Just Sayin’
My wife and I just returned from a long holiday touring Scotland and Ireland. We have visited Scotland before, but this was our first time on the Emerald Isle. We try to get out of the states every three or four years and see how it’s done elsewhere. We’ve been lucky enough to travel to France, Spain, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic are closer, and almost as exotic. Meeting others from different locales in their natural habitat is eye opening and educational. I highly recommend travel if you are able. Even the most hard core nationalist might learn something.
The United States of America is a great country, no doubt about it, however there are MANY great countries on the planet. The incessant mantra by the thought police that we are “The Greatest” is becoming harder to sell as we witness the rapid decent of America into third world corruption, terminal environmental destruction and sanctioned violence and threat by those charged with serving and protecting us. News flash. It ain’t like that everywhere.
Comparing the US to the Roman Empire is a bit hackneyed, but I think I know how the 4th century Romans might have felt witnessing the spread of fanatic religions and the splitting of the empire in two. The jig was up and there was no going back. It was only a matter of time before the Visigoths sacked Rome and the thousand year party was over.
The United States is far from a thousand years old but the symptoms of failing empire are upon us, nevertheless; The classic over extension of reach and resources, nation building/meddling, corrupt and greedy officials making policy to further line their pockets at the expense of the plebeians and the very empire they claim allegiance to. The tragic difference is this, our empire, could very well destroy the planet in its desperation to maintain control.
The capitalist system is using up the environment with impunity to maximize profits and to continually increase those profits no matter the consequences to our ecosystem. Look up the word; unsustainable. Fracking, drilling, blowing up entire mountain ranges is “just good business” and makes share holders happy. These soulless empty suits are writing the laws and making it impossible to alter our fate through traditional democratic process. They OWN the process.
My heart goes out to the young people coming up and inheriting this dystopian future. Raised to consume and not ask questions and if they do, the process of peaceful protest and dissent has been taken from them by recent Orwellian changes to the first amendment. It is becoming increasingly dangerous to speak out against those in power. Even the Supreme Court is bought and paid for and your local cops look like storm troopers armed to the teeth with weaponry and vehicles designed to invade hostile countries.
Our “two party” system is a pathetic charade and in reality is a one party system of two ineffective halves answering to the same Global Corporate/Finance puppeteers. Grim, eh? President John F. Kennedy very wisely stated, “Those that make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” We’re in for a bumpy ride.
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Alex Symington
Alex lives with his wife, Anna in Key West, Florida. He enjoys writing poetry and prose and making the complacent uncomfortable.
Alex,
Welcome home…It’s good to have you back.
There are a lot of beautiful places and people in the world. The United States does not have a monopoly on either.
Meditation arose way back when, out of a need to manage my pain. Medications and the like did not work. As a by-product, I’ve gradually ‘woken up’ in a few areas of my life.
My ego has been somewhat tamed. It’s not the tyrant that it once was. I’ve become a better listener. I enjoy the wisdom I’ve acquired, by actually attending to and considering the ideas and perspectives of another.
I value your insights, understandings and experience. Thanks for your encouraging words and inspiration.
Alex, I agree with you 1000%! I have been fortunate in that I lived abroad for over five years and traveled extensively for over twenty. I was back from living abroad for only two years before I wanted out again! This country is so full of naive people who choose to bury their heads in the sand, expecting someone else to solve problems. Thus the few take full advantage, and when the majority are suffering, those few are on their yachts, vacationing in the Caribbean while the majority complain to each other. Ours is a government of the sleeping people.