made the call, and it should have ended there. As for all this talk about "Culture of Life," give me a break. That is the most selectively used and hypocritical term I've ever heard.

As for the Pope, he mirrors religion as a whole — he did a lot of good, but his brutal "Culture of Life" positions will ultimately do more harm than good. Opposing condoms for people at-risk for AIDS in Africa, buying hospitals in the U.S. and then cutting off their family planning services ... well, what may seem like a Culture of Life now is really a Culture of Death. The long-term effect of human overpopulation will cause far more deaths and suffering in the long-run, yet the Pope and the upper echelons of his organization oppose ANY type of birth control.

Not to mention the refusal to ordain women — that sends out a message of ancient caveman male superiority. Nothing else. As for the glazing over of priestly pedophilia, well, I'm thinking that there may be a little problem with the entire institution.

"[The Vatican] also disseminated misinformation claiming that condoms could not stop the AIDS virus and condoned the burning of condoms in Catholic churches in AIDS-racked Africa."
— Caryl River, Women's News columnist

So, I commend the Pope for his social justice work, opposing the death penalty and Iraq war, and for reaching out to Jews and Muslims. These attributes make him a great spiritual leader. But, again, his War on Birth Control negates this good. My uncle died of AIDS in 1994, and I can tell you it is a horrible disease. And because of the Vatican's policies, many more in Africa have and will experience this horrible fate. So, when I hear the term "Culture of Life," this is what I think about. I also think about the dreadful future that our religious institutions are creating for us.

Yellow Canary

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."

Understanding Is Better Than Hating

When I get old they going to
kill me, process me, and shape
me into a McNugget and some
little kid's gonna eat me at
McNasty's.

Final Message For A While

With some major projects and traveling coming up, this will be my last entry for a couple of weeks. Before I sign off for a while, I'd like to leave a parting thought.

HATE

For most of my life I've grown up seeing the subtle hate, discrimination, and prejudice aimed at African-Americans. Sometimes it was in the form of a joke or off-handed comment. But in the last decade, targeting Blacks has been forgotten. Instead, folks have turned their prejudices on Mexicans and Muslims. Sometimes I get e-mails from people I barely know. Under the guise of "immigration reform" I often see and hear things that disrespect Mexicans. And under the name of "patriotism" I see and read hate-filled comments about Muslims.

First off, Mexico is our next door neighbor. I do not recognize human-made borders — we are all one people. If Mexicans come here to get jobs to feed their families, more power to them. Humans have always migrated, usually in search of a better life. I sometimes hear comments about the Mexicans "invading our country" and "destroying our culture." Come on, don't be silly.

In regards to radical Muslims who engage in violence, I have the very lowest regard for those who harm others. While the violence is wrong, I think it is important to study history and understand the climate that created so much hate. You have to understand how the Jews were essentially DRIVEN from Europe and had few options but to establish a state. You have to understand how the Middle East was abused and exploited by colonial powers, and how they were later used as pawns and proxies during the Cold War. You have to understand how the U.S. is viewed as a blatant hypocrite — talking about democracy while at the same time supporting Middle Eastern monarchies.

What We Need..

There needs to be more civility, more dialogue, more efforts to understand and learn about one another, and less hate. By participating in racism and prejudicism, you are only making the problems of our society worse. I urge everyone to give up the "hate" and replace it with a desire to "understand." There's been enough hate in the history of the world — perhaps it's time to try something different.

Utopia or Destruction

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN you can't find God up there?
Keep looking!" "Actually, Mr. Whipple, we can't
find ANYTHING up there. I will have to assume that we are
the only intelligent life in this Universe."


So MUCH to report since my last blog entry on Tuesday, but here are the highlights:

• New Religion - Okay, this guy in Birmingham, AL named Ford Vox has engineered a new religion, called United Universist (not related to Unitarian Universalist). This religion seems to contain elements of both Daniel Quinn and Freethinkers. On their extensive website is a passage that has become the thesis of my life:

"Universists are inspired by our evolution as conscious beings in a universe of matter and energy with nothing holding us back from eventually working our way towards utopia, or destroying everything. Universists believe that we have ultimate power and ultimate uncertainty."

• Planting Seeds - I love watching PBS in the late evenings. The specials on Black History Month are inspiring. I never realized that African-American intellectuals started planting the seeds for emancipation as far back as the 1820s. It really took several generations for the idea of "freedom" to take hold in the U.S.. Slavery was so extremely institutionalized that I'm sure both Blacks and Whites were thinking, "This is the way it's always been."

I was extremely inspired learning about David Walker (1785-1830), a Black abolitionist and idealist. I do not condone his support for violence, but I'm sure he had come to the conclusion that war would be the only way to free the slaves. The wicked institution was just too ingrained and economically viable to be given up without a bitter fight. I love how Mr. Walker published his pamphlet, titled "Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World" and then found creative ways to smuggle it into the South. When his booklets began showing up, Southern states reacted by passing legislation prohibiting the circulation of Abolitionist literature (freedom of speech be damned), and they also forbid slaves to learn how to read and write. There were threats on David Walker's life, and he was mysteriously found dead near his shop — many believed he had been poisoned.

I have been for years troubling the pages of historians, to find out what our fathers have done to the white Christians of America, to merit such condign punishment as they have inflicted on them, and do continue to inflict on us their children. But I must aver, that my researches have hitherto been to no effect. I have therefore, come to the immoveable conclusion, that they (Americans) have, and do continue to punish us for nothing else, but for enriching them and their country. For I cannot conceive of anything else. Nor will I ever believe otherwise, until the Lord shall convince me.
— David Walker, 1830 (written soon before his mysterious death)

The point of this story is that David Walker was a seed planter. I like to think that myself and others in the Sustainability Movement are seed planters too, and we have to accept the fact that it may take another 40 years before our ideas for a better future take hold — and we will never get to see this Great Awakening. We must keep doing what we know in our heart is right.

• An Engineered Oil Puppet - Also on PBS this week, I saw a documentary on the history of Saudi Arabia. Okay, the point being that 9/11 was 50 years in the making, and that Saudi Arabia was used as a pawn during the Cold War. I remember vividly as a kid the long lines at the gas pump during the 1973 oil embargo. No one ever told me the embargo was ordered in response to the United States airlifting supplies to Israel during the Yom Kippur War. And no one ever told me that the Saudi's ended the boycott after America used a carrot and stick approach (the stick being a threat of invasion). Anyway, the boycott backfired on the Saudi's because conservation measures in the U.S. reduced demand, and at the same time, higher oil prices made it viable for other nations to develop their oil fields.

But the point being, is that this whole idea of a Royal Family is bull crap — "royal" insinuates that some family is God-ordained to rule. That is nonsense. In Saudi Arabia, one family is ruling the country with the backing of our country. Just how democratic is THAT??? The family gets to be filthy rich, and the U.S. gets oil. A nice, dysfunctional relationship.

A final statement from The Canary...

Getting back to the slavery thing, WHERE WERE THE CHRISTIANS during this time? Yes, there were a few Christians involved in the abolitionist movement, but where was the VAST MAJORITY (called "Moral Majority" today)? And where were the Christians during the Holocaust? Yes, there were a noted few who resisted, but for the most part there was SILENCE and even COLLABORATION!!! So, now, it's 2005 and Christians are telling me that gays are committing sins and are EVIL, but look at the track record. Where is the credibility? For the most part they were silent on the enslavement of millions of Blacks and the murder of millions of Jews, and NOW THEY ARE SCREAMING ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE???? Talk about selective morality!

2005 Sucketh

The way my luck has been lately, I feel like Pharaoh going through the Twelve Plagues. My fundamentalist Baptist upbringing is too deeply drilled in, and when anything bad happens I can't help but think it's test. I have these crazy thoughts that God is trying to break me; to get me to conform. The lightening bolts are being thrown at me, and I am being warned to crawl back into some little country church and spend the rest of my life with my MOUTH SHUT.

It takes courage when your little world begins to splinter apart, and you have to continue the struggle regardless. My problem is that my dream of long-term sustainability runs directly head-on to the teachings of the Sunday morning talking heads, who scream about sin, destruction, and damnation until they hyperventilate. To not subdue to this authority is an act of rebellion that must be quashed. The fear of eternal damnation, the fear that a Higher Power can punish you, and the fear of just trying to hold a life together is enough to force one into conformity. Yet, fear is a poor motivator — it makes people have just enough faith until they think they earned a ticket to heaven.

As for me, I do not question or challenge the grand Creator, but I do challenge the flimsy manmade institutions that are made hollow by their own hypocrisy. How much longer I can hold out, I do not know. At what point I will drop this rebellion and reach for my religious security blanket, I do not know.

But today, I am not ready to give up. I'm not ready to quit being the Yellow Canary. The God of the fundamentalist Christian is far different than the God I believe in. My God needs no money and he does not need to manipulate people by fear, intimidation, or the bribe of a mansion and gold street. The Jesus I believe in is the rebel of the religious institutions, not the carpenter of new ones. We didn't just trade Judaism for Catholicism and Protestantism so that we can endure more petty legalism and self righteousness. We were suppose to embrace a higher ideal — something about unconditional love, not just earning brownie points to receive a bigger mansion.

I am the Yellow Canary, a lowly bird who, by his own convictions, feels it an obligation to warn others that unless we re-engineer our culture and values, then we will surely destroy ourselves. Our president is now cutting federal programs for the poor, so that he can better finance his war machine, yet we are the Christian nation that is "under God." These are sins that I cannot justify nor reconcile in my heart, and, once again, I remain mystified by the madness of my country and society.

Yellow Canary

In Memory of My Friend

Dedicated to Jim G. Hudson, who passed away
Jan. 28, 2005.

IN MEMORY...

Today I planted a tree in honor and in memory of Jim Hudson, my friend, high school classmate, and neighbor. Jim, age 44, was a loving and dedicated father and husband. He loved playing his guitar, spending time with his sons, and serving as a Scoutmaster.

The tree is a Pin Oak, which turns a beautiful red color in the fall. One thing unique about the Oak is that its upper branches reach up, it's mid branches are horizontal, and the lower ones arc down.

Last night his wife Del dedicated a star in his honor as well. She chose the star that flashed the brightest, and as we looked up into the winter night sky we could see Jim up there, looking down on us and smiling.

The Canary Speaketh

Whatever happened to peace and brotherhood? Too much
time is wasted screaming about evil gay marriage and end-time prophesy.

So, well...

Since beginning this blog in May 2004, I have followed my theme of nonviolence and environmental stewardship in nearly every post, with the exception of my first and third entries.

Ultimately, the goal of this blog and website is to promote long-term sustainability for both the human race and the Planet. I have devoted tons of writing to the roadblock that the conservative religions create in achieving my two life goals — world peace and healing the environment. I have also talked about how political groups with self-serving agendas and greedy corporations also play a roll in keeping all of us in our current, self-destructive quandary.

I believe ...

To sum up the many things I've discussed in the past nine months, I'd like to reemphasize a few points:

The Roadmap To Sustainability

• All humans must be treated equally, regardless of race, religion, etc..

• Women must be treated 100% equal to men. Women must be given opportunities and encouragement to rise in government and business.

• Gays must be treated with complete equality. Gays must have the right to marriage (you can call them "civil unions" if it makes you feel better).

• There must be universal free trade. However, trade rules should be PEOPLE and COMMUNITY based, and NOT written for large corporations.

• There should be complete free movement of peoples. I guess that lets you know how I feel about immigration. And even though it kills me to see the massive growth in my community and state, I believe we must always force ourselves to take a global approach to the extremely serious problem of human overpopulation.

• There should be universal access to contraceptives and family planning.

• Every human should be entitled to at least one warm meal a day — not necessarily through charity (which would create dependency), but rather through empowerment, education, and opportunity. If you're slobbering over a big lobster while some child in a faraway place is starving to death, then something is damn wrong. The chain of humanity has been broken.

• Democracy is a good thing and must be universal. But people must believe in it and support it, especially by putting the needs of the community ahead of personal interests. Oh, and a message to Karl and the spin doctors in Washington — you can't force democracy at gunpoint. Rather, it is a beautiful ideal that must come from the heart.

• Everyone must take personal responsibility for the world that sustains them. Decisions should be based on the needs of our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren — not our immediate gratification.

Well, this is just a start. I'm sure I've missed a few things. But the point is we are now living in an increasingly crowded and polluted world. If we continue our current course we will certainly destroy ourselves AND our Planet. Okay, I apologize for sounding negative. But this is a blog of hope — if we change our ways, and throw a ton of old baggage out the window, we can reinvent our society, culture, and thinking, and we can create a world that will be BETTER for our kids.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Loyalty

Remember, Karl Rove is God. He
engineered that whole value thing to
pull Christian conservatives into the polls.
Now he's trying to win over conservative
blacks and hispanics so that he can
finish off those damn Democrats.

And So It Is....

I am thee little rebel and I feel like I'm on to this whole grand Karl Rove conspiracy. In other countries the security forces would just blow me away in bed, but in the Western nations that's not fashionable, so I am just ignored, isolated, marginalized, and dubbed anti-patriotic. If I oppose the war, the Robot People will scold me for demoralizing the troops. This week, no doubt, it was Karl Rove who came up with the idea of higher death pay for the families of those lost in combat. Good plan. Let's perk up their morale and show them how nice their government is. In reality, it is a cheap publicity stunt and no doubt, there are plans to send our boys and girls into more offensive wars. On to Syria, on to Iran! Let us put on the jackboots, shine them up, and enjoy our conquests and glory! All in the name of oil ... no, DEMOCRACY!

Growing Up....

Just recently I've decided that I really don't like pledging to the U.S. flag. This is a shock to even me, but I am a free individual and shouldn't have to pledge my loyalty to a rogue state. Don't get me wrong, loyalty should be a given, as long as that loyalty is deserved, so I see no need to pledge.

But there is a Need for Loyalty...

I do love my country and the wonderful idealism behind it. I do love the constitution and the structure of our government. We have a good system and it works as long as people believe in it and support it. IT FAILS WHEN PEOPLE MANIPULATE AND ABUSE our system to pursue their own agendas. And we are seeing a lot of that now. There is one group of political leaders who want the United States to be the preeminent power of the world, both economically and militarily. There is another group of politicians who want to restore the "morals" of the 1950s — yeah, the years when African-Americans had to pee in separate bathrooms and used different water fountains. Yeah, that was so moral.

None of us, really, should be pushing our own agenda unless that agenda is to promote selflessness, harmony, community, and the greater good. It should not be about ME and what I believe in or what I think. Rather, it should be "how can me make things better for EVERYONE!"

So...

I will no longer pledge my allegiance to an illusion created by a handful of propagandists in Washington. Yes, I'm loyal to my country, but my loyalty to the Planet is far greater. I consider myself an Earthian, not an American, or a Eurpoean-American, or whatever. Even more importantly, I pledge my loyalty to my 6.3 billion brothers and sisters that I share the Planet with. I give my loyalty to my friends, my neighbors, my family, and to millions of strangers I don't even know. I do NOT give my loyalty to a myriad of abstract laws, traditions, and beliefs that are only designed to protect the status quo.

Now you're probably wondering, "Why aren't you giving your loyalty to God?" Well, I would like to, but if we give our loyalty to our concept of what God is, then the next thing you know, there are people committing acts of violence in the name of their God. God will be made happy by killing the infidels, gays, drug addicts, and those bad people who open their stores on Sundays. Nope, this is a slippery slope. If we can all agree that loyalty to God doesn't mean hate and violence, then I will give it.

At age 20 I was incredibly idealistic and naive. I actually thought people would take seriously that part in the Bible that reads, "Love one another."

Because That's the Way IT'S ALWAYS BEEN!

YOU Canary will change your ways and learn
to suck the corporate tit. YOU Canary will
stop asking so many annoying QUESTIONS!

WHY, WHY, WHY???

One thing I've noticed about we humans is that we are so resistant to change. We have no problem doing something that's completely dumb or boring simply because WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT! And if you do something more than twice, then it becomes a TRADITION!

Take professional baseball, for instance. For 95 percent of the game you have a picture, a catcher, and a batter engaged in some kind of duel while seven other guys stand in a field adjusting themselves. Maybe it's time for someone to stand up in the bleachers and scream, "This is really, really boring!" I mean, come on, the strikes, steroids, illegal drugs and scandals are MUCH more exciting than the actual game. But we go anyway and buy an $8 hotdog and a $4 bag of peanuts because our granddad took us to the ballpark when we were kids, and it gives us a warm, comfy feeling inside.

And then there is the tradition of gift giving at Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries. You have to use your VISA card to buy some relative a dumb gift that will end up stuffed in a closet along with all their other junk. Or you have to buy a Barbie doll for your niece knowing full well her parents make twice the income that you do. "But, oh, it's the thought that counts."

When I try to buck some of the crazy traditions in our society, I get criticized and called a scrooge or wierdo or whatever. That's because everyone is programmed to keep everyone else in some degree of conformity. You HAVE to wear a suit to church, you HAVE to buy your kids a new outfit for Easter (instead of giving that money to the poor), you HAVE to see your relatives on every holiday, no matter how much they annoy you. You HAVE to have a salad with your meal, you HAVE to put your napkin in your nap (it's good manners, you animal!). You HAVE to go to church four times a week, you HAVE to wear a white wedding dress, you HAVE to wear a cowboy hat, you HAVE to spit in a cup and not on the ground ....

Okay, anyway, the point here is "JUST BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY" doesn't mean it's the best way, right way, or even makes sense. We need to step back and question our "traditions" and decide which ones are really helpful and fruitful, and which ones are nonproductive and even harmful.

And most importantly, DON'T DO THINGS because peer pressure or "tradition" tells you to — rather do things because they are the right thing to do. How can we as a people justify wasteful, needless gift exchanging when there are millions of people who don't even get enough to eat? Have we forgotten about them? The fact is, we can never have true joy until their bellies have warm food in them, for as a humanity we all are one, and when one of us hurts, we all hurt.

Let's cut out the expensive and wasteful traditions and focus on the things that are really meaningful in life. Okay, as for baseball, if you like it, then GO to those games, but if you don't really want to go and waste all that money, then DON'T. Let someone else eat that $8 hotdog.

"But Canary, that $8 is for an entire platter that includes fries and a Coca-Cola. It's a good deal. Canary, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"