More than 50 years waking each morning knowing a better place, a united people, no armies\/war, and of course, no poverty. A dream. Traverse racism every single day in a melting pot long melted for the official updated version called diversity. Racism doesn\u2019t exist except for a few bad apples of all colors. Okay, I have some cheap property on the Paris\/China border, if you believe this.<\/p>\n
That insatiable dream calling for unity among the everyday thirsty, scrambling for more money, goose-stepping to kill more terrorists, dehumanizing gays, and don\u2019t forget about those \u201cillegal aliens,\u201d \u201cfour legs good two legs bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a short time some years ago, I knew a few people that questioned authority, refused to goose step and lived black and white together. They found each other (rounded up) to realize a dream (not really but we thought so), a united dream (poof), taken out with Dr. King, Malcolm X, the Kennedy brothers, (please read, An Act Of The State: The Execution of Martin Luther King<\/i> by William F. Pepper.)<\/p>\n
Some say we were radicals, left wing, maladjusted so and so. I do miss those people working and sharing that ever elusive dream, so many beautiful children. You remember their trusting smiles and jubilance? A thirsty Empire swallowed them and grows. I can\u2019t lie to myself though I\u2019m not the last word. America isn\u2019t beautiful. But we are Globalized, Trans-Nationalized, \u201coooohh GATS\u201d, strokes NAFTA. \u201cIt\u2019s fun killing democracy, watching poor bastards struggle and decompose, as we take all this money and rule the world. Damn Chavez.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s wonderful waking each morning to the sun rise, witnessing sunsets, experiencing my children and grandchildren grow. What kind of world have I brought them into? A place less hopeful, less democratic, more hostile now than ever.<\/p>\n
It is my deepest hope that your heart and conscience are at ease. Peace shattered a bit by crackling Bush that talks to God. I hear only a tiny voice inside. I do follow what it says most of the time. What to do about it talking on and on about murder in Iraq, the Patriot Act, fascism, the lies? Go to work to get ahead, narrow the circle of concern and vote ChoicePoint\u2019s DBT-Katherine Harris-Clayton Robert-Bushy Supreme Court. The winner despite the results is the opposite.<\/p>\n
I hear that love is for the weak, that masculine bullets and bombs are needed in this dangerous world to subdue those that won\u2019t conform, for those non-believers that sit on a lot of oil, a time for exploiting fear.<\/p>\n
Last word\u2026 I\u2019m maladjusted for sure, this IS a place for LOVE. Love is the Key to Life.<\/p>\n
The following booklist is a suggestion. Which to read first? I suggest to read the first 20 in order while reading the two books of poetry by Jon Eckels (51 and 52). After that read whatever grabs ya.<\/p>\n
\n1. Heart Of Whiteness<\/i> by Robert Jensen<\/p>\n
2. A People\u2019s History Of The United States<\/i> by Howard Zinn<\/p>\n
3. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy<\/i> by Greg Palast<\/p>\n
4. Lockdown America<\/i> by Christian Parenti<\/p>\n
5. Limbo<\/i> by Alfred Lurano<\/p>\n
6. Seven Arrows<\/i> by Hyemeyohsts Storm<\/p>\n
7. Secrecy and Privilege<\/i> by Robert Parry<\/p>\n
8. Moyers On America<\/i> by Bill Moyers<\/p>\n
9. Spy Chips<\/i> by Liz MacIntyre and Katherine Albrecht<\/p>\n
10. Failed States<\/i> by Noam Chomsky<\/p>\n
11. American Theocracy<\/i> by Kevin Phillips<\/p>\n
12. Secrets<\/i> by Daniel Ellsberg<\/p>\n
13. Parables of the Sower<\/i> by Octavia Butler<\/p>\n
14. Parables of the Talents<\/i> by Octavia Butler<\/p>\n
15. Let\u2019s Stop Beating Around the Bush<\/i> by Jim Hightower<\/p>\n
16. The Hidden Cost of Being African American<\/i> by Prof. Thomas M. Shapiro<\/p>\n
17. An Act of State<\/i> by William F. Pepper<\/p>\n
18. Oath Betrayed<\/i> by Dr. Steven Mills<\/p>\n
19. The One Percent Doctrine<\/i> by Ron Suskind<\/p>\n
20. War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning<\/i> by Chris Hedges<\/p>\n
21. The Soul of Black Folk<\/i> by W.E.B. Dubois<\/p>\n
22. Point to Point Navigation<\/i> by Gore Vidal<\/p>\n
23. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man<\/i> by John Perkins<\/p>\n
24. Teaching\/Learning Anti-Racism<\/i> by Louise Derman-Sparks and Carol Brunson Phillips<\/p>\n
25. Armed Madhouse<\/i> by Greg Palast<\/p>\n
26. Conservatives Without Conscience<\/i> by John Dean<\/p>\n
27. Tragedy And Farce<\/i> by John Nichols and Robert McChesney<\/p>\n
28. Don\u2019t Think Of An Elephant<\/i> by George Lakoff<\/p>\n
29. What\u2019s The Matter With Kansas<\/i> by Thomas Franks<\/p>\n
30. Race Rules: Navigating The Color Line<\/i> by Michael Eric Dyson<\/p>\n
31. The Great War For Civilization<\/i> by Robert Fisk<\/p>\n
32. Dude, Where Is MY Country<\/i> by Michael Moore<\/p>\n
33. Stupid White Men<\/i> by Michael Moore<\/p>\n
34. Imperial America<\/i> by Gore Vidal<\/p>\n
35. In Search of Enemies<\/i> by John Stockwell<\/p>\n
36. Teaching For Social Justice<\/i> by William Ayers, Jean Ann Hunt, and Therese Quinn<\/p>\n
37. The Middle Mind<\/i> by Curtis White<\/p>\n
38. White Like ME<\/i> by Tim Wise<\/p>\n
39. Point to Point Navigation<\/i> by Gore Vidal<\/p>\n
40. Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace<\/i> by Gore Vidal<\/p>\n
41. State of War<\/i> by James Risen<\/p>\n
42. The Left Hand of God<\/i> by Michael Lerner<\/p>\n
43. Manifesto For A New World Order<\/i> by George Monbiot<\/p>\n
44. Go and Tell Pharaoh<\/i> by Al Sharpton and Anthony Walton<\/p>\n
45. Pedagogy of the Oppressed <\/i>by Paulo Freire<\/p>\n
46. Understanding Power<\/i> by Noam Chomsky<\/p>\n
47. I Write What I Like<\/i> by Steve Biko<\/p>\n
48. Collected Essays<\/i> by James Baldwin<\/p>\n
49. The Middle Mind<\/i> by Curtis White<\/p>\n
50. Mycelium Running<\/i> by Paul Stamets<\/p>\n
51. Sing When The Spirit Says Sing<\/i> by Jon Eckels<\/p>\n
52. Change, Changes, Changing<\/i> by Jon Eckels<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Lastly, a few sources for news on the internet:<\/p>\n
\nBuzzflash.com<\/a><\/p>\n
Truthdig.com<\/a><\/p>\n
Consortiumnews.com<\/a><\/p>\n
Truthout.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Be Well,<\/p>\n
Namaste<\/p>\n