The best of times , the worst of times

[blues90]

Through my 59 years there were some of the best of times that ended when JFK was murdered , then we had a hope when a new music came to be all the while the undercurrent of vietnam was coming to a boil shortly after the cuban missile crisis and duck and cover . However I was 14 when Kennedy was shot down .

I lived through the 60's when there was a new thrust of hope which by 1970 whithered away however there were still some strides we made to carry us forward .

When Reagan stumbled upon the scene the ruin began once again then bush sr continued the downfall . He washed all their crimes away with the gulf war .

I had hope again when Clinton came in even with mistakes we were at least begining to climb out of the pit .

Then the 21st century blew into our lifes and bush jr took us far beyond the most dreaded thoughts we may have had and to this day the damage continues on . We know should know without a doubt that it is the people who hold the only hope , not the leaders , not the heros , not the religion .

Once the people decide enough is enough and the human conscience takes hold is the day this madness will end .

[vickitulsa]

1. I like this.

And I agree with most everything you said.

I have begun to believe, however, that it is probably too late, even if the people DO finally say "enough is enough" and try to stop the madness, for them to accomplish that goal.

Seems to me at this point it would take utter disorder and rebellion, chaos in the streets, to even get the attention of those in control. And those in control have such firm control by now that I can't see us ever dislodging them!

How could even the most radical of revolts succeed now? A general strike? Unrestrained, violent rebellion? I mean, no matter what the public might try now, it seems to me the controllers in the White House would simply resort to the extreme measures they've now given themselves to employ for "national security" purposes.

Unless the police and military revolt along with us instead of obeying orders to quell any "illegal" uprising, I think we're lost. Our country isn't ours any more, is it?

[blues90]

3. I think you are right

vickitulsa :

It's our country however we are not in control of it . We have tried in small ways to get people to support a general strike but you can see how well that worked out especially with this black friday and X-mas shopping madness .

This sort of commercial brainwashing mindset is what has people trapped even though they could break free , there is always the counter to this telling us that if we don't shop then what about the people who work these jobs , well what about if we continue without a stand and sacrifice that these corps retain their hold and we all lose .

So far there are many people who have lost their jobs and now know loss , it's just a matter of time before many many more will be affected the same way so all this brain washed mindset is doing is creating a time lag while the corps still win in the end .

People need to realize this or it will without a doubt be to late if it is not already and I tend to feel it is already to late for the reason that 7 years have gone by and people still don't see the danger they face , if by 7 years they don't then perhaps they never will .

We have the grand fake media selling these false hopes . We have been turned into a banana republic many know and live this , as they drop off being no able to keep up with inflation younger workers will fill the spot , it is a vicious circle that will not end .

[Nay]

2. Like Vicki, I don't see anything changing except by external forces, i.e.,

great depression, climate change, etc. Like you, Blues, I felt that things started really going down hill when Kennedy was killed, and then the thing that capped it all off for me was the election and re-election of that dolt Reagan. I saw then that people were so easily fooled by external appearances and were unable to make logical decisions based upon their own self-interest. That, to me, spelled the end of everything, because if you have a know-nothing populace, you then must depend on your leaders to be moral and to generally do the right thing.

I knew it was only a matter of time before the rapists and pillagers gained office, and lo, that is just what has happened. I fully expect a different set of rapists and pillagers to gain office in 2008, despite my pitiful and useless vote for Kucinich, and the decline to continue.

But then what do I know? Mr. Nay and I have been expecting economic disaster for 25 years, and it hasn't happened yet. It sure looks much closer these days, but who knows what sort of shit the central banks will pull out of their hats?