Ffolkes,
Okay….. I am now resigned. Try as I may, I can find nothing but ambivalence. I’ve tried to engender some enthusiasm for something positive; nothing doing. Fine, I say to myself, we’ll go with negative. But nooooooo, we’re not going there either, sayeth my stubborn mind. Not up for a rant so early. So, ambiguity reigns today…. it could be worse…. I could feel like writing a poem…..
Maybe that isn’t such a bad idea…. the poems I’ve created of late have been, if nothing else, acceptable to my inner critic, and the feedback on them has been pretty positive, so perhaps I should put aside my prejudices, and give it a whirl. I suppose it can’t be any harder than trying to come up with prose, not in this state of mind….. We’ll see how it goes once I get this intro out of the way……
Which once again dumps me right back where I started, only now I have all this ambivalence to shed before I can concentrate on what I’m writing…. Hmmm, now, where should I put it. Can’t put it where the sun don’t shine; previous appointments have been made, and cannot be broken. I probably shouldn’t put it in the fridge; the cold would just make it stiffer and harder to mold. And the medicine cabinet is out…. no locks or blocks to keep it from wandering around, getting into mischief. SIGH, it’s tough to make up one’s mind when it is filled with such ambivalence…..
However, having somehow found our way through the morass of the previous paragraph, I find myself here at the end of the intro, and the ambivalence has been shed. I’m not sure where it went, but, I am sure I don’t want to know. Some things are better left alone, especially when it comes to dealing with unwanted emotions or unwelcome states of mind. Ambivalence fits into both those categories, so we’ll just let it hide wherever it found a niche, and get on with the much more amenable task of finding some stimulating pearls…… Shall we Pearl?…..
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“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” — James Madison
From all I can tell from here, this has already happened. When? Why, the very day that the Two Towers were brought down by terrorists, using our own complacency as a weapon. Within hours of that event, politicians of all varieties were screaming for revenge, and the groundwork was laid for the true purpose behind those attacks…..
That purpose had nothing to do with what the terrorists want. I am of the opinion that the entire charade was perpetrated by elements of the CIA, at the behest of their former chief, GWB the First. I’m sorry if that sounds unpatriotic, but I believe it to be true; if it is, it kinda makes them the bad guy, now, doesn’t it?…..
The timing of the attacks are what always bothered me. The day before, September 10th, you may recall, there was an effort to bring to light the voter suppression and vote manipulation in Florida during the election, which had the votes from that state changing from supporting Gore to being in favor of GWB the Junior. There was evidence of mischief in the handling of the votes, and the idea of an investigation into the election was gaining strength, as it should. But, that whole idea was forgotten in the heat of the moment when the terrorists struck….
Funny, isn’t it, how that event changed the face of American politics, putting the fear of “others” into the populace? That fire was immediately stoked until white hot, and the people were made afraid. Of precisely what was never made very clear, but we were supposed to be afraid, at least according to all our brave pundits in Washington. And what was the end result of all that hooraw? The Homeland Security Act, the first blatant, and successful, attempt to abridge the civil rights guaranteed to us by the Bill of Rights.
Searches, seizures, snooping, all without warrant or cause, were made legal, and the rest of the Bill of Rights were restricted. The public not only did not object, they supported this abrogation of duty, all from the fear engendered on 9/11. The right to assemble in peaceful protest was severely restricted, and the forces of evil, in the guise of police, were given carte blanche to roust the citizenry of this country, without having to answer to anyone, even if they proved to be wrong. And did we hear any complaints from the public? None that were publicized….
Which brings us to the other culprits in this whole charade; the media. The media has jumped right onto the fear bandwagon, reporting the terrorist acts in the harshest, screaming headlines they could manage, whipping up the public’s fears with stories of horror and vicious inhumanity. Any voices that objected to the abridgment of rights, or questioned the reactions of the political pundits, were labeled as unpatriotic, and drowned out in the fear-mongering and public paroxysms of terror that blared from the papers and televisions.
“The public will believe anything, so long as it is not founded on truth.” — Edith Sitwell
People tend to forget that the media outlets are all owned by members of the 1%, and are not really interested in presenting unbiased, informational stories. Those don’t sell very well, and they don’t feed into the fear that the beloved ruling class wants the public to feel when they think of other countries. The pundits keep telling the public that the rest of the Third World is jealous, and are out to get us, and by their actions, they are making absolutely sure that is true. The media does NOT present a fair and unbiased version of ANYTHING, much less of the political scene, and people need to remember that…. Just because someone on TV, wearing a nice tie, an American flag pinned to the lapel of their $1000 suit, and an ingratiating smirk, tells you that someone from another country is evil, doesn’t make it so…..
The opinion I expressed above, regarding who is actually responsible for the mess we are in, is, so far, unchallenged by anyone with any direct evidence. But then, nobody wants to hear that they’ve been fooled again by the powers that be; it’s embarrassing, if one considers themselves to be a free man. to realize that they are actually an ignorant slave of the beloved ruling class.
Most folks will pretend that they agree with whatever comes out of the mouths of the pundits, just so they don’t have to look at how stupid they are really being, and how far from reality they actually reside. Nobody likes to feel like a fool. But, to my way of thinking, I’d rather feel the fool, than feel my freedom slip away, all because some asshole in a suit decided his son needed some help to nail down his theft of the election….
“A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.” — Oscar Wilde, “Oscariana”
So be it….. feel free to comment on this theory, should the urge strike…..
“It does no harm just once in a while to acknowledge that the whole country isn’t in flames, that there are people in the country besides politicians, entertainers, and criminals.” — Charles Kuralt
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Premises, premises….
Tricked, I stumble, and I fall
dreaming, through an abandoned palace.
Frightened and wary, unheard my call
fading into memory, no cup, no argent chalice.
The people, crushed, cry out to be freed
asking only to take part, or travel.
Nascent oaths spotlight such bursting need
fed by treachery, deep from our well.
Only the wicked shall find their way blocked
justice seeks them, snug in their hole.
Faint praises never touched, but naked, stalked
singing no gospel, no soul, no rock and roll.
Only the promised will remember the way
from unforgiven trails of sorrow.
To live life, and give death no sway,
saving grace for our only tomorrow.
~~~ gigoid
Well, it looks like the urge to rhyme overcame my reluctance to subject myself to the poetry-writing process…. this one just had to come out….. I hope you like it….
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“He hasn’t a single redeeming vice.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Having ranted already today, I wasn’t planning to do so again. But, every suitable pearl I find seems to point me toward taking a few shots at the political scene as it relates to the upcoming election. Then, this came into view….. What a perfect description of either one of the Republican candidates! Both Romney and Ryan fit this like a tailor-made shirt.
Since the Twitt made his decision to choose Lyin Ryan (as he is so aptly named by Jueseppi B., the Obamacrat….) I have watched as they have proceeded to alienate one group of voters after another. Women, Jews, Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, senior citizens (such as yours truly…), Catholics, immigrants (legal or not), and the entire middle class, all have been informed by these two idiots that they are not classed as citizens, and will have no rights under their administration…..
Watching these two destroy their own chances has been sort of entertaining; it would be more so if there weren’t so many ignorant bigots and racists out there who have thrown their support to the Daffy Duo, just because they are not black. The election has had at least one useful outcome thus far; it has shown us how far there is still to go until we can consider racism and bigotry things of the past. There are still too many folks out there who make all their decisions based on their prejudices, rather than on any type of reason.
It is unfortunate in the extreme that they can vote, and even more so that they do so regularly; the more educated and informed members of society often become discouraged, and do not vote, thinking that by doing so they are acting honorably, by not lending their support to either party. As far as it goes, this would be correct.
But they forget that the masses of ignorant voters don’t care, and will vote for ANYONE who promises to eliminate those things they fear, such as a Black man as President. In light of that, their unwillingness to adapt, and vote, becomes their downfall, and their shameful regret, as they are then saddled with disastrous leadership for four years….
I’m not going to rant for long this morning; it really isn’t necessary to carry this argument further. The point has been made, and it is this…. Get out there and vote, because if you don’t, there is real danger of losing ALL of our freedoms, as Romney and Ryan take this country back to the middle ages. If they get into the Oval Office, they will continue to rake in their millions, as they continue the rape and pillaging of the Bill of Rights, and bury the middle class under a mountain of tax and debt….. You can count on it….
“I would like to nominate a man who is honest and courageous. I’d like to, but this party doesn’t have one of them kind of people. My candidate does not know the meaning of the word “compromise,” does not know the meaning of the word “appeasement,” does not know the meaning of the word “cowardice”–and has done quite well despite this lousy vocabulary. — Vaughn Meader
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That should take care of my ranting for a day or two…. and my need to rhyme, too. As I said above….. So be it. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Kowabunga!
gigoid 
…. it could be worse…. I could feel like writing a poem….. This is pure poetry in and of itself!
And then the man goes on to write the most fantastic poem ever! Wow!
Politics. Agree about the Twin Towers. Things are not going in the right direction. Who knows what to believe? How can we align ourselves with any one or any cause? What’s real and what isn’t?
Linda…. I’m almost completely happy with this post; it came out better than I thought it would, for sure. And the poem surprised even me…. I’m glad you enjoyed it all.
As for what to do…. all you can do is all you can do…. I guess we have to decide for ourselves what is real and what is not, and from that we can decide which battles to fight, and which to let go…. Other than buying a gun, and going hunting, I’m not sure what else is left…. (and by hunting, I’m not talking about shooting defenseless animals….)
I’ll no doubt feel better after the election, provided the results don’t have me going underground, sans my hunting license…. If R&R, the prevarication twins, manage to fool enough folks to actually get into office, I can guarantee I won’t be alone in my desire to let off a few rounds…. but, in the meantime, they sure give us lots of material to pick at, don’t they?…. Have a good one, my dear, and Blessed Be…. 🙂
Loved the poem…. Do more, my friend… do more..!
One thing I have learned in life, Ned; is to take very lightly anything that is written in the so-called ‘news’… I’m sure there must be some honourable men/women writing about the current happenings in our world however; I do not accept with gullibility all that I read…! I find ‘blogs’ with little concern for readership hold a more, shall we say, accurate example…!
Carolyn…. Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed the poem; I’ve been feeling a bit more poetic lately, and it seems to be working, so I won’t look in that horse’s mouth for a while yet….
Re: honourable media writers… you are probably right, there have to be some somewhere…. unfortunately, they’re kind of like my blog, in that the people who NEED to hear what they say aren’t even listening. But I do get tired of how the mainstream media allows the lies that are so prevalent in today’s political scene…. Romney lies often enough that he should be shouted down by the audience, and if the audience is falling for it, the media should be targeting them for being stupid…. but, it all gets reported as if it is real, or true, and the lies just keep on coming….., I didn’t figure you were the gullible type…. those folks don’t usually last long reading my stuff, and I know you have been reading mine since soon after I began here at WordPress… I think you were one of my first 10 followers, and one of my first follows…. Any who, glad you’re enjoying the Pearls…. 🙂
Wow, another great poem! Thanks! I can’t even begin to go into what I feel about the Twin Towers and all that has happened since then. It really does seem like that point in time was the beginning of the end. Anyway, I really love the poem and I agree that you should write more. 🙂
Carol… Thanks, I’m glad the poems are going over well…. For some reason, I’ve been feeling more poetry recently, floating around inside my head, and it’s coming out slowly…. but, there is more, and I’ll be writing more as it matures in my head…. It’s funny…. the process my head goes through to write poems is completely different from writing prose (as it should be, I suppose….)….It’s rather like the method I use in coming up with the titles to the blog…. I let my head wander, and words and/or phrases sort of float to the surface of the pool of water I’m imagining in my head…. after I get the words down, I then go over it to see how to make it rhyme, and keep cadence…. It seems to be working of late, much better than it has ever before, so I’m not going to look that horse in the mouth (as I mentioned above to Carolyn…) It’s a whole different feeling to complete a poem, and I kind of like it….
As for the whole 9/11 subject, my first thought when I saw the news that morning was how brilliant the military strategy was; I was saddened by the deaths, but was forced to admit the strength of the idea…. the second thought was, How convenient for the Shrub! (My nickname for GWB, Junior….) The timing could not have been more perfect for him…. even though he wasn’t let in on the plans, I believe, as his seven minute freeze up when he was told the news (it was on TV….) indicated his surprise clearly. But, I’ll bet anything his old man knew about it beforehand, and wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn it was his idea in the first place… people seem to forget that before he was President, GW Bush Senior was head of the CIA for many years, and was almost completely responsible for the entire cocaine industry in the US, as it was standard CIA policy then to support those kinds of activities (see the book, The Cocaine Papers….).
Sorry, this subject always sets me off into ranting mode… You are right, it was the beginning of the end for the Bill of Rights, and that, to me, is a subject I will never let go of, until those rights have been restored. It is fortunate that neither of the two Shrubs ever came into my sphere of interaction… fortunate for them, as I”m afraid my darker side most likely wouldn’t let the opportunity pass, and they wouldn’t walk away…. period.
Sorry to rant at you so late at night, my lady…. just ignore me, and have sweet dreams…. as you so richly deserve…. 🙂 Take care, & Blessed Be….
gigoid,
You make my head hurt in a good way. A simpleton like me needs a couple of hours to analyze the myriad of thoughts in just one of your posts. You have quite the talent with words, so I enjoy trying.
Slayer…. I love your blog title, btw…. Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying muddling through my posts…. You’ve hit on one of the reasons why I write as I do…. All that stuff that gets onto the page would otherwise sit in my head, causing me no end of mischief, so I try to get as much of it out as I can, being a firm believer in “better out than in”….. 🙂
I would say, however, in your defense, that having read several of your posts, simpleton is not the word I’d choose. You have the perspicacity (what a great word! I love the dictionary!….) to be able to see through all the BS being spouted by the two Republican idiots on center stage for this election…. Your research is thorough, you write clearly, and with humor as a palliative to the bitter taste their crap leaves in the mouth, or mind.
I’ll confess, I’ve begun to use your blog, along with Jueseppi’s and ThreeChicksPolitico, as my primary sources for material on those two fools. Between the 3 of you, there isn’t much of what they say that doesn’t get shot down pretty quickly… and thanks for that. The public needs to know all this, so that at least a few of the fools who fall for it may get a new viewpoint, painful as it
may be to work those head muscles they seldom use…..
There I go, rambling again…. Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment…. I appreciate it; dialogue is the best part of WordPress, to my way of thinking…. take care, and Blessed Be….
gigoid…..