Iraq

Things in Iraq are deteriorating,
And I can’t forestall images of Vietnam from invading my consciousness,
Flashpoint Fallujah,
Might as well be Saigon,
But instead of monks,
Alighting themselves in balls of gasoline,
Its clerics ordering backlash,
Against the American dream,
Freedom,
Cry freedom,
Let virtue knock out vice,
Proclaim victorious,
Democracy,
With out bullets,
Instill respect,
Not fear,
Each and every day more killing,
More violence,
More suffering,
From wayward decisions,
And backroom wrangling,
Save oppression and occupation,
Remove them from the lexicon,
Let freedom reign,
Rather than bullets fly;
How would we react,
If someone infiltrated our homeland?
Teach Iraqi’s fundamentals for life,
Rather than fundamentalism,
Teach them the glory of choice,
But not at the barrel of a gun,
It didn’t work in Vietnam,
Why would it work in the powder keg of the Middle East>
I pray for the brave souls,
Fighting their presidents war,
For their safe return,
And a life not haunted by images of liberation,
I pray for Iraqi’s,
That THEY can save their nation,
I pray for us all,
That one day,
The values that we preach,
Become those that we practice,
I hope and pray,
These words represent a relic,
Of a time long past,
To never return.

SDM

Context - Written almost one year after the war began

Human History

The catalogues of suffering and misery in the annals of human history are but distant memories to those immersed in the luxurious and contemptible consciousness of the industrialized world. In any sense, despite the obvious hardships inherent in the poorest constituents in the global industrialized world there can be no comparison to those living in abject poverty in the non industrialized world. Some hold that the key is to bring industry to those poorest quarters to free them from the very real economic bondage they are in. Yet what good is industry fueled by the blood, sweat and tears of an uneducated, ill advised and under privileged class to those making our Nike shoes, raising the cattle for our Big Macs or stitching the threading in our Gap clothing. There is little benefit save the usurious wages that our corporations pay them. The true benefit of industrialization in these so called 3rd world nations rests in the hands of the captains of industry that we have crowned with trillions of dollars which serves to benefit a very few specifically privileged pockets. A new trade paradigm is required with a new over sight body which assures that such industrialization does not only serve to fatten the pockets of the often times corrupted 3rd world leaders whose aim is not the economic salvation of their people but rather the building of another great palace or another stable of horses. For more than a hundred years we have pushed full steam ahead with industrialization – We have developed cars, planes, trains, trucks and massive freight boats to service our personal and economic needs – Thus, in effect to service industry; However, in that time we have made only band aid solutions for the gapping wounds known to me as a fundamental disconnect in the distribution of wealth.

The strides taken toward an equitable and fair distribution of wealth have failed; Miserably! Moreover, if no measures are taken to correct the inequity the world as we know it is going to face a very real and hitherto unknown economic war which will serve to further widen the gap between rich and poor, have and have not!

The United Nations collectively agreed upon the basic rights of human beings on the planet earth which was a tremendous step toward a baseline of existence. However, the letter and the spirit of that charter are light years apart. The purpose of our lives is not to produce economic wealth but rather a wealth that aids all humanity in its progress in a positive way. To date, though moderately successful, in certain areas, we have failed to right the many issues facing the perpetuation of our species.


We are starving the poor of this planet through irresponsible choices which have no basis in reality, save the enriching of industrialized lives. We are, depriving those who desperately require food and water so that we can live in our society of abundance. We outright lie through the election of our leaders to the poorest in the world using economic theory as justification. Its too expensive, too difficult, or too whatever –

We put a man on the moon! Shame on us for not finding the clothe and feed those all over the world. Moreover, our standards of education, at a minimum should be promised to any and all who desire it.

Since Adam Smith, the Wealth of Nations, has been an important consideration for the world. However, that wealth is pointless, reckless and indeed shameful if we who have profited unchecked for the last 300 – 500 years can not resolve the issues of our poorest people.

In fact, that wealth is contemptible because we choose, choose to leave those that can not keep up with us behind. We are failing as a species, starving the poor, robbing and choking the planet and history will not look favorably upon us if we don’t right the sins of our father, as well as our own.

Our dream, that we live each day is at the expense of others and as such they live a nightmare that none of us could possibly understand. Lets all wake up and face reality!

SDM

63rd Anniversary of D- Day

To all those that gave their lives in the ultimate sacrifice so that tyranny did not rule the day I remember you.
To all those that returned home broken never to recover I wish I could give you a hug and make it all okay.
To all those that returned home and made it their mission to ensure the horror would not be repeated I celebrate you.
To all those that suffered indignity, iniquity and endless suffering I wish I could turn back the hands of time and make it all okay, in the absence of that ability let me make a solemn promise; I WILL NEVER FORGET and I WILL LAY DOWN MY LIFE trying to make this world a better place.
To all those reading this are you aware of the sacrifice,
are you aware of the price,
are you aware of what happened then that shaped today?

Take a moment to reflect, say a prayer, be silent and then realize just how fortunate we are that the greatest generation paid the price for freedom.

Thank you will never be enough, but from the bottom of my heart, veterans and the families which too sacrificed; thank you.

THANK YOU!