A People's History

I've been reading the People's History of the United States. It is quite the eye-opener.
An exert that resonates with me, from Robert Bowman, in an article from the National Catholic Reporter regarding the roots of terrorism:
'We are not hated because we practice democracy, value freedom or uphold human rights. We are hated because our government denies these things to people in Third World countries whose resources are coveted by our multinational corporations. That hatred we have sown has come back to haunt us is the form of terrorism....Instead of sending our sons and daughters around the world to kill Arabs so we can have the oil under their sand, we should send them to rebuild their infrastructure, supply clean water, and feed starving children.....
In short, we should do good instead of evil. Who should try to stop us? Who would hate us? Who would want to bomb us then?'

And I ask why can we not?!


More on this to come......

Enough of the fluff and photos

So I haven't properly had a rant in awhile. I love all of my pictures on this blog and the other one (see right hand corner), they all make me happy, but yesterday I got to thinking about my country, this America that I now find myself in and something just needs to be said.

Two things, well rather three things happened yesterday to spark this thought process. One, I went to visit a recruiter so I could get something, anything, by way of a job. Jobs are few and far between, I can now say it isn't just hype or my mother telling me, 'there aren't any jobs out there'and me rolling my eyes. I know first hand, it's true! I digress, this recruiter asked about my experience working at a medical practice, 'Is the UK medical system really as bad as the conservatives say'?
'No', I stated simply. And then I had a glimpse of a rare opportunity to let this gentleman who was actually interested into a different way of life, an un American way, so before his phone rang I managed to get out, 'I paid taxes that I didn't realise that I was paying, for a health care system I used regularly. I could see a doctor in a day, pay for a prescription for 10 dollars and saw a specialist on numerous occasions. Here, here I am nervous about getting sick or in a car wreck. It's amazing someone can lose their house if they have the great misfortune of getting sick. Everyone or anyone can see a doctor there and although there might be some hoops, as there definitely are here, I've seen a great many doctors care about their patients and actually provide good care'. And this is all true and he very much hesitated before answering the phone, wanting more on the topic.

The second thing that happened was that I spoke with my best friend who was distraught because the elementary school she worked for was probably closing. It's a great public school, a small school with a river running past, she not only has a small class size, but she is able to provide alternative programs/projects like yoga and various environmental projects for her kids. Hers is not the only school and I shudder to thing that this new development was now a direct result of the state affairs we've gotten ourselves into in California and on the whole in the US with our concentration on military spending. Can this be, that we still have a war in Iraq, almost eight years on and how can we all sit back and watch as more troops are being deployed to Afghanistan? How can we afford to spend anything else towards deployment on this costly war, and in the meantime neglect our school spending and as a result our children/future generations?

Finally I read in article about gay marriage in Arkansas or some midwest state. Congrats to them! Very progressive of them! But I still hate to point out that gay people in the few states that allow it have no legal rights under federal law. It makes me think of friends I met in London that are simply there because they are two females, married, one Italian, one American, and they are very much compromising their livelihood and way of living because the United States will not recognise their union, will not allow them to remain together. How is that Italy and Spain, such conservative, such machismo states, allow same sex marriage? How is that in England you can put two females or two males on a child's birth certificate thus making a child justly and righteously from both parents? And yet we in the United States think it all so barbaric for two people who love each other to actually tie the knot even though they might both be the same sex.

I have left for four long years and in that time America or the U.S. has very much turned backwards and uber conservative, I have to question, is it just me or them (Americans)? Am I more liberal? I can't understand why anyone isn't shouting, why Obama hasn't changed things, why we cannot be progressive and open and fresh and the leaders of the world in all things right; free health care, great education (China is surpassing us now), and equal rights for all. Let us not be left in the dust because of our conservatism and our world domination goals and our desperation for oil (END RANT).

Nothing changes

Oh Obama, you disappoint me. Give back your Nobel Peace prize. There is no peace in sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Next it will be Iran, when will it stop?!

Obama reviews and rants

At this moment, I am proud, something I haven't been for the past eight years. I am pleased that America voted for difference, that they voted for the wild card (or wild for this conservative nation). I can only say that it was time someone moved people and enabled the masses to come together collectively. I am not sure if it is Obama or our recent hardships that led millions to descend upon Washington a week ago for the momentous occasion, but I was happy for it.

I am happy for America, but at the same time I think to myself; he is but one man. A great man nevertheless, but simply only just one man and the expectation upon him is SO overwhelmingly great.

I hope he does well. I believe him to be intelligent and forward thinking. And he's given hope when there was little and replaced a past President that has increased our deficit and never should have been in office.

I found myself thinking while Obama spoke about America being great and how America should once again be first, that we should really give up this notion of being the best. We must stop concentrating on being the best, the strongest super power externally and focus on rebuilding internally. Once we admit to ourselves that we will never stay forever in a place of power (remember Rome had its day, Britian did too), then we can be free and content with what we have.

I wish him well.

Check out the photos.

Packard Jennings. Defying the Norm.

I met this cool cat at a party last week in the country. Not only did I assess that he was a nice guy, he is also a fresh artist. He previewed a film at the party entitled "Mussolini Action Figure at Wal-Mart" which I thought was very witty. His art, which some may consider radical, takes commercialism and branding to a whole new level and I support his quest in defying the norm. My favorite is his Walgreen's coupons and the bible stickers he encourages everyone to place on those lovely books one might find in most hotel rooms (see picture).

To view his work (and even purchase something!) http://www.centennialsociety.com/

Or to view his film check out "Mussolini Action Figure at Wal-mart" on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0JnmXq-k6g

Thank you for ruining my breakfast, Mr President.

I sat down with my coffee this morning to enjoy a quick view of the morning news and found George W on every channel. I hate it when this happens. I caught him at the point where he was explaining we have more people than we have houses and I don't want to take patients or money from the private (meaning the big HMO companies). I believe his news conference was his attempt at explaining why he vetoed a bill to allow the "poor kids" medical aid. When I see him now I think about when his daughter was asked by Ann Curry last week on the Today Show, "What is it you would like the country to know about your father?" and she replied, "that he is incredibly open and he is actually really smart." If the president's daughter has to defend her father's intelligence, I believe we have a problem.

One can only hope congress will pass the bill to double the amount of children eligible for health care. Under the Children's Health Insurance Program it will cost 35 billion over a ten year period to provide care for 10 million children. The program aids those who are over the medicaid bracket and are unable to afford private insurance. European countries support all of their children medically, why can't we?

I cannot wait till next year when Bush will be a memory, an unfortunate stain on our presidential past.