I AM Part of the Resistance (by Thomas J. Gray)

UPDATE: I’ve received notification by Thomas J. Gray that he is the author of this piece.  By the time I had seen it on facebook, it had been added to – so I am updating this post to more accurately reflect the original wording.  I liked much of what had been added, and I understand that in the passion of those first horrible days, many felt similar feelings and simply added their own parts.   This phrase was added:

The survival of our democracy and our way of life demands that we stand and resist. So I will Resist. I AM part of the Resistance, and I AM proud of it.

Here is the original, by Thomas J. Gray:

This is Why We Are in the Street

Now that Trump has won the electoral college (and lost the popular vote) in the United States election, this man who has unleashed so much racist, misogynist and xenophobic hatred will soon be installed as president of a vast, multi-cultural nation.  And the people are in the streets worldwide. #NotMyPresident

I am seeing conservatives post on social media criticizing the massive nationwide demonstrations. Many implying that the citizenry are merely “upset that their side lost”.

 

No.

• Have you not seen the KKK victory parades? 
• Have you not seen homes defaced with swastikas?
• Have you not seen the nooses left (often with black dolls lynched) in peoples’ yards?
• Have you not seen the children of color being bullied and taunted — often by cruel white adults – that they will soon be deported?
• Have you not seen trolls attacking Jews on social media, saying that tRump will soon “re-start the ovens”?
• Have you not seen graffitti with “Fu*k N*ggers” sprayed on cars, homes and businesses?  People of color are being told to “get to the back of the bus”.
• Have you not seen peaceful Muslims threatened?
• Have you not seen the assaults and even murders of people of color which began on the night of the election?
• Have you not seen the attacks upon the LGBTQIA community (“We got a new president you f*cking faggots”)
• Have you not seen men threatening women – especially gay women – with the slogan “Trump that Bitch”?

Yes, the word “tRump” is now a threatening euphemism for lynching, rape, beatings and murder.

Real Change Comes From Within

Real change always begins within.  It begins with becoming Awake.

And becoming Awake begins with Wonder.

For a little perspective…  We are here…

That tiny blue speck is home to countless beautiful species, and each individual within each species is unique.

Greetings Fellow Earthlings: This is Our Home

“You didn’t come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. You are not a stranger here.” ~Alan Watts

The monotheistic belief of being alien to this world, placed here by a vengeful god, has wreaked a terrible devestation upon us all.  After the followers of this belief conquered the earth-based spirituality of our ancestors, it became dominant, with horrific consequences that are finally becoming global.  

The belief that we are “outsiders”, and not a part of this planet has lead modern humankind to  feel isolated and hostile, compelled to “conquer” nature,  fouling the air, soil, and water.  In remembering that we are indeed Earthlings, and all beings are our family, comes the realization that we are – and have always been  – HOME.

We Need YOU

We are just starting to get it… love is everything.

Humanity is a young species, and let’s face it: we have been children for far too long.  We have not taken responsibility or understood the consequences of our actions, and like pubescent children, we have trashed our home planet.  We have not understood how to respect our fellow beings with whom we share this Earth.  We have often been violent and unkind to one another.  We have caused untold damage due to our ignorance, but that’s part of being a child.

It is time for us to grow up.

Happiest Countries – progressive ways of measuring quality of life

Three new studies of happiness and quality of life for citizens of the various countries reflect our changing world and increased understanding of which factors actually contribute to genuine human happiness.  These reports all reflect the growing awareness that quality of life and personal happiness are far more important than GNP, which used to be the measurement of “success” in the old paradigm.

Happily, progressive awareness permeate each of these reports as a new paradigm takes shape based upon more genuine factors of human happiness and satisfaction, such as quality of life and relationships.

Children of Bhutan

Back in 1972,  this kind of thinking was considered revolutionary when  Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan nation became something of a social science experiment by started to track and promote its Gross National Happiness (GNH). 

Brazil Shows Us How It’s Done – Oil Executives Held Accountable for Spill

Every once in a while, somebody stands up.  Whether it is the individuals on the front lines at OWS, or citizens fighting for justice, or wikileaks revealing government secrets, or women refusing to be denigrated by a corporate mouthpiece and hate-radio jock, it’s an empowering move for each of us.

This time it’s an actual government standing up to big oil.  Brazil has barred oil executives from leaving their country and is charging them with environmental crimes.

The United States of Ignorance

Yesterday the headline story of a UK version of Huffingtonpost read

100 THREATS TO BRITAIN
Floods, Drought And Wildfires Highlighted In First National Report On Climate Change

Meanwhile here in the US, at the GOP “debates” Republican politicians continue their battle to prove that they’re each more willfully ignorant of science than the others.  It’s embarrassing, and it’s hurting our country.