The blog post came from the inspiration of this editorial cartoon in USA Today:

Since that post, there has been a lot of “Climate Change Is a Hoax” “news” coverage on wonderful news outlets like FOX.

So, they are calling this ClimateGate.  A clever pun on climate change and Watergate.  ’Cause it’s a hoax? Get it? It’s clever.  Just like O.ne B.ig A.ss M.istake A.merica.  Get it? Clever. I can’t stop laughing.

Anyways, the point of my post is to point out how frustrating it is to have all of this misinformation spread on “the most trusted news network.”

In order to avoid being libelous, in wonderful Glenn Beck fashion, i’m going to hint at something by asking a question. Glenn Beck Supports Cancer? See! I’m just asking questions! I’m just trying to get the American people to ask questions!

Okay, I get it, you took a climate change scientist’s e-mail out of context and proved it’s a hoax.  Okay, I get it, it’s cold on the East Coast (granted this isn’t NORMAL for Atlanta to have snow, or for North Carolina to have consistent weather).  Cold does not equal warm, I’m glad we passed kindergarten.  In your little world of black and white you came to the incredibly difficult conclusion that global warming does not exist.  That’s your belief.  That’s fine. Whatever.

But to those of you who oppose climate change reform, do you support cancer? You see, not only does climate change reform allow for the creation of new jobs, which I think we can both agree that this country needs, but it’s healthier.  Pollution is bad.  In fact, pollution has been shown to cause lung cancer. Who likes cancer?

So, if someone argues against energy reform/clean energy can we not ask the question: “Why do you support cancer?“

________________________

Dear Fellow Americans,

While sitting down and listening without prejudice or bias is becoming more and more difficult, this message is of severe importance.

We the people, of all colors, religions, political ideologies, and walks of life have one thing in common: we are all people. Human beings need four things in order to survive: food, water, shelter and most importantly each other.  You may not agree with the beliefs of your fellow man, but there is no excuse to treat them as if they are not human.  Every person in this world is a human being.  We are all born, we all breath, and some day we all die.

All of us are alive at this very moment You may believe in an afterlife, a single god, multiple gods, the human condition, and that is perfectly fine. Whatever your belief is, there is one thing that cannot be disputed: we are alive right now in this moment, in this life that we have right now.

The human race is doomed if we do not put aside our differences.  We will continue to fight each other over petty thoughts whilst ignoring the lurking monsters that steal our freedoms from out of the shadows. We must stop focusing on our differences and the issues that divide us and we must focus on our similarities and the problems that affect us all.

Whatever your religion, your political party affiliation, or color of your skin, we can all agree that there is something wrong in this country.  The problems in this country are not “Obama” or the words “socialism” or “communism.” The problems in this country are rooted much deeper.  While the President is an important man who can make important decisions, he can also be the scapegoat for the chaos that is unfolding in this country.

The problem dear fellow Americans, is us.  The blame does not lie completely with us because we are not as powerful as the greedy corporations that influence legislation through bribery.  This government was created as a Democracy so that the people could have a voice.  Today, we are not using our voices.  Our voices are silenced by demoralization that has pushed us into a deep political apathy, we see the injustices, we complain about them.  But for some reason we are too afraid to act.

You have a voice strengthened by freedom as written in the Constitution.  If you truly care about your country, you need to speak up. I request that you use this voice for good.  I request that you use this voice for the betterment of the humanity.  Put aside your political and religious pride whatever side you are on. Take pride in the fact that you are alive!  You are a human and that is a gift no matter who you believe is your creator.

If you are content with every single thing in this country, I hope you will reconsider your stance.  There are many troublesome issues that we are facing today.  Americans are dying both overseas and on our soil.  If your life is not stressing you out, I am envious of your position. For those of you working more than one job, I applaud you for the fact that you are still standing.  We are all hardworking Americans.  Every single one of our jobs is vital to this economy and society.  Honestly, we deserve better.  We sustain the American way of life by doing the work that needs to be done, and yet we are stepped on.  America is not the #1 country in this world.  We do not have the best school systems or lowest infant mortality rate or even good public transportation throughout most of the country.  We work hard in this country, and we deserve to have the best.
When this country was founded, it became our written duty to make sure the government was taking care of our needs.  It is our responsibility to peacefully petition the government on behalf of our grievances.  Posting on forums, chatting with your friends, and pandndosting on blogs are great ways to spread your ideas and voice your opinions. But are the right people hearing our cry?  Are we fulfilling our duty to this country by sitting idly by? Are we fulfilling our duty to this country by taking information given to us by 24-hour news networks without any sort of processing of information?

It is our duty to this country to be patriotic. A patriot is not just a hero.  Our soldiers are patriots, as are our firemen, teachers, sanitary workers, waiters and waitresses, store clerks, farmers, computer programmers, etc.  A patriot is anyone who stands up for the human right to a free and happy life.  I am calling you now to be patriots!  Inform yourselves from as many sources as possible. Process the information. Think before you speak. Most importantly, speak whenever you can.

Do yourself a favor and look at our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. It is time that we, Americans, part of this human race, keep our government and greedy corporations in check.  This should be done so this country can be returned to the people!
Money fuels our society.  But ultimately what does money get you when you are dead? I am not telling you to give away your money, unless you want to, that would be very kind and loving of you.  I’m telling you to think about how this society is run.

Money controls our freedoms.  Recently, the Supreme Court decided that corporations have the same campaign financing rights as a person. All the money in the world is not worth your freedom as a human being.

We need to say enough! We need to let the government know that the people demand to have a voice!  We need to say enough!  It is time to end greedy corporate lobbying. It is time to say this is our country.  This is a country that belongs to the people.  This is a country that belongs to hard working people that give their lives for the betterment of the country we live in.  This is a country of love, of hardship, of faith and of purpose.  This is a country that says NO to corporate rule.  This is a country by the people and for the people. We need to say goodbye to a country where the rich and powerful are in charge. We need to bring in a new era where the decision makers are those who work their hands to the bone in order to make this country function.

The people have a voice.  The people need to use this voice to let the government know that We will not be moved.  We stand for love.  We stand for peace.  We stand for justice.  We stand for liberty.  We stand for freedom. And we stand for our right to be heard.

A change needs to come.  Change will not occur with any violent action nor will it occur if we sit idle in our houses complaining. Change will only occur when we use the power that we have been given by our founding fathers. When we use the power of our voices, we will be able to achieve the change this country needs.  And we will not shut up until our voices are heard.

What we have to say is this:  We the people deserve better.  We, the hardworking people of America, deserve happy, healthy lives. We, the hardworking people of America, should be protected from financial interests influencing legislation.

While it would be ideal for one person being able to change the country on their own, real change exists when citizens work together. The President will never be able to change a country to the extent that this country needs to be changed.  It starts with the community.  Get your friends, neighbors, congregations, Sunday football crew, and anyone you can find together.  Talk about what needs to be changed in this country.  Take these community discussions to your local politicians.  This country elects officials and we elect them.  Make sure you carefully elect your local officials.  Make sure you carefully research every political position that you are voting for. Many people only care about the President on the ticket.  The President cannot change this country as one person. Organize your community, vote, and let EVERYONE know that you want this country to return to the hands of the people. If we change our communities, we can change our states.  From our states, we can change our country.

For anyone who wants to see positive change and put the nation back on the right track, here is how we can help to rebuild this country.

First, we must treat others with respect.  I know it is very hard when other people have strong beliefs that disagree with yours.  The beauty of this country is that we have the ability to discuss our issues.  However, in order to make this world a better place, we must accept that other people, as a part of the human race, are allowed to have different beliefs and practices as long as they do no break these rules. Everyone has a right to believe in what they agree with without persecution.

Secondly, it is your job as a human to live your life in the happiest manner possible.  In doing so you must not harm anyone physically, financially or emotionally.  Serving your own self-interests is not a bad thing as long as you balance it with helping your fellow human instead of harming them.

Next, you must keep yourself in check.  Everyone has bad days, but just because you are having a bad day does not mean you need to make other people have a bad day.  You try your hardest to make ends meet.  You try your hardest to love and support your family.  You try the hardest you can to live the best life you can.  Everyone else is doing the same. There is no use in getting angry with other people.  If there is an issue, I ask you to please resolve it in a peaceful loving manner be it a wrong order in a fast food restaurant or someone who insults your religion.  You must always be the better person and, in doing so, I promise you will feel much more at ease.

My fourth request is that you find time to relax.  Spend time with your family and your friends.  Spend time in a community organization.  Meet, and talk with other people.  Read a book, listen to music, watch a movie.  Take a break from your hectic lives and breath. Relax.  You owe it to yourself.

Fifth, and importantly, educate yourself as much as possible.  An education is free, at minimum, all you need is a library card. Learn about our government, learn about other governments, learn about our culture, learn about other cultures. Books are the most powerful tools that humanity possesses.  Books are more powerful tools of change than machine guns and bombs. Do not be afraid to speak your mind, though I recommend thinking before you speak.  Speak your mind, but beware there will be others who disagree with you and will speak their minds.  Do not let that dissuade you from discussing.  This brings me to my last request:

Do not dismiss everything you hear that you disagree with.  Do not take the easy way and hide from a discussion.  Listen to what your fellow humans have to say, you might learn something.  This goes to everyone. We all have different points of view, and that is what makes us wonderful.  There are logical reasons for every point of view and in order to understand and accept our fellow humans, we must listen to what they have to say and why they are saying it.  So much resistance is due to fear.  We can avoid fear by trusting our fellow man.  We can avoid fear by understanding what makes our fellow man tick.  We can avoid fear by loving those around us.  We can avoid fear by listening.

And, if you made it this far, thank you for listening. I am not a prophet, I was not sent by God, I am just a simple citizen of the human race with no religious or political ties, only a desire to make this world a better place to live in. Now, let us stop for a moment to think about where we are and where we can go from here and let us use this information, and our power as human beings, to go in peace and rebuild humanity.

A: “Why would you think I care about that?”
B: “Pull up a seat. We’ve got more than enough.”

Statement A is a statement of apathy toward some subject previously discussed. There’s a handsome actor in a full suit, his character just leaving the courtroom after an unsuccessful attempt at defending an innocent man. There’s the concerned prosecutor girlfriend opposite him, leaving her face in her hands to cover her disappointment. That character knows her apologies of defeating him before a jury of peers didn’t matter compared to the knowledge of innocent men dying in a broken system. Then the set is torn down for the next show.

Statement B is an archetype for the antiquated idea of Southern hospitality. Diabetic-level sugary tea in sweating mason jars, scents of fat and butter emerging from pie crust, and a checkered tablecloth laid over a handmade wood table all come into mind. A few exchanged smiles later, there are a few mouths full of chewed biscuit laughing over a hilarious anecdote.

Ironically, Statement A and Statement B have a lot more in common than you think.

The apathy in Statement A sounds offensive. Would it be the other person’s views, opinions, and contributions to society? Being denied personal worth is one of the greatest insults humans can give to one another. To beg, to grovel, and to plead: these are concepts as human as the short life we all possess.

However, the semantics of the sentence alone do not create the versatility of such a statement. The same question could be delivered by a child who doesn’t understand why he couldn’t play with the black boy down the block, or by a teacher who is told that a student couldn’t afford the basic supplies and makes the effort to purchase them for that student, or by a father ready to forgive his daughter for abandoning him for twelve years. The love we have the potential to share with everyone around us is bigger than the words we say. However, when we pair that care and concern for a fellow human being with fully sentimental actions, there’s little one can say to prove the inherent evil in people.

The regional-specific generosity detailed in Statement B seems as innocent as it reads. There’s some group that is seated together for some reason. Whether it’s a church group or a family, they’re gathered to take part in some ritual. A new person enters the scene and is subsequently invited to join, given the host of materials at hand.

What’s to say that person was any more or less similar to the group at hand? Given the righteous stereotypes and superstitions applied regularly to the Southern people, words like wetback and nigger and bum and faggot and chink and bitch and slut and dyke and kike aren’t too far out of their vernacular reach. Fag drags, pick-a-nits, and the ol’ number six are in the repertoire and they haven’t gotten rusty in these later years.

POLITICAL CONTEXT

Yet, the 163 police agencies in Alabama, covering over two million people, reported a grand total of eleven incidents of hate crime in the whole year of 2008. The sixty agencies in Mississippi (three quarters of a million people covered) claimed a total of four incidents. 303 agencies in Oklahoma (over three and a half million people covered) claimed a total of fifty-one incidents. Georgia took the initiative to cover hate crimes to heart. Their six (yes, one two three four five six) agencies covering half a million (of its 9,685,744 people in 2008) reported all of nine cases.

In comparison, Rhode Island’s forty-eight agencies (covering a little over a million people) reported thirty-five incidents, more than Alabama and Mississippi combined.  Connecticut’s 101 agencies (covering a little over three and a half million) reported 164 incidents, over three times the Oklahoma count with less population covered. North Dakota slacked in this department, only covering 601,000 of its 641,000 citizens. It reported a mere sixteen cases, only about double of Georgia’s total tally. And as we know, the people of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and North Dakota are certainly not welcoming of outsiders. They could learn something from Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Georgia.

Sadly, if we were to ask what each of these Southern states would have to say in failing to comprehend the importance of reporting hate crime in America, there would more than likely be a common response:

“Why would you think I care about that?”

Hate Crime Statistics, 2008: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_12.html
US Census Population Figures, July 2008: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004986.html

With drug store sentiments,
MB

– Kurt Vonnegut

Many reputable scientists say global climate change is real.  First of all, to clarify any potential confusion, let it be stated that “global climate change” is politically correct and “global warming” is not (some are using this year’s record-breaking cold winter as a valid argument against global warming, granted they are most likely not the most scientifically minded “journalists”).  We should not be worried about the earth heating up, rather we should be worried about another ice age.

There is a lot of criticism from the right, as there always is:

Obviously the two women Sean was discussing the issue with are of the highest level of intelligence and have the most qualifications to speak critically of such an issue.

Aside from FOX News’s desire to drive this country into hell and the fact Big Oil is paying off people to lie about climate change, so what?

So what if it is a lie.  So what if it is a hoax. Who cares? Why are people complaining about it? Global Climate Change or not we should still be taking care of our environment. If pollution really isn’t causing the climate to change, it is killing us and it is killing wildlife.

The right-wingers using the Bible as a political argument should know better! If religion and politics are doomed to be the continuing future of this country let me bring up one point. Genesis chapter 1; verses 26-30:

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

It is there in that little book. If you, reader, believe in God, then (s)he put us in charge of this earth to replenish and subdue it. God didn’t tell humanity to destroy the Earth. God told humanity to take care of earth. I don’t care what anyone’s faith is. Personally, I am not a Christian but I still believe we have a duty to take care of the world we live in.

Continuing on:

To some, Climate Change might a big issue. Its existence is arguable (though, not really, it’s actually pretty clear), but what is not arguable is the fact that our oil-dependent society is the cause for all of our current problems.

Few people give Jimmy Carter the credit he deserves for predicting the failure of our current situation.  Jimmy Carter proposed a radical idea that would have lifted our oil-dependency on the Middle-East.  So what happened? Regan ignored Carter and the rest is history. Osama warned us to get out, we didn’t so 9/11 happened.

So if anyone is to blame for the war in Iraq or 9/11 it is the Regan administration.  Jimmy Carter gave this country a huge warning only to be ignored.

This world has the technology for clean cars (there is an air powered car in development now) and we had the technology for electric cars before they were powered by oil.  Oil provided a simple solution to make cars go faster, so we threw away any potential for researching more efficient electric cars and went with oil.  Any time new technology comes up for clean energy cars, the oil companies run campaigns to smear and destroy the ideas.

Oil companies would be smart to stop defining themselves as oil companies and define themselves as energy companies.  They would be able to make money if they just switched over, but instead they continue a business model that is stubborn and greedy.

I don’t care if someone thinks Obama was born on another planet or if they think that “the gays” are going to “corrupt our children.” Whatever, those are issues that people can agree and disagree on all they want, but taking care of the earth is an unarguable responsibility of the human race. If we don’t take care of the earth, we will die at either our own demise or by the hand of mother nature as she rids herself of a pest.

Okay, that was the only valid point.

Anyways, I tried to have a reasonable discussion about how the word “socialism” is not bad and how we need to make sure more money goes to the education system.

I was banned.

I guess I crossed a line somewhere. I guess I shouldn’t have said “Jesus was a socialist.”  That probably threw them over the edge. Oops.

Don’t let this holiday season stress you out.  Relax, Christmas dinner does not have to be perfect, but your love for others does.

In a perfect world we’d all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room

So join the struggle while you may
The revolution is just a t-shirt away
Waiting for the great leap forwards

-Billy Bragg

This country has a multitude of problems. But that statement is true for all countries.  However, the problems would be much less severe if we properly stood up for ourselves to preserve our human dignity.  Saying “I don’t want any taxes!! Too many taxes!!” is probably one of the most ignorant things one can say when protesting the government.  Taxes will always exist.  A government cannot function without them. If your house catches on fire, do you want to have to rely on privatized fire departments and in turn pay a lot of money to save your burning place of residence, or is that socialism?

The real problem is that government spending is poorly managed.  Times are so bad that we need to pay for the baggage that we carry on to planes, yet the FAA spent $5 million on a “conference” that was really an excuse for management to get drunk and silly. This is five million dollars that, if the budget was properly managed, could have gone elsewhere.

If the FAA has millions to blow on a conference party, then maybe they should not be allocated as much funds.  Maybe, just maybe, our tax money should go to other areas such as education.  With $5 Million, each state’s education system could have $100,000 for their schools.

Education is a big issue in this country since few people are passionate about a good education.  Whenever a school’s budget is suffering, programs get cut (such as arts, sciences and social studies) because as far as passing the end of year tests and SATs are concerned, nothing is more important than math and English.  Don’t get me wrong, both math and English are incredibly important, however, in order to have a well-rounded education it is necessary to include programs that inspire creative thinking, expression, and a desire to know the rights that this country provides. Could you pass this 1954 civics test?

So you've done your homework, I'm assuming, and you are saying that you do not want medicare?

As I said before, I have non problems with people finally standing up to protest what they believe in.  In fact, I highly encourage it.  Just, make sure you do your homework and put a bit of thought into what you are protesting.  This government needs to make sure that agencies are not spending money on unnecessary things (the war would be a good obvious example).

It is our responsibility to keep this government in check.  America is a democracy, we need to make sure this is known throughout the country.

On a similar note, there needs to be a discussion of what is really a political issue.  Abortion and gay marriage are non-issues.  They deal with religious beliefs and it is not the country’s job to make sure legislation fits with Christian morals.  Personally, I believe these non-issues are an excuse that prevents the public from focusing on actual issues such as poor government spending, a terrible education system and poverty.

Let us look at poverty for a second:

This Is Poverty In America. Yes... We have it.

We claim to be a country that is better than so many others.  We claim to be a rich, powerful country.  Really, America is just place to live with the powerful and political ignoring the real issues within as to maintain a positive image.

These real issues need to be tackled before we go back to the never-ending moral debates of non-issues that, if both sides had a calm, realistic and humanistic mindset, can be solved in a day.

It is time we, as the people of America, stand up and educate ourselves.  It is time we stand up for what is right. It is time we stop ignoring the real problems at hand.  It is time for us to join the human race.

Many people are disappointed with Obama right now.  It has been a little over a year since he was elected into office with promises of hope and change.  The politically ignorant continue to spread lies about how the government works and “death panels.”

One of the biggest problems we’re facing in this country is lazy activism-also known as complacency.  We give the president too much power, rather-we think that the president has all the power in the world and thus we assume he can achieve anything.  The president is in one branch of three branches of the American democratic government.  He is not a grand wizard put on this world to wave his magic wand and make everything better.

Not the President of the United States of America

There are many problems in this country, but none as negatively influential as ignorance and complacency.  The crazy, ignorant right are actually going out and stating their grievances.  Granted they are terribly misled and have absolutely no idea how the government really works, but at least they are getting off their couches and taking a stand.

The lazy, complacent left voted Obama in, claiming that he is the new American messiah. Obama put a lot on his plate, and the previous administration left him with a lot to deal with.  Hope and Change are possible.  They become impossible when people assume results will be immediate and without any sort of struggle.  So when the going gets rough, the lazy left just drops out.

Also not the President of the United States of America

While the conservatives are annoyingly spreading misinformation and trying to reboot the McCarthy era, the complaining liberals are just as annoying.  Stop complaining about Obama from your couch.  If you are upset about an issue a) find out who is involved with the issue b) contact your Senators and Representatives c) get out on the streets and yell, inspire and exercise your First Amendment rights for the sake of your fellow man.

A democracy is a government for the people by the people.  We elect the people who make decisions.  Learn about these people before you elect them-and I’m not just talking about the president, there is something called a Legislative Branch.  Where is the healthcare issue stuck?  Well it’s not stuck with Obama because we know he wants a public option.

So stop being lazy, get off your couch and make this country a democracy.  You complain about the government interfering with your life too much? Government too controlling?  Well that’s because you don’t do jack for this country.  Voice your opinion and take action.  I’m tired of watching the citizens of this country let major ideas get shot down because they’re too lazy to say what they want.

The president cannot change this country, that is up to us.

Kurt Vonnegut was born on this day, November 11th.  Also known as Veterans day or the day formerly known as Armistice day.  Not only was Kurt brilliant an influential to literature and society, but he knew what he was talking about.

We may glorify Veterans day where we pay our respects to those who fought in our wars.  I respect our troops and those who have served our country, but to view war and death and raise it up may seem honorable, but let us go back to Armistice day.

Armistice day glorifies the beauty of peace.  As Vonnegut said in “Breakfast of Champions,” it was when millions of people stopped killing each other.

While you are remembering and showing our veterans respect, I challenge you to also think about the implications of an Armistice day.  Let us try to bring back the term, because remembering peace is better than remembering war.

Happy Birthday Kurt Vonnegut.

Let me say that again. God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.  Mankind has never been great at following rules and it seems that we enjoy breaking this simple rule.

You might be a conservative, republican, atheist, christian, prostitute, or an illegal alien.  You might be none of the above, you might be all of the above.

There is one thing in this world that we know, can prove, and cannot argue against:

We are all human beings on this planet for a limited amount of decades that does not normally exceed a century.

Everyone has their own spiritual, political and moral beliefs.  But nothing is more basic and logical than the idea of treating your fellow human being with respect.  There is no such thing as entitlement.  We are all here in this world.  Some people are just luckier than others.

You can die with as many toys and awards that you want to, just know that you’re going to die.  And after that-unless you are one of the very rare world changing individuals-no one will care about you.  Because you’re dead.

Harsh? Yes.  But life is harsh.  Deal with it.  And do yourself a favor, be nice to everyone you meet, respect your fellow human and realize they are in the same harsh world.  If you make it easier on everyone else, they’ll make it easier on you.

It’s plain and simple.  Just don’t be a dick.  Is it really that hard?