Tuesday, October 16, 2012

We should have stopped it... What We Gave Up


"When the doctrine of allegiance to party can utterly up-end a man's moral constitution and make a temporary fool of him besides, what excuse are you going to offer for preaching it, teaching it, extending it, perpetuating it? Shall you say, the best good of the country demands allegiance to party? Shall you also say it demands that a man kick his truth and his conscience into the gutter, and become a mouthing lunatic, besides? "

"Loyalty to petrified opinions never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul in this world — and never will."

"It does look as if Massachusetts were in a fair way to embarrass me with kindnesses this year. In the first place, a Massachusetts judge has just decided in open court that a Boston publisher may sell, not only his own property in a free and unfettered way, but also may as freely sell property which does not belong to him but to me; property which he has not bought and which I have not sold. Under this ruling I am now advertising that judge's homestead for sale, and, if I make as good a sum out of it as I expect, I shall go on and sell out the rest of his property." Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)

 















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Amnesty UK news

Azerbaijan: Amnesty issues warning to Rihanna and Shakira

Top-selling artists Rihanna and Shakira were told today in no uncertain terms to open their eyes to the plethora of human rights abuses inflicted on the people of Azerbaijan before they perform in the countrys capital later this month. Posted: 5 Oct 2012

Iranian authorities must reveal fate of 11 men reportedly spared execution at weekend

The fate and whereabouts of 11 men in Iran who were due to be put to death on Saturday must be disclosed by the Iranian authorities, Amnesty International has said, following reports that the executions did not take place. Posted: 15 Oct 2012

Amnesty: Secret justice plans risk harming the rule of law in Northern Ireland

The governments plans for a substantial extension of the use of secret evidence in the justice system have been heavily criticised in a new Amnesty International report published today (15 October). Posted: 15 Oct 2012

UK: new report heavily critical of secret justice plans ahead of controversial Bill

The governments plans for a substantial extension of the use of secret evidence in the justice system have been heavily criticised in a new Amnesty International report published today. Posted: 15 Oct 2012

Arrest of 20 pro-reform activists in Jordan is part of ongoing crackdown

The Jordanian authorities must end their crackdown against pro-reform activists and allow them freely to express their views, Amnesty International has said today. Posted: 12 Oct 2012

ARGENTINA: Abortion delay for rape survivor amounts to torture

The decision by Argentinas Supreme Court to allow a rape survivor to have her pregnancy terminated is a step forward for womens rights in the country, Amnesty International said today. Posted: 12 Oct 2012

Mexico: New Amnesty report calls on authorities to act now to end torture epidemic

The Mexican authorities must take decisive action to tackle the systemic and widespread use of torture and ill-treatment documented across the country, which dramatically increased under the government of Felipe Caldern, Amnesty International said in a new report today. Posted: 11 Oct 2012

China: Woman buried alive as dash for development sees new wave of violent forced evictions

A wave of violent forced evictions, which has led to a number of deaths, is spreading across China as local authorities seek to offset huge debts by seizing and then selling off land in suspect deals with property developers, a new report by Amnesty International revealed today. Posted: 11 Oct 2012

Egypt: President must go beyond decree and carry out greater human rights reform

A general amnesty decree by Egypts President Morsi pardoning those detained or tried for taking part in protests since the January 2011 uprising is welcome news , Amnesty International said, but falls short of providing a fair trial to 1100 other civilians imprisoned after unfair trials before military courts. Posted: 10 Oct 2012

Pussy Riot: Russian court orders conditional release of one, other two jailed

The decision by a Moscow court to give Ekaterina Samutsevich a suspended sentence and release her while upholding jail sentences against Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is only a half-measure in achieving justice for the three members of feminist punk group Pussy Riot, Amnesty International said. Posted: 10 Oct 2012

Pakistan: Shooting of 14-year-old girl a 'shocking act of violence'

Amnesty International has denounced the shooting of a 14-year girl in Pakistans Swat valley as a shocking act of violence, as the Taleban claimed responsibility for the attack. Posted: 9 Oct 2012

USA: Texas urged to halt execution of man for crime committed as teenager

Amnesty International has called on the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and state governor Rick Perry to grant clemency to man due to be executed in Texas next week. Posted: 8 Oct 2012

Rwanda's 'J2' military intelligence used torture and secret detention - New report

Rwandas military intelligence department known as J2 has illegally held scores of civilians in military detention without charge or trial and allegedly tortured them into making false confessions, Amnesty International said today in a new report. Posted: 8 Oct 2012

Northern Ireland: Amnesty calls for investigation into waterboarding allegations

Amnesty International has responded to allegations of torture, including waterboarding, by members of the RUC and British Army in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, broadcast today (Sunday 7 October) by the BBC in the Radio Ulster programme, Inside The Torture Chamber. Posted: 7 Oct 2012

The Philippines: 'cybercrime' law threatens free speech

A new cybercrime law in the Philippines poses serious risks to freedom of expression and must be reviewed, Amnesty International said today Posted: 5 Oct 2012

 

What We Gave Up




by SurvivingSurvivalism

America taught the world to be manufacturers. We honored the ingenuity of those who sparked the industrial revolution. We filled our country coast to coast with factories that gave meaningful jobs to the  people.  People who could feed their families till their bellies were overfull and live in a nice place with the wages they were paid.

  But we gave it up.

We gave it up by encouraging the factories to leave America behind to set up in other countries with grand tax incentives for leaving their dedicated employees in the lurch.  Gone are the venues of production that gave us a tangible way to dig ourselves out of any economic problem.  We allowed it to slip through our fingers until it was no longer available when we needed it.  We could have stopped it.

 We should have stopped it.

America taught the world to be farmers.  The great expanses of arable land within our borders fed many of the hungry of the world.  Our reserves of grain kept us assured that we would not starve, and that we could afford to feed our families.

  But we gave it up.

We gave it up by depleting our stockpiles to drive up prices.  We gave it up by allowing big agribusiness to buy out the independent farmers and then pollute the soil – as well as our bodies – with genetically engineered, patented seeds, protected by the government who should be looking after the interests of the people, but don’t.  We could have stopped it.

 We should have stopped it.

America taught the world to be innovators.  If the encroaching future presented a problem, we put our heads to work and created something that helped us leap into the future while overstepping the “problem”.  Nothing could stop our forward march.  There was a future of promise for our children.

 But we gave it up.

We gave it up by being contented to sit before the television for more hours than we speak with other humans each week.  We gave it up by being contented to purchase the distractions, the toys that were dangled before us instead of carving out the spiritually fulfilling lives we can have.   We gave it up by giving our children over to the “public schools” (read: training ground for future slaves) where they learn to repeat, not to think.  (The point is not what you can remember – it’s what you can DO with what you remember!)  We could have stopped it.  We should have stopped it.

America taught the world freedom for the people.  Generations of us  grew up knowing that those around us, those who were “in authority” were limited in their power by a document – cherished as the only governmental document that mentions happiness as a God-given right  – that says that we may speak, follow a religion, move about the country and in and out of it, publicly air our grievances and opinions and be secure in our homes and persons without fear of interference by the government.

We were the shining example to the world that when given such freedoms a country flourishes by the works of its people.  We became, as a country, rich in scientific knowledge, rich in the arts, rich in athletics.  We also became rich in economy, which, unfortunately, took reign over all other riches.

Will you give up your freedom next?  Will you stop giving your opinion because someone may hear you say it and report you?  Will you stand in line to be groped or shown naked for the privilege of boarding a plane – or entering a prom,  or walking through a mall, or driving down the highway, or….?  Will you limit what you say in an email because you don’t want to set off the NSA’s email reader?  Will you choose another religion because the one that feels right to you isn’t on the approved list?  Will you take the pharmaceuticals because natural remedies are outlawed?  Will you eat the poisons because it’s against your town ordinances to have a garden in your own yard?  Will you take the chip in order to buy or sell?  Or will you say “NO” at any cost?  Some things are worth standing up for.

And will you take the best of whatever led us to this mess we are in today, throw away what has proven useless and add new ideas for the future?   It’s up to you.  It’s you who will be affected by the outcome – either way.   It won’t help to say,

 “We should have…”

Dan and Sheila are the authors of Surviving Survivalism – How to Avoid Survivalism Culture Shock and hosts of the free podcast, “Still Surviving with Dan and Sheila”, both available at  survivingsurvivalism.com.  For information about their survival community, or for other questions, they can be reached at surviving@lavabit.com
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ww.zengardner.com

......................keep fighting the good fight, with our light as weapons!!....................
...................kosmicdebris........................


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