Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 12 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Wake Up America

By       (Page 2 of 3 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   2 comments
Message Steve Bhaerman
Become a Fan
  (8 fans)
In addition to the truths the framers of the Declaration of Independence held self-evident 230 years ago, we must now take the first step of facing some darker self-evident truths:

1. The results of the Presidential elections in 2000 and 2004 were very likely the result of fraud, and thanks to very hackable voting machines future elections are in jeopardy.
2. The official 9/11 story has more holes in it than Dick Cheney's hunting buddy, and could very well be the most devastating and cynical scam ever imposed on the American people.
3. The media -- the fabled "fifth estate" has become the "fifth column," betraying the truth left and right, mostly right. The one major difference between our "liberal" media and Pravda of 30 years ago is that the Russian people knew they were being lied to.
4. The Democratic Party leadership (an oxymoron very high in irony content) lacks vision, courage and integrity. You can count on them to once again trot out the slogan that has kept them safely out of power for years now: "We're not as bad as the Republicans." Not even this is true. In my book, the enabler bears as much responsibility as the abuser. Until they prove otherwise, the only things the Democrats are good for are taking our money and wasting our votes.

Now I hope all of that didn't sound too cynical, because cynical is the last thing I want to be. The upside of "disillusionment" is that it disabuses us of of the "illusionment" that keeps us knocking on doors that will never open, and marching down pathways that lead to a dead end. The release of false hope is the gateway that can lead to real hope. Hopefully, that is where this is all leading.

So before we take a look at what we CAN do, let's bump up to the macro to have a look at the big, big picture. We humans are, as a species, facing a "rendevous with destiny." Despite Einstein's assertion more than 100 years ago that we live in a universe where all is related, we are still acting as if we're in a "Newtonian" universe of force opposing force. We humans are definitely slow learners. We've had "only" a century to integrate Einstein, and we used his theory to develop weapons of mass destruction. It's been 2000 years since Jesus said "Love thy neighbor," and yet we humans still seem to be marching under the "eye-for-an-eye" banner.

But now in this shrinking world that could definitely use a good shrink, push is finally coming to shove, and in the light of shrinking extractable resources and expanding intractable regimes, we are on a collision course with ourselves. The "middle" path of muddling along is about to hit a dead-end, and we stand at a crossroads in human evolution (or devolution). We must now choose one and only one of these two paths: "We're all in this together," or "it's every man for himself."

We can "play it safe" and say it's either dominate or be dominated. We can then rally (or huddle) behind our troops and celebrate our own survival as we excuse genocide against others as a necessary by-product. It's been done before, you know. And not just by the Third Reich. Every empire has done the same thing, and has found some creative way to cloak selfish motives in nobility. But time is running out, and more and more humans are coming to see that from the perspective of all the great spiritual teachings in the world, "survival" at this level is the booby prize.

What we humans are being called to is no less than an evolutionary step toward really giving our professed "faith" a run for its money. We are being called out from behind petty and ancient feuds, unconscious "miasmic" patterns that have thwarted us for centuries. We are being called out from behind the remote, away from reality TV, and towards reality. We are being asked to take the "red pill," and emerge from the matrix of machine-made illusion and cultivate the "tree of life" right here in the so-called "real world."

In this evolutionary mission, we have more going for us than we think. We have the teachings and techniques of great spiritual paths and masters, many just recently liberated from secrecy. We have technical know-how, and those most extraordinary of human resources, imagination and curiosity. We have worldwide networks of communication. And of course, we have the force of necessity, the Mother of all reasons to change and change now.

On the other side, the main weapons they have are fear and force. Although these may seem formidable in the short run, in the end they are no match for the power of life. "Life" relentlessly moves forward in greater expansion, creativity, diversity and freedom. Like the weed poking up between the cracks in the sidewalk, life has a tendency to prevail.

Of course, they want you to forget this, and sadly too many people have. As political responses to situations that are "bigger than politics" have been thwarted, and as the current Administration rains down outrageous perpetrations on a daily basis, people have allowed themselves to become disheartened. Without the spiritual compass that helped guide the likes of Martin Luther King, many modern progressives fail to see the spiritual context behind the values they are fighting for. How else could the "moral authority" in this country have been ceded over to those who rail against two men lying together as an "abomination," but have no problem with a whole bunch of men lying together to bomb a nation?

Time To Face The Music and Dance

So how do we face these issues on a higher level, and translate all of this happy-sounding philosophizing into effective action? How do we make the shift from politics as usual to politics as unusual? What does the American Evolution look like in practice? Here are some ideas which will hopefully lead to better questions, and clearer answers:

1. Cultivate the Field. Early last summer -- at a time when I was feeling particularly frustrated and impatient -- I got an insight which proved to be prophetic: At times when the "form" isn't fully formulated, focus on "the field." In other words, all we had to do was to continue speaking our truth with open-hearted courage, and these thought-forms would manifest in unexpected ways. Indeed, within a few months, we had seen the Cindy Sheehan phenomenon, and the whole world had seen the Bush Administration's response to Katrina. Later on in the year, Scooter Libby was indicted, and then Tom DeLay.

Right now, the most effective thing we can do on a daily basis is speak the truth with "calm passion." In their heart of hearts, a majority of Americans know there is something terribly wrong. We're not in Kansas anymore, and we may not even be in America, at least not the America we love. The media refuses to go any deeper than positional squabbling. So we must do it. The biggest obstacle we face right now is our collective unwillingness to see our own shadow. However, once a critical mass of us face this fear directly -- and act anyway -- it only becomes easier. Remember, the wall of lies is "hanging by a threat." When we the people no longer feel threatened by that threat, the wall of lies will crumble into dust. All it takes are one or two or three or a dozen respected prominent Americans to "break through the soundless barrier," and the media will finally have to cover the story. The stronger the "field" of courage and truth we create at the grassroots, the more inevitable the breakthrough.

2. Stop Marching, and "Stand" Instead. The new theme song for "politics as unusual" should be "I Ain't A-Marchin' Anymore." What? How else are we going to protest? How else are we going to show the world our numbers? I heard Tom Hayden say something last year that struck a chord: "Marching and demonstrations are a tactic used by a besieged minority. Today, those who oppose the Iraq War are in the majority." The whole idea of marching, shouting, protesting and being "anti" is oppositional. In a perverse way, it actually strengthens our "opponents" by reinforcing polarity.

So, I propose that we never march again, and that we "stand" instead. No more yelling, no more shouting, no more spouting anger that squanders energy better spent. Marching indicates there is someplace to get to. Standing demonstrates that we are already "here" and are quietly steadfast as a "stand" for the world we know is possible -- and necessary. "Standing" is an acknowledgment that we are not fearful or intimidated. It is an invitation to courage, and an inspiration to those who are ready to evolve beyond dueling dualities. Standing also acknowledges that darkness isn't the "opposite" of light, it is the absence of light. So there is no need to "fight" darkness, as long as we shine the light.

What might this look like? I am envisioning something I call the 50 Million American "Stand." 50 million Americans voted for regime change in 2004, and with the President's approval numbers hovering just above freezing, there is the growing understanding that we have now devolved into an entirely new form of government -- an "illegitimacy": government of the bastards, by the bastards and for the bastards. I know that sounds harsh and judgmental, but have you noticed that these people aren't even feeling the need to cover up their crimes? Our government is cheating on us, and top officials are brazenly being seen consorting with these gold-diggers in public.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Steve Bhaerman Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Steve Bhaerman is a writer, humorist and uncommontator who's been posing as cosmic comic Swami Beyondananda for the past 20 years. He is the author of seven books including Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

THE McCAIN MUTINY: Why Republicans Are Jumping Ship

5 Reasons I'm Supporting Marianne Williamson for Congress

The Shift Has Hit the Fan: Welcome to the Sane Asylum

March Against Monsanto ... and Beyond - From Disconnecting the Bad to Connecting the Good

9/11: From State of Emergency to State of Emergent Seeing

Swami Beyondananda's State of the Universe Address 2010

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend