When I was a kid, I wanted to save the whole world.

[Cyrano]

At some point, I realized that was impossible. So I decided to save that part of the world with which I came in contact.

As I grew a bit older, I realized I couldn’t even do that, so I decided that all I could do was save myself.

What do I mean by “save?” I mean bringing about a world in which each and every human being is treated with dignity, the means to survive, and the opportunity to thrive. You know. All those things wingnuts hate.

I’ve never even come close to fulfilling my childhood desires of saving the world, or even the part of the world with which I came in contact. I’ve barely come close to saving myself, in that, over time, I have become disaffected and disillusioned.

So I’m passing my fantasies on to anyone who wants to pick them up. And let me also pass on these two thoughts:

First: -- It’s been a week now since the insanity that took place in Arizona and it will change nothing. All we’ve learned is that Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, and every despicable public figure you can name, will go on being Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, and every despicable public figure you can name.

And secondly: -- Monday is Martin Luther King’s birthday. This was a man who managed to overpower hate with determination, dedication, and a vision that very few are granted. He is a man who should be universally admired by every living soul, yet the haters still hate him. During his abbreviated life, he managed to accomplish so much more than any of us dare dream about.

My hope for this world is more MLKs and the demise of hatreds. But then, I suppose those are just things kids dream about.

[Angry Dragon]

1. How many elected democrats would stand with him today??

[Cyrano]

5. Perhaps fewer than I wish and far more than I dare hope for.

[hootinholler]

2. Yeah

The apple Pie Fairy strikes again.

Excellent observations.

-Hoot

[thaddeus_flowe]

3. enjoyed the post

idealism is not fantasy though.
because ideals are worth fighting for.

"Does it seem strange: a hundred cutthroats against one poor poet? It is not strange."
Act I of Cyrano de Bergerac.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. There's a part of me that's still that kid.

There's still a part of me that wants to believe one person can make a huge difference.

[Duwamish]

6. You've expressed what I've been feeling.

"I’ve never even come close to fulfilling my childhood desires of saving the world, or even the part of the world with which I came in contact. I’ve barely come close to saving myself, in that, over time, I have become disaffected and disillusioned."

I'm feeling sadness edging on despair. Maybe I watch too much Olbermann and Maddow. When Maddow goes into the players behind the tea party and lobbyists behind legislation I feel hopeless that my little voice would be able to change anything. It's like there's a train heading full speed in the wrong direction. At times I get so down I force myself to turn off the TV and not watch these programs.

:cry:

[Cyrano]

7. I know the feeling and I'm right there with you, Duwamish.

I am coming to grips with the fact that we probably will not see the world we hope for in our lifetimes. However, I still cling to the hope/fantasy/desire/dream/belief that a sane world will eventually come to be.

While I am not a religious believer, I can't accept that our existence is meaningless. There is so much mathematical precision in the universe that it seems that reason should/could/would eventually prevail among our species. But then, they never seem to speak of concepts like that on radio or TV.

[jotsy]

8. Maybe the medicinal value pales when comapared to the might of the madness.

But I sure hope it can't hurt.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN8CKwdosjE>

And a rec for Cyrano. I was just about to come looking for you. :hi:

[Cyrano]

10. Hi, jotsy. Love that "free hugs" piece.

[bobbolink]

9. My little kid greets and puts a hand out to your little kid.

No, we can't do it alone, and neither did MLK.

We have to come together and strenghten each other with that dignity and love.... create sanctuaries of nurturing in this world of hate.

That is the only way it can happen.

But we are still too wedded to our Rugged Individualism.

:grouphug:

[jotsy]

11. .

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMVwP6G4BeE&feature=related>

A single adjustment: more away than down.

[Lorien]

12. MLK managed to change this portion of the world, so it isn't impossible

for one soul to make a profound difference. The thing is that he found hundreds of thousands-probably millions-of people who agreed with him who were willing to take a stand for the things he believed in. We have no leaders today who call on us to DO anything on this side of the political divide. Far from it; most express exactly what you just have: "There's nothing we can do." As long as that belief prevails we'll continue to complain and lose ground to those who have decided to take action.

What happens when a DUer says "We need to push for campaign finance reform!" > they get a handful of replies saying "Yeah, that would be nice." or "No, it's a losing issue."


What happens when a DUer says "We need to push for a return of the Fairness Doctrine!" > they get a handful of "K & R!" and a lot of "No, that's a losing issue. We should focus on breaking up the media...someday, maybe."


What happens when a Freeper says " We should push to end the ban semi-automatic weapons!" > A thousand other Freepers reply "Hell yeah!' and fire off handwritten letters to everyone they can think of.


Until we collectively decide that there is SOMETHING worth fighting for-or even writing a Goddamn letter for- then we can only expect more of the same and worse.

[Cyrano]

14. I hear you, Lorien.

What we lack is the megaphone/echo chamber that our opponents have.

The grandest ideas in the world will go nowhere if whispered in a cave. And the voices of decency and reason have been locked in caves for the past three decades.

Corporations and wealthy right wingers own the media, whether it be talk radio, Fox News, and much of the so-called "Main Stream Media." The uselessness of the MSM is due to the fact that their corporate owners have forced them to fall in lockstep with wingnut propagandists and refuse to let them do their jobs. After all, news is a commodity that affects the corporate bottom line. And the "wrong" kind of news can hurt that bottom line. Unfortunately, far too many "respectable journalists" are willing to sell their souls for 30 pieces of silver and a new BMW every year.

There are many who could make a profound difference today. But their voices have been muted by being ignored in the media, or drowned out in the cacophony of online noise.

Yes, what MLK accomplished was astounding. I wonder if his activities would be reported on in today's world. As horrible as it is to say this, he was fortunate to have enemies as despicable as Bull Conner, his fire hoses and dogs, the KKK, and an army of ignorant, bigoted stereotypes out of central casting. The more hatred and cruelty they threw at MLK, the more they contributed to their own demise. But then, all of that took place in an era when the media still reported reality.

[bobbolink]

15. Martin Luther King was never one person alone. Neither was Rosa Parks.

Our Rugged Individualism wants us to cling to this belief that we can do it all alone.

It isn't possible, and hasn't been in the past, and won't be now.

The issue is that we find it so difficult to come together in real ways that we want to push the belief that we don't *have* to come together... we can all do it on our own.

Looks like we are going to have to learn this lesson in a very painful way.

[mdmc]

13. our little corner of the world..

save that my friend..