It is February 28, and lightly snowing here in Boulder, CO. As I sit in front of my computer, trying to write I realize how frustrated I am with the general state of the world, and domestic politics in particular. I am actually more than frustrated, I am angered and saddened about politics in this country.
I read a report* yesterday excerpted from Mother Jones Magazine, that I found appalling. The report was about working conditions in warehouses that supply products we order on line. I had no idea that labor in this country had come to such a state. I knew things were bad for blue collar, unskilled workers, but I did not realize the extent of the misuse of our fellow citizens.
When did all humanity and compassion leave the work place, or has it always been this way. Is there a difference now because people are despairing and will accept almost any work that results in a wage. People are desperate to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. The fact that so many struggle for basic needs in our rich country is a black mark against us all.
Now you may ask how this relates to politics. My response is that all of what we do is political, how we treat our spouses/partners, where we shop, how and where we recreate or procreate, where we worship, and where we work. When we work in overwhelming and unfair environments it is because the larger political process has failed. When we are forced to degrade ourselves for food and shelter, something is very wrong.
I have written previously about issues present in our society from the skewness of income, the rule of the Oligarchy, the constant push to consume, to the endless wars. All of these things contribute to the availability of the wage slave. As larger and larger amounts of money aggregate in fewer and fewer hands, the rest of us become poorer and poorer.
I know there are some of you who consider what I write as negative. My purpose is not to bum anyone out, or to spread information that I do not feel has validity and impact on us all. My purpose is to focus some of my frustration and to spread information that will get people moving. Unfortunately this information is often upsetting, and challenging. The information presented is a product of our times, not a product of my imagination. I am saddened by all of this.
Although it is difficult to go forward, I feel certain that this is not the time to withdraw. I have heard time and time again from people much wiser than I that the only way to create political change is to push the politicians. Without us pushing our Politicians will not take action in our behalf. FDR was pushed by the Unions, and progressives of his time. The results are programs such as Social Security and Medicare that benefits us all. We need to let all our politician know exactly what we expect from them. We need to be the motivation and the motivators.
I want to believe that all of us are concerned about the imprisonment of Bradley Manning, about women's ability to control contraception and birth, about secret deals involving Julian Assange and Wikileaks, and therefore the freedom of the Press, about the drug war and its resultant social and economic consequences, and about environmental degradation.. If we don't act to remedy these situations they will become more pronounced and harder to stop.
It is essential to act. Acts of civil awareness and public expression needs to be part of everyone's practice. We all need to bring what we have learned about compassion, loving kindness, and right behavior not only into our personal lives, but into the greater arena of politics with and without a capital" P ". We cannot avoid Karma by avoiding action, when action is what is needed.
It is past time to become involved, lest all of us become wage slaves. Occupy the World, Occupy your Duty, Occupy you Heart and Mind. Act for the greater good as well as in your own behalf.
*"I was a Warehouse Wage Slave..." by Mac McClelland, Mother Jones, March/April 2012
I read a report* yesterday excerpted from Mother Jones Magazine, that I found appalling. The report was about working conditions in warehouses that supply products we order on line. I had no idea that labor in this country had come to such a state. I knew things were bad for blue collar, unskilled workers, but I did not realize the extent of the misuse of our fellow citizens.
When did all humanity and compassion leave the work place, or has it always been this way. Is there a difference now because people are despairing and will accept almost any work that results in a wage. People are desperate to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. The fact that so many struggle for basic needs in our rich country is a black mark against us all.
Now you may ask how this relates to politics. My response is that all of what we do is political, how we treat our spouses/partners, where we shop, how and where we recreate or procreate, where we worship, and where we work. When we work in overwhelming and unfair environments it is because the larger political process has failed. When we are forced to degrade ourselves for food and shelter, something is very wrong.
I have written previously about issues present in our society from the skewness of income, the rule of the Oligarchy, the constant push to consume, to the endless wars. All of these things contribute to the availability of the wage slave. As larger and larger amounts of money aggregate in fewer and fewer hands, the rest of us become poorer and poorer.
I know there are some of you who consider what I write as negative. My purpose is not to bum anyone out, or to spread information that I do not feel has validity and impact on us all. My purpose is to focus some of my frustration and to spread information that will get people moving. Unfortunately this information is often upsetting, and challenging. The information presented is a product of our times, not a product of my imagination. I am saddened by all of this.
Although it is difficult to go forward, I feel certain that this is not the time to withdraw. I have heard time and time again from people much wiser than I that the only way to create political change is to push the politicians. Without us pushing our Politicians will not take action in our behalf. FDR was pushed by the Unions, and progressives of his time. The results are programs such as Social Security and Medicare that benefits us all. We need to let all our politician know exactly what we expect from them. We need to be the motivation and the motivators.
I want to believe that all of us are concerned about the imprisonment of Bradley Manning, about women's ability to control contraception and birth, about secret deals involving Julian Assange and Wikileaks, and therefore the freedom of the Press, about the drug war and its resultant social and economic consequences, and about environmental degradation.. If we don't act to remedy these situations they will become more pronounced and harder to stop.
It is essential to act. Acts of civil awareness and public expression needs to be part of everyone's practice. We all need to bring what we have learned about compassion, loving kindness, and right behavior not only into our personal lives, but into the greater arena of politics with and without a capital" P ". We cannot avoid Karma by avoiding action, when action is what is needed.
It is past time to become involved, lest all of us become wage slaves. Occupy the World, Occupy your Duty, Occupy you Heart and Mind. Act for the greater good as well as in your own behalf.
*"I was a Warehouse Wage Slave..." by Mac McClelland, Mother Jones, March/April 2012
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