When we get the chance to look and learn from what we see, hear, read, we are confronted with a reality that boggles the mind. Behaviors that are so bazaar that there seems no way to engage them; and from a position of equality and respect there is no way to engage them.

It's pretty simple, fit in with us or pay the consequences. It doesn't matter if its war or how you wear your hair.

"We love America because America loves war" I got to admit there is something funny about the antagonism. Who knows whether the person that made that sign believes it or not. Because it seems like button pushing and when you are button pushing you don't need to believe what you say because that is not the point.
The point is to upset the other; because if you upset the other somehow you are the more powerful. This is why you can't approach button pushers with respect and equality. Because once a button pusher realizes that those things are important to you they use it against you, take advantage, and manipulate to make it as hard as possible (if not impossible) to have a respectful interaction between equals.
So circumvent any respectful conversation when dealing with a person they can't bully; and bully anyone who behaves in a ways that imply their faults and flaws buy trying to be better.
Factor in basic group dynamics, multiply by 300 mill. Stir and watch the scum rise to the top.

"We love America because America loves war"

Ladies and gentlemen, the unofficial motto of the Republican party.

We should be taught early in school how to deal with BUTTON PUSHERS!

The teacher should use a button pushing student (learned from their parents) as an example for the rest of the class, so that they can focus on the subject of the matter, instead of letting the manipulater change the subject as they try to confuse their victim.

Schools should teach us how to think for ourselves, and not just memorize stuff.

I used to think that the Union won the Civil War. Unfortunately, it seems that it didn't. Isn't it time to ban the Confederate flag? and nooses? And isn't it time to make reparations to Native Americans and African-Americans?

While I think all of this is certainly motivated by the underlying tensions and hatreds that America hides not far beneath the surface, its also the good old high school desire to marginalize people who stand out from the norm. Its bullying, essentially, but bullying fraught with all of the issues plaguing America as a whole.

What you have to get used to is that there is no such thing as "USA" and there never has been. It's always been a mafia organization where the general populace were nothing more than wealth generators for the select group. To think that such a criminal organization could ferment a responsible society is nothing more than fantasy. If children are to learn to be responsible citizens then they must learn that behavior from cradle to grave, and that means being indoctrinated in a responsible system which values honesty and morals as fundamental tenets, and that can only be achieved in a socialist or humanist system.

"He wonders," wrote psychotherapist Rosemary Masters, "if God is punishing him because before he joined the Army he thought of war as something fun and exciting."

A young mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Here's how I see it. There is a subtle power to the use of categories, or the "separation of disciplines" in academe. NO matter what the teacher teaches, the culture is amplifying messages overt and covert 24/7. What is the essence of such messages? Generally might makes right. In astrology we know there is NO difference in a birth chart between a criminal and police officer, both are going to identify with the use of violent force. Our society is insanely identified with that corrupt "ideal." It's everywhere... it's the subtext of every sport with the glory of winning and "slaughtering" the enemy; it's indisputably the goal of this obscene Iraqi war and the quasi-legal contracts it's generated for companies like Blackwater; it's seen in sexist slurs that feminize the opponent as if the only identity worth having is one constituted by power, prowess and raw brute force. This is a nation of growing Neanderthals being CONDITIONED (regardless of what's taught in specific subject arenas) to identify with the use of force first, the religion of violence, the thrill of vengeance, in short, homage to Mars/rules! This posture inverts Creation and the counterbalancing expressions of mankind taken as a whole, as well as individual expression. Where is a similar interest in peace? Love? Art? Poetry? Peace-keeping? Diplomacy? Justice? Reason? Balance? "He who conquers himself is greater than he who conquers a city," should be what's taught everywhere for it would improve society for all! Today's films glorify weapons and guns going off, and make murder into easily dismissable "collateral damage."

Our real problem is that we, all of us, have an ugly side of our nature: spiteful, violent, intolerant, xenophobic, racist and uncompassionate. We have a noble side, too, but it seems to be harder to tap into, or maybe we're just not as good at it. The neocons have developed highly effective ways of driving people into a frenzy to slaughter innocent Muslims and dysfunctional criminals, harrass gays, lesbians and transgendered people, force women to bear unwanted children, expel undocumented immigrants doing jobs none of us want, oppressing the poor and working classes and violating the basic standards of human and constitutional rights so painstakingly assembled to make the world a better, more peaceful and just place. The election really is, as the conservatives insist, a referendum on morality, and they are on the side of the devils and not, as they claim, the angels. This Christmas they will piously proclaim their allegiance to the Prince of Peace while making war on civilians, and do it without irony. They cannot distinguish moralism from morality.

Alexlawyer said:

"Our real problem is that we, all of us, have an ugly side of our nature: spiteful, violent, intolerant, xenophobic, racist and uncompassionate."

True. A good side and a bad side, a beautiful side and an ugly side, a peaceful side and a violent side, a tolerant side and an intolerant side, an accepting side and a racist side, a compassionate side and an uncompassionate side, a humanistic side and a bestial side, a scientific side and a superstitious side, a rational side and an irrational side, an honest side and a dishonest side, a truthful side and a lying side, a generous side and a greedy side, a liberal side and a conservative side.

ALEX LAWYER - When you mentioned that "This Christmas they will piously proclaim their allegiance to the Prince of Peace while making war on civilians, and do it without irony", it occurred to me that perhaps we need to extenuate the IRONY, as in:

C H R I S T _ M I S S

Namaste
__ __ __ __ We must be the change
__ __ __ __ we wish to see in the world __ Gandhi

Alexlawyer's post resonates with me as well. The big issues of today - war, immigration, etc - have a winnowing effect, separating people not so much into political philosophies as moral natures. The good, the bad, the ugly. Generous natures find political reasons to support immigrants. Haunted, xenophobic natures find reasons to seal the borders. Casus belli arise in the minds of violent people, while diplomacy is natural to peaceful people. The way we dress up and justify our moral innards is just window dressing. Hitler thought he was a nice guy.

The moment I knew I would not vote for Hillary Clinton was while she stood in front of the cameras during the bombing of Beirut, defending the cowardly slaughter of civilians with American cluster bombs even as it was happening. It was not an analytical moment for me. I was in mid-scream, along with every outraged soul on the planet. Something down in my DNA spoke to me and told me that Hillary Clinton was one kind of person and I was another.

A kind of speciation is taking place in our society. It is less a battleground than a simple winnowing, a sifting, a recognition of who we are and where we stand. I suppose our inner struggles are the same, our reasonable, nurturing nature learning to distinguish itself from our demons, our cruel and brutal side, and perhaps also in some Jungian theomachia where Apollo dukes it out with Dionysus in the sky over our heads (or was that Michael the Archangel and the dragon?)

In 2008 I'm going to vote my conscience, not as a strategy to take power from the bad people but as a simple position statement, which is all I have come to trust. The ship of state will go its way, with or without my support.

ALEX LAWYER: I totally agree about human innate duality, and that is why it has fallen to the awakened souls/master teachers to energize the positive side. The entire Tarot, a mystical map (or document) hails back many centuries and through pictures depicts this timeless conundrum that confronts the human experience via its nature. Media had an enormous capacity to be the TOOL that would energize the positive side of human expression. I see media as the mirror, the pool that our inner "Narcissus" gazes into. What has it reflected back to us about ourselves? The vast majority of media is about fortuitous violence, vengeance, might makes right, and VERY often women are used and discarded (as sex objects). It's tragic because the potential of that media to magically mold mortal life into something finer, has instead empowered the darker impulses in mankind and the result is a nexus of war, depravity, crime, depression, obesity, etc ad nauseum.

_F_E_A_R_ is the great thief of _T_I_M_E_

__ W E __ T H E __ P E O P L E __ S T A N D __ T O G E T H E R __
______________________ E M P O W E R E D _____________________

ALEX LAWYER -- "We have a noble side … The election really is … a referendum on morality … They cannot distinguish moralism from morality"
SIOUXROSE -- "What has it reflected back to us about ourselves"
EZEFLYER -- "A good … beautiful … peaceful … tolerant … accepting … compassionate … humanistic … scientific … rational … honest … truthful … generous … liberal side."
VOX CLAMANTIS -- "A kind of speciation is taking place in our society … recognition of who we are and where we stand"

If it is to BE, it will be up to ME …

We are ALL suffering, through NAOMI's idea of SHOCK, which is much
the same as those facing a diagnosis of CANCER, who are consumed by
DARK FEAR, and hug the pillows of their bed alone in a vain attempt to
find solace and comfort - but the bed only provides a place for sleep.
We must look outside of our fetal positioning and
powerlessness, to be again empowered to unwind, unravel, and open our
spirits to dream and soar again.

It is through our passion to live for something (really almost
anything will do) creatively laudable, from which we can start to take
the little steps that eventually build into the journey and quest to
discovery of new living, within and without (per Beatles) us.

This is the recommendation from the SHOCK DOC, to live our lives even larger and dream imaginary possibilities, that may very well appear penultimately as miracles and our salvation

Namaste … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Mahatma Gandhi … … … … … … … … … …
« We must be the change we wish to see in the world »
« There is enough to meet everybody's need, but there is not enough to meet everybody's greed »

As the above was cross-posted, DREAMER TOO has provided here a wonderfully simple solution for dissolving our FEAR.

"_ L O V E _ is the _ a n t i d o t e _ to _ F E A R _"

Namaste … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Mahatma Gandhi … … … … … … … … … …
« We must be the change we wish to see in the world »
« There is enough to meet everybody's need, but there is not enough to meet everybody's greed »

Public school children will never be taught the lessons of history. Why? The culture of the high school is structured to make sure it does not happen. Why? In American high schools social studies teachers are mostly coaches. They majored in physical education and minored in history. They are considered "multi-skilled" as opposed to a well educated social studies teacher who majored only in History. So the true history teacher does not get hired to teach. It's that simple. Here's the game:

Teacher's major is physical education and minor in history.

Teacher teaches physical education and history, and history suffers.

Physical education/history teacher takes Masters Degree in Administration.

Physical Education Teacher becomes Assistant Principal.

Physical Education Teacher becomes Principal.

Principal becomes Superintendant.

Superintendant teaches Administration to coaches at local college.

The circle is insular and complete. Coaches run the High Schools.

The people allow this to continue and then decry why our children become racists, spouting fascist ideology.

Coaches are celebrated persons in American society. So, can we ever expect to change societal norms if we continue to allow our children to be so poorly taught by non-academics?
If Progressives cannot even control the academics in their local schools, what can they do? It's a fair question.