Lyrical Laments - 18. Chapter 18 Wake Up!

1 hour ago, Kitt said:

Unfortunately the ones who need to hear this would never come to GA.

Probably not. I do what I can to support activism, but this familiar fear is growing in me again, and I have to get it out. Thanks, Kitt. Hope springs eternal.  

1 hour ago, dughlas said:

It is good for all of us to heed to these words ...

Yes. Thanks, bro. It's good to know we are a community who are familiar with, and understands, the dangers that are rearing up again. In complacency lies peril.   

1 hour ago, Parker Owens said:

Great poem, Gary. Purity and holiness are in the creation, as it was, not as we would form it to be. Thank you for this. 

Thanks, Parker. None of us are immune to bias, or worse, so reminders are important. Our actions, or lack of them, can have consequences we don't see coming, and that is dangerous.  

1 hour ago, FanLit said:

❤️

Simply perfect and perfectly simple.

 🍻

Thank you, dear friend.  

Fine words, Gary, heartfelt and well-spoken.

Too bad those that really need to consider them will likely never visit here. But one can always hope, as your words suggest so well!

Wow great Poem such power

21 minutes ago, Geron Kees said:

Fine words, Gary, heartfelt and well-spoken.

Too bad those that really need to consider them will likely never visit here. But one can always hope, as your words suggest so well!

Thanks, Geron! Maybe I'm paranoid, but I believe we need to be on guard, and maybe that will translate to action or donations or such. We are a community, but it doesn't protect us from the social shifts I see occurring, and we need to wake up too. Cheers... Gary.... 

28 minutes ago, Albert1434 said:

Wow great Poem such power

Thank you, Albert. Words have power, and people of our generation have seen it all before.  

If I were religious, I'd stand up from my pew and shout 'Amen!'.  Since I'm not, I'll just say--'About time.'

There is much I could say, but I'll say this first:  I am a self-confessed bigot.
Take a deep breath and open your ears--I'm a bigot if you are one of those people of whatever stripe who closes your mind to debate and lets others do your thinking for you.  That means, liberals, conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, atheists, zealots, Christians, Jews, Muslims or any of the other countless faiths mankind espouses.  Oh, and chauvinists and feminists, just so no one is left out.  If you refuse to think your own thoughts and try to keep those who do silent, then I'm against you.  No 'ifs' 'ands' or 'buts'.

We were issued a brain at birth that was a blank slate, open to absorb information from our senses, and if we were educated properly, trained to sift through all that and come to logical and sensible conclusions without any pre-conceived ideas.  In our current climate of political correctness and the Left trying to silence any dissenting opinions--and being supported in this by institutions of higher education by giving in to them, then our future is a bleak one indeed. 

Our republic was founded by educated men and shop-keepers who thought words were valuable tools to express ideals and debates, but now they are used to silence any dissent not by reason, but by insult and intimidation.  Don't like what someone says?  Pull out the 'Racist' or 'Bigot' card and the media will jump on your bandwagon.  Truth be damned, as we've seen in countless 'news' items alleging such just because someone believes America should be prosperous and united again and have secure borders.  Tear apart a group of high school kids for racism before the truth comes out--fine--it suits the media frenzy to a 'T'.  Later events proved otherwise, but the frenzy had begun and the 'retractions' were so short and whispered that most media didn't mention it at all because it wasn't a ratings winner.  News used to be finding the facts, and THEN running the story, now it's just 'get in there first with the most damning headlines or sound bytes'.  Truth?  Dead and buried.

That's my own lament.  And to paraphrase one of the best newsmen of all time--Walter Cronkite: 'And that's the way it is...May 2019...'

1 hour ago, ColumbusGuy said:

If I were religious, I'd stand up from my pew and shout 'Amen!'.  Since I'm not, I'll just say--'About time.'

There is much I could say, but I'll say this first:  I am a self-confessed bigot.
Take a deep breath and open your ears--I'm a bigot if you are one of those people of whatever stripe who closes your mind to debate and lets others do your thinking for you.  That means, liberals, conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, atheists, zealots, Christians, Jews, Muslims or any of the other countless faiths mankind espouses.  Oh, and chauvinists and feminists, just so no one is left out.  If you refuse to think your own thoughts and try to keep those who do silent, then I'm against you.  No 'ifs' 'ands' or 'buts'.

We were issued a brain at birth that was a blank slate, open to absorb information from our senses, and if we were educated properly, trained to sift through all that and come to logical and sensible conclusions without any pre-conceived ideas.  In our current climate of political correctness and the Left trying to silence any dissenting opinions--and being supported in this by institutions of higher education by giving in to them, then our future is a bleak one indeed. 

Our republic was founded by educated men and shop-keepers who thought words were valuable tools to express ideals and debates, but now they are used to silence any dissent not by reason, but by insult and intimidation.  Don't like what someone says?  Pull out the 'Racist' or 'Bigot' card and the media will jump on your bandwagon.  Truth be damned, as we've seen in countless 'news' items alleging such just because someone believes America should be prosperous and united again and have secure borders.  Tear apart a group of high school kids for racism before the truth comes out--fine--it suits the media frenzy to a 'T'.  Later events proved otherwise, but the frenzy had begun and the 'retractions' were so short and whispered that most media didn't mention it at all because it wasn't a ratings winner.  News used to be finding the facts, and THEN running the story, now it's just 'get in there first with the most damning headlines or sound bytes'.  Truth?  Dead and buried.

That's my own lament.  And to paraphrase one of the best newsmen of all time--Walter Cronkite: 'And that's the way it is...May 2019...'

I don't want to censor anyone's ideas, nor I think, should anyone. But we should be human before we are left, right or center, and if we see all-encompassing hatred for any group when we look inside ourselves, we are not all we can be. I would rather let a bad person across my borders than keep a child in need out. There are some--not like you, my friend--who see those children's color first, and that is wrong wrong wrong. There are those who don't know me, but hate me because of who I may love... and they do so because someone has activated irrational fears. Yes, those fears are real to such people, but they are wrong. We were given minds, and individuality, and those belong to us, not some political party or religious organization or doctrine.  I say, give me all the news, hide nothing, and let me use what was given me from the ooze... I know right from wrong... we all do, if we open our hearts. Love you, buddy. xoxoxoxo

See, G-Man...that's why you write poetry and I don't.  Your skill brings into play all the emotions as well as logic, while I am stuck with argument alone.  You summed my idea up better than I did in a lot less words.  I could have gone on at greater length and not gotten it across as well as you did. 
The saddest fact of all is that most people see things as binary problems--it's 'Either/Or' and not something that allows contributions from all sides.  We're rational(?) beings, not computers, so all things ought to be possible.

Even if you'd put it on a billboard those who need to read this wouldn't want to understand. 

8 hours ago, ColumbusGuy said:

See, G-Man...that's why you write poetry and I don't.  Your skill brings into play all the emotions as well as logic, while I am stuck with argument alone.  You summed my idea up better than I did in a lot less words.  I could have gone on at greater length and not gotten it across as well as you did. 
The saddest fact of all is that most people see things as binary problems--it's 'Either/Or' and not something that allows contributions from all sides.  We're rational(?) beings, not computers, so all things ought to be possible.

Thanks, CG, but I think you got your points across just fine. Not to get into the weeds, but I don't think the internet helps. There are too many places and too many ways for people to be influenced... bent to ideology of varying natures, allowing hatred to flourish in the light. Now more than ever we must think for ourselves... wake and stay woke.  

6 hours ago, aditus said:

Even if you'd put it on a billboard those who need to read this wouldn't want to understand. 

No, that's true, but there are a lot of good people who do, and there is strength in numbers. Complacency throughout history has allowed groups to be vilified... I see us at a pinnacle once more as a race, but instead of climbing down, we are falling backward. Surely, we can find a path? I have to hope. Thanks, Adi.  

You put to voice the thoughts, ideas and beliefs that I have develop over the many years of my life.  When I read it I remember my parents who taught me the skills to defend myself in the very conservative environment I lived it.  They would have understood this poem and applauded its truth and honesty.

2 hours ago, raven1 said:

You put to voice the thoughts, ideas and beliefs that I have develop over the many years of my life.  When I read it I remember my parents who taught me the skills to defend myself in the very conservative environment I lived it.  They would have understood this poem and applauded its truth and honesty.

A fine compliment, indeed. Thanks, my friend.