DragonFlight

I was just thinking how grateful I am to all those who have posted comments on my blog(s). Then my thoughts morphed to what a convenient venue this is for allowing the expression of opinions. Finally, I appreciated how it allows for the creation of a working dialogue on issues that are so important to us as a world, nation and species at this time.

Interestingly enough, so far there have only been comments agreeing with my own. This makes me wonder if only people of similar mind-set are reading them, and if others are, why aren’t they expressing their disagreement? I do at random read some of the other blogs on the Post site, and post comments. So far only one has been answered, and this was by email, not by posting on site. There is one blog that doesn’t post any comments received, and I wonder why. If one is not interested in how others view their opinion, or is unwilling to be challenged, why not just write a personal diary?

Just recently, while watching a new movie which I enjoyed very much, Shooter, which has a lot to say about how people are controlled and manipulated by governments and those above and beyond governments (a topic for another blog), I felt a moment of helplessness to change things for the better. I’m not a political leader, not a warrior in the sense of having skills as portrayed in the movie, nor do I have great wealth I can use to influence society in some big way. Than it dawned on me that I do have some small talent to write what I see and feel, and I recalled that famous quote by Robert Bulwer-Lytton, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” You know what? That is true! When the truth comes out, if only by one person that is heard, or by many individuals each expressing their own view, there is great power.

I'd like to see more people expressing their opinions in the public forum, and not just in private conversations with friends. The more opinions expressed where many others can see them, the greater the chance more people will be encouraged to follow suit; and THEN, maybe there will be the motivation for leaders to change the way they do business. After all,votes usually follow opinions.

We in this nation really need to know how others feel about the issues of the day, the more the better. It's too easy to get isolated and stuck in the views of the media, politicians and corporations, and never "get" that there are a lot of other people out there who perceive things the way we do, and that perhaps there are not as many believing to the contrary as others would have us think. And, maybe things should be changed in alignment to how we view things, because there are a whole lot of others who also want them changed in the same way.

Perhaps when this happens in a grand way, "we the people" will finally be emboldened to take our nation back from the petty bureaucrats and those in leadership who have become corrupted by a sense of entitlement. I remember a line by “deep throat” in All the President’s Men in which he says, and I paraphrase, we are dealing here with mediocre minds.

We sit in our homes, stare at our Tvs, read our newspapers, and just ignore it all, or perhaps get angry and depressed over events that appear out of our control, and beyond our ability to influence. Maybe they aren’t. Perhaps avenues of expression are open to us, but we aren’t taking advantage of them.

One does not have to be a writer or have the gift of eloquence. An opinion is valid whether written by a poet, or expressed by a person with no apparent writing skills. A paragraph is as good as an essay, a sentence better than no paragraph. What is important is any expression that others can see, and realize that they are not alone in how they feel. We all talk to one another every day. Writing is just talking on paper.

I’m simply encouraging anyone feeling the need for change to let others know they believe that. A comment on a blog, a note in the 49er (in the Post), or a letter to the editor in any newspaper, are formats already set up and easy to use. Go for it!

Posted by Stephen at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

This is in response to Steven Foppiano's recent blog post entitled "The Big Lie." I'm posting it here because there have been some problems with the posting of comments on views on the ridge blog sites for over a month now. The owners are not getting the emails from those posting comments for their approval. I apologize to any who may have commented and not yet been published, and to those I never responded to, not knowing you had commented. I'm hoping the Post will have this error corrected soon, so we can continue the dialogue here with more efficiency.

There is a link to Mr. Foppiano's blog, as well as some other fine blogs at the Paradise Post's blog site. The text of my comment to "The Big Lie" follows.

I’d agree with you as far as saying there are no “statesmen” still around, and politicians are a very sorry second, but saying that Bush has “failed to provide the leadership against his political enemies” hardly even begins to describe his failures. Bush considers anyone that disagrees with him as an enemy, and that includes you and me. Is that the way you are defining it?

In my opinion, his failures are legion, from an ill thought out war in Iraq up to the present refusal to allow some of his staff to testify in Congress under oath. There is serious suspicion of obstruction of justice concerning allegations of the Judiciary being manipulated for political reasons. Do you really want the executive branch deciding who does and who doesn’t get prosecuted in this nation?

I find it curious you believe there was no wrongdoing by Libby, considering he did lie under oath, and more than once, concerning a very serious issue of outing a covert CIA agent. I do recall the House considering Clinton lying under oath about having an affair “high crimes and misdemeanors.” This is quite a double standard don’t you think?

It has been said that Libby has a sharp mind and keen memory. I find it interesting that in a circumstance as important as the one mentioned he not only could not remember much of anything, but he did recall a conversation he never had with Tim Russert. And, the original statement from the white house a couple years before the Libby trial even began was that no one from that office had leaked any information. Did Libby forget then as well? Lying to grand juries and to the FBI are considered crimes. At least the judiciary and jury seemed to think so.

As for this Administration being not being corrupt, it is telling that John Dean, former attorney to the Nixon regime, continually says they make the Nixon administration seem clean by comparison. I don’t believe this administration has in any way failed politically, since politics are basically their only strength. I believe they have failed to do the job of governing the nation with competence and respect for the American people.

Posted by Stephen at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

The latest outrage from the President regarding just how his White House staff will or will not testify before Congress made me angry. It's just one in a long list of things he has done to make me angry. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being angry.

My first response was to send an email to Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein. The feeling motivating this action was akin to how I felt when I first heard that famous line delivered so eloquently by Peter Finch in Network so long ago: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore." I believe it's time for "we the people" to take our country back from those who appear to represent themselves more than they do us. The Executive seems a good place to start. The text of the email follows.

"This current tirade from the President to force the Congress to accept testimony from some of his top White House aides without being under oath, and in private, and with no form of transcription or recording is patently absurd, and a last straw. It's as good as an admission that what these people might have to share with the American public is something he wants to hide, and that he believes he can do whatever he likes.

It's time to put a stop to the nonsense, lies, ineptitude and corruption of this administration. That is why the people voted the way they did last November, to institute a "CHANGE."

"I sincerely hope that you and the other members of Congress, on either side of the aisle are ready to do something more effective than rhetoric and promises. It's time to act. This administration has bullied the Congress of the United States and the American people for long enough. Don't you think so?

If this Congress does not act to make a significant change in how the government does business, and represents the voters, there are going to be some even bigger changes come 2008.

I've always respected you and what you stand for. Please don't let us down now. This may sound melodramatic, but I believe America is facing one of it's darkest hours. We presently have an executive branch that has been allowed to usurp way too much power, nullify the Congress, and attack the Constitution it's sworn to protect. Please make a difference. Persuade as many others in Congress that the American people for the most part are well aware of what is going on, and are watching with great interest and concern, how the democrats and the republicans in Congress act, or do not act."

While writing the email I was also reminded of some Bob Dylan lyrics from The Times They are A-changin:

"Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

Posted by Stephen at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)