This Time, Lead By Example

by Paul Wilson

There is no question that Barack Obama will have his hands full, come January. There will be much to prove, as he goes about the business of cleaning up after his predecessors. But President Obama has a chance to make even more history, aside from being the first African American elected to the highest office. He has a chance to turn our country around and make it a place of which to be truly proud...

While it seems a daunting task, it is not only possible to accomplish, but it can be well on its way during his first term. So, here are a few humble suggestions from a fellow optimist:

The time has come, Mr. Obama, to lead, not with fear and military might, but by example. Our "don't do what we do, do what we say" policies have failed. We are hated around the world, not for what we have, but what we choose to do with it. We have waged war on the world, trying to make everyone in our image. We have flattened mosques, in order to put up McDonalds'. Our oil reserves are running dry, so we simply declare war on terror and take what we want from those who have it.

Let me ask you a simple but overlooked question, Mr. President-elect...What would happen if everyone in the world had what they needed? Would we have reason to fear...anyone?
Maybe. There will always be those who thrive on our fear. But it will be very difficult for them to attain any power, if the people are satisfied. I am not talking about Socialism (although, I have often wondered about the possibility). But, rather, finding ways to make resources available for all.

I realize that this idea goes against the grain of our beloved free enterprise system. But what good does supply and demand do, when the supply is gone? Free enterprise is outdated and broken. Currency no longer circulates, creating jobs and industry. Instead, there is a money clog, ending at the wealthiest homes, where the motto is "whoever has the most when they die, wins."
As never before, we have an opportunity to participate in a truly global marketplace. We must, however, produce, as well as consume...and we must sacrifice. Countries around the globe are surpassing us in technologies that will be the future of energy, transportation and mass-production. More importantly, these countries' governments are leading the way, by funding these experiments. Recognizing the potential of a new demand, they are willing to let go of old ideas, in order to create the supply. Meanwhile, the U.S., the young country that grew up too fast, is aging like an out-of-work child actor. Stubbornly adhering to a system doomed to failure, we watch as the middle class disappears, industry moves abroad and education is held hostage by teachers unions, politicians and people unwilling to pay property taxes ( I mean YOU, California).

The first, obvious choice is energy. We must seek out and perfect alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power. This is no longer a solely environmental issue. The planet's oil supplies are dwindling fast, creating dangerous tensions between oil-producing and oil-consuming nations. With practically no other resources to export to the world, Arab nations are naturally nervous. Particularly hard-hit will be the royal family, our so-called allies, putting a crimp in their extravagant lifestyles. Using The Late, Great Ronald Reagan's "trickle-down theory," this will affect the gluttonous Big Oil as well, deflating many a golden parachute. No wonder they are the biggest expounders of the free enterprise system. Just imagine the impoverished desert nations, with solar and wind farms stretching through the sands, providing unlimited energy for all. While this is a vision far down the road, it begins with us...leading by example. The simple fact is, we have these technologies available now, but that old bugaboo, Free Enterprise, keeps them in check. So far, the conglomerates have not found a way to make money from the sun and the wind. But the time has arrived to stop bailing out car companies and banks, just so that they can continue business as usual.

The next step will be a minefield...healthcare. This country has been at the mercy of Big Pharm for too long. Do you realize that there has never...ever...been an actual cure for...well, anything? We can prevent many diseases through innoculation, but once someone contracts them, we can only help them to live longer; to live with the disease. Either way amounts to prescription drugs, which, combined with medical costs, have become obscenely expensive. Read my lips, Mr. Obama...We need universal healthcare, and we need it NOW. The time has come to follow the examples found in Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

That is a long list of countries, Mr. President...most of which are not socialists or communists. They simply recognize the financial benefits that providing healthcare can bring. Oh, and also...it's the right thing to do.

Finally, is the most difficult challenge ahead...education. It is very easy for me to be an armchair quarterback and list the things we need to do. It is quite another to actually carry them out, given the opposition a leader will face from his own people. But this one will call for some tough decisions. We will need you, Mr. President, to be firm and open about the sacrifice needed. For too long now, the educational system has been run rough-shod by the local governments and the teachers' union.

Yes, a Democrat is attacking a union...

There is no doubt that teachers are grossly underpaid and underappreciated. But this is where their union has failed them. Instead of raising the standards for qualified teachers, thereby making them a valuable commodity, they have hired people that reflect the low pay rate. Good teachers are soon reduced to the rank of babysitters. The fact is, we need to hold students to a universal standard. We need to require more education for our teachers, thus bringing them up to the professional status held by doctors and lawyers. And we need to bring all schools up to the same standard. But, unlike the premise of the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind, education is NOT a business. It should not be subject to competition for funding. It is, rather, an investment...in our children's future and our own. If that means raising taxes to pay for it, then that is what we must do. Remember, the child you help educate today could be the surgeon. who operates on you tomorrow.

The three problems that I have outlined here are but a portion of the messes in which we find ourselves. We need to reduce the power held by the military industrial complex...we need to use embargos and diplomacy, rather than brute force, against nations with clear human rights violations. And we need to become part of the world community, not live outside of it. However, we must clean up our own yard, before we have the right to complain about our neighbors'.
President Obama, you are going to be butting heads against some powerful enemies during your term...not in some distant desert, but right here at home. Change will be resisted wholeheartedly by Big Oil, financial groups, pharmaceutical companies. the auto industry, even unions. But it is time, Mr. President, to open those floodgates that have rusted shut and give back to the people who believe in you...who voted for a change.

Some will fight you...tooth and nail...drag out every weapon at their disposal. Smear campaigns, fear-mongering and...gulp...lobbyists. But if you stand up to them and lead us with the truth, we will stand with you.

At least, that is the hope of one optimist...

Gay vs. God

by Paul Wilson

The passage of legislation to ban gay marriages in three states, while simutaneously electing the first African-American president, is a true litmus test for the strangle-hold that religion has on our political process. No longer is race the biggest prejudice. In fact, sadly, those minorities who have received the most abuse in the past, were instrumental in passing the new laws.

Is this merely an attempt by minorities to go along with the mob, thereby shifting prejudice away from them? Speaking as someone who was bullied as a child, I believe it's possibly part of the answer. But the simple fact is, in times of economic strife and uncertain security, people turn to God more. And, often, that god is vengeful, looking to place blame on someone for our problems. There seems to be a very real fear of gays by the African-American and Latino communities. Perhaps it is merely the importance placed on procreation within these ethnic groups that sparks their fear, as if having gays within their ranks might decrease their populations (If you deny the existence of black or latino gays, do they make a sound?). Or maybe the simple truth is that even the most down-trodden peoples need someone upon whom to trod themselves...

Although it pains me to believe it, had Barack Obama declared himself an agnostic, he never would have won. Had he not developed that sermon quality to his speeches, which stirs the very soul, it would be President McCain now. Had he lost, it would have been because of religion, not race.

Those of you living in these three states (Arizona, California and Florida) know of the horrendous, fear-mongering ads that were used to pass these propositions. Funded by fundamentalist churches, these costly ads depicted children being taught about gay marriage in school, with parents having no power to object. Aside from being outright lies, the religion police stoked the fires of our fears and were successful...again. God, apparently, loves finger-pointers...
The very idea of marriage is, of course, a creation of religion. A way to sanctify the union of two people and bless them with many offspring. An inspiration to be fruitful and multiply, and, at the same time, control promiscuity. Personally, I would like to believe that earlier, pagan religions would have embraced gay coupling as a simple fact of life...love comes in many forms. I have no proof of this, but I am an idealist.

If you are gay and still believe in God, you either have your own personal demons to work through- guilt and self-loathing- OR your god is a much more open and understanding god than the one presented by the religious right...a god who knows that homosexuality is something you are born to, not a choice. A god who may have actually created the gay community? Hmmm...

So why not put that to good use? I have come up with what, I believe is a perfect solution to the gay marriage dilemna...Start your own religion.

Think about it...

* An organized religion is protected under the constitution..
* Gay marriage would be accepted and performed by their own church's ministry.
* The gay religion would be condemned by the catholics and fundamentalists, but no more than muslims and unitarians.
* The government would have no choice but to recognize the unions, under the law.

Imagine the confusion you could cause, as right-wingers try to decide between the "morality" of homosexuality and the freedom of religion upon which this country was founded! It's a social experiment I would love to see...

Being an atheist, I am of the opinion that homosexuality is a natural evolutionary occurence, found throughout nature, designed to curb the over-population of a species. This is probably why I not only accept the gay community, but welcome them. Cheer for them, actually...

Personally, as a confirmed bachelor (I'm straight, but I hope you'll overlook that), I frown on marriage, anyway. The ceremony itself, not the commitment of two people to share their lives together. If I ever do get married, it will be by a judge in a county clerk's office. Bare minimum, just to make it legal. This is why I think the so-called "civil union" proposed by some states is an acceptable compromise. All the legal rights, without bringing God into the mix.

Believe me, I understand all the "equal but separate" feelings that are evoked by calling it something other than marriage. But it is a step forward toward acceptance. The gay marriage bans passed, but by a very slim margin; closer than in 2004. With the end of the Bush Era approaching and the potential for some real healing in our future, acceptance truly seems to be on the horizon.

Keep up the fight, of course, but remember that it often takes small steps to get to the finish line...

And, if you just can't wait for it to happen, consider the whole "starting your own religion" idea. You never know...

I will let others think of the name...

Marriage of Convenience

By Paul Wilson

On Aug 9, another historic event occurred in this already-too-long presidential campaign. Leading Democratic candidates attended the first debate sponsored by LOGO, cables's gay and lesbian channel, and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), to speak directly to the issues affecting gay voters. Front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama put their best liberal foot forward, showing proper support for the equality of their gay and lesbian bretheren, yet still managed to dance around the issue of gay marriage.

In fact, only two candidates, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel, spoke bravely in favor of gay marriage. All others backed away, preferring the safer term "civil unions."
This is yet another "separate but equal" mentality that mirrors the laws of the 50's, prohibiting blacks from marrying whites.

The problem that sticks in the craw of the candidates is simply the term "marriage." Buried in religious dogma, marriage has been usurped by the church, making sacrament out of a legal contract.

Our Western culture has defined marriage according to christian beliefs. This has given religion influence over something which, by definition, should be a civil matter. Let's face it, our sexually repressed society has had to justify the urge to procreate, by giving it a holy mandate.

One thing that the candidates did agree on is the need to keep a separation of church and state, when it comes to civil liberties. This is crucial, if the rights of the gay and lesbian community are ever to be recognized. It is perfectly acceptable for a church to define marriage within their own group...but they must not be able to define it under civil law. This is tantamount to forcing a national religion on all Americans. Whatever your beliefs, it should not affect your rights under the constitution.

Our Democratic candidates have become timid, afraid to appear "too liberal." Their whole focus is on the swing voter, trying to appeal to everyone at once. Apparently they still haven't learned the lessons of their predecessors, who lost because they had no clear-cut platform to separate them from their opposition. So, it's protest the war, but not too loudly or you don't support the troops...Speak up for health care reform, but don't support universal healthcare or you appear to be anti-free enterprise...support gay rights, but not gay marriage, or you seem anti-God.

Democrats better realize that the gay and lesbian population represent 4% of the voters...that's a pretty big swing vote.

If we can take back marriage, as a right of every citizen, it will go a long way toward restoring a separation of church and state...if, indeed, we ever truly had one.

Chewing the Fat on Obesity

By Paul Wilson

Mainstream America is coming to grips with a problem that has plagued low-income families for decades...and it is merely a symptom of our times:
Obesity.

Every day, it seems, a new study comes out, showing an alarming increase in the number of overweight Americans. Of particular concern, the rise in obesity among our children.
It is all well and good to preach about personal responsibility and healthier food choices...These lessons are important. But the underlying cause of this epidemic is one that Native Americans would well recognize:

Our nation is getting poorer.

Before the Indian gaming boom, Native Americans were the fastest growing group for diabetes and obesity. There are still many tribes who have chosen to forego the lure of casinos and remain in abject poverty. They subsist on a high-fat, high calorie diet, because it is filling and all they can afford.

Look around any lower-income neighborhood and you'll see it awash in fast-food restaurants, convenience stores and bars. Nutritional choices are not a priority, when one only can afford a microwave burrito.

Now, look around your own neighborhood...chances are, if you don't live in a luxury condominium, McDonald's is somewhere close by.

Corporate America has done a miraculous job of masking our poverty. By moving our industries to China and India, they are able to cut costs and provide us with low-cost goods...enter the Age of Wal-Mart.

Our high-paying technical jobs have all but vanished. Factory work...gone. Our living expenses continue to rise, while our paychecks lag behind. But because nearly everyone can afford a DVD player and a "Whopper," we don't really notice. If you shrink a man's house, while you shrink him, does he see that he is shrinking?

Americans are consumption machines. We judge our economy by our possessions. As long as we can afford to fill up our cars (barely) and buy the latest got-to-have-it thing, we are content.
But our health, both mental and physical, is taking a back seat...

So, who is profiting from this disposable economy? C.E.O.'s, boards of directors and investors of multinational conglomerates. A handful of people, by comparison, are cashing in on our impulses, sucking us dry, as they fill our lives with diversions.

The gap between rich and poor has become a chasm; a scooped-out hole, where the middle class used to be. And while our leaders spread sunshine about our "thriving economy," they are the only ones who see it, getting rich by investing in these same corporations. From the "War, Inc." in Iraq to our increasing demands for energy, politicians and corporate executives have purchased our country right out from under us...for a handful of shiny beads.

This is the cause for the bad taste in our mouths, for the fat and glucose in our arteries. Our food choices have become limited, disguised as variety. Even fresh produce is suspect, as agriculture has become agri-business. From mad cow disease to infected spinach, corporate farms look for new ways to increase production and cut costs, at the expense of quality. They feed cow parts to cows and put dead dogs in dog food...and seem surprised when we get sick.

Perhaps we have reached a sort of passive acceptance, knowing that the food we eat could kill us. There is a reassuring feeling to know your enemy, in a world of unknown fears.

Nevertheless, we cannot turn a blind eye to the causes. It is time to elect leaders who work for public service, not private interests. It is time to establish a flat tax, bringing back some of the wealth to the communities. It is time to take back the control of what we eat and how it is made.

And it is time to put down the chicken nuggets and learn how to cook again.

The More We Deny...

By Paul Wilson

Despite the fact that mankind has done everything in its power to conquer nature, we are all connected to it. And nature will not let us forget...
For centuries, Man has denied his origins. The "war on terror" has nothing on the "war on nature." In the ultimate colonialism, we have usurped nature's power, so that we can eliminate its hold on us. And there is no question that, for the moment, nature is losing the fight...But She hasn't given up!
In our hubris, we have placed ourselves above all other species. We have created supernatural beings and complex mythologies, in order to justify our superiority. The planet, with all of its resources, is here merely to serve us...
In the beginning, at least, our religions were tied to nature, worshipping the earth and feeling our connections to every living thing. But in our quest for power and control we turned (or were forced to turn) from the pagan religions, in favor of belief systems which made us the masters of our domains. After all, how can you conquer another tribe's land, when the land doesn't really belong to anyone?
Women were revered in the ancient religions, the act of childbirth being the ultimate symbol of nature's cycle. Which is why the "new religions" called for the subjugation of women, as well as nature. As the male-dominated societies grew, the men, who could not give birth, feared its power over them. So, women became just another resource to conquer.
The irony is that this very same behavior is found throughout the animal kingdom. The males of many species must dominate the female, in order to mate.
So how do we differ from, say, the common termite, which spreads its colony until all resouces are depleted, then moves on? Size, of course, is a factor...our "colonies" are world-wide; and when all resources are used up, where will we move to?
But the main difference between man and all other species is awareness...the awareness of our own mortality. The "Tree of Knowledge," from which Adam and Eve ate, gave us the knowledge of our own death. This was, in fact, our true "original sin." It was, at that metaphorical moment in time, that we broke from nature's cycle.
Awareness of death made us fear it...fearing death made us fight against it. So, our "war on nature" (and, indirectly, our "war on terror") is really a war on death...
In the natural order, death is the balance. The old and infirm make way for the new generation, usually by becoming food for other animals. Without death, the population swells; food becomes scarce, disease runs rampant and all species are affected...sound familiar?
What if Man, with all his knowledge and technology, is an aberration? What if we are not God's chosen ones, but an evolutionary birth defect that got out of hand?
This perspective would be impossible for most to accept. And, true or not, Man is here, with no signs of going anywhere. We are the top of the food chain. Being at the top, however, requires a grave responsibility. Ronald Reagan's "trickle-down theory" does apply to nature; what we do directly affects all species beneath us. And it affects us, as well...
As we prolong our lives...as we fight death, as if it were an enemy, we consume more resources that are supposed to go the next generation. We have become top-heavy, so much so that our children cannot support the weight. Is it any wonder that the organized religions of the world are fighting birth control and abortion? They know that we need more children, in order to produce enough to feed the needs of our bulging elderly population (a group to which most of our politicians and religious leaders belong).
There has been a tremendous resurgence in pagan religions over the last decades. Wiccan and Native American beliefs are some of the fastest-growing groups in the world. Perhaps there is an instinctual need to restore the balance. It is believed by many that nature is doing her part...Could diseases like SARS and AIDS be nature's way of thinning out the herd? Even homosexuality is found in other species of animals when their populations have grown too big (this is NOT meant as a derrogatory remark against the gay population...If anything, it proves that being gay is natural, not something that has to be "cured").
Since 9/11/01, we have seen our world leaders return to the religious extremism that threatens our very existence...on BOTH sides. These zealots care nothing about our planet, believing that it is merely a stop-over, on the way to Paradise. If destroying the planet gets us there that much quicker, all the better.
Whether aberration or created in God's image, we MUST accept stewardship of our planet. Nature may lose the battle, but if we don't start taking care our home, She will win the war...by default.