Why Our Response To Tragic Events Does More Harm Than Good

This whole Paris thing really does suck. What a horrific tragedy, to say the least. I close out media in my life, so when I do get word of something that has happened, I am a bit clueless and baffled and unfortunately it may pull me to read a news article so I have the clarification I need. I can only read so much, though, as I am a sensitive soul and do not wish to carry that negativity on my shoulders. It may come across as being insensitive or lacking compassion...but yes, I do care immensely...I just don't allow myself to be overly sympathetic or even, at the extreme, empathetic. 

Media has embedded those behaviors in us to the extent that we don't know how to process in our own personal way anymore. It is a social norm to show a cookie-cutter way of expressing our condolences and reaching out to those who have made it to the mainstream news. Especially with the internet at our fingertips, we are supposed to relish in sadness as well as anger. It creates more of a disconnect than a sense of unity. We are programmed to feel and respond a certain way when it comes to war, tragedy, catastrophic events, etc. And we need to react to it the same as everyone else. If we don't, we get a nasty look. Oh, and we need to change our profile picture on Facebook to a filtered color/colors or symbol that represent those who have been affected. That merely creates within us a sanctity for one particular person or group of people and a complete disgrace for the instigators. The problem with this is that it demonstrates a narrow focus- who to love and care for and who to despise, judge and blame. We are being separated and divided more and more with each event that takes place. 

What we need to do is probably the hardest thing to do, but we have been told in the past how to react to personal tragedies- extend peace to those who need it and extend forgiveness to those who need it. I see so much hatred and ridicule from those who claim to be devout followers of Christ, for instance. This is not what the bible teaches! We have no right to judge and we have no room for hate! God Himself is based on forgiveness. So those hypocritical acts are just as bad as the horrific acts of violence and terrorism that occur. 

Not only this, to single out the affected is close-minded as well. If my country was attacked- I wouldn't want to have anyone showing their support by waving a flag and shouting God Bless America. I did not show one American Flag after 9/11- I refused. Behind the colors of the flag, underneath the shade of our skin, behind the system of beliefs we are attached to- we ARE ALL HUMAN and we all live on the same planet called Earth, and we share this one home- TOGETHER. Borders don't matter. Color doesn't matter. Religion doesn't matter. If the attackers are attacking people of a certain creed, race, religion, belief, nationality or issue- they are attacking what they are against, not the people. It just so happens that those people fall into that category and unfortunately are in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

We, as humans, as living beings...are NOT our skin color, are NOT our religion, are NOT our nationality. We are more than that. Those things aren't truly what defines us. Hate is materialistic and of the physical world. If we took away everything that society tries to define us by, hate wouldn't have a place. So if I were to show my support and compassion for someone else, it will be reflecting on a greater scale- something bigger which I cannot put into words, onto a Facebook post, profile pic, tweet or Instagram photo. They tell us catchy things like "Never Forget" so that we hold onto a memory of something negative. The only thing we shouldn't forget is that UNITY is in hUmaNITY. That's more meaningful and powerful than any event. 

The Mistakes That Make You An Internet Article Victim

Articles, blogs and videos galore on the world wide web….we view them has helpful and convenient. Information is readily available at the click of a mouse. Think of the internet as one big virtual and endless worldwide newspaper. We are able to see things and find out interesting facts we would never have been able to 20 years ago. It keeps us in the loop with world events and keeps us connected to friends and family. It is also an amazing tool for business marketing. We all know many downfalls to the internet as well, but let’s concentrate on one particular issue that people tend to not give a second thought about.

It leaves it open to anyone and everyone to share with the world what they know, believe, or think they know. It’s great that we can share our passions, but a lot of times there are elements that completely disregard those who have truly studied and worked hard to gain the knowledge they have and that create a biased opinion or partially-erred article instead of a factual piece of information.

50 years ago you wouldn’t find an average joe just writing a book about nutrition or building a house. The authors had years of experience and/or a degree under their belt. Even book topics nowadays have gotten out of hand. You can literally publish a book on anything.

Facebook, in particular, is a gateway for such information and it floods our walls. The title is intriguing- some people just Like to agree with the title or they actually proceed to read the article and believe every word it says. Of course there are others who know the facts or do the research, but that number is slim to none.

So, to clear things up, here are the mistakes people make when they see things on the internet and how we should go about changing that:

Mistake #1- Only reading the title.
It’s enticing and has sparked your curiosity. You agree with what the title says that you assume the content is legitimately backing it up. On the contrary, a lot of ‘writers’ know how to get your attention in order for you to agree with them so that you will pass it along. I’ve come across several instances where people have posted something and it was obvious they didn’t read it. I also have been pulled in by a title and then read the article or blog only to find out how vague, inaccurate or biased it was.
Solution- Read or watch the whole thing in its entirety. If you don’t have time, then you should not like or repost it. Simple as that.

Mistake #2- Believing what the author is saying.
Ooh that article was appealing! I should take the advice of this anonymous person because it sounds easy, safe and true! Again, a lot of authors can entice you and use wording that sounds convincing. When sentences include ‘research shows’, ‘it’s been proven’ or using words such as ‘effective’, ‘promising’, ‘guaranteed’, ‘it worked for me’ are bound to make believers out of some. This next part is a good segway into Mistake #3 and is broken up into 2 separate solutions.
One Solution- Pay attention to who wrote the article or posted the video. Is it from someone trusted like a scholar, professional or some accredited institute? Or is it just some average joe that has a passion for the topic? Google them if need be.
The Other Solution- Research what the author is claiming to be true. Can you collect enough feasible evidence for or against? If you don’t have anything solid enough and you’re still not sure, then it’s safe to say that it’s not worth your while. Move on.

Mistake #3- Being lazy.
With that being said, I am going to make you re-read Mistake #2 and its solutions. The internet has made us flat-out lazy. No need to go to the bookstore or library when all of the information is at our fingertips, right? But does that mean you should assume that the first thing you see is valid? If you really want to know about something, there’s this skill that we all once had that you need to start utilizing again- it’s called learning. Put that noggin to use and make your brain cells do some work for a change, instead of letting your ‘smartphone’ help you. Here’s a test- try driving somewhere new in unfamiliar territory with nothing but a paper map, hand-written directions or your internal compass. I just did it the other day- it was fun and I got there just fine! Do you have your significant others’ phone # memorized? Or yours, for that matter? Or are you always whipping out your phone to refer to? See, if we rely on technology to give us the answers, we will not remember with our own brains when our phone or the internet connection is not cooperating.
Solution- Write stuff down. Take notes. Memorize it. Grab a book and read. Learn. If it’s not worth your time to do those ancient tasks, then you are truly not into it. Move on.

Mistake #4- Agreeing with the obvious.
Many articles circulating can be common sense information. Do you really need to let people know that you already know it or do you want to make them think you just realized it? Sure, we all like to share little quotes or memes that mean something to us and it may be a good way for us to remind ourselves, remind others, or let others understand us better- but I’m talking about lengthy articles or videos that blab on about stuff we were taught when we were children. ‘Natural ways to fall asleep faster’….’practice deep breathing, read a book, don’t watch TV close to bedtime, drink soothing tea’……can we get a little bit more original here? A child could write that! The thing we want is to learn something new. Why waste our time liking and posting stuff we already know?
Solution- Move on.

Mistake #5- Disrespectfully disagreeing.
Ok, as something else I hope you were taught when you were a child, say something nice or don’t say anything at all. Well, you can respectfully disagree if you have facts to back it up, but when I say ‘disrespectfully disagreeing’, I mean don’t judge, point fingers, call names, or say that someone is wrong when you have no evidence to back yourself up. Many like to argue for argument’s sake and having a screen to hide their face makes it even easier. It’s a waste of energy and time and really just makes you look like an idiot.
Solution- Move on and grow up. Maybe get some therapy if you make this mistake a habit.

Seriously, can we just put down the laptop and pick up a book and quit acting so smart about things we really don’t know about? Technology can be valuable and a very useful tool but it’s seriously killing off our ability to communicate, learn and appreciate the facts.

transferred- original post date 4/4/2015

My Experiment with FB and a Challenge For You

In realizing how busy the month of November was going to be for me, including teaching my first Reiki class, I decided to take a break from the biggest toxins in my life- Facebook and alcohol. Not drinking wasn’t an issue, but I wondered how hard it would be to stay off the social media for 30 days. I did decide to allow myself a glass of wine here and there when we would go out, but I wouldn’t buy anything to have at home and would not be inclined at all to drink hard cider (my bev of choice) because of the high sugar content.

My agenda was fairly heavy for the month and I had the deep desire to do a well-rounded detox for a much-needed physical cleanse as well as just giving me more space to be productive, as it was donning the season of crafting, which I always partake in.

The first couple of days I was a bit restless. I was used to opening up my FB app on my phone and checking to see if I had any notifications every chance I had. It was a fill of a void as boredom hit- waking up, between massage sessions, leaving work, sitting at home, waiting in line at the store, and going to bed, all to discover I really wasn’t missing anything and many posts were negative or just plain pointless….ya, it was getting silly. I never cared to share the food I ate or negative rants, or even bragging experiences for that matter. Sure, my academic and/or business achievements, as it was a way to let people know “Hey, I offer this now!”. I would merely still use FB through the Pages app to promote my business.

The 2nd day of my hiatus, I happened to go to a bar with my sig other to watch the Sounders soccer match and I had a glass of wine. I wanted to keep looking at my phone. I came up with a brilliant idea and replaced the spot where the FB app was with my journal app. In case I had the desire to express anything, I could do it there.

My first entry was: “Observation/realization: It is a lot easier for me to not drink than it is to not be on FB. Sad. I am having a glass of wine to get me through it.” :p

My 2nd entry shortly thereafter: “I’m not on FB right now. That means that if the zombie apocalypse were to go down, I’d be doing something about it while everyone else is posting about it. Survival points for me.”

After that, I just tossed in random things into my journal as far as how my day went, dreams I had, and pics of my craft projects. I ended up on Pinterest a lot too, posting my projects as well as finding new ones. After about a week, I was really more productive, my creative rays shined, and I didn’t have troubles leaving my phone alone.

By the end of my 30 days, my perspective had completely changed about Facebook. Taking a step back helped me see the toxicity and addiction that it is. Once I hopped back on, I didn’t even re-download the app. And my postings have still been sporadic, very minimal, and only positive-conversation-provoking. I only go on there maybe twice a day, read through some posts and call it good. I think I’ve only posted not even a handful of times since I got back on, which has now been ten days. It doesn’t appeal to me. I also really realized how many stinkin’ videos are posted now! It’s like every other post is a video and if you stop on one, it would start playing. Aaaaak! Oh, and as for the hard cider- I had some again and it doesn’t appeal to me as much. I’d rather drink wine. 

Here is the bottom line: Facebook IS an addiction. Maybe not like meth or cigarrettes, but you may go through withdrawals. Once you get past the detox stage (a few days is all it should take for a normal human being), then you should start to see how ridiculously time-consuming and numbing FB can be. Taking a break will give you a new outlook and maybe even change the way you interact on there. Just like anything you cut yourself from, you really won’t miss it after a while. I quit smoking a while back and I also quit drinking soda. I do not crave those things at all!

I honestly do not give a rat’s ass what someone had for dinner, where they are at any given moment, that they or their loved one is sick, that they hurt, that their car broke down, that they hate their job, that they finally trimmed their nails, changed their hair, or got a new pair of jeans.

I do not want to hear about their world views, their political standpoints, their religious justifications and the whining behind it that seems to make it justified for them, their trip they are currently on (which is risky, btw), or their dog dying.

Much of that are personal things. Sure, we are now trying to reclaim our right of the constitution, but it is seriously getting out of hand. So much that it causes more separation and no solutions. We are angry at society or politicians, yet we just sit on our asses and complain about it. That is the country we are. We should all know that the media is a brainwashing mechanism, that the government is corrupt, and that our country is heading nowhere fast. But to sit and rant about it only makes matters worse! And to focus on materialistic things is just the cherry on top. It’s exactly what the elite wants- for us to be so firmly attached to the internet, to our electronics, to material things- so that when shit hits the fan, we will be completely vulnerable.
Don’t you get it???? Don’t be blind and misled!

With my sig other and son, I am learning more of weaponry, survival tactics, and self-sustainability through growing our own food, re-purposing, and spending time together. The way things used to be years ago before all of this. Sure, I still use the internet, but for helpful and beneficial purposes. It can be a necessary evil, especially when I am trying to promote my business. Even at that, I am striving to be more involved face-to-face in the community- it’s much more personable. I’d rather see you than text you or correspond on a social media site. I want to spend time with you. We need that human interaction. We are losing that, and that’s what is leading to so many physical and psychological issues.

I challenge you. Take 30 days away from social media. Go back to your hobbies or find a new one. Exercise. Read. Visit friends and family. Interact in the physical world. You will realize what you’ve become. The fact that you have made yourself an open book to the world, yet you may be complaining of the FB privacy policy. Loosen your reigns on social media in however way you need to. I seriously dare you, encourage you, and support you in this. Tell people to get a hold of you another way. There are plenty of other ways. You won’t regret it. You won’t miss ANYTHING.

The Resolution Conundrum- Why we can't keep our New Year's resolutions and how to fix that

We all know that making New Year’s resolutions is a popular trend, and we all mean well. Each year we want to prove to ourselves and others that we can be better. Let’s face it, though, many of our resolutions fall apart or don’t even come into fruition….but why? Why is it so hard to do what we know will better us? Making a statement is the first step, that’s true….but a resolution is a goal and all goals need to have some substance in order to reach them.

So enough of the open-ended and generalized “I’ll eat healthier”, “I’m going to quit smoking”, I’m going to be a better person”, “I’ll work harder”, “I’m going to learn something new”, “I’ll save more” or “I will exercise more/lose weight”...ideas might be coming to mind about what happens when these one-sentence proclaimations we are so familiar with aren’t addressing important factors that need to come into play.
The following will give us a better understanding about where we are erroring and and how we can turn those errors into beautiful, blooming manifestations of our desired goals.

1. It’s too vague. Take, for instance, wanting to be a better person (i.e. mother, father, husband, wife, friend…). What things can you do to make you a better ______? Also, if you desire to work harder, by what means? What is something new that you want to learn or try? Where do you want to travel? How much money do you want to save? What healthy foods will you eat? Do some research to see what others’ success stories and suggestions are and find something that fits you. Give your resolution a personalized definition.

2. There is no real desire or passion beyond the words. Such as, you want to eat healthier, and you should eat healthier, but a voice in your head is saying “That doesn’t sound so easy…or fun, for that matter.” Don’t just say things you know you should do, you’ve got to want it. Self-reflect…what drives you? What is burning deep in your gut? Go with that. No one’s forcing a gun to your head to change, except for you. And, in that case, it’s best not to pull the trigger if you’re not ready. If you’re not ready to quit smoking, you’ll have a harder time, because of the thoughts that persuade you that it’s going to be hard. But it all boils down to attitude. Change those negative thoughts that you have about an unhealthy habit or a new healthy habit you would like to pick up into positive ones…You will replace “eating healthy sounds unappealing and a lot of hard work” with “eating healthy will result in a stronger immune system, more energy, and preventing long-term illnesses and disease.” …or something to that effect. The more you train yourself to reverse your thinking, the more natural it will become, and you will have literally programmed yourself to change. Afterall, change begins with the thought. Don’t let yourself be the obstacle, because no one or nothing else is.

3. You don’t have an execution plan. So you’ve established that you want to cut back on drinking alcohol. Ok, that’s great! But….where to start? As long as you’re not an alcoholic, you can mindfully and tactfully come up with a plan to wean your drinking habits. Start thinking of ways you can cut back- only go out for drinks once a week….no drinking after a certain time…no drinking out at all….no drinking at home at all…stick to beer…put a limit on the amount of drinks you consume in one sitting….(If you are an alcoholic, you’d be reading this with much confusion, denying that you are one, and are probably drinking a beer right now…in which case, you should get help….but you’ll ignore that too :p ) Ok, so another instance- you want to go back to school. When will the best time be? When will you be ready? What will you take? Again, do your research, talk to the school advisor, and see what’s right for you. Construct a path and decide how many classes you should take, if it will be partially or all online (which is really hard, by the way), if you will still have to work, if you have kids or a significant other that you will need to allow time for, and again….numbers 1 & 2 above. To give a personal example, I had struggled for the longest time on quitting smoking. I didn’t smoke your normal cigarettes- in fact, I can’t stand those. But I was hooked on mild cloves. Made coffee or alcohol all the better. But it became too much of an addiction and I knew I had to stop…I tried Chantix (good idea at first, horrible side effects), I still didn’t want the nicotine through the patch or anything, and I had tried cold turkey a couple of times…but I finally decided that it’s rather unpleasant smoking in the bitter cold of the winter, so that would be the time I’d stop. I also figured out an appropriate day and time to quit. I finished my pack, all but one that I tore up and threw away as some sort of sanctimonious declaration at around 11pm on a Sunday night…so that I would start off the week with no cigarettes. I also had mutual support that helped. Surrounding myself with that made all the difference. So I didn’t just say I’d quit, but I determined how and when and made sure I had the support and encouragement neeeded. I also reminded myself of the inconveniences of smoking as well as the benefits of quitting. And then I did it. And I feel so much better, physically and mentally.

4. It’s unrealistic. Granted, most of us don’t make unrealistic resolutions, but sometimes they are desirable, like losing an extreme of weight in a short amount of time or making any drastic change. As with the tips above, you need to find conservative and modest ways of creating the change. If you know you can’t promise to bring world peace, become a champion boxer, or completely cut out meat from your diet, then take a couple steps back and evaluate what you *can* do. Such as volunteer more, do a random good deed every day, donate, go to the gym and get a personal trainer, cut out certain meats or the quantity to start out (as another example of #3). Anything is possible if you put your mind to it, but you won’t be doing flips in a jet tomorrow. Pace yourself and analyze what can be done in order to get closer to your ideal long-term goal.

5. The stars are not aligned. Ok, I am addressing a celestial and unearthly factor, here, but it does play a *major* role in change. Some change is good during the winter months, but this is a time to bring closure to things, to let go, to rest, and to reflect. Ancient traditions such as of Pagan, Mayan, Greek and Chinese cultures revolved around Astrology and Cosmology. Over the centuries, these practices have created a way to track time, from the day hours to the seasons and years. Scientists and philosophers alike have been able to prove a link between the celestical happenings and life here on earth. Our psyche is affected by planetary movement, placement of stars, and the cycles of the sun and moon. We’ve all heard that the weirdos come out of the woodworks on a Full Moon, or that people are more edgy during Mercury Retrograde. Well, these aren’t made up folklore. Just as we should know that the Pagan Soltices and Equinoxes are very important guides to how we live and how earth’s nature operates. The celestial patterns guide nature and, in turn, nature guides us. For instance, The Winter Solstice is the Season of Reflection- a time to resolve, relinquish, and reflect- to bring things to a close. The Fall Equinox is the Season of Harvest or Reaping, reaping what we have sown. Farmers use the ebbing daylight to harvest their fields, as we do with our gardens so that we can take in what we have created for ourselves, as we should do with anything going on in our lives at that time. Summer Solstice is the Season of Stillness. This is where the sun seems to stand still for us to enjoy the daylight in longer periods so that we may ‘stop to smell the roses’ and enjoy life and nature’s beauty. Spring Equinox is the Season to Sow- time to plant our gardens and crops, and it is also the time to start new projects, take on new ventures, etc. It’s the Season of Birth…familiar with Easter which is dubbed Christ’s resurrection? This is a representation of New Birth. The sun and moon let us know we have more daytime to cultivate new things. The earth is being replenished with rain and sunshine, the flowers are blooming, and the tides are in. So, in short, Late March is the best time to start anything new. However, if you are desiring to quit doing something, it is best to do it at the beginning of Fall Equinox, in September.

Well, you may now have a much more solid idea of how much it takes to put into a resolution. So, my suggestion is, don’t ex-nay your fresh annual ambitions, just give them some shape and substance so that they can withstand anything that comes your way. This is a great method to go by for any goals you wish to set out for yourself. Find this information valuable- as valuable as your Resolutions.

Namasté

transferred- original post date 12/28/2013

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...Recreate?

There has been an overwhelming surge of creative ideas surfacing on the internet through a little site called Pinterest. Anything from crafts and clothing styles to how-to’s and images of worldly places we desire to travel, it has become a Euphoria for people to share their interests and likes all in one, organized location.

The one category that drew me in at this site was the recycling ideas, with the most interesting and creative ways of recycling items to use for another purpose. For instance, taking empty egg cartons and storing holiday ornaments in them, using vinegar to flush out a clogged dishwasher, saving those bread bag tabs to label your cords and wires for your electronics, or making gift bags out of wrapping paper- all ideas of which I borrowed for myself.

Not only this, I have ‘pinned’ many decorative ideas using such things as window frames, old photo frames, drawers, crates, bottles and jars. Some of the concepts blew me away at first glance, not ever fathoming recycling those items for the uses shown.

We are now in a creative, thrifty age- where men and women alike are drawn to a more simplistic and rustic way of transforming things from items laying around. History does seem to be repeating itself, but in a more imaginative way. And it seems as though we humans get bored rather quickly with the straightforward ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ method, that our minds start to recreate and reinvent the way we do it.

transferred - original post date 2/28/2012

How I Pray

There is no one way. There is no right way. There is no perfect way. Prayer is usually conceived as a religious ritual and practice by the means of calling upon a higher source (God/Jesus/Allah/etc.) to bring goodness into one’s life, especially in times of tribulation. I am not an anti-prayer, but I have viewed that some people tend to be in a negative or desperate mindset when doing so, and that is when things can result in a not-so-desired outcome.

Prayer can be very powerful and efficient if we understand what we are doing when we close our eyes, ask for help, kneel, fold our hands, etc. If you pray, you may imagine that you are speaking to a source outside of yourself who is controlling your life and things that happen. We must see that if we are ‘created in the likeness of Him’ or that we are created, period, by a Source, which we are, then that means we are part of that Source. Some people also meditate, and contrary to anyone’s belief, prayer and meditation are one and the same ONLY if thoroughly understood.

What am I getting at? Well, for starters, we are all connected. We all have purpose beyond our physical form, and that our subconscious, or our soul, is the true being of us. It is our gateway to all knowledge. Why some may not be so in tune with this portal is due to the structure of human life and society- overcome by what we are told, the business of the physical life, and of course the electronic-driven culture we are conveniently but noxiously endowed with.

Also, all things happen for a reason and at the right time for us, whether we realize it or not. If we did not have turbulence and bumps in the road, life would be boring and we would never learn from our experiences. Our soul (subconscious) is what’s really driving us into these situations and are all unique to each individual, which present to us a path of choices so that we may make the wisest one for our well-being. It is when our focus becomes cloudy and we do not take the time to quiet ourselves and look within that we take the lesser road. Once we are actually able to listen to our own silence, we will begin to gain clarity of accepting the circumstances at hand in order to stabilize a positive outlook and to have strength to get through it and make the best choices possible.

To extend on quieting ourselves, let’s understand that the term “following your heart” isn’t necessarily the way to go. Your heart is the connection to your feelings and emotions. It is not wise to let those lead you all of the time. You must have balance between your feelings/emotions and your logic. Logic truly is the liaison for our soul. So it is best not to make a decision based on feelings alone, because feelings can change. We need time to step out of the situation, be in silence, and let the answers come to you. It is amazing what you realize when you do this. Having a positive mindset is one of the most vital elements to ‘praying’. If you come into it feeling helpless, lost, upset, angry…you are bound to be guarding against any answers or possibilities that would be the key to moving forward. Being receptive is also a major element. In order to gain understanding of a situation at hand that you are praying about, you must be ready for the answer. It may not come to you immediately, but you should be open to any signs, messages, gut feelings, and thoughts that come your way. You must also be receptive to any choices you have made to lead you up to that situation.

Let’s say that you lost your job- that seems to be a fairly typical circumstance. Many would be frantic, devastated, even angered at this. But if you are not too quick to judge or blame, and to reflect on your steps, you may see what led you to this. Were you often late? Did you make any mistakes? Did you have a poor attitude or say impolite things? Have you been there a shorter amount of time than others? Were you not focused? It could be many things, and it is always at your fault, but it is always good to assess before jumping to conclusions. The next step is to accept the circumstance. What’s done is done.

Next, know that there is something planned for you- a new venture, a new job, a new opportunity that will be better than the last. If you are open and perceptive to any messages that lead you to it, then you will have the answer you were looking for when the time is right. If you become negative and hopeless, you may end up in a job that will be the same if not worse than before. You may stay unhappy. You may make desperate decisions that would cause you to be homeless, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or worse.

Our inner self is always speaking to us- guiding us- but if we are not open and receptive, if we do not calm our emotions, if we do not stop to ground and silence ourselves, if we do not be accepting and have a positive outlook, we can easily get lost in a faux scheme of prayer. No one is out there to hold our hand because we are the bearer of our destiny.

transferred- original post date 02/17/2012

2012- How Change Can Really Happen

It’s 2012. It’s almost election time. It’s a very confusing and disappointing line-up of presidential candidates this time around, don’t you agree?

If not, there would be a high level of biased views on your part to see the big picture….So let me go ahead and clarify some things and present some rather valid points….

-There is no such thing as the perfect president. We all will have something we do not agree with or support in each candidate’s views.

-No single person (i.e. the President) will make great change or ‘fix things’ in the duration of their term, let alone solely by himself/herself ever, especially with the way our government is set up, with Congress tending to be the ring leader. So quit blaming the president for everything. Presidents often become the puppet of the federal government, under the control of Congress.

-The US Government has been corrupted longer that some of you realize. Let’s not get confused with the suffering of the economy (which cannot be solely blamed on the 2008 housing market bubble/crash or even the Reagan or Bush administrations, though much upheaval has come from these periods of time). In 1913, politicians made it so that the value of US currency was diluted due to the creation of the Federal Reserve, with the US dollar losing 96% of it’s value. Ever since then, US currency has gradually lost more and more of it’s true value and is now plagued as a symbol of wealth or strife more than anything, thus contributing to the deterioration of the government and our economy.

-On top of this, our government has become gradually more and more manipulative and deceiving in their ways, partially due to the currency devaluation. I can’t even fathom how long it would take to get it back to some sort of functional normalcy. Our government was created with a certain amount of bodies and representatives, and now it has become over-saturated with ‘career politicians’.

-Currently, if one were to research, there has been found to be at least 15 of the 27 Constitutional Amendments being violated by our own government- including most of the original first 10 (correct if there are more):
I. Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression
II. Right to Bear Arms
III. Quartering of Soldiers
IV. Search and Seizure
V. Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings
VI. Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses
IX. Construction of Constitution
X. Powers of the States of People
XI. Choosing the President, Vice President
XIII. Slavery Abolished
XIV. Citizenship Rights
XV. Race No Bar To Vote
XXVII. Limiting Changes to Congressional Pay
(Please read here for definitions & details: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1)

-The ideal option, as “We the People”, would be to completely wipe the slate clean, clearing out all federal government officials and starting over with the originally created representatives and structure and not allow for growth. The dilemmas to this are, though as we the people should have the right to make these changes, are that, as I said before, Congress and other structures of the federal government now having a stranglehold on us, as well as the destructiveness of the Federal Reserve, and lobbying.

- We need to end several things: Corporate involvement in the government; Lobbying needs to be abolished. The Federal Reserve; it’s doing more harm than good, allowing politicians to create money from thin air, thus spending it recklessly and taking away our currency’s true purpose. Career Politicians- especially in Congress. As in any political role, congressmen should have limited terms in order for continual and fair cycling of the congressional pool. Following me?

In short, we can all take part to make these necessary changes, and though it will take a lot of time and effort, it is what needs to be done in order to get anywhere.
Believe it or not, this is something that the Occupy movement is working towards. January 17th, 2012 may be a monumental start with Occupy Congress. I encourage you to follow the events as well as finding out what you can do to help. 

http://occupywallst.org/

We the people have the right to and the power to change this. It’s all a matter of time and commitment.

transferred- original post date 01/16/2012