One Way, or Another

OR NOT...

Let's put all the cards on the table. Are we or are we not an empire? The answer to this question would solve a lot of problems. Mainly with the half-hearted, half-assed people who believe their lives are not interwoven with the rest of us. I have a deep apprehension about discoursing on this, but I must. Empires, especially oligarchic ones, must be vigil to any change that would disrupt the flow of treasure. Our empire is safe from most criticism. Our media and academia insure that we are sufficiently institutionalized to our roles as citizen-consumers while our politicians and bureaucrats expose us to the "realities" of  systemic indifference. Their is little to believe from these "authorities" unless we look to the fringes and peel away the rhetoric of their messages.

First, we should not be so naive as to think we have freedom in the sense that we can do what we want, where we want or when we want. We still have that liberty, but the freedom to choose which road to hell we want is not really a choice; or freedom or, in a strict sense, liberty. Second, the ability to get what we need is slowly being marginalized, stigmatized and privatized to the point where many of us can't even afford to obtain these basic needs and it doesn't appear to be getting any better. Thirdly, we seem to have many solutions to this problem, but they are based upon fixing a system that seems more capable of replicating itself than to solving its inert problems. So, what can be done?

Fight it, Flee it or Flow with it.

How does one fight for the freedom they believe they deserve? One simple solution would be to take every judicial matter brought against one to a jury trial. No plea-bargaining. Another would be to demand warrants for the most simple of police requests. A third would be to gather enough food for two-four weeks and then not go to work or buy anything. If enough people had the will and the stamina to do these things it would be enough to bring the judicial/capital system to its knees and promote either a violent reaction or a positive change. It's a coin flip there. I'm not holding my breath.

If you have the money it is easy to leave this place and all of its problems behind you. Start again somewhere else. Learn a foreign language and get the hell out of Dodge before the walls bust down upon you (and us).

If you aren't worried about your freedoms because you are a good person and only bad people have bad things happen to them then you will allow, even welcome the inevitable (erosion of your rights) to occur without remorse or even a second thought because of your perceived security. "I am much too busy to worry about that person..." Besides, we all have our own to take care of; don't we? Economic security ain't what it used to be, either. So, "fuck you I got mine" becomes a mantra and we become dependent upon artificial corporate charity (501c) to achieve what should be natural.

Freedom and our greatness as a country are taught to us from an early age. Too many adults still believe this crap and are one of the many obstacles there are to achieving freedom and greatness. Our "greatness" does not stem from our altruism, but from our money and the power we wield in its name. I dare a "leader" in this country to come right out and declare our American Empire for what it is. They would probably be shocked that many of  the US citizens wouldn't give a shit as long as the money was rolling in. But, alas, those times are changing. The money we have rolling in isn't really there. I have a belief that all the depressions and recessions before were just economic mock-ups for the shit to come (complete market meltdown). Much as the Nazis and other authoritarian regimes before were but dry runs for the socio-political crackdown and the pablum to follow in its wake.

God Bless America!

(The irony of this map is lost on most people and it saddens me.)