Magicians are adept at distraction, as are card sharks, pickpockets and politicians.
And when
you throw in the main stream media as a partner in crime, you have the
perfect storm for a misinformed and malleable public.
It goes
without saying that Americans are constantly bombarded with stories and
images provoking fear. Just in the past couple months, we've had ISIS
sleeper cells, the certainty that Ebola would be spreading like a plague
across the land, a cyber attack by North Korea on our sacrosanct movie
industry and our freedom of speech, last but not least, the threat of a
reconstituted Soviet Union under the rule of that barbarian Vladimir
Putin, raining nuclear-tipped ICBMs down on us.
These are
what I would call the "pro-active" distractions, ones which disable our
ability to think rationally and turn us into trembling bowls of
paralyzed Jello.
But I've
decided that perhaps the most insidious distractions are the "passive"
variant, the on-the-surface innocent ones that monopolize our attention
with crises which are beyond trivial, drain us of energy and focus
better directed to important issues that makes a real difference, make a
mockery of anything resembling meaningful conversation, and upend and
distort both our personal and national priorities.
I could go
on for months on these distractions. We all know what they are. They
include everything from celebrity gossip, to scandals involving iconic
figures in sports, politics, business, and so on.
Just last
week, there was a "scandal" which monopolized huge swaths of American
media. Everyone had to weigh in, even allegedly serious journalists like
Ed Schultz. Frankly, I was tempted to throw my hands up in the air,
throw my hat in the ring, maybe throw up.
This was
the whole business about the amount of air in the footballs thrown by
all-star Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots. I don't
have to explain this "crisis" in technical detail, because if you had
your television on at any point, you already know that America demanded
to know whether there was the legal minimum amount of air pressure in
the footballs Mr. Brady used in his glorious ascent to football stardom.
While one third of America's school children are now officially living in poverty . . .
While
despite the rosy figures spewed by our government, the truth is
America's economy is in decline and a major economic crash is coming,
probably sooner than later . . .
While we
as ordinary citizens are being treated as the enemy, with constant
surveillance and spying, and a militarized police presence which is
often brutal and not adverse to killing innocent people, especially
people of color . . .
While the
planet is heating up at rates far beyond the most pessimistic
predictions, boding unparalleled depletion of food resources,
displacement of millions of people, setting the stage for massive global
conflict over water and arable land . . .
While the
banksters and Wall Street criminals go unprosecuted for their prior
malfeasance and fraud __ e.g. the crash of 2008 __ and continue to loot
the national treasury . . .
While TTP
and TTIP, so-called "free trade agreements" which will be the nail in
the coffin for an economy which serves the needs of the majority of citizens in
our country, are being rammed down the throats of good, decent,
hard-working people to serve the interests of the oligarchy . . .
While the
neocon lunatics now in control of America's foreign policy are busy
rallying the nation for an unnecessary, unjustified, lethal
confrontation with Russia __ a major war, folks, as in World War III! . .
.
We are wringing our hands over the amount of air in a football?
[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]
I often get very frustrated with politics. So I do understand why people
prefer to look the other way, though indifference and ignorance
lubricate the self-destructive mechanisms which I believe are taking us
towards either World War III, economic collapse, social Armageddon . . .
or all of the above.
At the same time, there is so much which is confusing, horrifying, nauseating,
just plain stupid and wrong, it's impossible to keep up with all of it.
Most crises seem so far away, not relevant to the day-to-day business
of just trying to survive and keep our heads above water. ISIS, the
Ukraine, China, Afghanistan, Palestine, all place a distant nineteenth
to paying the mortgage, feeding ourselves, trying to put clothes on our
backs that don't disintegrate in the laundry, keeping the neighbor's dog
from pooping on the lawn.
Regardless of how consequential all of these international disturbances may
ultimately be, the simple truth is they don't hit home until they hit
home. The primary reason Americans are now concerned about Ebola is
their fear that it may spread in America, understandably so, though
chances of infection are pretty remote. But until people started dying
inside our own borders, it was just more bad news piled on bad news from
"somewhere over there" where bad news seems to grow like mold on an old
chunk of cheese in the back of the refrigerator.
Recognizing all of this, I am still very puzzled why people aren't up in
arms about things which are, without a shred of doubt, a clear and present
danger to them, right now, right here in our own U S of A. I don't mean unlikely,
remote threats, like the prospect they will be hit by a drunk driver or be the victim
of a swarm of killer bees. I refer to very real, very imminent hazards which have
the potential to kill them, shortening their lives by many years! Who wants to
die before they have to?
In my travels, people ask me why I left the U.S. in 2006. I have a straightforward reply . . .
The political climate and the food.
Both were toxic. Both were poisonous to my health and happiness.
Since I've already written over a hundred political rants, here let's just talk about food.
The food in America is a death warrant.
Maybe not as poisonous as rat poison but ultimately just as lethal.
Some might think I'm being hyperbolic. I don't think so. Americans are being
slowly and methodically undermined by their diet. Meat is chock full of
hormones, antibiotics, toxins, often tainted with fecal matter and
various parasites, both viral and bacterial pathogens. Vegetables are
often laced with herbicides, insecticides, chemical residues, too often
lacking any nutritional value, due to bad farming, and premature
harvesting to accommodate supply chains that stretch over continents.
As if that weren't bad enough, we fill our faces with so much fat and sugar,
snacks, sweets, and fast food of every shape and color, it's amazing the
sidewalks aren't littered with the carcasses of people who have just
simply keeled over from the sheer glut.
Beyond all of that, which basically is either a matter of choice __ eating junk
food __ or a lack of choice __ the prevalence of unhealthy and
contaminated food staples at the market __ I want to focus on one
specific issue which I see as emblematic.
How many people can say they haven't had cancer directly impact either
themselves or someone they personally know, perhaps even a close relative
or friend?
If you said 'no' I would be shocked. According to the American Cancer Society:
"In 2014, there will be an estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed
and 585,720 cancer deaths in the US. Cancer remains the second most common
cause of death in the US, accounting for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths."
There are certainly many causes for cancer. To whatever degree we can, we try
to avoid exposure to carcinogens or anything which causes or encourages the
growth of tumors.
But what do we do if we are not allowed to know about a potential source of cancer?
Monsanto has been very effective at suppressing any research findings about the
health implications of both its highly lucrative herbicide Roundup and
its expanding range of GMO products.
But reports are beginning to surface. This recent one on Roundup brings into focus
how dangerous this extensively used, putatively harmless chemical killer is.
GMOs are the evil stepsister of Roundup. Most GMO crops are genetically
altered to give them resistance to Roundup, so that the weedkiller can
be sprayed on in copious amounts killing the weeds but leaving the
edible plants intact and supposedly healthy.
Given the many reports __ here and here
are merely a couple references __ coming out of research laboratories
from around the world which are suggesting that these genetic
modifications are extremely dangerous, posing all sorts of risks, first
and foremost among them the promotion of grotesque and potentially
cancerous tumor growths, people are requesting that at least the foods
containing GMO products be labeled as such.
This is hardly an inconsequential concern. 88% of the corn grown in the U.S.
is genetically modified. 93% of our soybeans are GMO. Because these and
other food plants are the basis for the thousands of processed food products
commonly included in the typical American diet, now "70 percent of processed
foods in your local supermarket contain genetically modified ingredients."
Mind you, people are not demanding a total ban on GMOs __ though a case
can be made for one, at least until it is determined with absolute certainty
that these Frankenfoods are safe __ they just want it PUT ON THE LABEL,
so they can make an informed decision.
Polls show that 93% of American voters want GMO labeling.
93%! This cuts across the entire political spectrum __ Democrats,
Republicans, Libertarians, Tea Party, liberals, conservatives,
anarchists, Free-Tibet-Nuke-The-Gay-Whales Party of Patriotic
Polemicists __ a historic and unprecedented consensus. And we
can't even get this done!
Our play-for-pay, follow-the-money, corporate lapdog politicians,
from the President, all the way through the entire gutless
reeking-with-corruption ranks of Congress, all beholden to the likes of
Monsanto, refuse to stand up to the scumbags who put profit before
people!
Uh-oh . . . I'm back to ranting about politics.
Sometimes it seems unavoidable, eh?
Anyway, let me wrap this up with a suggestion. While you're munching away
on that corn dog as you drive to your polling place on November 4th, you
might want to ask yourself:
"Who should I vote for . . . and what the hell am I eating?!"
[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]
