Death Of The American Dream

or-

A Pretty Good Day...

 

In offering up my truth I would just share that today I certified for re-funded emergency unemployment and Dave got approved for food stamps. If it weren't so sad, it might be triumphant. Most of all though, it is a telling indictment of what smart hardworking people have to endure to survive in this economy. Despite the President's efforts (bold and unilateral at last), we remain in a stagnant, growth-less, opportunity-less environment. It is not because of excessive government spending (save for futile war-making) or taxes. It is the bitter offspring of greed and selfishness at every level of the American political system and the business community, coupled with an inverted idea of "conservative" which instead advocates only the depletion of all our wealth, our resources, and the environment, a pallid progressive movement and a sinful lack of imagination. It's 2013 and we should be out exploring other worlds instead of having to find new ways to navigate welfare to survive. Talk about leaving nothing to our children- not even a destiny. If we all as a community of friends want anything to be left for ourselves in this moment or in the future, we need to break out of our Matrix and start speaking up and fighting back. We need to say NO so we can reclaim the Yes!

Our targets need to be:

1) Old angry white men in power who refuse to see the quantum change that has come to the face of America as evidenced stunningly in the last election. Our younger, gayer, much more Latino and less dogmatic populace deserves leaders living in this century and open to current issues and discourse and to the meeting of their needs- both for daily living, a livable future and inspiring vision. The time is long past for grasping, vacant, red-tied and flag-pinned robots ensconced in their roles like Italianate princes, expecting perpetual power untethered from obligation and holding themselves accountable to none- even to their own good judgment.

2) Banks who have devoured our nation's treasure through bailouts, while at the same time hypocritically and scandalously increasing unmeetable conditions for loans and mortgages, raising all manner of fees including those at their ATMs and pushing blatant corporate usury to an historic high.

3) Companies' hiring processes which dehumanize though the use of unworkable online technologies, invasive and intrusive questions and interrogations in the areas of character and credit, and ignoring of diverse skill sets, work and life experience and passion to come to work every day and do well. Instead of an openness to ability and a welcoming and embracing of talent, there is more pushing of it away. Learning something of others and a showing of compassion are absent.

4) Technology that wants scan our lives, know all our business and yet bring us nothing in return- not even real communication.

5) Our university system returning not even a tiny fraction of what it is charging- another aging and arrogant behemoth of ego that needs to pass away- fueling itself by inspiring false dreams that its packaged "knowledge" and hoop jumping games for students stressed to the point of dysfunction will guarantee a career and a better life. In addition, this flat stale cake is iced with only a gooey film of politically correct dogma which constantly shuns those who truly do not conform. This is lower learning, not higher.

6) Worshipful yet still false visions of individual wealth and gain at the expense of Community promoted by families, schools, business and churches storing up their treasures on earth in houses made of sand while still dually demanding that others "store up riches in heaven" by denying the basic needs and dignities which make this life joyfully "life indeed" as Christ taught.

7) An entertainment culture serving and servicing the utterly mediocre- exalting it above intellect, argument, free-thinking, new ideas and meaningful words.

If I didn't believe in Divine Order and living a life of beauty and love despite any obstacles, I would be packing for New Zealand or points elsewhere- places even farther away than the winter retreat inside my mind.

In the meantime, I will attempt to continue practicing the Magic of Gratitude, and there will be no lessening of the life in this place.