"ANOTHER YEAR?"

Here we go again.
Let's try in 2010
To change our ways
Instead of continually coasting in a daze.

Ignoring the roles politics play
In our day-to-day
Lives, where we strive
To stay alive; Contributing to the hive.

When individual urges
Merge with military surges,
The purpose is skewed.
Leaving us with no idea of what to do.

Put down the remote.
It's not the time to gloat
In Constitutional rhetoric
That approved of second-class citizenship and importing folks in boats.

CHANGING CHANGE

A record number of people packed the Washington Mall last January 20th. If you include television and the internet, the inauguration of America's first Black president was among the most globally observed events in history. Many tears were shed by many people for many different reasons. Some were overcome by the mere fact that someone other than a white male lawyer was about to become the leader of the free world; others simply struggled against the wind that cut through the DC winter sky.

Change had come. Albeit, smaller change than what some had hoped. On that day, it seemed all the problems of the country, and to a large extent the world, were about to be solved. Hope, and its presence inspired one and all. Whether people were inspired positively or negatively didn't matter. Either way, the arrival of change had to be acknowledged. What we have seen since President Obama took the oath of office is a combination of some overly optimistic expectations and some fear that the status quo will no longer be accepted.

In 2009, Barrack Obama became the president based on his promises to change the way Washington works. He also promised to change the way Wall Street worked. It could be argued that changes have been made, but not to the extent that those who voted for the president had hoped.

It's interesting to reflect back to two particular posts from earlier in the year. One is titled THE BEGINNING OF THE END; the other UNDEFINED CHANGE.

In both pieces I discuss the need for US to define the change we want to see. Change is happening, but what are we doing to influence it?

2009 will also be remembered for the passing of a genius, Michael Jackson. There's no doubt the King of Pop was a musical genius, but his technological and humanitarian prowess is not to be overlooked or ignored. Since his death, I have collected all of MJ's music and have been listening to it more than I have listened to it in the last 10 years. Because of Michael's exclusive linguistic delivery, we sometimes fail to comprehend what he is saying. Partly because we can't understand it, but more importantly because we are FEELING it.

Michael Jackson's music will be around forever because of the message within. The truth he sang is universal and can be felt by humans the world over, including those who do not even speak the language of English. This same truth could arguably be what caused him to be portrayed in the manner he was since was first labeled a child molester. Allegations that he was never found guilty of, for the record. Besides that fact, many millions of Americans disregard the decades of work and millions of people he's helped under this guise. As in the song above, Michael was also about change.

Like every one of us, Michael was not perfect and struggled with his personal weaknesses. But when he WORKED, he was focused and groundbreaking. He provided expressions that would at the time, and hopefully will in the future, inspire people to be more humane and love one another. He (moon)walked the walk.



That video was from a march on September 15, 2007. It's been over two years since the people had enough energy to march down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol building. The anti-war movement has been regrouping and re-energizing. The fight is not easy, and it can't be fought with a remote control from the comfort of you over-used sofa. And considering the first-level opponents in the struggle against eternal war are the US Department of Defense and it's conveniently adopted sister The Department of Homeland Security. These two agencies alone pack a punch of budgets worth $660 B and $55 B respectively.

That is a tremendously difficult task when the people who make up the anti-war movement are working people. To get to Washington, DC on a weekday is a world-altering event for some. The majority of those truly affected by the outrageous amount of money spent on war, are the same ones either fighting the war in the military or fighting in one of the many internal wars here in the "homeland."

I hope that the people of the anti-war movement can be reinvigorated by the growing movement for health care. The combination of the two can significantly help wach cause. Especially when you consider that everyone who lives in America could have free health care based on the same amount of taxes we currently pay. No need to raise them when they can be reallocated if we weren't spending TRILLIONS on two separate wars, with arguably no legitimate missions.

Regardless of strategy, change is going to have to start with the individual. We've all heard the saying "actions speak louder than words." They do. And that's how we need to define this "change" that we are hoping for. The change will be that we will no longer stand for "taxation without representation." We will hold officials accountable. It's obvious that from the beginning of this young country politicians would not regulate themselves. That's the point. The people within a democracy are supposed to be involved and that's what balances out the corruption.

Politics are not irrelevant just because you choose to ignore them. They continue the way the system was designed. If the people are involved, then their wants and needs will be addressed. If they are not, they won't. If our elected representatives were being held accountable by the people they would be talking to the people. Instead, no people are calling them, so they have no choice than to talk to other politicians (and lobbyists). Look where that's gotten us.