Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Stonepounder

(4,033 posts)
30. A sputtering torch
Mon Dec 30, 2013, 03:03 PM
Dec 2013

I am retired. 50+ years ago I was marching for Civil Rights and getting arrested. How much progress have we really made? We are no longer 'seperate but equal' but racism is still everywhere and politicians are doing their level best to disenfranchise everyone buy older white America. 45 years ago I was demonstrating against Viet Nam and getting tear gassed for exercising my 1st Amendment 'rights' and my right to 'peaceable assembly' and my right to 'petition for redress of grievance'. Today I look at Afghanistan and see nothing has changed. 40 years ago I was campaigning for Bobby Kennedy. We all know how well that turned out. Today I look at our country's first Black President and see him hamstrung by a do-nothing Congress that refuses to do anything to help American citizens, while at the same time Obama is working (in secret) to negotiate the TPP which will pass much of our sovereignty to the multi-national corporations.

I look at climate scientists declaring, in near unanimity, that the amount of carbon we are dumping into the atmosphere is going to cause calamitous global warming. And then I see the multinationals spending obscene sums of money to hire pliable lackys to tell us that fracking is good and coal is good and oil consumption is good and solar is bad and wind farming is bad. And the 'don't worry, be happy' crew gets all the air play from the so-called 'liberal media', which is, of course, owned by the same multinationals. And I see the right-wing hate mongers convincing people to vote against the own self-interest time after time after time just so that lazy no-good down the road doesn't get a penny in food stamps or unemployment. And I see our congress seriously talking about cutting my Social Security - an annuity that I paid into all my life, and cutting my MediCare - an insurance plan I paid into all my life.

And you tell me that I have the power?

Both my wife and I suffer from health issue that preclude taking long walks. We can't afford massages. We are on a low fat, low salt, low carb, fresh fruit and vegetable diet. Very little beef, a little more chicken. We sleep 8 hours a night. I put in a veg garden each spring. We are active in dog rescue.

I am not so much depressed as I am fatalistic. My first 'real job' was working in a lumber mill, where I earned about $15.00/hr. My daughter, who is a Certified Physician's Assistant (and a widow with 3 children), works for a Neurologist and makes $15.00/hr. I shudder to think what kind of life my 12-year-old grandson is going to have.

I feel like I have fought the good fight for over 40 years and frankly all I see is that we have lost at every juncture. We have been thrown just enough crumbs to make us think we were accomplishing something, when in reality we have accomplished bupkus. I don't see that as depression, just bowing to the inevitable.

I have thought since I was in High School that evolution developing a big brain is going to turn out to be one of the most egregious mistakes that nature has ever made and I don't see anything to make me change my mind.

Wow, no one could EVER have predicted that! hatrack Dec 2013 #1
Don't worry, the nuclear industry has a plan to clean up tar sands production kristopher Dec 2013 #23
This is how an industry bulldozes into a complex environment with a token EIS & does lasting damage. hue Dec 2013 #2
Immediately fine and tax them (or seize assets if needed) to pay for the COMPLETE clean-up. on point Dec 2013 #3
I'll second that! another_liberal Dec 2013 #7
I never knew the history of the term "mad hatter." Laelth Dec 2013 #4
So long, and thanks for all the (contaminated) fish... jtuck004 Dec 2013 #5
You know of course that mercury is a heavy medal and can't float on water? RC Dec 2013 #8
First, I really don't care what someone who is too lazy to read a link thinks, jtuck004 Dec 2013 #9
Then don't post stupid stuff without an explanation, so people think you believe it. RC Dec 2013 #11
I don't care enough to. And now I care even less. Thanks for the heads up. n/t jtuck004 Dec 2013 #12
do you care a little more now? snooper2 Dec 2013 #27
Small drops of mercury can, due to surface tension starroute Dec 2013 #19
That's like saying... reACTIONary Dec 2013 #26
Tar Sands & Fracking are Total Insanity (R - Planetary Plunder Style) Berlum Dec 2013 #6
I think mercury (in our fish, to start with) is what is causing Americans to act so insane. loudsue Dec 2013 #10
That could explain the Tea party marsis Dec 2013 #17
Mmm-hmm. And DU. loudsue Dec 2013 #18
It's all insanity knowing what we know mountain grammy Dec 2013 #13
Read what happened in Minimata, Japan due to severe mercury poisoning LiberalEsto Dec 2013 #14
Mercury toxicity is no fun bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #15
Mercury needs watching. Reference "Minimata disease" and W. Eugene Smith's photographs. nt Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #16
there`s zero news articles about this in the all of the american news media. madrchsod Dec 2013 #20
Not in the news bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #21
I've pretty much given up. Stonepounder Dec 2013 #22
Humankind surely 'doesn't have a prayer' if your attitude prevails. Peace Patriot Dec 2013 #29
A sputtering torch Stonepounder Dec 2013 #30
Very interesting observation that depressing people is deliberate as snagglepuss Dec 2013 #31
Don't give up! another_liberal Dec 2013 #34
Does anyone have a link to a map of the affected area? theHandpuppet Dec 2013 #24
The research hasn't been published yet. kristopher Dec 2013 #28
Thanks. I look forward to reading an update... theHandpuppet Dec 2013 #32
More great tar-sands news! blackspade Dec 2013 #25
Mercury levels are even higher where those products are used csziggy Dec 2013 #33
Is Canada still morally superior to the United States? Honestly, I've lost track. Pterodactyl Dec 2013 #35
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Researchers find 7,300-mi...»Reply #30