posted November 27, 2007 03:21 PM              

So, how long? How long will you continue to use the "letter of the law" to justify your crimes against the society that produced and maintains you?

How long will you ignore that basic tenet of the social contract which compels all just leaders to at least acknowledge the humanity of those upon whose shoulders they are carried?

How long until you are "dropped" by a people tired of being viewed and exploited as mere resources?

If you cannot tend to and nurture your own personal humanity, then how dare you presume yourselves qualified to tend the needs of humanity at all?

Why are your words the words of slick-mouthed tricksters whose intellects are educated and honed to the task of camouflaging lack of substance with mental gymnastics?

Is that how you define leadership?

Because I've noticed that people who feel the need to lie or state half truths, or people that exert tight control over situations are always the most fearful people in the world.

They hide it behind a facade of intellect and calm control with no idea that inside, they are trembling. People like this need to know what's coming up. They like to be able to predict future events so that they can plan their next move. They don't live life, they plan it and manipulate others like chess pieces in order to bring their plans about. In psychology, they call these people sociopaths.

That's how you act. Control here...legislation there. Politic here..bribe there. You look someone in the eye and try to find just the right combination of words to get them to do what you want. Once you don't have to look them in the eye anymore, you stop. Then you just issue dictates that, to date, have failed to do anything but restrict the activities of and take income from the very people that make it all happen for you everyday.

We have a government to protect our freedoms, but we are less free on average.

We have a media to keep us informed, but we are less informed on average.

We have a business sector to produce so that we all gain, but are comparatively more broke than ever.

All thanks to our faith and reliance on you, our "leaders."

Here you are, living lives of great privilege in comparison to the 99-cent-burger-eating rest of us..and that's fine. You get more, better and faster than us, treat it as an entitlement and again, that's ok..it's tolerable. In fact, that's the "American Way."

But then you take our dignity from us. Then you started numbering us. Finally you make your profits, power and policies an absolute priority over our welfare and expect us to continue carrying you on our shoulders.

Your response to our complaints of poor treatment and over-exploitation? You throw the same money that you snake-oiled us out of back in our direction to try and make the problem go away. But see, the problem is you.

The problem is that you're not qualified to lead. Oh you may be great at running a business, and awesome at shaking hands and working deals. You may be able to write the most sensationally titillating teaser line in the world. But you're too selfish to be good leaders.

You're too self-indulgent to be good leaders. Just as a leader's welfare should be the concern of all, so should the welfare of all be the primary concern of their leader. True leaders don't worry about their own interests over those of their people.

You're too clinical, detached and pushy to be good leaders, and you demonstrate it through brutal acts against your own people, be they legal maneuvers or physical brutality. Warranted or not, it's your response which matters..that we watch. You demonstrate that you believe problems are to be solved by physical force. We could've learned that from watching animals. How does a great human leader respond? Like Ghandi? Like Dr.King? Like Cesar Chavez? Or like you?

Seems to me that if I followed the example of leaders like you, I might become greedier and more self indulgent myself. I might tend to care less about others around me, like you do. I might get more paranoid and maybe even start imposing my will through violence..like you do.

Perhaps, if everyone followed the example of leaders like you, our whole society might become that way..who knows?

I had so much more to say, but we both know that it's a waste of my time. You're not going to hear me, and I'm the sort of American that doesn't really care if you do anymore.

If you weren't such a rude and persistent intruder upon our lives and affairs, I'd certainly ignore you. But you won't have that, now will you? You'll address the dissatisfaction of the people each time they start to reach that critical mass which would cause them to turn away from you and ignore your authority.

Like some sort of wife beater, you'll say what we want to hear until we calm down; then go back to abusing us again...as if you'd ever stop.

daf

posted November 27, 2007 05:29 PM            

May I copy this to a few other forums, political websites, etc??

posted November 28, 2007 01:00 AM              

daf

Wow!

posted November 28, 2007 09:16 AM              

Thanks for sharing.

posted November 28, 2007 01:47 PM              

This: www.daffytimes.com

Available in 10 locations throughout our medium-sized Colorado town. 10 locations in FT. Collins by the end of January, God willing.

By the end of February, we hope to have released a marketplace edition which provides free advertising to individuals on a first come first serve basis. We've had a few cartoonists and artists express interest in a visual arts edition as well. We'll provide that for them, as long as funds and my printer's toner cartridge hold out.

This letter ITSELF, is what I am doing about it. Early indications are it is being copied all over the net. I'm not sure...do words have the power to spark change? (Too bad we can't take it up with Thomas Paine. I'm sure he would elucidate quite eloquently and paffionately on the fubject.)

Hope that underlines my commitment to change.

I have, over the course of the last 9 years, provided plenty of suggestions for enacting change. Some more practical than others, I'm sure. Many were posted on this site. You're quite right, none of them worked as well as hoped (lack of participation being the main problem)..gratz I guess.

One question I might ask is..are YOU committed to change? If so, what are YOU doing about it? (Just curious, I'm sure you've got many wonderful irons in the fire.)

daf

P.S. The fact that you are a self-proclaimed member of the not-so-bad-off set, may make your question come off like an arrogant challenge to the less well off.

"What are YOU gunna do about it?" As if the system is so neatly tied up in favor of the well off, that our cries of "foul play" are powerless to change anything.

Yep, one single line can say all of that. Believe it, or not. just depends upon how the reader reads it I suppose.

posted November 28, 2007 01:49 PM              

That said, thanks to everyone that has commented positively on this thread so far.
The energy was received and is much appreciated.

It means a lot, and I don't respond to compliments anywhere near as often as I should. Please accept my thanks, and my apologies for the oversight.

posted November 29, 2007 12:44 PM            

If the situation is as dire as you state, then those whom you say are responsible are entrenched and in total control.

Talk is not going to move you forward a millimeter towards a "peaceful" solution or any solution.

Tyrants...as you have cast the movers and shakers in this society would probably be willing to give you a microphone and a platform or a printing press...so you can TALK...and let off a little steam.

There are newsletters all over America forecasting everything from the end of the Republic as we know it to the end of the world. There's also an army of bloggers moaning and groaning, wheezing and whining. But knowing isn't DOING. Ribbons, buttons, blogs and newsletters calling attention to some real or imagined grievances don't amount to actually DOING anything either.

Seems to me Blue that I asked you the very same question after you posted similar views...What are you going to DO about it...and you didn't respond.

posted November 29, 2007 05:58 PM              

I haven't got a problem in the world with the "movers-and-shakers" for so long as they complete their part of the social contract that keeps them in nice stuff; treating their fellow humans, as people..not numbers, not resources, not dollars to be farmed.

It is when the well to do in control put the welfare of the race that accomodates their "sweeping, exp(e)(a)nsive visions" behind those visions in priority, that they become a menace to the very society that harbors those ambitions and allows them to thrive.

What you are saying is that people can do nothing. That would make sense to hear from someone who wanted things to stay the same. (Being as how you are a Leo, would we expect any less?)

But this isn't the time for things to stay the same. This is the end of summer and fall Leo, it was a beautiful ride..thanks for the sunshine and stability. But we're cooked up and dried out and it's time we moved on.

We want water again...many of us want our souls back and know that we can only achieve so much in a shallow society towards improving ourselves individually.

No Jw Hop, I don't see how someone could explain the benefit to society of filling it with business people that don't have a heart when the suit is on. As I once wrote before, you cannot look your brother in the eye and tell him that you exploited and degraded him..for his own good. It just doesn't pan out.
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WELL MEANT SIDETRACK:
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No doubt it might make you feel better not to look at it like that. Lord knows if I wanted to carry on the self indulgent way of living that I'd been taught was perfectly fine..I would feel the same way. It's not fine Jw Hop.

I know it might be hard..but you should probably start wrapping your head around these notions now, so you'll be ready when change comes. K?

Me? I'm prepared for what happens if things don't change and still trying to be a catalyst for change. Are you prepared for thigns to change? I mean...before you start trying to stop them from doing so? That way, if your efforts fail..you'll be ready. See?
I'm just sayin..
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END WELL MEANT SIDETRACK
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But that's what it is when an employer, or a government offical puts profit or self interest before the welfare of the people whose efforts got them there in the first place.

When Wal-Mart chooses policy over over people and takes away a disabled employee's medical settlement? I'm against that. See?

When a company has a product and pays an employee less than they plan on making for it I don't see a problem with that as long as the wage is a fair reflection of both the value of the employee's time, and of the company's financial health.

If a company is making high profits, it should pay high scale. When in crisis, the employees should likewise be willing to work for low scale if necessary to keep the ship afloat. Those that do should be rewarded.

posted November 29, 2007 06:01 PM              

The process begins with a stimulus from the outside. In this case, a dehumanizing system of policy. This stimulus promotes a motivation either to move toward or away from the stimulus. (Candy...mmm. Jw Hop attack... )

But if the motivation is not strong enough, or other deterring factors (such as being dead broke and socially ostracized maybe?), keep that motivation from spurring on what your fixed fire sign self yacks about but has such a hard time demonstrating..which is getting up and actually DOING SOMETHING, then the individual may have the motivation, but may not bring themselves to act upon it. What is often needed, is the knowledge that you are not alone in wanting to change things.

That's where words come in. See right now, if everything I wrote is correct, we are given strong persuasion to comply with "the system."

First it is a coaxing persuasion, like when they promise us great careers, and dream houses and fame and fortune. Many of us are sucked in by the illusion of obtaining satisfaction by going along with the machine. But it's hard to be satisfied when you're either at the bottom being exploited in an undignified fashion, or at the top, having turned into a person who justifies dehumanizing others through your dedication to the system's so-called ideals.

Those that don't immediately respond to coaxing persuasion are either convinced by watching the consequences imposed by this same system upon others who don't comply sufficiently(poverty, embarrassment, harassment and incarceration) or they are the recipients of said consequences and either comply, or struggle comparatively throughout their time in society. (Thank goodness for state of mind! )

That's a lot of conditioning to ask people to just forget. In fact, until we actually get the idea into our heads that there are a lot of us who feel this way, we'll probably be hesitant to revert to an earlier, more natural distaste we once had for the system's way of doing things.

So we need to talk about it. We need to start letting people take an internal head count. We need to find out where we stand so we can determine whether this bugs enough of us to change it.

People that speak like you are counterproductive to that process.

Saying, "what can you do", or "what will you do".."or you can't do anything", or "do something or shut up." All of these are simply ways of saying..do not start the process that might lead to change. If we need to first muster the troops before we mobilize them..in order to do something..I hope you don't mind. It just seems more logical that way, rather than running willy nilly into a crowd of socially conditioned people and asking them to change without discussing their feelings on the subject.

In fact, you're suggesting that I circumvent the American process of discussion by cutting to the decision when we haven't discussed our feelings on the options yet.

I hope that's not how you do things Jw. Running up to random strangers and asking them to march behind your ideas without saying hi and having a little discussion about it? That would be downright un-neighborly.

So yea, we gotta do something...

But if it's ok, I'd like to ignore that for now, until we start discussing this and determine if we WANT to do something.

Then, if we decide we don't..by all means..I'll do nothing about it I suppose.

But first..we start the exchange of ideas. First we start the flow of communication between us, so that roll call can be taken.

No one has the right to stand in the way of this most basic of human social processes by which patriots and traitors have cast their lot throughout history.

I intend to do my part, one person or 100 at a time if possible, to spread these ideas, and fan these flames if they are there.
(If they aren't..then I flapped my arm like a chicken for awhile; a lone idiot trying to stoke a fire that wasn't there. I can live with that.)

daf

posted November 30, 2007 01:24 PM            

You are responsible for your own soul..the government and business leaders are not.

You are responsible for taking care of yourself and using whatever resources for doing so are available to you. Education being the first, application to learning, drive, persistence and wisdom being your own responsibility.

You are responsible for making the most of the educational opportunity provided for you. If you missed the educational boat the first time around, it's up to you to get yourself back in school and this time don't blow it.

You are responsible for getting up in the morning and either going to work or looking for a "paying" job.

You are responsible for seeking opportunities and expanding your own skills and knowledge to take advantage of any opportunity which comes your way.

You are responsible for seeking your own happiness. Neither government nor business is responsible for making you happy.

The government of the United States is exactly that and that government is not responsible for seeing to the health, happiness or welfare of people in other lands. Their own leader are. Nevertheless, official policy of the United States is to run almost a trillion dollar per year trade imbalance with other nations...which puts citizens of other nations to work.

Your screed is out of focus as are your assumptions of the "WAY THINGS SHOULD BE".

You however, are free to pursue your own happiness where ever in the world they will have you...or here; your choice.

Just for your information Daf, the United States government spends almost 60% of the federal budget on direct welfare for people in the United States who are unable to take care of themselves, their children and are collecting benefits of one type or another...including those here illegally.

State budgets are allocated along the same lines.

In short Daf, there are programs for just about everything under the sun and armies of government bureaucrats dispensing benefits which we all pay for...including the movers and shakers. There are so many different programs "loosely" falling under the heading of "welfare" that I doubt there are 10 people in the United States who could sit down and off the top of their heads, list them ALL and describe what they actually do.

posted November 30, 2007 02:37 PM              

quote:

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I don't think the letter is written to the government.

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posted November 30, 2007 04:48 PM            

quote:

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It's addressed to a large number of people, but not specifically directed at anyone.

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