| Conclusion of Pax Americana: The Military Industrial Complex and the War On Terror by Danny Quintana |
| War....White Angry Republicans By Kevin Yost |
Life goes on with or without our participation. We can be spectators in this brief
journey through time and space. Or we can get involved in a whole host of interesting,
productive and fulfilling activities. There is no need to be pessimistic about our
planet’s future. We all live together with millions of beautiful and exotic creatures.
If we live to the age of 85, a ripe age by most standards, that equals 31,000 days.
We will sleep at least 11,000 days or approximately one third of our lives.
That leaves 20,000 decisions on how we will spend our days. We can watch others
live and consume so many calories that we create very serious health problems for
ourselves and society. Or we can watch our diet, exercise and live moderately. We
can be nice to ourselves and love the person in the mirror. Or we can allow horrible
behaving humans to latch onto us and suck our time dry with their constant drama,
irresponsible behaviors and anger. We can take care of others or take care of
ourselves and life around us.
journey through time and space. Or we can get involved in a whole host of interesting,
productive and fulfilling activities. There is no need to be pessimistic about our
planet’s future. We all live together with millions of beautiful and exotic creatures.
If we live to the age of 85, a ripe age by most standards, that equals 31,000 days.
We will sleep at least 11,000 days or approximately one third of our lives.
That leaves 20,000 decisions on how we will spend our days. We can watch others
live and consume so many calories that we create very serious health problems for
ourselves and society. Or we can watch our diet, exercise and live moderately. We
can be nice to ourselves and love the person in the mirror. Or we can allow horrible
behaving humans to latch onto us and suck our time dry with their constant drama,
irresponsible behaviors and anger. We can take care of others or take care of
ourselves and life around us.
 | |  | |  |
The various excuses used by ideologues on the left and right of the political spectrum on why humans behave the way we behave do not
change certain facts. Americans are in poor physical shape and treat each other very poorly. Domestic violence is rampant. More people die
from domestic violence and are injured by those close to them then will ever be killed by criminal sociopaths whom the mass media
mistakenly calls “terrorists”. Most victims of murder know their killer. Most people who are assaulted know their assailant. Those closest to us
cause us the most anguish. We expect the enemy in the field to try to cause us harm. But those who profess to love us are the ones most
likely to steal our possessions, use unkind words or physically leave bruises or worse.
Our improvement of the natural environment begins with our own lives. We can chose to xeroscape our yards and save water. Or we can
waste precious water on wasted lawns. We can buy foods that do not harm the endangered wildlife of the oceans. Or we can kill every last
cod, lobster, blue fin tuna and overfish the oceans to extinction. We can kill every last mahogany tree for the vanity of our meaningless
lives. We can kill every last snow leopard and artic fox for the furs to make us even less attractive then we already appear to others.
We have limited control over our lives. By using that control to improve our own environment, physical, emotional, financial, will we then have
an impact on those around us. If we buy into the consumerism, materialism myth that more toys will bring us more happiness and he who dies
with the most toys wins, expect a life of hardship, heartache and anguish.
We must learn to forgive others when they cause us harm. But understand that forgiveness is a selfish act. We forgive so that we can let go
of the bitterness and move on with life. Holding on to the sins of the past and trying to solve the acts of violence with more acts of violence will
only throw gasoline on a smoking fire. Let these fires burn out. We cannot bring back the dead from the attacks on our buildings with our own
airlines. What we can do is over come the vicious acts of evil with our own acts of kindness.
The oceans and space will be explored with or without the United States. Other nations will not wait and are already going forward. Like China
in 1408, we can stop our exploration and history will pass us by. Or we can have the courage of Cortez and go forward despite the odds.
Change will come from the changes we make in our own life. As we slowly turn away from conspicuous consumption and more to the
adrenalin that comes from new adventures, our lives will improve and so will our environment. Where we go as a nation is driven in large part
by where we go as individuals. We are the agents of change with our spending habits and investment decisions.
We can use the frustration in our own lives to justify aggression against innocent people who had absolutely nothing to do with the attacks on
our country by a handful of extremist killers. Or we can accept the fact that there are sociopaths who share our planet with us and will use any
excuse to kill us. The handful of killers can be investigated and where the evidence is there incarcerate or execute these murderers. These
are criminal acts by very sick demented individuals who would kill anyone for any reason.
Change will come from understanding the world around us. We must learn history and geography and above all empathy. The largest victims
of terrorism are Muslims. They are the ones are being killed daily by Al Qaeda and Bin Laden’s fascist followers. We have to accept as a
society that there are killers among us and always have been and always will be. These killers need to be pursued through the international
justice system and brought to justice. In times of turmoil we must be more reasonable then our adversaries. Either we will control our
emotions or be controlled by them. Anger will always lead to bad judgment. We must respect the law and advocate improvements in the
international legal system.
The invasion of Iraq out of the anger from September 11th was a mistake. Saddam was a bastard. But there were no complaints from
President Reagan when he was our bastard. We need to work with the international community to end the violence in Iraq and go after the
killers who are hiding in Afghanistan and are waiting for another opportunity to commit random acts of murder.
As individuals we can chose not to purchase gas from companies that buy Middle East oil. We can chose to drive less, walk more to bus
stops, train stations and use bicycles. This will make us healthier and that will bring us more happiness. This control over our own lives has an
impact on national policy. As people are buying less oil from countries that support killers and teach their children to attack us, these despotic
governments will have less financial clout. Take away money from these Middle East sponsors of terrorism and the incidents of terrorism will
be reduced. There is a vested interest in Middle East governments having turmoil in that region. This raises the price of oil and increases
their revenue.
Not only can individuals influence corporate and government policy with our purchases, this will have a profound impact on our lives and the
environment. As we concentrate less on possessions and more on memories, our lives will be enriched. Less is more. But if we believe that
our gluttonous lifestyle will be furthered with huge homes, vehicles, boats and RV’s and being 40 pounds overweight, expect the pain of
disease and financial ruin.
To have peace on our own lives, don’t watch the news! If you understand that “news” is what is the unusual, the bizarre, the extra-ordinary
and not the reality of daily life, you will not be burdened by the noise of other people’s drama. You will be happier. You will stay focused on
the events in your own adventurous life and not be preoccupied with the affairs of princes, kings and the powerful. You will have
the most precious gift of all, more time. For if we spend our time preoccupied with the actions of inept leaders, movie sluts, entertainers, this is
time we take away from ourselves that can never be replaced. Our 20,000 days cannot be wasted as spectators watching the drama of
others. Make your own lives an adventure regardless of the mundane actions of others.
If you are under age 50, then in your lifetime Mars and the ocean floor will be explored. While we can only be a small part of this next step for
mankind, that part can be important. We can join space exploration organizations or form the same in our communities. We can work with our
coastal authorities to protect our water resources and oceans. We can clean up our own neighborhoods, streams and rivers and cities. These
things can be done by private individuals despite the lack of leadership from people in positions of power. Remember, politicians are cowards.
They do not fight but will send young men and women to their deaths. They will not initiate new policies or pursue a different course because
the existing path is known and lucrative. A lot of very rich defense contractors who contribute money to politicians NEVER want man to be free
of conflict. If you are a shareholder or an employee of a defense contractor you can attend the shareholder meetings and suggest space and
ocean exploration as new markets. You can advocate space and ocean exploration as new markets for your company.
While political activism is advocated by some as a path to change, I would warn you against it. Politics is corrupt and vicious. You are not. An
honest politician is a politician whom when bought stays bought. Spend your money on your children or on a nice vacation. Your return on
investment will be better then giving a campaign contribution to people with low self esteem. My final advice is take reasonable calculated
risks. Do humanitarian work in the Third World. With individual acts of kindness we will overcome the violence and hatred of the handful of
killers on our small planet. There are far more good people like you then there are members of Al Qaeda or the Taliban. They would kill every
last person on the planet if they could to bring about their demented version of Islam. They are to Islam as the Ku Klux Klan or the NAZIS are
to Christanity. They will be defeated with international police work and cooperation, not just bombs from advanced fighterplanes flying at
50,000 feet. Change will come from the ground up. The people will lead and gutless politicians will follow. Don't get worked up over religion.
There is not going to be a "rapture" or an end to the world. Hundreds of millions might die over ideas but humanity will live. What will probably
occur is an end to imperialism and blind obedience to religious fanitics.
Unlike Spain and Rome, we Americans suck at imperialism. We don't understand that with power comes great responsibility. It is our duty to
bring law and justice and peace to the planet. Until we understand that important lesson of history, that man was put on this planet to help
each other not destroy each other, we will not have peace in our own lives. So enjoy your life. Be a participant and come to the poor and build
homes, install clean water systems, deliver wheelchairs, teach people to read, plant crops, provide medical services and then ride the
elephants, tour the jungles and enjoy the beach. Live your dreams. Or you can just be a spectator and watch others live them for you. Your
best hope for a great future is with the choices you make in your own life. As Ghandi advised, "be the change you wish to bring
in the world". Choose life, good health and adventure.
change certain facts. Americans are in poor physical shape and treat each other very poorly. Domestic violence is rampant. More people die
from domestic violence and are injured by those close to them then will ever be killed by criminal sociopaths whom the mass media
mistakenly calls “terrorists”. Most victims of murder know their killer. Most people who are assaulted know their assailant. Those closest to us
cause us the most anguish. We expect the enemy in the field to try to cause us harm. But those who profess to love us are the ones most
likely to steal our possessions, use unkind words or physically leave bruises or worse.
Our improvement of the natural environment begins with our own lives. We can chose to xeroscape our yards and save water. Or we can
waste precious water on wasted lawns. We can buy foods that do not harm the endangered wildlife of the oceans. Or we can kill every last
cod, lobster, blue fin tuna and overfish the oceans to extinction. We can kill every last mahogany tree for the vanity of our meaningless
lives. We can kill every last snow leopard and artic fox for the furs to make us even less attractive then we already appear to others.
We have limited control over our lives. By using that control to improve our own environment, physical, emotional, financial, will we then have
an impact on those around us. If we buy into the consumerism, materialism myth that more toys will bring us more happiness and he who dies
with the most toys wins, expect a life of hardship, heartache and anguish.
We must learn to forgive others when they cause us harm. But understand that forgiveness is a selfish act. We forgive so that we can let go
of the bitterness and move on with life. Holding on to the sins of the past and trying to solve the acts of violence with more acts of violence will
only throw gasoline on a smoking fire. Let these fires burn out. We cannot bring back the dead from the attacks on our buildings with our own
airlines. What we can do is over come the vicious acts of evil with our own acts of kindness.
The oceans and space will be explored with or without the United States. Other nations will not wait and are already going forward. Like China
in 1408, we can stop our exploration and history will pass us by. Or we can have the courage of Cortez and go forward despite the odds.
Change will come from the changes we make in our own life. As we slowly turn away from conspicuous consumption and more to the
adrenalin that comes from new adventures, our lives will improve and so will our environment. Where we go as a nation is driven in large part
by where we go as individuals. We are the agents of change with our spending habits and investment decisions.
We can use the frustration in our own lives to justify aggression against innocent people who had absolutely nothing to do with the attacks on
our country by a handful of extremist killers. Or we can accept the fact that there are sociopaths who share our planet with us and will use any
excuse to kill us. The handful of killers can be investigated and where the evidence is there incarcerate or execute these murderers. These
are criminal acts by very sick demented individuals who would kill anyone for any reason.
Change will come from understanding the world around us. We must learn history and geography and above all empathy. The largest victims
of terrorism are Muslims. They are the ones are being killed daily by Al Qaeda and Bin Laden’s fascist followers. We have to accept as a
society that there are killers among us and always have been and always will be. These killers need to be pursued through the international
justice system and brought to justice. In times of turmoil we must be more reasonable then our adversaries. Either we will control our
emotions or be controlled by them. Anger will always lead to bad judgment. We must respect the law and advocate improvements in the
international legal system.
The invasion of Iraq out of the anger from September 11th was a mistake. Saddam was a bastard. But there were no complaints from
President Reagan when he was our bastard. We need to work with the international community to end the violence in Iraq and go after the
killers who are hiding in Afghanistan and are waiting for another opportunity to commit random acts of murder.
As individuals we can chose not to purchase gas from companies that buy Middle East oil. We can chose to drive less, walk more to bus
stops, train stations and use bicycles. This will make us healthier and that will bring us more happiness. This control over our own lives has an
impact on national policy. As people are buying less oil from countries that support killers and teach their children to attack us, these despotic
governments will have less financial clout. Take away money from these Middle East sponsors of terrorism and the incidents of terrorism will
be reduced. There is a vested interest in Middle East governments having turmoil in that region. This raises the price of oil and increases
their revenue.
Not only can individuals influence corporate and government policy with our purchases, this will have a profound impact on our lives and the
environment. As we concentrate less on possessions and more on memories, our lives will be enriched. Less is more. But if we believe that
our gluttonous lifestyle will be furthered with huge homes, vehicles, boats and RV’s and being 40 pounds overweight, expect the pain of
disease and financial ruin.
To have peace on our own lives, don’t watch the news! If you understand that “news” is what is the unusual, the bizarre, the extra-ordinary
and not the reality of daily life, you will not be burdened by the noise of other people’s drama. You will be happier. You will stay focused on
the events in your own adventurous life and not be preoccupied with the affairs of princes, kings and the powerful. You will have
the most precious gift of all, more time. For if we spend our time preoccupied with the actions of inept leaders, movie sluts, entertainers, this is
time we take away from ourselves that can never be replaced. Our 20,000 days cannot be wasted as spectators watching the drama of
others. Make your own lives an adventure regardless of the mundane actions of others.
If you are under age 50, then in your lifetime Mars and the ocean floor will be explored. While we can only be a small part of this next step for
mankind, that part can be important. We can join space exploration organizations or form the same in our communities. We can work with our
coastal authorities to protect our water resources and oceans. We can clean up our own neighborhoods, streams and rivers and cities. These
things can be done by private individuals despite the lack of leadership from people in positions of power. Remember, politicians are cowards.
They do not fight but will send young men and women to their deaths. They will not initiate new policies or pursue a different course because
the existing path is known and lucrative. A lot of very rich defense contractors who contribute money to politicians NEVER want man to be free
of conflict. If you are a shareholder or an employee of a defense contractor you can attend the shareholder meetings and suggest space and
ocean exploration as new markets. You can advocate space and ocean exploration as new markets for your company.
While political activism is advocated by some as a path to change, I would warn you against it. Politics is corrupt and vicious. You are not. An
honest politician is a politician whom when bought stays bought. Spend your money on your children or on a nice vacation. Your return on
investment will be better then giving a campaign contribution to people with low self esteem. My final advice is take reasonable calculated
risks. Do humanitarian work in the Third World. With individual acts of kindness we will overcome the violence and hatred of the handful of
killers on our small planet. There are far more good people like you then there are members of Al Qaeda or the Taliban. They would kill every
last person on the planet if they could to bring about their demented version of Islam. They are to Islam as the Ku Klux Klan or the NAZIS are
to Christanity. They will be defeated with international police work and cooperation, not just bombs from advanced fighterplanes flying at
50,000 feet. Change will come from the ground up. The people will lead and gutless politicians will follow. Don't get worked up over religion.
There is not going to be a "rapture" or an end to the world. Hundreds of millions might die over ideas but humanity will live. What will probably
occur is an end to imperialism and blind obedience to religious fanitics.
Unlike Spain and Rome, we Americans suck at imperialism. We don't understand that with power comes great responsibility. It is our duty to
bring law and justice and peace to the planet. Until we understand that important lesson of history, that man was put on this planet to help
each other not destroy each other, we will not have peace in our own lives. So enjoy your life. Be a participant and come to the poor and build
homes, install clean water systems, deliver wheelchairs, teach people to read, plant crops, provide medical services and then ride the
elephants, tour the jungles and enjoy the beach. Live your dreams. Or you can just be a spectator and watch others live them for you. Your
best hope for a great future is with the choices you make in your own life. As Ghandi advised, "be the change you wish to bring
in the world". Choose life, good health and adventure.
| The End |