The state we find ourselves in ...

[tlcandie]

After skimming over recent postings and skipping over even more and noting the environment we seem to be dallying in these days within DU, I began pondering about how we've come to find ourselves to be in this situation. What follows are the conclusions or 'slant', if you will, of how I see it. Maybe you will view it with an open mind and as a spring board rather than judgment or a nice, pat, little box, hopefully, that can be used to push the envelope and become a catalyst to propel us past the quagmire we now find ourselves enmeshed within.

What would happen if certain species of beings suddenly felt threatened and deprived of all their liberties and luxuries of which they had become accustomed? Think about it...look at gorillas, rats in a maze, dogs etc. let your mind wander and think about basic animal instincts and what happens when various species of beings find their way of life threatened. Think on it long and hard. WHAT WOULD THEY DO? Would they turn on each other with the intent of rending everything in sight to shreds because they felt so threatened .. fight or flight? If they could speak, would they insult, badger, spit venomous hatred, blame, predjudice, etc. ? In a state that is so foreign to them, and unnaturally high in fear and distrust, where everything they ever knew has been turned upside down I believe you could see their eyes moving rapidly from one corner to the next looking to spot the culprit under every nook and corner as they were desperately feeling pinned to the wall nothing but the need or desire to lash out and kill or maim all that was within sight. If daily they were beaten and abused would they not look at snapping at a hand given out to them in peace rather than accepting or seeing it for what it really is? In this state of mind, at what point, does a being give up on the rational road of common sense, dignity and the withholding of judgment before operating on 'instinct' automatically as a need of self-preservation?

Now, let's move to Iraq. Can we apply this mode of analyzing to what is going on there? I believe so. Who is to say in the context of where they find themelves what is right and what is wrong? I surely will not judge them negatively for what I see or hear of their people doing as a result of what is happening to them today. How can I when I have no idea what it is like to truly be an Iraqi, Islamist, Muslim, Sunni, etc.? How can you judge harshly or negatively any being who finds itself suddenly threatened and deprived of all their liberties, luxuries and customs of they they had become accustomed? What I HAVE NOTICED THEY ARE doing is organizing from deep within the bowels of their culture without modern technology and finding that which connects them...the GLUE THAT BINDS them above all else as Iraqis over each sect and they are coming out fighting in what appears to me to be the only way that maybe their culture knows and it doesn't appear that it will be an easy go or a pretty site, nonetheless, it is THEIR way and THEIR choice.

Again, let's change locations within our mind and move to another culture, another time, another place in Europe many years ago. During this time there were Inquisitions pain, torment and depravity beyond anything we can imagine. Yet, again, did a people feel threatened of liberties, luxuries and customs and what did they do? Many founded a grass roots movement to find a new home in America and escape the madness of their time other stood, fought and died for their beliefs. Our country is full of people who have come here to flee or escape the madness of another place and time.

Let your mind fully grasp what is happening here...today in our country and to us. Can we compare it to the Iraqis or the Europeans of old, our founding fathers? Yes, I believe we can...those who are turning inward and rending their own are sensing it deep within their very being...the threat is palpitable drawing ever nearer and closer threatening to cut off our very existence as a nation and free-willed human beings...in the pursuit of life, liberty and justice for all. It is fight or flight and 'instincts' are taking over. Can any of us fault any being for this? I say no. What can be done to cure the ugliness that is becoming so rampant among us? Unfortunately, in this day and time the option of fleeing and beginning again isn't much of an option. I believe this is something that intensifies all the feelings of entrapment, anger and rage we are feeling over the madness before us. There appears to be no where to run and going within ourselves is not always comfortable; therefore, looking out .. lashing and rending one another is preferable to going within more times than not it seems.

I sincerely believe that we must look BEYOND ourselves and the constant drippings of the daily madness happening not only within our country but within the world to find THE GLUE that binds and fashion it into a thing of beauty that will propel us past the madness. MoPaul wrote an article about 'Underground' and I think it is high time we get to the basics of survival and turn it from 'instinct' into decency and compassion for our fellow beings within our country and within our world. Look at the Iraqis, they've not forgotten the basic, grass roots movement of how to organize and move forward...it is an unspoken thing that they, as a people, remember and recall that GLUES or BINDS them together in hard times. We, as Americans, do not have their long history of binding together and moving beyond immediate tradgedies, BUT I believe that we CAN find it!

Yes, I believe it will be harder for us because we have so many people with so many views and ideas that move from one end of the spectrum to the other, but we CAN do it! Our saviour is not another presidental candidate, governor or politician...it is US..each person doing something to end this madness! We have become so busy with life that we've moved away from and forgotten all the hard work it took to get us here. We've allowed others to do our bidding and run the day to day of our country and removed ourselves further and further from its inner workings and now we see what we have each wrought and it isn't pretty... it is ugly and grotesque. Quit beating yourselves up and each other and get on with the removal of the cancer! It must be removed before the entire system is dead.

Can we find our 'commonalities' so we can organize and become UNITED once again? Can we divide to conquer? I believe we can! We must move beyond our minds and start with our hearts, yet connect the two and come back to square one. Each of us must now decide what really is important to their survival and happiness and then move forward to make it so by finding or creating groups that help to promote what YOU believe!

If this were the underground railroad, how would we organize it... what would we do.. where would we start? Come, come...the time is short! We must put our minds and hearts together and find THE WAY towards the light through the ever darkening madness that threatens to snuff out our lights! What will be your part to play? TODAY where will YOU start in connecting to the UNDERGROUND?

[flyingfish]

1. I thought the state I was in was Pennsylvania

I was in Maryland and Delaware a few weeks ago.
Are you telling me I was not in those states?

[tlcandie]

2. No.. I'm afraid it was not ... not anymore it seems : )

n/t