Guidance needed....feeling of despair....please read and contribute...

[NRaleighLiberal]

Some background...I've never been particularly politically active or even had much interest in it. I'm approaching 50, two great kids out of the house, good job, great wife, interesting hobbies. I would call myself quite liberal - socially and fiscally, open minded, very comfortable in the grey (don't care for black/white thinking), fairly cynical - an optimist pretty much all of the time. Why am I here posting on DU (finding this site a few years ago was cathartic and is largely therapeutic)??

Though I found Nixon horrendous, Reagan a village idiot, Bush one distasteful but somewhat benign, our current white house inhabitant has driven me here to DU, raised my interest in politics exponentially. Why? Because my wife and I can't listen to, can't stand the sight of, he who I can't even name. Now to what is really bugging me....

This situation in our country, the polarization, is costing me friends and relationships with family members. I can't for the life of me understand how anyone can look at or listen to our idiot misleader and have even a shred of respect for him, or belief in what he says. It is so self-evident for me. It leads me to mistrust anyone who does support him. What the hell is going on in our country - what is wrong with the minds of his supporters? is this insanity, is it evil, selfishness, ignorance, stupidity - what??

Another thing that is really chafing me....I've been reading here for some time, as I've said. The right has behaved in an easily predictable pattern. WHY are we all so surprised (and I admit that I fall into this trap as well) when they behave exactly as we would have predicted - we know what a slimeball Rush is, what a complete hateful screwball O'Leilly is, what trash Coulter is...why, again and again, do we react in hurt and disbelief when all they do is follow the script and act as they always have? Cindy Sheehan slimed - of course she is being slimed, do any of us really think that this would not happen?

Now, to the hard part - what the hell can we do about this? If the media is complicit, if the Dem politicians are silent and compiant, what is the answer here, folks - how can we stop the madness? Because, make no mistake, this is madness - and hatred, and intolerance, and a real backward step for our society, watching how our potential, our country, our life is being systematically dismantled and ruined by those currently in power. Is this a pendulum swing that we just have to wait to swing back? Does the pain factor simply have to grow and grow until even the block headed, stubborn, selfish, uninvolved idiots who idolize the current misleader have to admit that he does nothing good for anyone except the wealthy and his cronies?

I have no answers here, only questions. Thanks for bearing with me in this rant. I know how I feel inside - in my heart, in my head - but get emotional about it very quickly, and find that my approach to life - instinct, heart- is not very effective in the world of right wing smear and so called logic (meaning attacks). I am in awe of how well some of you can put these things into words. It was just time for me to try....so, for better or worse, this is why I am in such despair today...and have been for some time.

[mzteris]

1. You've said

exactly how I feel. Thank you.

I think you've put it in words very well, btw.

PS - I'm in Wake Forest!

[lildreamer316]

39. PS

I'm in Jamestown!
Make sure both of you check in to the NC forum/

[steve2470]

2. I'm about the same age as you...

Perhaps my angst isn't to the level of yours, but I think you have lots of company. I would think if you can pour some energy and perhaps resources into your favorite cause or causes, that would make a difference for you and for the country. That's all any of us can do. The alternative is to do nothing and feel even more helpless and hopeless. I hope this helped :-)

[Bonobo]

3. You need some kind of practice in your life.

Devote more time to something that you enjoy and strive, daily, for the (unattainable) perfection of that thing. Focus a little less on this madness.
Oh, also, you might consider getting out of the country for a while.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Thanks - yes, I do!

Aside from my despair on the political front, I do pursue a really enjoyable hobby of keeping hundreds of old varieties of tomatoes going, sharing them with people, doing garden talks...as I said, I am typically an optimist, and do spend much of my time in high spirits. It is just the confounding, lies = truth, truth=lies bizarro world present that really is quite frustrating and mystifying to me. As in, O'Leilly or Rush can spin a dozen lies in 15 min that the media never questions, yet someone like Kerry or Cindy Sheehan has every atom that is emitted from their mouth scrutinized for absolute accuracy. Completely befuddling.

And one more....if righty/fundies are so convinced that they will all be saved, why the hell does fear work so well on them?

Why hasn't the media or most people noticed that the constant flood of terror warnings ended once the election was over?

If things like this are so obvious, why aren't people connecting the dots???

[tavalon]

33. if righty/fundies are so convinced that they will all be saved,

why the hell does fear work so well on them?

Because they don't entirely trust their bullshit and on some level, they realize that even kindergartners know they shouldn't behave the way they are behaving and so they suspect that the almighty parent is about to punish them.

[zippy890]

43. Your very thoughtful post struck a chord

with me, as I feel more alienated from people(RWers) than I ever have. I am a few years older than you & I remember the turbulent 60s & 70s but I have never felt the disgust and sense of outrage that I feel about our government that I do now.

I take some solace from the idea that these things are cyclical, and that things are definitely starting to move up out of the pit of darkness that has been the political reality. the only problem I see is that people have become so alienated its frightening.

For instance I do not seem to have the tolerance level I used to have for republicans. This frightens me because i have always been able to get along with everyone. Their ideological ignorance is a wall(ugly one) that they put up around themselves & I no longer am inclined to try to bat my head against that wall trying to communicate.

One thing you said I think I've figured out the answer too:

"if righty/fundies are so convinced that they will all be saved, why the hell does fear work so well on them?"

I have a RW co-worker who is very religious. She talks about god a lot, in between vitriolic speeches about 'immigrants' and welfare cheats being the cause of all the problems. She lives in fear, I realized after a comment she made one day, of not going to heaven when she dies. Why would she be so fearful of this God? Because she knows what a hateful person she is, and that she would not get in to the heaven she so desperately wants when she dies.

Anyway, you write nicely and I know when I read what you wrote, that I felt we as a country are going to pull through these dark times.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts


:hi:

[tlsmith1963]

45. I Used to Get Along With Republicans, Too

When Rush Limbaugh came along, that ended. I really think this mean-spirited climate began with him. It saddens me that Republicans aren't really my friends anymore, but they are just too hateful.

Btw, I am a few years younger than the original poster. I was very young during Vietnam, so all I remember is that all the adults seemed very angry. I knew there was a war going on, but I didn't really understand what it was about. Now that Iraq is happening, I think I understand what the Vietnam period was like.

Tammy

[zippy890]

48. Good point about Limbaugh & increase in hatefulness

You hit on something there I hadn't thought of before - its like he gave a voice to the mean-spiritedness of people, and legitimized it, really.

Welcome to DU!

[SpiralHawk]

19. A sustainable home and garden are great to strive for right now

Things are shaky. Energy if not scarce is at least going to be EXPENSIVE. Your family could make a project out of converting your home economy to one that is sustainable, energy and otherwise. Many a family has gained focus - and stability - from undertaking this kind of a goal.

Maybe we can't change the macro political scene, but we can act in our own domains.

[Extend a Hand]

4. I can only empathize

I have thought for some time that our country is in serious trouble due to the malfeasance of the *(I can't stand to even type it) administration.

I'm feeling rather desperate today as well. I'm reading Micheal Ruppert's , "Crossing the Rubicon The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil"

Now about a third of the way through this book, I fear that our country is in worse shape than I could ever have even imagined.



:scared: :scared: :scared:

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Furstrating, I know. That's why I am so into election reform from the

ground up. It helps to know that we are makign changes.. even if they are only little ones.

Other than that, hope that Fitzy will come out with indictments soon, that Karma is ready to kick some butt, and then back off the politics for a breather. Play with some little kids or lis back and look at clouds in the sky. Get centered in some peace for a while if you can. :hug:

[kikiek]

7. I am in the same boat as you. Probably most people who really know

what is going on in this country are. One thing I am thankful for is my spouse is of the same mindset. Doesn't involve himself to the point I do, but agrees with what I believe in. I think one of the major changes is that we like minded are coming together and getting our message out. We are sending letters, volunteering, hanging signs, and of course voting. We are onto the voting irregularities, and thanks to many diligent people that hopefully will end now. I belive things are going to change. Unfortunately the damage will be grave, and not all reversible. This is especially true with the lost lives, broken lives, and damage done to the planet. If we don't turn this country around I believe the rest of the world will join in to force it.

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. Thanks....my wife of 25 years is still my very best friend...

and is completely like minded as well. We also have a daughter who is so completely fed up with what she saw that she volunteered in the Peace Corps and is teaching English in Madagascar. My wife and I have joined a few protests and vigils. Getting involved is indeed cathartic, but so is spending some time Kayaking on a lake, or a good bottle of wine....

[kikiek]

15. Absolutely!!

[mr_hat]

30. My wife, although a democrat, is weary >

of the anger I carry and the "friendships" I've lost, thanks to our uniter-in-chief.

I wish I could represent a loyal opposition with a song in my heart... Fuck it. I can't.

[klyon]

44. Love the sinner hate the sin

It is not the person but their ideas and opinions that are to be disagreed with. Compassion and love will bring peace and peace of mind.

KL

[Ignoramus]

8. Empower the culture

I like the ideas expressed by Mr. Lackoff and also the death of environmentalism article (written by err Shellenburger and Nordhause if I'm spelling that right):

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/01/13/doe-reprint/

Or specifically, the point about thinking long-term. Instead putting all our eggs in the basket of winning each election that comes along, and bending further and further over in order to not offend people, so that we can trick them into electing our guy. We, should think of building a liberal culture so that we have political power in 20 years.

In terms of voting:

It may even be better to lose an election, if it results in promoting a long-term goal. I'm not convinced that means voting for Nader or whomever, though. I am seriously unwilling to vote for another pro-war candidate.

In any case, I think a major problem with democrats is that they compromise so quickly. At least one reason why a Kucinich can't win, is because everyone agrees to not vote for someone who can't win. How many votes would someone like that get, if people said they were going to vote for them, up until the very last moment when you actually vote, and then and only then vote pragmatically?

[SnoopDog]

9. Don't feel you are alone....

Many many people feel the same way.

And yes, there are many people who follow this evil murderous coward and this administration. I view them as people who want to open the hatch of a submarine while completely underwater while of course we are saying "don't do that - we will all drown".

So that is it - we have to preserver. We are the ones who know that we are in big trouble and they are the ones who want to 'open the hatch'.

Talk. Write these posts. Write letters to the editor. Talk to people who you don't even know. Support Cindy.

Remember, the Vietnam war took years for US (as in citizens) to stop the Vietnam war.

Unfortunately, our very country is in great peril.

Fight my friend, just like we all have to.

[mmonk]

11. I'm around your age

and from your same area of the city (Raleigh). I know how you feel. I want to go outside and just scream at all the people to wake the hell up. Their blindness and their willingness to follow blindly reminds me about the thoughts I've had about Germany in the 30's and how seemingly intelligent people could let that happen. I don't have answers but can only fight the information war and if it keeps going badly, just do what is best for my family. Just can't let it eat you alive.

[NRaleighLiberal]

14. Thanks - was listening to Big Ed the other day, and...

an older man called in stating some of the parallels he found in reading Mein Kampf, in terms of Hitler's strategy for control, with how the current misadmin. is apparently doing the same. Unfortunately, Big Ed just thanked him and stated how extreme that view is and that he felt few Americans were willing to go that far.

Well, one point I failed to make above is that big, awful moments in history - the Holocaust, etc - are by nature things that are inconceibable to sane people. What I really fear is that the horrible things being perped on us by the current powers that be are well organized and horrendous, and that they are playing on that very theme that there is no way that people will be able to consider them...not saying this very well, but my view is that some of must remain quite cynical, because that which seems inconceiveable in terms of evil has, in the past, happened. I don't want to live through another horrible smear on history, and have to decide why we didn't notice it.

[mmonk]

16. Me either

(don't want to live through another horrible smear). We have to be vigilant and tell people the truth at all times. I guess I would move to Canada or somewhere if it gets to a point I don't think we can return to normalcy and decency with a positive tomorrow.

[tavalon]

35. Yup

I figured out the parallels in late 2001 but before I actually did the research, the hairs on the back of my neck already knew.

Fascism is a lot like cancer. Cancer is actually very undifferentiated, no matter where it is in the body. Healthy cells are quite differentiated based on where in the body they are and what their job is. There are so many different flavors of Democracy but fascism from place to place just looks so eerily similar.

[LibinMo]

12. Great post

You expressed (much better than I could have) exactly how I feel. I have friends & family I seldom have contact with because of Bush and my feelings about the whole political scene. I just can't keep silent, although I have tried. The ones who e-mail me I simply ignore.
Others I avoid. But when they bring up W or the war they get it from both barrels.

I'm talking about lifelong friends as well as part of my family. That is what amazes me. How did we get to this? In America. And how bad is it going to get before it gets better?

Sorry I don't have any answers. I visit DU often and listen to Mike Malloy every night. That helps me deal with my anger. But I don't know how to change the Republican mindset. I'm hoping W will take care of that for us.

[ihaveaquestion]

13. Get connected with a local group of like minded folks....

for strategy sessions, commisseration, organizing, etc. Maybe a nearby UU or UCC church? I prefer UU, but either will do. An active local sierra clubs is also a good bet.

I went to Al-Anon for a year after my drunk ex-husband left my children and me high and dry. The feeling of helplessness and despair that you're feeling is very familiar to me. It's almost identical as the feelings experienced by the victims of drunks and druggies. I think we need Al-Anon type groups (Repuke-Anon?) to help us cope with the fuckheads all around us.

Connect! :pals:

[petgoat]

38. Al-Anon is a Great Metaphor

I attended a self-help group several years ago when I took over
responsibility for a heroin-addicted niece. The same principles apply
to our relationship with this "mis-administration": their behavior is
their behavior, not yours; try to stay calm and do nice things for
yourself; remain true to your own principles and goals; strive to hold
the miscreants responsible for their actions.

[Neecy]

17. I know how you feel

I, also, have a lot of bitterness for those who voted for and continue to support Bush. Most of them - and I've asked - wouldn't allow their children to enlist in the Army on a bet, but they're more than willing to see other people's children die in Iraq. Nothing, and I mean nothing, infuriates me more.

I view all Bush voters as accessories to the crime. The crime against Iraq, the crime against the economy, the crimes against the poor, the crimes against an informed populace by the corporate ownership of the media, and the many social crimes that make pariahs out of our fellow citizens in a shameless power-grab by the religious right.

We can't, however, do anything about the Republican party. They are who they are and until the society at large calls them on their crimes we're powerless. We CAN, though, do something about our OWN party and try to change their spineless, cowardly me-tooism before start of world war III. Join your local Democratic party committee and fight like hell for reform. Send constant letters to your Democratic officials, screaming for change. When they have town hall meetings, show up and give 'em hell. Refuse to contribute toward or work for one single Democrat who signs on to the Bush agenda. We're the wallets and workers for Democrats, and eventually our message will get through.

[tk2kewl]

18. I often feel the same way...

I try (but don't always succeed) to take a little time out each week to do something enjoyable and recharge, and then I bang my head against the wall sending letters and emails to my elected reps and local papers. It's hard work, but we gotta stay the course! :P

[Arkansas Granny]

20. I know exactly how you feel.

I think it just the overload of bad news, inept leadership and no change in sight. Sometimes I just back away for a few days and give my mind a rest. I don't watch the news, read the paper or get into political discussions. It's not easy to avoid all of it, but when I can, the break seems to do me some good. It's easier to do this if you have a chance to get out of town for a few days and break with your normal routine.

[Casper]

21. I'm right there with you

I'm about the same age, no children, but a great "husband" (we're not married but together 10 years) and a similar profile regarding political involvement prior to the Bush takeover.

We worked our butts off for Dean, and then for Kerry. On election night 2004, watching the results come in, I was flabbergasted. Like you, I cannot fathom why anyone would vote for or have any respect for him. Since then, we have committed to our local Democratic Party and as well as serving on the board of a non-profit progressive grassroots organization, Georgia for Democracy. We recognize that pushing the pendulum back the other way is going to take time and consistent effort.

We try to recognize small successes. This week it was the "Stand with Cindy" vigils across the country. Looking at the photos and hearing the reports (I was at a Democratic party meeting and couldn't join the nearly over 1000 people scattered over six locations in Atlanta metro) I was overwhelmed by the diverse crowds that participated. Two weeks ago it was the 40,000 plus people who marched the streets of Atlanta in support of the Voter Rights Act extension. Hopefully next week it will be something else.

I agree with the post that recommended getting out of the country. We are particularly fond of France ;-) But Canada should be a refreshing change, as well.

The political scene of the past 5 years has changed our lives. We have become engaged at a level we never expected. In the end, I'm happy for that - I only wish it had been inspired by good acts of good people, not bad acts by bad people.

This quote from Bobby Kennedy gets me through days I think will never end...

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

Maybe it will help you to.

[Armstead]

22. Learn to balance hope and cynicism

I'm about your age, and share your frustration. But perhaps I've pissed off longer than you. I remember in the 1970's worrying where the ascendence of Corporate Power and slimy values was taking us. So I feel like this is simply the logical culmination of a process of de-evolution that both Establishment Democrats and republicans are guilty of supporting.

I also think the meanness of Freeper types is also the logical culmination of the blindly self-centered values that we started celebrating in the late 1970's.

Over the years I've learned to balance that rather bleak assessment with the habit of cultivating hope, and looking for the flowers growing through the pavement.

I honestly believe we are at a potential "tipping point" in the opposite direction. Many people are getting personally burned by the policies and values of business immorality and Corporate Power. Bush has screwed the pooch in Iraq, and that's going to make people think twice about listening to right wing neo cons in the future.

The wild card is the Democratic Party. The biggest void over the last 25 years has been a lack of political leadership to counter those underlying values that Bush epitomizes. The democratic party has failed us by going along with it instead of representing a liberal, humanist alternative.

The Democratic Establishment still has their heads in the sand. But the good news is that there is growing energy among the grass roots and leadership who want to restore liberal values, and are willing to stand up to do that.

I guess what I'm saying is look at how the conservative paradign of the last 30 years is being challenged on an increasingly large and mainstream scale. Take some heart in that. And when it seems too frustrating, cultivate your tomatoes and remember that on many levels life is good, despite the BS.

[scarletlib]

23. I understand what you are saying and I feel your despair, perhaps

even more keenly than you, since I was very politically aware.

I try to volunteer where I can, tell people the truth when I can and contribute where I think it will help. I am a member of PFAW and ACLU. I place great hope in the fact that these organizations and many others are fighting for our country as hard as they can. I have hope that since the fascists running the country right now must still allow freedom of speech that organizations such as the ACLU, etc can win these legal battles for our rights.

If there is a higher power we can only hope that all will come out right in the end.

I cannot believe the joy and progress that this nation had, the respect of the world, when Clinton left office. Now this. SOme days I am in agony. I do love this country and I want to leave this nation and world a better place for our all of our children.

[Arkansas Granny]

27. I think you have voiced part of the reason that I feel such

total despair and that is the downhill slide that we have experienced in the last five years. It has been such a change in such a short period of time and the slimy piece of scum who I hold responsible for it has over three years left to complete the devastation! I cannot think of anything that he has done for the good of our nation, just for his big corporate buddies that donated the most money to his campaign. And there are people who still support him and feel he's doing a fine job. It's like our country has been taken over by some sort of cult.

[Carol of the Left]

24. "block headed, stubborn, selfish" ... oh yes indeed ...

I work in one of the most conservative areas of a conservative state. Recently, my fellow employees were all complaining about the cost of gas. One of them said angrily "Why don't we have our own oil?!" This person did not understand that oil is a resource that you either have or have not got. I can easily imagine this person, and most of the people I work with, being all for digging up the entire state of Alaska to look for some if they thought it would benefit their pocketbooks just a tiny bit.

And that is the sort of ignorance and selfishness we are up against. You cannot reason with this level of shortsighted stupidity. I don't even try anymore.

I completely understand your misery and angst!

Each person, I suspect, has to find their own ways to cope. I do it through my spirituality, by finding other intelligent and liberal minded people to associate with when I'm not at work, and by fighting back by helping out with campaigns, contributions, helping with causes I believe in, letters to editors and that sort of thing.

Keep peaceful anyway you can ... and save your energy for bigger battles yet to come.

Carol

[planetc]

25. Choose your issue, go after it. Choose five issues, go after them all.

Thanks for your post, because it puts into words the hallucinatory world a lot of us feel we're living in.

It is hurting me every day that these people are using my tax dollars, or rather those of my non-existent grandchildren, to kill innocent people in Iraq. But all the other issues are important too--the disappearance of democracy, the attacks on the economy, the environment, gays, women wishing legal abortions, and, especially for me, the rape of the language, conducted by the Current Republican Leadership and amplified by the media.

So, choose one issue and write a letter to the editor of your local paper--you write well, so there's an improved chance they'll print it. Either one of two things will happen (or both): a complete stranger will call to tell you how much he or she liked it, and invite you to their particular avenue of action, and/or you'll get an anonymous letter from the other side calling you names. Maybe they'll call--getting one of those thingies that ID callers might be a good idea here.

But above all, remember that WE OUTNUMBER B*ST*RDS!!!!! If we understand what the 2004 election told us, we understand that we outnumber them already, and if you have looked at the recent polls on the president's conduct of the war, our numbers are increasing. The enlightened are in the majority. We just have to keep shouting, coalescing, telling our "elected" representatives what we want them to do with the power WE have given THEM. Drop down to Washington on September 24th. Think of a good sign. You'll have a ball.

A final thought--one of the bright people I work with revealed last fall that he is a Bush supporter (also a Lord of the Rings freak and a wonderful husband and father). I beamed at him and said "We pray for you daily." They mostly don't realize how badly they have been brainwashed, but bitter realization will come to them. All of them have some good-to-great human qualities. We should work so that after the realization comes, we can still talk to them.

[SaveAmerica]

26. Don't despair, help is on the way, Nov 1 I thought that help was

John Kerry, now I realize it's us, we the people. It's you and me writing our thoughts here and letters to the editor, to our congresspeople, getting the word out. We have so many years of hate and disinformation to dig out of, it's not going to happen overnight. The slime you mention that spew their stuff on Fox, etc., I'm thinking their days are numbered. Their ratings aren't as they used to be, people are waking up and realizing they've been lied to. There will always be those people who find happiness in the hate, they won't ever find comfort in the truth, but I do believe that people are turning around, it's showing in the polls. Don't despair and never give up!!

[ClayZ]

28. We joined a local "Stand for Peace"

and have been there weekly. Nice to watch the number of people joining us, grow. Some yayhoos on the other side of the intersection heckle us each week and yell "REMEMBER SAIGON". They wave flags and get foul when passerbys honk and give us the peace sign. We are in a Navy town about 30 miles north of Seattle.


We also go to any and all marches in Seattle. This and reading and learning on DU, signing petitions, etc. makes me feel as though I am keeping my conscience clear. We buy from only blue stores and shop farmers markets.

I am determined to be the change I seek.

I got lazy and comfortable in the Clinton Years. I had to put my 60s hat back on my head and remember who I was then. That is still who I am now, just older with grandkids.

We take kids and grandkids with us. They talk to the old timers from Vets for Peace and Raging Grannies. They now feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. The older grandkids, 11 and 13 make signs and write letters. At 55 I still have my peacful hippie heart!

In the spirit of Crosby Stills Nash and Young, teach the children well, and the children have taught me.

We had a 14 year old young man from Ukraine just walk up to our group and ask if he could join us today. Amazing. He picked up a sign and in broken english told us he had lived here for only 2 months.



I feel hope blowing in the wind!

[lala_rawraw]

29. As my dear Alfred Lord T says:

...It may be that the gulfs will wash us down; It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are - One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

[progressivebydesign]

31. You have perfectly crystalized what I'm feeling..

There are those moments I have, when I'm not busy running my life, when I just want to scream "WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY???" It's like the meaning of life. You know you try not to dwell on that too much because eventually it just freaks you out when you try to comprehend it all, just as trying to comprehend the "Thousand Points of FRIGHT" that Bush II has wrought upon us. I look at people in other cars, the ones with the most ardent right wing stickers, and I just want to shake them!

I balance my freak-out level by learning all I can about everything, I knit, I bake, I enjoy the outdoors, and I try to educate people who are open to it. You're not alone.. I guess the most useful thing we can ALL do is to focus on the mid-term elections. We can also focus on not letting the media continue to slide by.. and hold them accountable now. It's the media's complicity that is driving this divide between the right and left.

[petgoat]

46. "Thousand Points of FRIGHT" LOL Let's Have 1000 Points of Fight! n/t

[lonestarnot]

32. For starters you can get away from the computer and take a look

around at the country waking up! Make freeway blog signs hang them in your neighborhood. Stand up to that freak with the yellow ribbon. Talk to everyone you know, if they tune you out well at least you tried. They will wake up another time. The point is DO SOMETHING. Go to meetings, flyer your neighborhood, participate in a vigil, yell from the street corner! Put a cross in your yard! You will feel better than sitting around contemplating a sad state of affairs and you WILL make a difference!

[Vincardog]

34. Get yourself to Democracy school and learn how to fight the evil Corporate

controllers.

[lynettebro440]

36. Please post again

Your post reminded me of myself 3 weeks ago when the very first time I ever posted I felt the same way. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4222931 I was hopeless and desperate and I needed answers and I felt things needed to change. Well in just 3 short weeks life did change, we got Cindy, we finally got a breath of media again, there has actually been a feeling of hope. I read these posts for about 4 months before I actually got the nerve to post. Since then, whenever I feel like I'm going to burst with frustration and desperation I express my feelings on here, just like you did, just as eloquently as you did. The people here are fabulous, life savers for those of us who work and breath with these idiots everyday.

My 24 year old daughter and my 21 year old son with his 21 year old girlfriend watched the movie Orwell rolls in his grave last night. After watching my children be devastated by their first real election that they watched and grew passion being stolen and taken away like a kick in the stomach, they grew leary of politics. They have been distant from politics since that fateful November then until I started opening up more and talking more, and gaining more passion myself and finally saying, "Guys, we either fight back for our country or we lose it." I told them last night that I used to say I would just move to Canada, but I'm feeling now that I want to stay and fight. I'm 46 and I just missed the tail end of the peace rallies, I was a young teenager, and I often asked myself if I would have been there. Well the answer is, HELL YES!!!! We must turn around and teach our children, you are exactly right, because they are clueless to what is happening. The more of their passion we can arise the more they will be better able to understand what it was we were fighting so desperately for.

Please by all means NRaleighLiberal post again, and many times after that I tell us how you feel. We are the teachers, let's teach them well.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4222931

[NRaleighLiberal]

37. thanks so much - it means a lot. Though I am pretty educated in ...

some things (PhD in chemistry, BS in biology), I often feel pretty dumb trying to keep my thoughts straight when entering into political dialogue - I would have made a lousy attorney! I found what I typed very cathartic - it is quite intimidating, because even in the very positive, nurturing DU community, there is obviously quite a range of views, and I've witnessed people getting chewed up on some of their posts. I have a thick skin, so decided to leave myself open in this one - and the outcome has been so supportive. Thanks to everyone who responded. I feel like if we follow our hearts, we do what we are intended to do. We all found this site (DU) because we were drawn here - I feel like I am on a journey...hopefully the end goal of all of this is progress for our country and its people. What we have in charge at the moment is the flat earth society - isn't it amazing how much these people enjoy using the things that the progressive, bright, searching, free thinking people create - yet they are completely distrustful of science, intellect, or challenge.

FEAR is what drives them. What sad little lives they live.

[grasswire]

40. Want to do some reading?

I've just re-read Eric Hoffer's book "The True Believer: Thoughts on Mass Movements." My, what a relevant book that is for us today. Published in 1951. I sure wish a lot of Dems would read it this year before trying to shape a message for mid term elections.

[petgoat]

51. There are certainly things you can do

about 1) your feelings and 2) the Bushcists.

On #1--first, don't sweat it. Things could be a lot worse. Take a
walk and look around: the sun is shining, mostly people aren't
killing each other, and we're a long way from starvation. You've got
a great life, so enjoy it and don't blow it. Obviously alienating
your friends and relatives is counterproductive, so just drop it.

On #2 there are a lot of ways to contribute depending on your skills
and interests and how anonymous you want to be.

One of the major problems in this country right now is the culture of
silence and complacency. Two ways to fight back against that are
roadside signs (see http://www.freewayblogger.com) and leaflets left
in laundromats, on bulletin boards, or stuffed in political books in
bookstores and libraries (see http://psstpsstpsst.blogspot.com). Or
write your own leaflets. Write letters to the editor. Distribute the
"deception dollars" you can buy here http://www.deceptiondollar.com/
(kids love 'em! Collect the whole set! Help make history!)

Another way to contribute is, of course, with money. DU, bradblog,
velvetrevolution, buzzflash, truthout, cooperativeresearch.org would
all happily take your money. Strengthening Congressional pillars of
resistance like Rep. Conyers, McKinney, Jackson-Lee, Tubbs-Jones, Lee,
or Waxman with campaign contributions can also be very satisfying.

Finally you seem to be one quite capable in absorbing large bodies of
information and in understanding technical information and thus could
provide great aid by informing yourself on either or both of the
issues that I think will be very important next year: electronic
voting machines and 9/11.

A good place to start with the voting machines is the website of a
Republican "white hat" hacker operating out of your area: http://chuckherrin.com.

A good place to start with 9/11 is with the recent call of the four
"Jersey Girls" for a new 9/11 investigation, given the recent
revelations. You needn't be any kind of "conspiracy theorist" to call
for a new investigation. The shortcomings of the 9/11 Commission are
documented in Dr. David Ray Griffin's list of 115 critical omissions
here:

http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20050523112738404

Also in the list of the never-answered questions of the 9/11 families
here:

http://www.justicefor911.org/Appendix4_FSCQuestionRatings_111904.php

If you're willing to think the unthinkable and entertain the
hypothesis that 9/11 was the Bushites' "Reichstag Fire" you might find
the physical evidence (and peculiar lack thereof) interesting.

Check out the NIST report on the WTC collapse and see how that tickles
your scientific sensibilities http://wtc.nist.gov/ and Jim Hoffman's
critique http://www.911research.com/essays/nist/.

As a chemist you might find Appendix C to the FEMA report on the
collapse interesting for its study of the baffling erosion and
sulfidation of some of the steel samples interesting.

http://www.911research.com/wtc/evidence/metallurgy/WTC_apndxC.htm

DO NOT!!! get into the 9/11 material if you can't keep quiet about it,
because it is very disturbing and talking about it will only convince
your uninititated friends that you are indeed off the rails.

Smile! Make your great-great-grandchildren proud!

[Bluerthanblue]

52. wow, you sound

like you have your thoughts VERY straight, and very clear.

And your last sentence resonates SO loudly in me....
They do live sad little lives- but have to pretend that isn't what they feel-

If it is any comfort, look at how you freely expressed your frustration, and sorrow at the direction this nation seems to be going- you ARE 'free'- even in the face of this 'be afraid, be very afraid- conform, conform conform republican mentality'-

i share so much of your perspective, and the thing that 'helps' me, is the freedom to be REAL. To express individual thought, and truth, and while maybe some will snap abit sometimes, it is OK- Life DOES hurt-
especially when you are completely alive- which you sure seem to be.

We're not alone, we're not blindly following a 'talking head' we are united in our desire to live in a world where everyone counts, and has a voice, even if we don't like the songs they choose to sing.

Glad to be on the journey with you, and all the folks here at DU.

can't remember where i heard this but someone said, you can't have harmony if everyone is singing the same key. And harmony is truly beautiful.

peace, and comfort-
blu

[pilgrimsoul]

73. NRaleighLiberal, thanks for posting your thoughts here

They are shared by so many of us here on DU. I'm of the same mind as you, and reading posts such as yours is a comfort to me. I'm preparing to relocate to Raleigh in the next couple of months, and knowing that there are DUers like you there who share my deep concern for our country gives me hope that all is not lost yet. We have to keep connecting, keep expressing what we know to be true and tap into our inner strength to do what good we can. It can be overwhelming to contemplate all that must be done for our country to right its path, but if we focus on what we can do in our own communities, working together, we can accomplish a great deal and help many people.

When I first came to DU, I was shocked at what I was seeing this country degenerate into and enraged at those responsible. The anger is still there, but now I can channel it into positive action. So many of us come here with the thought, "oh my god, we're swirling the drain here as a nation! What can I do?" I hungered for information and read everything I could get my hands on, trying to grasp the magnitude of it all. I became overwhelmed at how bad things really are and felt discouraged by my inability as one person to change that. Reading about other DUers' struggles with this and their determination to do what they can helps me stay encouraged.

Sometimes we think we have to fix the big picture and that can be paralyzing. It's just too much to take in. So I'm scaling down my thoughts and action to "what can I do right here right now?" If we all do that, we can accomplish much more than we realize.

[tlsmith1963]

41. I Feel Just Like You

Sometimes I get so upset about it that it affects me at work. I get upset & then have to make up some excuse that has nothing to do with the real reason I am upset. They changed a rule at work the other day & I wasn't happy about it, but I got more upset than usual because I was worried that there would be a huge backlash against what Cindy Sheehan was doing & I didn't want it to happen. I mean, this is the first real hope I have had in a long time, but I was worried that it wouldn't last. Of course, I didn't tell my bosses what was *really* bothering me because people get so upset about political stuff. I hate having to keep all of this to myself. This is why what Cindy is doing is good--we now have a way to express our anger. I just hope it lasts.

Tammy

[klyon]

42. You are doing the right thing, hang in there

I am a little older and am experiencing the same problem with people I know. Slowly they are coming around but you can't get mad at them, you need to calmly give them bits of information that will help them change their minds. You can not change it for them.

As for DU I have been coming here since nearly the beginning. I read mostly and respond some, when I feel people are missing something important. I could not live without DU at this time. I visit every day. It helps to hear people you agree with when it seems like you are alone. DU is a great place to keep up on the world.

Thanks to everyone here at DU. We are making a difference every day.

KL

[peace_on_earth]

47. I was exactly where you are last year

I was filled with constant fear, anger, utter despair, and hopelessness about our country and our planet. I had read “Crossing the Rubicon”, “The New Pearl Harbor”, and many hundreds of articles on the 9/11 cover up, so I was well versed in just how criminal these people are, and how very far the web extended. And they seemed unstoppable!

Now, just about all of those bad feelings are gone. One thing that helped was that I made the decision to closely follow only three key news pieces, and completely disregard all the other news. I follow these because I feel they are the keys to the unraveling of this administration, and that they are all interrelated:

1) 9/11 – the Truth
2) Election fraud
3) Valerie Plame CIA leak

Oh, and of course I’m keeping up to date on Cindy! But I felt it was not helpful to keep track of what is going on in any other news, i.e., Iraq, corporate greed, decimating the environment, etc. Let’s face it, none of these issues are going away until this * cabal is gone.

Another thing that helped was that although I was bitterly disappointed that Kerry lost, my personal feeling (and some may disagree with me here) was that even if he had won, many of our ongoing problems would not have gone away. Corporations would still rule, the media would still only cover what the government wanted it to, the war would still be going on, and corruption in government would continue as it has for many generations. If Kerry had taken office, my fear was that the nation would breathe a huge sigh of relief, and then go right back to sleep. Not that he wouldn’t have been a good president—he would have—but we all know that corporations have Washington tied around their little fingers. And We The People are not being heard or properly represented.

However, I felt that if * were re-Selected, then the situation in the nation and around the world would get increasingly worse. (Believe me, I did NOT want him to stay in office! I voted for Kerry! But I was looking at the long range picture too, as another poster mentioned.) In fact, I felt it would get so bad that eventually, everyone would be forced to wake up and do something about it ALL. And I truly believe that is happening now.

If all of the things I mentioned above come out together (and I truly believe they are, right now), then the entire corrupt system will be exposed for all to see. And then, real change can happen. I see more and more mainstream articles on the 9/11 cover up, more officials coming out with damning evidence, more people turning against * and Co. I see Vanity Fair and Harper’s publishing articles on Sibel Edmonds and the stolen election. I see rumors (not verified of course) that Fitzgerald’s grand jury is handing out indictments for many inside and outside of the administration, and a good amount of evidence that he and his grand jury are unstoppable (see Citizenspook’s blog). I see evidence that they might be snooping into a lot of areas besides the CIA leak. Once again, these are not verified, but one can hope! And, of course, I see Cindy’s movement gathering tremendous steam, and * and Co. cowering inside the ranch, afraid to even move.

So there are many many positive signs!

The last thing that helped was that I started learning all I could about the nature of reality. From what I have learned, it only takes a few people to change the world for the better. I read about how one person who has a very high level of awareness (and therefore a very positive “vibe”, or high vibration) can actually balance out the negativity of hundreds of thousands or even millions of others! (It was in a Wayne Dyer book called “The Power of Intention”, and in David Hawkins’ book “Power vs. Force”.) That means that each one of us has tremendous power to improve the world. But it starts with us. I learned that whatever I fear, will become real. So, why not expect a better outcome? Now, I imagine a CNN headline that says, “Bush Indicted!” What if we all expected that outcome? I learned that if I’m afraid of Peak Oil, then I will probably experience an energy shortage. But if I am not afraid of it, even if many people do experience a shortage, I will most likely have an alternative affordable source of fuel for my house and my car.

I hope this is helpful. I just know these things have helped me eliminate about 95% of my fear. Yes people are still dying! And it’s horrible! But I think it’s all turning around, slowly but surely. And I believe the real change is going to happen a lot faster now that the ball is rolling. The other night I actually saw Anderson Cooper (reporting from Camp Casey) call Nicole Devenish (WH spokeswoman) on her crap when she tried to link Iraq to 9/11—and he didn’t let her get away with it. He also questioned some anti-Cindy protestors about what they thought the “noble cause” might be! So I’m beginning to believe even the MSM is turning against the criminals.

You might want to spend a few minutes every day, just thinking about how you want the world to be. I spend about 20-30 minutes that way every day. And it leaves me with a peaceful and hopeful feeling. In my humble opinion, the more of us who do that, the sooner it will happen.

[newyawker99]

57. Hi peace_on_earth!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[peace_on_earth]

58. Thanks!!

Happy to be here...from a fellow New Yorker! (Or so I gather from your DU handle.)

[CantGetFooledAgain]

49. Great rant NRaleighLiberal. I'm in NW Raleigh myself...

...and I feel EXACTLY the same as you. Thank you for eloquently describing the plight of being a thinking, feeling person in George Bush's America.

There are so many Triangle DU'ers, we really should have a meetup.

[nashville_brook]

50. paper ballots -- verified voting

and everything in between. don't get stuck in the mud or lose your head in the clouds. follow a path that will feed your inner needs so that you don't burnout.

it might not swing back. it might get worse before it gets better.

and know when all is said and done there will still be idiots on the right and the left. :)

the rw trades in emotion bigtime and logic seldom. i don't know where we get this idea that we don't have emotional chops in the lw. we got chops. now we need ballots and i think we'll be okay. if there were a fair election today chimpy would lose by a landslide.

[struggle4progress]

53. Joe Hill's famous advice "Don't mourn -- organize" has long been ..

.. a standard prescription for avoiding despair.

The answer to your question "What the hell can we do?" is simple enough: take a deep breath, try something, figure out how well it worked and what was wrong with the effort, smile, take another deep breath, and try something slightly different. Don't expect immediate magical results, but expect that you will learn, will make new friends, and will have some real successes ...

[proud2BlibKansan]

54. I went to Crawford this week.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4400772

and it helped.

Write a letter. Start a meetup group. Share your passion. Don't let it eat at you.

[Left coast liberal]

55. You've done a nice job voicing it...

...in my opinion it's about time to take to the streets with pitchforks if needed...

You're right. This is madness. And, we are all in the pressure cooker. Can you feel it?

I think that is why Camp Casey and Cindy Sheehan have tapped into.

This may just be the tipping point.

Hang in there.

Cheers

[Daphne08]

56. I'm your age and feel exactly as you do.

Perhaps one reason we sometimes feel so despondent is because we've lived in America when she still had a relatively independent press.

Today, we also have the ubiquitous talking idiots (Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter) who have influenced so many of "the unthinking."

Back in the 60's and 70's a devoted right-winger would have had to really search out people like Rush and O'Reilly to hear their spiel and find comfort in it.

Yes, media is one big difference.

Media ownership has been concentrated in the hands of a few, and those few are not liberal democrats.

I worry every day for my children, and I worry for America. My late father fought in WWII for this country, and he would be appalled about Iraq, The Patriot Act, the hatemongering, etc. He was very much against the Vietnam Conflict. (Did they ever get around to declaring war?)

It also makes me insanely angry when I hear people refer to America as The Homeland. One day, I just know I'm going to scream aloud in public "It's not The Homeland! This is The United States of America, you fascist! (Then they'll take me away.)

Seriously, I really think we need to address the problem of the media.

And, you are NOT alone. There are many of us out here. :pals:

[Swamp Rat]

59. I'm glad you are here.

:grouphug:

[LibDemAlways]

60. The only reason I still have some of

my friends is that we don't discuss "politics." They know where I stand and, frankly, they don't want to hear about it. My repuke sister-in-law was less than tactful last time we visited, mentioning those "wacko leftwing web sites" I visit.

The instinct on the right is never to have a meaningful discussion and never to give an inch. They don't know what's going on, and they don't want to know.

I have a friend who works in the television business for a company that develops programming for the history channel. He calls himself an "independent" but has made inane statements like, "Weren't you glad Bush was at the helm on 9/11?" (Where do you begin with someone like that?) Anyway, one day I decided to fill him in on PNAC and suggested that this would be a good topic for a documentary. I told him I'd e-mail the link to him. He freaked out and told me absolutely not. He said no one would put it on the air and it was all "crazy conspiracy theories" anyway.

What's going on in the minds of chimp supporters, I think, is a combination of willful ignorance and denial.

[G_j]

61. I sometimes read MLK Jr. for strength, but here are a few other things

as well:


"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, and kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places-and there are so many-where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility to send this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. This future is an infitite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

-Howard Zinn
~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.newconnexion.net/article/01-05/activist.html

Letter To A Young Activist During Troubled Times
----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

My friends, do not lose heart. We were made for these times. I have heard from so many recently who are deeply and properly bewildered.

They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world right now. Ours is a time of almost daily astonishment and often righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people.

You are right in your assessments. The lustre and hubris some have aspired to while endorsing acts so heinous against children, elders, everyday people, the poor, the unguarded, the helpless, is breathtaking. Yet, I urge you, ask you, gentle you, to please not spend your spirit dry by bewailing these difficult times. Especially do not lose hope. Most particularly because, the fact is that we were made for these times.

Yes. For years, we have been learning, practicing, been in training for and just waiting to meet on this exact plain of engagement. I grew up on the Great Lakes and recognize a seaworthy vessel when I see one. Regarding awakened souls, there have never been more able vessels in the waters than there are right now across the world. And they are fully provisioned and able to signal one another as never before in the history of humankind. Look out over the prow; there are millions of boats of righteous souls on the waters with you. Even though your veneers may shiver from every wave in this stormy roil, I assure you that the long timbers composing your prow and rudder come from a greater forest. That long-grained lumber is known to withstand storms, to hold together, to hold its own, and to advance, regardless.

In any dark time, there is a tendency to veer toward fainting over how much is wrong or unmended in the world. Do not focus on that. There is a tendency to fall into being weakened by dwelling on what is outside your reach, by what cannot yet be. Do not focus there. That is spending the wind without raising the sails. We are needed, that is all we can know. And though we meet resistance, we more so will meet great souls who will hail us, love us and guide us, and we will know them when they appear. Didn't you say you were a believer? Didn't you say you pledged to listen to a voice greater? Didn't you ask for grace? Don't you remember that to be in grace means to submit to the voice greater?

..more..

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

62. Simply resist evil when you can. The outcome is not the question.

The alternative is to close down your brain and any feelings of compassion, sympathy, anger, fear, and decency.

Fight the good fight because it's a good fight. How it all turns out is not the object, it's the journey.

[La Coliniere]

63. Well articulated post.

I know the feeling and sentiments you expressed very well, I live with those same conditions every day. Be greatful that DU exists and for all the empathy and thoughtful suggestions your post has generated. I can't add to their wisdom and advice, so much has been covered.
Keep the faith and don't bemoan the fact that you've lost friends because of your political awareness and respect for the TRUTH. I'm sure that you'll add new, more positive relationships if you become more active in the cause.
Peace

[Generic Other]

64. We are your friends! We have all been feeling the same way!

Trust me.

:)

[NRaleighLiberal]

65. To all who posted here - all so supportive, so relevant....

a big Thank You from the bottom of my heart. I don't want people to get the impression that I am a morose or negative person. I would not trade places with anyone in terms of having the courage to live my life, do my job, choose my hobbies, with internal harmony and absolute freedom. I will never lose the values I've had for so many years - respect of people, love of diverse views, the power of education, the wonder of music....it is hard not to get beat down in our current climate, but I'm glad I found this oasis of culture in our otherwise vast wasteland of sheeple. Thanks to you all!

Back to finishing canning 7 quarts of mixed heirloom tomatoes.

Craig

[Nothing Without Hope]

66. The hardest thing sometimes is to find a way to keep yourself replenished

when you are fighting for a cause you believe in so strongly. This is ESSENTIAL. When you feel the despair creeping in past your defenses, when a nutritious meal, a good night of sleep don't "reset" your mood, it's time to put a higher priority on keeping yourself energized and connected to actions, places and people who make you feel strong and alive and interested in the world.

Figuring out how to do this is no trivial matter. I regard it as the single biggest quest for people past the age of easy optimism. Yes, some people are never blessed with a time of easy optimism and a happy few never seem to leave it. But most of us start really hitting this wall at some point in our lives. I'm still working on figuring out how to do this effectively, before I get too far into anxiety and creeping despair. I'm making progress and I know it's possible.

You must know what things, people, places, actions resonate for you and remind you to be alive and open. Of course, you need to pay attention to your physical health as well, and if the despair seems resistant to efforts to get past it, professional counseling should not be avoided. But I often find that even something as simple as a walk in the woods, perhaps with a sketchbook and a camera, can affect my frame of mind enormously. Meditation - I especially like "Insight meditation" is also helpful, and many people use physical avenues like yoga or tai chi or some other form of exercise to help keep them centered. You need to be kind to yourself, treat yourself as you would tell a friend to treat themselves if they were feeling like you do. You can't care for the whole world all day every day. You have to care for yourself first so that you have a source to draw on when you need it.

Don't let yourself become too isolated from people whose company nurtures and enlivens you. It's all too easy to withdraw when the despair sets in. (I know this all too well; it's a lifelong habit of mine.) There ARE people like this out there, and if you haven't met them yet you need to to find them by keeping your eyes and heart open.

I imagine George W. Bush sleeps well every night. Sociopaths often do. But people who truly care, who want to do right and are facing what seems to be an endless sea of wrong, MUST find a way to step back and regain their balance.

When good, loving people care too much about the causes they are fighting for and lack a way of re-balancing themselves, it can shade into a form of obsession. To see what tragedy can follow if it goes too far, I recommend reading the story reported in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4404751
Thread title: THE LOUDEST CRY-LATimes: "Suicide Casts a Shadow on Conservation Battle"
It's very sad, but there are important lessons there. Despair can easily morph into a sort of self-imposed, seemingly unbreakable trap. DON'T DON'T DON'T let it go that far. She decided there was no way out for her, but she was so very wrong. Marlene Braun had the rest of her life to use her great gifts and experience, but she lost sight of that in her exhaustion, depression and anxiety.

I find myself sounding like I am lecturing, and I don't want you to see it as condescension. It's empathy, for you describe what sounds like what I have felt and I want to send some light.

I ask you to remember that the world is still a lovely place, that there are loving, warm people full of endless surprises and warm familiarity.

Einstein saw terrible things in his life - Nazi Germany and the atomic bomb for two. He found his way. Here's my favorite quote of his:

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest -- a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security. —Albert Einstein

And never underestimate what miracles can happen when you interact with other people. Here's another of my favorite quotes, from another man who saw and fought great human suffering in his life:

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. –Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, and musician (1875-1965)

You are not alone, and there is beauty all around you. I hope you will forgive my lecturing, but your post really got to me.

[BamaBecky]

67. I feel the same...but here is what I'm doing:

making copies of 911 video's that are not copy righted and distributing them out to open minded people............

come here and make friends.......talk to them.......

keep learning.......

write letters to the editor.........

stock up food & supplies.........

come back here and talk.........

It could be worse....you could live in the heart of Alabama...lol

Bama


:hi:

[Vinca]

68. Thanks for posting. I feel exactly the same way and I don't know what

to do about it. For the life of me I don't understand how anyone can take George Bush seriously. He's a sociopathic liar who cares nothing about the people in our country with true needs. For example, why pass an energy bill with bonuses for oil companies when they're already making record profits? How about price controls so the average American doesn't have cat food for dinner in order to put gas in the car? And, as you said, our elected Democrats - not all, but the majority - amount to nothing. It's frustrating. If the Republicans win the White House again, we're moving to Canada the day after the election. I can't take it anymore.

[Karenina]

69. Here's a (((BIG HUG))) for you and yours!

:grouphug: And good thoughts coming your way from across the big pond! See how even in your moment of despair what a honeycome you've poked!!! :loveya:

[kimpossible]

70. You said it!

I feel very much the same way. It totally boggles my mind, why and how so many people are so brainwashed by this crap.

[w8liftinglady]

71. We are the same age,and here's how I cope

I feel it's my moral obligation to both end this war,and further our care for the less fortunate and ill in this country.I belong to several grassroot local organizations...and mind you,I live in a small (30,000) town in Texas.I have thousands of labels made with the following image

which I apply to every gas pump,restroom door,and newspaper machine I cross.
I write multiple letters to the editor,try to call in on radio shows.This will be a revolution from the ground up,like the French revolution.My stickers are still in place at over 75% of the places I've placed them.

[DemReadingDU]

72. excellent post

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My spouse and I are in our mid 50's and feel exactly like you. It's heartening to know there are many of us all over the country.