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Fred Hampton was murdered by the Chicago Police in cold blood in his bed with his pregnant Lady beside him...He was an activist, a father, a Black Panther, a man. He paid with his life for helping the poor. Although Hampton lived and died in Chicago, Mos Def recounts that, as a child in NYC, it was the Black Panthers that ensured he and thousands of other low-income children had a free breakfast before school...something I want for my own children. Read about the vandalism and the burning of Black Panther medical clinics by the police...it is mindblowing...Peace and much love...
Well it is Christmas Day in Vancouver. So another is here and almost gone. I'm sitting in my living room in our little apartment looking out the back door, and it is so still and white and frozen. In this Christmas Season and Chanukah season there are still people on the streets begging for money and a place to live. As I ponder the entire reason for Christmas, I can't help but realize the irony of the richest country on the culturally richest day for Christendom the poor are just trying to catch a break. What would Jesus do? He would make sure the poor were taken care of, he would make sure education was a priority, and he would make damn sure people did not go hungry. I am thankful I live in Washington. People here are far more conscious on the poor, far more focused on education, and far more conscious of the need for a social safety net for its most vulnerable citizens. Far more than the Christian South. I cannot help but rail against the bullshit in the religious south, as it has proven itself to me to be time and again unconcerned with the real tenants of what Jesus taught, it is a region in the country that is poverty stricken, but ironically, hates the poor. Go figure. Another thought: Regardless of your religious affiliation, or your beliefs regarding God, or Jesus, or any other religious figure, Buddha, Mohammed, etc., one has to admit, when his life is studied, when his teachings are studied, that Jesus had some great ideas regarding society. Whether one chooses to follow Jesus is their own business, and as I grow as a person, and question, question, question, I realize that Jesus' teachings and the church in the United States couldn't be further apart.We need a systemic change in the US, one that focuses our resources not on hate and war, but on the people, on education, on well-health management rather than the colonizing aspirations that we have focused on in a post empire, post colonial world. For all of my concerns, I am grateful for several things:Chelsea and I have been in contact, my beautiful little dark haired baby girl, a woman now, (I remember when she was just three months old, and she contracted a viral pneumonia, with her little bitty self in a croup tent, and her little self when she was a little older and toddling around, with her long hair and beautiful voice and eyes...*sniff*) I've missed her so much, conversations with her are going very well, and her mother and I have lain to rest old animosities, and we are speaking too. We are going to go down there when Chels has the baby, (I am so excited to be a Granpa, Kell is too), and will probably stay with her and Chels and Lace. I never thought I would have April as one of my T-Mobile My Faves, but there you go.I have been talking to Lacey, which is also a miracle in its own right.Although he has not been back in contact, dialogue between my oldest son and me have been opened, I cannot wait to discuss varying social philosophies with Trent, as well as religion, health welfare, etc. It appears he and I would have plenty to discuss, quite a bit in common, and if I may be so bold, we'd have a damn good time discussing such issues.And I am grateful and thankful to April for letting me into her and the kids lives...I have been in contact with my son Hunter, at least I think it is him, and from the contact back from him via MySpace, I can only assume it is him, as it sounds like me at a very pissed off 13 years old. And I'm not mad about that!And, of course, I have my beautiful Lady Kelli, my precious son Jakob, a warm place, food to eat, Mosey, Eden and the Cat, and the prospect and possibilities of success before me.I have missed all of the kids through the years, and this is another motivating factor for me to see reform in the colossal fuck up called Child Support Enforcement. I do hope some people go to jail over this incredible debacle, and you can rest assured that I will do my part to hold individuals accountable for any corruption, theft, or other chicanery that has resulted in harm to my children, to me, and to all the other families that have been used as economic pawns to line the pockets of private collection companies, as well as attorneys, judges and legislators. I wanna see some bodies twisting in the wind. I'm angry, and I have awakened.I have many things to be thankful for, and they are all duly noted. I do believe, however, that the work in the United States is far from over, the election of Barack Obama is perhaps just the beginning. The trickle down economic theory which has brought this country nearly to ruins, (and ruined other nations) is still being preached as gospel from the meeting rooms of Congress and state legislatures to the corporate boardrooms, to the pulpits. One of the solutions? Tax the shit out of the rich. I currently do not have but a small voice. However, it is gaining in depth, breadth, and resonance. So listen up corporations! You can bet your ass companies like Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Kaiser Permanente, Pfizer, and ExxonMobil would be paying about 80 percent and they would not be making billions off of the backs of the poor without giving back, and giving till it hurts. I pay an enormous percentage of any disposable income of mine in taxes at the check out line at the store, at the gas pump, and restaurants, etc. As do all of the people in the United States that currently have a low income. Taxes that are not refunded, and I want a fucking return on MY investment. Change must be made in this country, I'm going to see to it. Peace and love, Searchers, blessings in this coming new year, Hasta Siempre-Mike
I wanted to post a comment I made on a website the other day:
I'm supporting Barack as a result of observing the
Church in the United States for 18 years. The Christan Right have completely
abandoned the teachings of Jesus. It says something about a Christian Sect and
political party that is against health care for children and million of others.
That rejects the basic tenant of caring for the poor. The Right has become
extraordinarily arrogant, callous, divisive, and hateful. None of these traits
Jesus displayed or advocated. In McCain and Palin we have proven liars and
frauds. Palin is a complete fraud in the traditional definition, but quite
genuine in the psycho definition. Having voted Republican for 21 years it is
safe to say I will never vote Repub again. The right couldn't care less about my
family and me.Peace! Obama '08http://www.mikesearches.blogspot.com/
Also, this comment make a beautiful statement courtesy of "J" a blogger that posted a comment on thefieldnegro:
"...This will be the true legacy of Reaganism:
hijacking the Republican party from the Goldwater standard of conservatism and
turning it over to the Christian Right (there's an oxymoron if I've ever heard
one). Somehow they've got socially-conservatives thinking that this election is
about women's rights, and marriage. This has and always will be a matter of
class warfare. To paraphrase GWB because he said it best: his base is the "haves
and the have-mores." Every American should open up their checkbooks and savings
account ledgers and ask themselves if you think he was talking about
you."
Just five days left. I hope we can get the trickle down theory finally put to rest. It does not work.
Peace-
Mike
Wow. What a week. This is an identity crisis, an ideological abortion if you will, for the free market Capitalists. Ya know, I was raised by staunch Republicans. I remember my mother getting pissed as hell when I brought up a commercial during the campaign season of 1979/80 that suggested Ronald Reagan did nothing for California. I was just a kid then, so I didn't thoroughly comprehend the enormity of the situation. Reagan ushered in a new era of deregulation and free market free for all that could afford it, with the backing and advice of the Nobel winner Milton Freidman.What a nightmare. The United States is facing a socioeconomic crisis akin to what other nations have faced in the past, largely with the pressure from the US, the World Bank, and the WTO. It is time to wake up, fellow citizens of the United States-the greed and disdain for your fellow American comes with a price. I compared the current situation on Wall Street to a Heroin addict needing another shot. One could arguably apply the analogy of the Alcoholic and hangovers to the current situation. This free market unfettered Capitalism has resulted in a drunken free for all by the right wing, the Christian right, and big business. And now the headache and shakes are kicking in. Let's throw out the principles of the past 30 years.Yes I know it's gonna hurt, and your chest is going to feel like it's being ripped open, but that's what happens when your ideology is proven to be a joke. Kinda like the way reality came crashing down to me when I realized right wing Christianity was actually completely antithetical to Jesus actual teaching. I cannot purport to be an expert in Jesus' thought, but just by skimming over the New Testament one can discern that Jesus was not a Capitalist. In fact, he advocated social justice and welfare, something that is denied by the Right wing Christians. He even advocated paying taxes. You see, he's a lot smarter than the dumbass rednecks that have hijacked the Republican party and injected their Klan-like (yes I said Klan, AGAIN) Christianity in the public discourse. (Sidebar-I voted Republican/Right wing Christian for the past 21 years, but I am going to rectify this and do my penance for the rest of my life. I apologize.)The only good thing that has come out of the past 30 year nightmare that we've been dealing with is the realization that Ronald Reagan's policies and that of the Right have utterly failed. And I mean failed. Hello? Are you listening? UTTERLY FUCKING FAILED.I'm not necessarily happy about the situation, but you have to admit with the nationalization of AIG and Freddy and Fannie, there is a sort of poetic justice...We need a systemic change in the United States, as well as an impeachment trial for that piece of shit Cheney and George Bush. Let's put them in prison. I know I'm going to get flack for this, but Saddam Hussein was a bigger man than George Bush or Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft,(fucking Ashcroft what a dink), Gonzales, etc. Can you imagine GWB going to the gallows? He'd have a heart attack before the rope could be put around his neck, and his utter disbelief at the situation would put him down before the executioner could do his job. (I remember his daddy, GHW Bush-"I'm the president of the United States! I'm not going to eat any goddamn broccoli!") What a joke. Let's wake up, A-merry-ca, and lets throw out these right wing pieces of crap with their disdain for their fellow countrymen and women and make sure they cannot harm the country any longer, and make sure they have no pension, health insurance, or life insurance, or any of the socialistic perks they have enjoyed while they vote against the same for me, my family, and yours.Peace and love, Searchers, we are standing on the cusp of history, let's not fuck it up.
I know you have been following the news, Searchers, with the Wall Street capitalists going to Congress to get a decidedly socialist bailout.
At best I have to question the right wing and Bush's Freidmanite economic policies ( as well as judges and police officers) instructing me to have "personal responsibility" and then going to Congress for a handout when we have veterans living on the street. When I can't get health care and afford my books for a mere three classes at a community college. When $1861 monthly gross pay for a family of three disqualifies the family for food stamps. Who can live on that in this society? But these right-wingers and capitalists want to slash all social programs, abolish the Dept of Education, and take away funding for education. What would Jesus do, Capitalist? Pay attention to the book of Acts particularly the account of the Apostles setting up a social welfare system to ensure people less fortunate could be helped out, eat, and live with some dignity.This is precisely what I want for me and my family. I don't have a rich daddy that throws out thousands of dollars for me and has clout to get me into a top-notch university. But I am intelligent, capable, with a vision. Why do people like Bush and the Christian Right want to take away opportunity from me or my wife or my son? Or deny millions of people health care, funding for education through the advanced degree stage, as well as the support system to succeed?
When the state of Washington steals 51% of my gross pay for child support, then tells me paying child support cannot be an income determining item when applying for social programs. Despite the fact that as a cook in these restaurants top pay is $14 an hour,(I don't make that much) and after taxes and the child support hijacking leaves me and my wife and son a mere $4 an hour to live on. What the fuck?
I have said this before and I will say it again. We need a systemic change in the United States, and TRICKLE-DOWN ECONOMICS DOES NOT WORK. It is time to oust this Capitalist system, and find a fix. To think a fully deregulated economy-one with no oversight- will have no repercussion (as history teaches in countries such as Chile), in the US as it it did in Chile (when you destroy people's rights and take away their ability to function, when you destroy social programs and give the nation over to corporate greed) is to ignore history as well as the majority of the voters' desire.We need to take our country back from the policies of greed and disrespect of our fellow human being that Milton Freidman advocated and Ronald Reagan adopted.Capitalism and it's dependence on profit and selfishness has proven itself to be a detriment on society akin to historical Communism.Peace-MikeP.S. We need a systemic change in the United States.
