Posted by voolavex in illegal, immigration, Social Issues.
Tags: bi-lingual, dilemma, illegal, immigrants, simple, Spanish
Ah Immigration. “Der goldene medina”, The Gold Mountain, The Promised Land (before aliyah). Didn’t folks used to get on the boat, get very seasick in steerage, disembark and try to blend in – eventually becoming citizens of the US. Wasn’t this a goal – a better life and citizenship. Certainly lots of people came in without documentation – but mostly it was about a good and generous county offering chance at a dream. The dream is over. We are a country suffering from every woe in the book; from BP’s oil greed in the Gulf to Mad Tea Parties and the threat of being blown up by religious fanatics. And Sarah Palin won’t go away. So we have a lot domestically, to address, in this country.
The issue of illegal immigration is a hot spot for Americans. And this is true on both sides of the issue. Some have soft spots in their minds for open arms and others would seal at least our southern borders with force fields if they could. For the 10%+ of this nation – the African Americans – this is a touchy issue and it should be. Stolen people, brought in chains built this country and served it for over 400 years. They were not immigrants. They were kidnapped and sold like animals to be slave labor. This country profited from their misery. This is hard cold fact. When the nation so generously “freed” them in 1865 – the free set up schools and businesses and towns and homes and – without even their 40 acres and mule – brought their own savvy, intelligence and culture to our country. Oops – too bad for them. How could we sit cheek by jowl with humans we had considered worse than animals? Equal rights? Not so fast. Next door? No. That’s wrong. Jim Crow – AHA! The light goes on and we create an abomination, solidly in place by 1910 called separate BUT equal – my ass. And even when this was abolished in 1964 – it never went away. So African Americans – who still bear the stigma and baseness of slavery and Jim Crow now have an additional obstacle to face – illegal immigration. They head my list – but the list goes on to the working poor citizen of every background who pays taxes and works hard and never gets to break even. If the government or Wall Street isn’t screwing us all, then we are paying bills for folks who come in illegally and ask for benefits. No visas period. It seems unfair.
Because many of us do find this unfair – we get to be labeled bigots. A word I use for the worst of our species. Some states try to seal their borders with laws and obstacles. The nation disapproves, but under its breath it whispers about “what a good idea”. Well for the unemployed citizens it is not a wrong reaction. I believe it is a myth that illegal immigrants take jobs no one else wants. I believe greedy and cheap employers hire illegals to make more money. I think they do not care about visas or green cards or anything else. If you were broke and out of work – would you be a gardener for $10 an hour? I bet you would but why pay that if you can get someone for $7.50 an hour – off the books. It’s pretty much that simple an equation. Would you like to flip burgers for minimum wage – just for some income – I bet you would – but you would probably hope to advance. People with iffy or no papers cannot rock their own boat. They are easier to fire and malleable; following invented rules to maintain the pecking order. They may know their rights – but are afraid to jeopardize their families by mentioning them. Companies like this. It keeps expenses low and profits high. So my own take on the myth of jobs no one else would do is just that – a myth.
Immigration rights groups in the Southwest and West tend to be largely Latino – probably because our country borders Central and South America. So this becomes a fascinating accelerant, used by both sides to fuel the fire. As the fire of bigotry rages – the problem and any solution die from smoke inhalation. For example:
One side says: “You hate us and don’t want us to come because we are brown and don’t know English”. The other side says we don’t hate you; “enter legally, speak English and you are welcome to be here. (not that simple but in a nutshell). Which is a no win argument. And it is fostered by both sides this way (and the point of this blog):
This was an ad I kept seeing on my AOL computer screen: “Latinos! Encuentran las mejores tasa enseguros de vehiculos! Cotizacion gratis?”.
1. It was in Spanish but advertised US car insurance. So it was directed at a US demographic.
2. It invited a specific group to its services “Latinos”.
3. This implied that only that group would benefit.
Why is this a problem? Substitute the word “Latinos” for
1White People”
2. “Jews”
3. Black People
You get the idea. It would create problems.
Yet when Spanish speaking illegal immigrants come here we have de facto bi-linguality that is puzzling. While we expect – as a country – our residents to be English speaking – we make an exception for speakers of Spanish. Doesn’t it imply: “Hey, come on in – we will even use your own language to make it easier.” How does this encourage any immigrant from south of our border to learn to navigate in the English speaking US? What is it saying about our own position on Spanish speaking illegal immigrants? No wonder people are confused. No wonder it becomes easy to polarize. No wonder we can all sound like bigots by simply agreeing with just one of only TWO premises.
I think we need to decide once and for all that illegal means just that. You are breaking a law and you may not come here, live and work by doing so. But we also need to remove the second language that accommodates our neighbors, encourages them and creates a unique group of residents called “Latinos” who won’t get with the program and join us speaking English – outside the home and church. Why is that so hard to imagine.
Why can’t we start with this conversation – leave the words “racist” and “bigot” out of it and discuss like civilized people how to start fixing this problem? Does anyone have an opinion or answer. Bring it on.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
I find it more than fascinating that the fate of world has become a populist project on social networks. Fast and furious arguments for and against from people who can hardly spell let alone negotiate. Anger, rhetoric and stubbornness. The smug satisfaction of the second guess and being certain you are right. I am not sure if I am happy or sad – but I find it interesting. I believe there will come a day when sci-fi writers will write about how the world would have been without Facebook or Twitter. What would have happened and how. How did we get this far? Even this soon after both their creation it is hard to envision the world without them. Yet no one seems to care or worry about what effect they will have on all of us. I am not a biblical scholar or even an armchair speculator – but FB and Twitter seem analogous to the Tower of Babel in a reality that actually exists. And because we, as a species, can be so gullible and stupid and stubborn – it should be alarming to some degree. That freedoms may be won or lost by one voice that only expressed an opinion one time that was amplified over and over by instant believers. Not only is this an open forum it is also a giant mudslinging contest that I suspect will get us dirtier than we ever dared imagine. For some it will “change the course of history” but it is smart to know that history has no course. history is just what happens each day – good or bad. There is no secular design we know of that has written it first, because history is always a report on what has already happened. And I am sure we have no idea what we are doing in the big picture – we are simply doing it.
Facebook and Twitter (and other social networks) are not facts. They are opinions from those who post. They are best guesses. They are lies. They are propaganda and comments from the lame and the halt. They are observations from someone who woke up with the tail end of a dream that seemed like reality so they wrote it down. We have become plate spinners on a vast stage. Beware though – plates break many times before a real plate spinner dares to go on stage and spin. Keep practicing.
Posted by voolavex in common sense, freedom, Gaza, IDF, illegal, Israel, Jews, Politics, Social Issues, solutions, war.
Tags: Cyprus, dhimmies, Diaspora, Gaza, greed, Guerrilla Flotillas, Hamas, hookahs, humanitarian aid, IDF, Jews, Nobel Prize, Religion, ships, Turkey, Zionist
Part 1. A little background
It is hard not to hate Israel. Here is a little country that just won’t go away. And it’s got an army of willing soldiers – no burnt out prison drop outs recruits – the IDF loves Israel. They know how to do their jobs and more than that – they know why they are doing them. Sitting on a piece of spiritually important land that has been under siege since time immemorial – they cover their borders and do what they must to protect their country.
Israel’s larger problem – one of many – is that it is full of Jews. Nobody likes Jews – a case in point was the nastiness in WW2 that Hitler didn’t solve, to his regret. But Hitler’s idea had a huge family tree and Jew hating, Jew-berating and Jew-baiting has been an historical pastime since easily 93 CE. Well a game that can last that long isn’t gonna disappear quickly.
Israel became Israel a long time ago and before other newer religions co-opted the area – Jews held the stewardship of Israel and they held it seriously. The West Wall of the Temple – in size alone – is an indication of just what the Israelis were able to create a long time ago. Smitten, smited, smote – they soldiered on moving like a tribe of outcasts throughout their Diaspora. In Arab lands they became “dhimmies”. “Dhimmies can never be citizens but they do have to pay and they pay and pay and pay at the whim of whomever is in charge. The do NOT have equal rights. They serve a purpose because they know how to work and take care of their own. The image of a Jewish dhimmi laying around sucking on a hookah, out of work, may have happened – but I haven’t found any reference to it. SO the fact they contribute – despite Draconian code and laws – is just another reason to hate them. Fact is that Judaism follows so many holy observances that it’s hard to have time to work and pray and plot.
Israel is a productive country. What? Jews aren’t farmers or factory workers. It has scientific and manufacturing sectors, garment trades, agriculture and all the talents the Diaspora brought together in 1948 (and of course before). And Jews are a creative and talented people. In the 101 year history of Alfred Nobel’s Prize – 180 of the winners have been Jews – from various countries – but Jews. People hate that. For the record nine Muslims have won the Nobel Prize; five of which have been for Peace*. (*There is an interesting argument about this which is too long to discuss here.) Mostly they figure some huge Jewish conspiracy rigged it all and so the prizes aren’t all that important. But ask someone casually if they were to win the Nobel Prize for anything – how would they feel? The answer is usually the same. The time for the International Zionist New World Order speech never goes away but you all know what it is.
I won’t bore you.
Part 2 A little foreground.
And now it comes to Gaza. Gaza is a political and ideological and religious mess. There are so many sanctions related to it that I would never get them all in order and/or I would bore you to tears. Let’s just say that Israel relinquished the Gaza Strip by accord and let it go. When a terror group (Hamas) won the elections in Gaza – the surrounding countries seemed to have a problem with that, including Israel. Israel built a big wall. Not very neighborly but ghetto mentality creates ghetto ingenuity. Gazans went south to their brother in faith and purpose – Egypt – Egypt built a wall. Draw your own conclusions.
Into the picture comes the Guerilla Flotillas. “Humanitarian” ships that have been offered docking and offloading in two countries – Egypt and Israel. The offering countries also agreed to get the goods to Gaza right away. Cyprus refused to allow to dock. How rude. I can see not trusting Israel – but Egypt. What’s the problem? Israel told the ships not to approach an embargoed Gaza. The Guerilla Flotillas did it anyway. Israel went to stop them and all hell broke loose. People were shot, people were injured and people are mad. Now some idiot Irish ship is chugging to where it doesn’t belong to try the same thing. Turkey (who thinks someone recently died and put them in charge) has issued stern warnings to “dem Jews”.
Part 3 My own observation
In my opinion there is not a two state resolution – a simple look at the map of the area will show a first grader you cannot accept a country in pieces in another country you hate. Illogical, a waste of effort, time and money. Humanitarian aid is abundantly available from dozens on non-allied agencies – their books are clean and show no ties to Jihadis. (Oops – forgot Jihad – the engine that drives all this).
The received wisdom is that Gaza is a peace seeking, failed and barren state under siege with clean hands. This happened because Israel set it free and then Hamas took over. I would say it speaks more to the ability of Hamas to oversee a country than it does Israel letting it go. From the pix I have seen recently Gaza has a lot of food, people drinking coffee at cafes and plenty of potatoes. Smart Jews probably photo shopped them – but they look real to me.
So I can see why so many people hate Israel. And those crafty, clever, money making, smart productive Jews. What I cannot see is the rationale. Just as the QED in the Guerilla Flotillas. They sound more like a stupid, provocative act designed to force Israel’s hand and bring in things other than food and medicine. After the last 9 years – Why is this so hard for people to imagine. Or shall I dust off my burqua?
Comments are invited. Try to be civil.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: aquatic, Barack Obama, BP, Bush, coral reefs, earth, fish, gold, GOP, greed, Gulf coast, habitats, ice, illness. risky, industry, islands, jobs, Lies, mangroves, marine life, marshes, oil, Palin, penguins, planet, politicians, tourism., wetlands
BP has this to consider: The Planet Earth.
Marine life – mammals, fish, and birds destroyed, habitats gone, fishing industry destroyed. Economy plummets. Pollutants become part of the weather cycle. Rain despoiled. Humans suffer effects. Illness rises. People die . Hospitals overwhelmed.
Tourism devastated. Economy plummets. Jobs of every kind, eliminated due to lack of disappeared funds and factors undetermined. Seawater tainted for ages and ages unknown ages. Beaches ruined. Travel suffers. Economy plummets. Worldwide.
Food chain altered for foreseeable future. Fish vanish from diets. Fish based foreign economies die due to lack of trade. Eventual extinction of water breathing and other aquatic creatures. Marshlands, mangroves, small islands face ruin or worse. Decaying aquatic life introduces bacteria and other elements into food chain and water supply with unpredictable effect. Deep currents pick up oil and allow it to flow worldwide. Into deep sea beds, coral reefs and places we cannot even predict.
Be angry. Be very angry. Be angry at offshore drilling which had this scenario written large in it since the first drill hit the sea bed. Be angry at governments who place petroleum profits and hunger before the health of this one small planet. Be angry there is nowhere to go to escape this. Think about the ice and what will happen when it is part oil and part water. Think about penguins,polar bears, seals and otters. Realize that BP (or any other drilling op) NEVER had a plan B . Never had a real fix. Did not care.
When you are pointing fingers, blame ALL the countries who supported this – including our own. Don’t pin it on the individual heads of state who are here now and came when it began . They were not alone. Politicians still exist for whom the words “drill baby drill” resonates with gusto. But we started drilling a long time ago. It was always risky. What the hell. Take the risks and worry about the results later. In fact don’t worry – there’s oil in them thar’ waters. Black gold. Texas tea.
When did we actually start to believe we could do whatever we wanted on this planet and not have to pay one day. I think 36 days ago the note came due. Now what? Now what? Now? What?
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: Chip in, coin, coins, dime, Haiti, Haitian, help, jar, nickel, painless., penny, recovery
Haiti Still Matters. It is less than 30 days since the earth brought this country to its knees – and the rush to help was impressive – but there is no quick fix for Haiti and we are notoriously – as a planet – short on attention spans. Soon Haiti will not seem as urgent or as sad and we will move on. We cannot allow this to happen. Meaningful recovery can be slow and painful and need help from many hands. Here’s a small, painless way to keep the light burning to guide Haiti back to the place where Haitians can start reclaiming themselves and their country. I named it Chip in for Haiti because Haiti still needs all of us to chip in. It is not a charity or 501 (c) organization. Anyone who wants to chip in can do it right at home. Here’s how :
Chip In For Haiti: Get a clean jar or cup or can – you pick the size and set it on the kitchen counter; then decide which of these three coins you will toss in the pot. A penny, a nickel or a dime (no quarters – we all hoard quarters right?) and just fill it up – as long as it takes. But you must chose the denomination and stick with it. When it’s full – cash it in and send whatever amount you have tossed in to a secure charity to help. Buy a money order and stamp – mail it and think about it when you do it. It would amass millions of dollars and you would not feel it. Start today – everyone has a coin in a couch or a purse or under a table. And then let me know what happens. If you like this idea – just comment by saying “Chip In For Haiti”. Haiti matters and you can fill as many containers as you want and mark the road until real recovery is realized recovery. Please.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: Barack Obama, Bush, communist, constitution, Darkie, dog, Glenn, GOP, health care, Jews, kaukus, Kennedy, kudzu, Lies, mad tea partyers, Mulim, President, rush, Sarah Palin, slave, socialist, White Sheet Republican
When I see the Obama Family on TV or see President Obama I usually smile. Almost every time. Because I simply cannot believe I lived to see this nice looking brown-skinned family in the White House. It makes me feel clean somehow – as if our country has considered the good of the people and the nation and gone for a youngish, smart and hard-working chief of state . I don’t think I’m alone in this either and I hope not because he needs time and support to unglue the mess we’re in and make things better. After an eight year ordeal with Mr. Bush – you’d think the GOP and its many sects of adherents would get behind him, tell their own people to support him and start to go forward in these difficult times. (Drum roll – enter Steve Martin) But nooooooooooo. And not just noooooooo, Nasty no! Vicious no! Name calling no!
No respect for the man at all, but that also means no respect for the office. Every speech, meeting, movement , gesture is derided and dismissed instantly as a sign of what? Oh, wait. “He’s a communist, he’s a socialist, he’s an unnatural citizen, he wants to steal from the rich and share the wealth with the rest. He thinks Americans – across the board, should have health care. His very name is a traitorous betrayal – Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. Now that’s not right. He must be a Muslim and since he’s named after his black African father – he must have been born there too. He has absolutely no use for the Jews and he hates whites in secret. His wife’s arms are too bare and she is far too fit; she is too tall, how dare she wear nice outfits, and to top it off they have the same kind of dog that Ted Kennedy had. That really is over the top. How dare he, she, they and the dog”.
I have a name for these people; these disruptive, Constitution chewing, greedy, mad tea partying GOP members. I call them White Sheet Republicans. I do not believe a single one even listens to the policies of or direction this president wants to take us. I don’t believe they would even reject of it if it were suggested by a moderate GOP member. They might mumble and growl and not agree with parts – but I suggest the name calling would be minimal. We must keep in mind that, under their protective covers they will do whatever it takes to keep their ball rolling backward. They are extremely sore losers. They believe Sarah, Glenn and Rush are truth-telling, extreme intellectuals. They gloat over lies that are told to discredit the current administration. I would suggest – that beneath their 800 thread count uniforms they make even make faces. This is a group of vicious, nasty people. People I would not break bread with.
But why “White Sheet Republicans“? Are they ashamed of their party? Their platform? Naaaah. It’s because of what slips out far too often. Because they feel the need to preface almost every nasty crack with, “don’t get me wrong, it’s not because he’s black” and because we absolutely know that it is very much because he’s black. And the proffered apologies are sung to the tune of Dixie. Is it because he is not a son of the Stolen, descended from slaves. None of these people’s people even stole his forebears – he has symbolically not sat in the back of the bus. So, as much as he is rightfully embraced by most African-Americans – he really does present a unique and estimable president who speaks to all of us.
Under the sheets, however, this doesn’t even register. “”Bananas, chimpanzees, zoos, thick lips, nappy hair, doesn’t act or sound black “. (I suppose a disappointment to many in Dixie) all creep out from under their hems. Of course it’s because he’s black. God knows what a White Sheet GOP kaukus sounds like.
Somewhere these White Sheet Republicans assumed (probably before the Civil War) they would never have to worry about some Darkie running for president. Both the old and new money, the right schools, the stiffest upper lip, the right address would keep that from ever happening. Damn it, the Founding Fathers owned stolen black folks and there isn’t anything in the Constitution that says a slave can be president. They are chattel. And so even the ones way down South living in the kudzu believe it too. They may have tolerated Affirmative Action, but that tolerance did not include any action that could allow you to be President of the United States. So when you read the vitriol and angry, personalized attacks on Mr. Obama – picture those White Sheet Republicans spinning out of control watching Birth of A Nation, Bamboozled and all taking notes. And be very concerned about all of them because they are definitely out of control.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: disaster, earthquake, Haiti, Junkie, Obama, Pat Roberston, rush, Rush Limbaugh, United States
I thought by now I would have recovered from Rush Limbaugh’s screed on de black folks, de President and de Haitian disaster but I am not even close. Is he a bigot, a crazy man, a crazy man bigot, an asshole, a piece of shit or all of these and some other things I can’t even imagine reading about in Grimms or Mein Kampf? (Yes – I said it).
Well – first of all and most important of all and down at the base of it all is color. In this case black. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that every morning white people wake up and think that the leader of the US will be white and when they realize it isn’t so, they flip out – in private and in public. They just flip out. They tear their white sheets and go insane. Anyone who denies this is a hypocrite or has not had the fabulous advantage of living on this planet and seeing how black people have been demonized – after they built it all for ol’ white men. If anyone can get past this self-evident truth, then maybe because Obama is the act that followed the clowns – no one can take it seriously. How could they really. They are still recovering and laughing nervously at the last 8 years plus. Worse still is that people all over the planet seem to really have some hope for the future of the future with this man in the White House. Now if you subscribe to the conventional thinking that no one actually has any use for black people you will see how this conflict can arise.
And so, Haiti, some little half an island near the US with odd, but close ties to this country, gets hit by a huge act of nature; a 7.0 earthquake, that knocks them flat. Flat, literally. Knocks them dead and lost and damaged. And as if that isn’t bad enough – this is a little, struggling country whose population is at least 80% black. Are you beginning to see a theme here?
Tune in to Rush, the fat fool who gives junkies a bad name, whohas the President of the United States of America cackling evilly and rubbing his hands together because he can really ride this one to …where???? How can this one be exploited? Oh sure – there will be scams and the bad people will not be rehabbed by this disaster – but to think- worse – to say – no worse – to broadcast that Mr. Obama is happy this happened because he can make points with black people – of all shades – is – what? What is it? What do you call this kind of thinking? What we do know – what we can posit without much fear of argument is that now we KNOW that Rush Limbaugh is a bigot. He is a big, fat, bigot. From the instant he uttered his screed on Haiti he showed us his hand and he is holding a deck of race cards. From now on every person who listens to him and likes his beliefs will have to also know that he is a bigot. That if he says the sky is blue – he is a bigot. That if he says he didn’t have a heart attack – he is a bigot and if you like his message then you have been listening to the utterings of a bigot. What does this make you? A bigot? I don’t know – ask yourself but know this – Rush Limbaugh is a bigot. He almost makes Pat Robertson look like…less of a bigot.
Posted by voolavex in carbon emmissions, global warming, green, Pakistan, Politics, Politics & Religion, war.
Tags: Afghani, Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Copenhagen, greed, green, Nobel Door Prize, Nobel Prize, Obama, Paki, Pakistan, Sadam, Stockholm, Union Carbide, W, Woburn
Taking stock of Stockholm and Copenhagen in the last week has led me to some conclusions that may not sound very patriotic, but honesty should not be usurped by mislaid love of country. You can love your country without loving some of what is done in its name. The same goes for your neighbor.
Copenhagen. In order to speed greed you have to be able to use every tool you have to get there. Greed is a global goal. Or the spoils of greed. And why not – I think we have reached a tipping point (thank you MG) where all the fingers in all the dikes are not going to make enough of an impact to save much of anything. Sounds hopeless but it may be more truth than anyone can bear to utter. I was green in the 70’s – what fun being laughed out of conversations about destroying the planet and the small steps that could be taken to slow this down. And if that wasn’t annoying enough – being green was expensive (as it is now) and impeded by the newest in living better through chemistry. No one cared about Three Mile Island or Union Carbide or the Woburn Cancer Cluster. A few (hundred thousand) souls were a small sacrifice for Big Biz to absorb in the pursuit of money. Collateral damage without even a war. That was 40 years ago.
We have made huge strides in our pursuit of the Money and the Brand. As Pogo said “We have met the enemy and he is us”. He is. No one wants to lower emissions by charter. If they sign up then they have to be responsible and we cannot have that and corporate sovereignty. Copenhagen was not quite what we had in mind. So while the planet slimes and slurps and melts and freezes and generally goes the way of a Styrofoam cup – there is good news too – we have found water on the Moon. Get ready to play the collectible, limited edition of Lunar Monopoly.
Stockholm. White tie is never unpleasant to see. And President Obama looked wonderful and a little confused in his as he accepted the Nobel Prize.
But the point is this: Any president in 2009 has inherited 8 years of a war without a point. Obama is doing what Sadam-obsessed W should have continued to do when he deployed Oct 7 2001. Instead he drained our country of soldier’s blood to get an imaginary enemy. We are now back to square one/Oct 7 2001 when the target was Al Qaeda in Afghani/Pakistan. He is merely doing – and not something I like either – what W should have done and won.
I am not sure Mr. Obama should have won the Nobel Peace Prize. I doubt he thinks so either. And as he sends troops into no-win Afghanistan it is an even harder accolade to accept or deserve. Ah well. Unfortunately they do not yet have a Nobel War Prize. Or a Nobel Door Prize.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: Al Gore, ass, Barack Obama, beck, burro, Bush, Cheney, donkey, guns, Nobel Prize, Obama, Palin, rush, Sarah Palin, sick
Donkey
Burro
Ass
What the heck
We don’t have Rush
And we don’t have Beck
We never had Cheney
And we didn’t like Bush
Take ’em all to a cliff
And then holler
Push
They hate Obama
They loathe Al Gore
They’re mad hell
And what’s more
They’d rather see you sick
or worse,
while they tighten
the drawstrings
on their purse
Carry their guns
Spread some lies
While we keep
winning the Nobel Prize.
Angry, nasty, always railin’
I think they caught something
from Sarah Palin.
Posted by voolavex in global warming, Social Issues.
Tags: 12-21-12, 13.0.0.0.0., algorithm, Allah, Armageddon, Arthur C. Clarke, astrology, calendar, Christ, climate change., game theory, Jews, junk, junk science, Kali, Mayans, planets, Religion, solar system, the Long Count
The year 2012 is mentioned a lot lately and it makes me curious about a few things that should be more obvious – yet I have not seen anyone address them.
Basically the Mayan calendar (followed only by Mayans until very recently) predicts that there will a huge change on this planet on 12/21/12 or 13.0.0.0.0. – depending on how you read it. Furthermore it seems this eventuality is global theme from antiquity – not just Mayan antiquity. It also appears that no matter how you crunch the numbers all of them are pretty close to this date (the former, not the latter). Scientifically, there will be an alignment of the planets in our solar system that occurs only every (26),000 years (give or take). I wonder if the number (13).0.0.0.0. is special because it is half of 26? I don’t know. Then again, no one else has explained it very well one way or another either. I do know many that many people – mainstream and fringe – seem to be cashing in on this entire phenomenon quite handsomely. One man ( a scientific sort) has created an algorithm using game theory to make similar predictions for 2012. So I am troubled because if even one of the many supposed events occur – it won’t be very pleasant for this world and this is the very thing that keeps doubt in my mind. That and fear.
Let’s all agree, for the sake of this piece. that religion is based on predictions, prophets, amazing events, celestial signs. These happen by the hand of God – any God or many Gods – so we should take this theme very seriously. The idea of “the end of days” seems to be part of many religions and is signified by wars, fire, floods, explosions and bad behavior among the citizens of Earth. And then redemption or hell, fire and brimstone. Or some here and some there. While the term “junk science” covers many of these catastrophic events in the mainstream – no one ever seems to use the term “junk religion” or ask why this silly idea is a thread through so many cultures who have no use for one another now nor a long time ago. Consider this: In Eastern countries the astrological charts of two people marrying, for example, are very important – yet astrology – in the West is considered a pseudo science with no real meaning. Yet it relies on celestial measurements to predict compatibility. What makes it junk? Why has it been so important for so many millions of people on Earth. Why is it still? And why were a people such as the Mayans so concerned with dates and calendars and the heavens when they possessed no technical or scientific basis for their observations. Was it faith or advice? Is it some accident or coincidence that the idea of religious monuments at precise astronomical intersections is farfetched, yet we can consider climate change a fact? Why is the idea of Armageddon a religious myth? And why must we reject as junk, one, but not the other? Who makes these decisions and why? If anyone knew this all to be true and inevitable – just as billions believe that Christ is the Son of God, that Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his Prophet, that Moses delivered the Jew out of Egypt and brought us the 10 Commandments, that this is the Age of Kali – all this faith is accepted as gospel – why do we doubt 2012 – for example? And assuming for a second we take a flight and accept it as a possibility. Then what? If Eastern thought and Western science has seen these changes coming for ages – theoretically and/or metaphysically – what are they going to do about it? In two years? Aside from money being made on the whole business, I can’t see what we possibly possess on our planet that would stop any of it from occurring – even if we knew what “it” was.
So do we attach any credence to The Long Count or is it wild conjecture? And if we do believe it, then what? And if we don’t and something does happen who will be around to claim bragging rights?
I don’t know the answers to any of these questions. I’ m not sure what parts I consider reasonable and what parts I hope are wild and impossible theories, if any. Are we a failed experiment? A final exam gone bad. Or is this just good sci-fi. You choose your ending. Or is something about to come true. And did we blow it? Maybe we should all plan to meet on 1-1-13 and see what the outcome is – if anyone is left to care. I miss Arthur C. Clarke.
Voolavex 