Tuesday, March 22, 2011

This Is Not Our America

Scheming investment bankers irresponsibly gambled away billions of dollars and the futures of our children in pursuit of the Almighty dollar. And when their empire crumbled under the weight of their own greed our government bailed them out with billions of dollars of our money. Money that should have been used for investment in education, infrastructure, and alternative energy was blown to the wind. It was given as bonuses for the very devils that caused the crisis. Not only were they not punished; they were rewarded. Meanwhile this very same government is pumping trillions of dollars into imperial war mongering while our children, our elderly, and our infirm suffer. In the name of “balancing the budget” services that people depend on are cut in order to keep bombing civilians in Afghanistan, torturing at Guantanamo, and aiding oppressive regimes. The Corporate giant has finally devoured the national interest. Big money finances big election campaigns and big lobbying produces a big conflict of interest. The United States government has finally been bought off.



Now we see them coming for the worker. It is not enough that the top 1% owns 90% of the wealth. They need more. They need cheaper labor so they can pay their executive more. Over the past 25 years productivity has increased several fold while the laborers earnings have remained the same. The profits go to the top while the worker fights to survive. And when we stand together to make sure that even the least of us is taken care of we are met with resistance. We are met with threats. We are met with tyranny. Corporate bought politicians defend the interests of big money and strip us of our god-given rights. Its in an Orwellian society when those who speak up for each other are silenced by their government. Not in America. Not in our America.



In our America food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and education are universal rights which are guaranteed to every man, woman, and child regardless of color, gender, sexuality, or religion. In our America governments do not spy on their own citizens. In our America children receive world class educations from teachers that are taken care of. In our America sick babies do not die from lack of insurance. In our America our mothers and fathers are do not choose between their groceries and their medicine. In our America we are all free people in the pursuit of happiness.



So here we gather across the nation. Holding hands in the solidarity of brotherhood. Demanding a new day. In this new day we will have a democracy. A real democracy where every man has a say and is fairly treated. We can longer stay silent. People all over the country are being robbed by the corporate giant while our supposedly representative government grants millions and billions of dollars in tax breaks to the top 1%. America was built on the backs of the hard working everyman. Our country should not crumble under the weight of greed and special interests.



St. Augustine once said that an unjust law is no law at all. Therefore, we have the right, if not the duty, to rebel with violence or civil disobedience. It is time to rebel.