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Open Letter to My Fellow Americans
Dear fellow Americans,
I hate to be rude
But you seem to be sticking your head in the sand
I think you're missing something
You might want to pay a little attention
You might want to look behind you
The authorities have been saying that everything will be okay ... But you might want to question authority
Those running our government are a little unclear on the concept
They've assumed the economy, environment and society are self-sustaining ... but that's not true:
For example, unless the government starts doing the things which will heal the economy, the economy will tank worse than in the Great Depression.
Unless the government stops allowing bee-killing products like genetically modified foods and dangerous pesticides, the environment (including our food supply) will collapse.
It is time to stop living like a nation of young brothers believing
that God or the "unseen hand" of capitalism will make everything right for us (If there is a God, he wants us to be his hands in the world and fight against injustice; and even the father of capitalism - Adam Smith - did not believe in a magically benevolent market which operates for the benefit of all without any checks and balances).
It is time to stop living like a nation of young sisters who believe
that daddy government will make sure that we all ride into the sunset and live the
Hollywood, happy ending
It is time to grow up and take responsibility for our own destiny.
Remember
the story of the guy who is in a flood? He prays to God to save him.
Then a neighbor shouts from his rooftop "Here's a rope -- grab on!".
The guy responds "no, God will save me". Then someone in a rowboat
rows by shouting "get in!" The guy responds "no, God will save me".
Finally a helicopter flies by, but the guy waives it away, saying "no,
God will save me". The guy drowns and goes to Heaven. St. Peter says
"why are you here?" The guy responds "I was waiting for God to save
me!" St. Peter said "we sent you a rope, a rowboat and a helicopter
... what were you waiting for?!"
We can't be like this guy.
We've got free will, intelligence, imagination, a mouth and ears to
communicate with, and hands to work with.
If we don't use them
to solve our problems and create a better place to live in, we will be
like the guy who drowns in the flood.
It is time to grow up and
take responsibility for ourselves. WE have to figure out what we as a
people and a nation want, and how we are going to get there.
Grow up or blow up: its our choice.
No one is going to do it for us. Our government is broke beyond repair.
Our politicians are too corrupt and incompetent to help us. It doesn't
matter which party is in power. They won't and can't fix anything.
We are the ones we've been waiting for.
- advertisements -
Linky?
I have read this long ago - but not so long and complete.
Oh... please...linky...
I will check back.
P.S. The proper title did it. But your link would still be appreciated. thx
Hang in there Brother - have dnoe similar to my parents, but they literally believe their country wouldn't purposely be evil towards them. Even though there are more smoking guns than the Alamo, it's normalcy bias to a degree, but also brainwashing. Keep providing them info that way you can at least sleep with a clean conscious knowing that you tried.
Also: Ellen Brown's rebuttal to Gary North's critique.
http://webofdebt.wordpress.com/questions-and-answers/response-to-gary-north/response-to-gary-north-2/
WW - fascinating post and thank you for the link. I have heard/seen rumors/proof of this "Bankers Manifesto", as I said, for ten+ years. The story had it that the original docs were carefully destroyed - begging the question...
And, of course, there is the conveniently transparent talk in the current doc. Oddly forthcoming...
Regards the parent: I had to sell my house and move in with my widowed mum to be sure she'd be safe (long in advance of the downturn and early enough to get gold at a good price).
Slowly she's accepted facts. Slowly we prepare. Slowly we build the fortress of stores.
We will never be prepared enough.
Regards What am I doing/waiting for? Firstly, I must care for those I love. Since they are still living in the old paradigm I must accept their need for protection from direct fire: hence, collecting factual archives and knowing where the bodies are buried. Secondly, I prepare myself for the fight - of ideas and the physical presence - once they are safely stowed in the next world (and am happy to bask in "normalcy" until that event: After all, there's no going back post-"normal"). Lastly, be resolved to lose your life.
If "freedom is another word for nothing left to lose" be prepared to lose all in order to be free to fight.
The last one is the hardest.
Peaceful Sunday,
i.
A peaceful Sunday to you as well.
Mortar servants.
Great images/Vids GW
apart from that the rest of your (collectivist idealist nationalist enviromentalist Governmentalist) article was complete bollocks
...i can't see you returning from Planet Uranus to Planet Reality anytime soon (they don't allow hysterical people on the space craft) but there's always hopium
I might not agree with all your sentiment, but I sure found them hilarious.
Strawman
Great! You've actually found a way to grow food (fruit, vegetables) without pollination?
Let's hear it?
This arguement always bothers me... Just so you know, Bees aren't, and never were the only type of insect to pollinate most plants - There is a HUGE variety of different flying, crawling and hopping insects that also perform this task including Ants, which are in no danger of going anywhere.
Nectar is a very concentrated source of energy, so it has broad appeal - If Bees go away in a meaningful capacity it will lead to maybe a few years of a problem, but the other species still around aren't going to just let that energy go to waste, so the job will get done.
People get it in there head that THIS IS THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND THIS IS THE WAY IT MUST ALWAYS BE but the reality is that nature is an incredibly diverse, robust OPPORTUNISTIC and REDUNDANT system where all the participants act in what they deem to be their own best interest (most energy, least work, highest chance of survival)
Lots of things to get all excited about, but honestly this ain't one of them. Of course, it would be great if we'd stop killing bees (and humans for that matter) but I'm a realist.
+1
Someone get's it. Only completely man-made systems are "optimized" so far, until there is little to none robustness and redundancy left.
No, you're not a realist.
The sad truth is that this system that supports us, IS COLLAPSING. I have to limit my answer, because of time, but will adress your point:
Of course "nature" is robust. However the systems "nature" comes up with to counter the pesticides and genetically modified mono cultures, are not benign to us or other mammals (livestock that feeds on it).
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/us-monsanto-roundup-idUSTRE71N...
http://www.vimeo.com/22997532
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/newPathogenInRoundupReadyGMCrops.php
What do you think will happen when they have full control of the market? It's a monopoly (global, when europe's last vestiges of resistance are overcome) with the help of.... revolving door politicians. http://www.i-sis.org.uk/EU_Regulators_Monsanto_Glyphosate_Toxicity.php
It's the same "revolving door" policy as in the financial markets: Former Monsanto executive Michael R. Taylor is now head of the FDA. Whatever it is (corporatism), it's not healthy, competative capitalism.
Their product is as nefarious as their business model: it is exclusive, because alternative (original natural) systems are destroyed, through lateral cross contamination the GMO plants end up in the non-GMO foodsupply, "terminator" genes in the plants prevent hoarding and development of seeds, and through horizontal gene transfer organisms (livestock, human beings) that feed on the GMO, these take on part of the PATENTED genetic makeup, since the process of gene splicing introduces gene instabillity. This prompted the possibillity for court cases; since then the wellbeing of the livestock is then part of Monsanto's ownership and thus responsibillity.
Think I'm guessing? Do your own research! THIS is in my opinion the real revolution of our time.
And the hopium of "it's going to be ok, don't worry" is uncalled for, and in my opinion, just as dangerous as expecting Ben Bernanke and Goldman Sachs to solve all our "problems". Though it's not on your radar, it is important. I think your radars are defective. You've missed this.
In other words, it's going to be a huge mess, very, very soon, and no one bats an eye.
I'm aware of all of this, I've been reading GW for a long time and worked in a related industry for the last 5 years. I am aware of all of this.
I just have faith that unsustainable systems eventually fail because they are unsustainable, and that we're about to end this current period of history in a dramatic unravelling that makes whatever plans monsanto or any government or really anyone at all has largely moot because the system that supported it (fiat currency, centralized control in all walks of life) is gone.
And more importantly, I'm taking and continue to take steps to remove myself and those I value from the system, so when it comes down we get the thunder not the lightning.
As I said, I am a realist.
Of course I agree with that. I'm making plans to remove myself as well.
Two things you've missed IMO:
1. We'll go down with the unsustainable system, as a species, because soon we will rely for our basic food on the GMO of Monsanto and in lesser importance; Dupont. The scope of this second "green" agricultural revolution is enormous. It's not on anyone's radar, except perhaps a few, like GW, a few scientists, and some crusty environmental activists. Which doesn't mean they're "crying wolf"; rather the opposite.
The blowback of a breakdown in food production will be unpredictable and could be devastating. Like said, it's another straw on the camel's back. The answer is of course diversification and decentralisation. However; both the European Commission and the US Gov. are moving in the opposite direction (of monopolisation of the free market). I hope that the financial crisis will cause a complete breakdown, before these two can execute their plans. I think it's the only hope, paradoxally, of the western civilisation to survive, in it's present state.
2. Since it's global, there are not many places to run. I'm looking at an island but when there's mass hunger, those that removed themselves, with their assets (seeds, water, arable land, alt. energy) will be sought out, and forced to "share". So I think it's a better strategy (which doesn't exclude the former) to try and deal with the problem at present. Even if the odds are not good and the sheeple fast asleep.
Of course if all else fails, we could start eating dirt. I heard the mud-pies from Haïti are delicious.
Global problems require local solutions - It's a little late to be planning though.
Good luck to your and yours
Here's one "solution": http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13052
Nah, I've been planning this for a while, the shiny metal will be my bargaining chip. There is still time for me, since I'm not in the US of A, but you're right it's quite late. I will make my move this year. The key is mobillity, since things can change rapidly in the near future. Where I am now, I'm relatively safe.
Thank you, for the discussion, and to you, and yours, the same.
Paper, you miss the point.
There are many crops which depend on bee colonies being transported to where they are to pollinate them (e.g. almonds).
No pollination, no crops. No crops, demand for other food sources goes up, as do prices.
While not a doomsday scenario, it's another straw on the camel's back (with the possibility of it becoming a bundle of straws).
Smaller communities which don't monoculture will be fine though (IMO).
...And for what it's worth, trucking beehives around the country feeding them garbage continuously was a stupid plan from day one, talk about your ultimate non-sustainable systems lol.
This is exactly my point. Monocultures only exist now because our current oil/agri production model makes them appear efficient. Efficiency is great, but by definition it comes at the expense of redundancy. Redudancy in this system is nature's way of saying "Well if that plant/animal/insect/whatever stops doing that job, and collecting that reward, that means there is an opportunity for me to do it instead, and recieve more pay than I would just doing what my niche deemed for me before, therefore my niche grows to occupy that other one and I can have more offspring as a result, therefore I win life." ad infinum
You'll notice in my first note on this topic I said "a few years", and that's what I meant. Never did I claim this would be a painless event, nor did I claim there would be no casualties resulting from it - I said that it wouldn't be the end, not for humans, not for anything
If it was me making the choices, we'd just leave it all the fuck alone because this shit works itself out much better than when we try to manage it.
Vacuums want to be filled, and will be filled.
Mr. Washington often writes stories that offer layers of perception. Peel one open sometime. You will learn much. You might consider studying science so you understand the basic concept of what is being said. Alternatives to pollenation by bees indicates a dying ecology, do you understand yet?
Good point. So then, the loss of reserve status of the British Pound resulted in a complete vacuum of reserve currency, never to be filled again - Right? After all, alternatives to the GBP indicate a dying monetary paradigm, do you understand yet?
Yeesh, all this dying ecology nonsense is just that - nonsense. When the current governmental/petro-agricultural paradigm can no longer sustain itself (coming soon to a world near you), the gears will grind to a halt and the damage will cease - Things will go back to normal, because "normal" is how things "want" to be, you can only upset that equilibrium by CONTINUAL INTERRUPTION.
Unless of course you're telling me you think there will be a complete extinction of all life on earth?
+1
I thought he was referring to
That doesn't quite jive with a lot of GW's, well, jive. The snide knock on the unseen hand of capitalism, when the all too visible hand of Government has done so much damage. Rugged individualism is now a collectivist trait?
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Authorities-fingerpoint-over-blame-in-Dal...
Dogmatic much? Sorry, you're making inferences where there are none. This usually comes from the Church of Ayn Rand or other cults of similar thinking which adhere to the concept that capitalism will solve all complex issues.
It will not and my saying so does not automatically make me a socialist or a hopium addict. The rgument too often boils down to ALL government or NO government.
That's black and white thinking and is a very unhealthy frame of reference to operate from.
Nice try at conflating Capitalisim with Crony Capitalism (AKA Corporatisim).
I'm not, and I know the difference. Do you really think that pure capitalism can exist? Furthermore, do you think that capitalism can address environmental issues?
I don't. Not one iota of historical evidence even remotely suggests this.
Your search for the pure capitalistic dream is as much folly as the search quest for a socialistic paradise. Both are unattainable and attempts to do so have consequences far to dire.