I Am Me.
All that is necessary for the triumph
of evil is that good men & women do nothing, say nothing, work towards
nothing more than their own self-aggrandizement, or the stubborn maintenance of
opinions already formed by someone else and absorbed without consideration!
Hatred will always take advantage of the righteous person’s silence in the face
of oppression, suppression and abuse.
The Age of Enlightenment has
degenerated into an Age of Catastrophic Distraction; I do not expect the same
clarity of thought in common discourse that once was common among those
passionate about philosophy, history, politics, religion and the free exchange
of ideas, or the social-well being of all, including our vulnerable populations.
I prefer to envision America in its
idyllic state, the "more perfect union" towards which we endeavor as
a nation to achieve, since our own formation as a collection of colonies
seeking freedom to live uncontrolled by others, able to rise to the pinnacles
of our own “higher angels” within, and being generous in our thoughts, words
and deeds, towards brotherly love.
The ability to civilly disagree
is supposed to be the height of our value as a self-governing
nation! The barbaric, the vulgar and the ignorant have never concerned
themselves with such matters as the concepts of abstract ideas, ideals or goals
towards which to strive. The purposeful deconstruction of our educational
systems, the twisting of facts on a wide-scale, and even the dumbing-down of
our means of entertainment exemplify dangerous trends to a free people.
I observe that as a nation, we have
become fat, lazy and apathetic to all that we once held dear as a nation (at
least in theory) and the results have been disastrous. Invisible faces behind
corporations have more rights than living, breathing, human beings. We watch
the decimation of our land, trees, soil, water, skies as well as wild life,
domesticated creatures, and natural balance. We have allowed our families to be
splintered by systems that oppress the poor, contaminate our food,
over-prescribe medications we don't even need and watch our returning soldiers
become homeless faster than any other group in the rapidly expanding numbers of
homeless in America, one of the richest countries on earth.
We justify the killing of children
when we let their murderers not only go free, but elevate them to an image of
hero, as was the case with the racist killer George Zimmerman. Trayvon Martin’s
murder was not the only crime committed, but defense of his crime by others,
including the Florida court system, FOXX News, CNN, Rush Limbaugh and among our
elected officials. The story of Who Killed Cock Robin becomes Who
allowed the Death of Trayvon Martin?, or ALL the Trayvon Martins still
being killed or wounded by hate, in the 21 century. It is the culmination of
many failures as a people. It is a sad indictment for the state of affairs for
a self-governing nation.
My vocation includes active work as a
Public Health educator, my expertise is in exploring the social factors
contributing to public health issues, including poverty, gender, age, race, and
socio-economic variables. I am an advocate of freedom, equality, and the
protection of all vulnerable populations. I actively fight against
discrimination, bigotry, and racism. I defend the rights of children, animals,
the environment and those who are unable to speak for themselves, here AND
abroad, including the children of Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq, the
Congo, South Africa and many other areas where they suffer needlessly.
I am a writer and a teacher, a
missionary and a Spiritual being. I do not preach, so much as teach. I accept
accountability for the feathers I ruffle because it is never done through
malice, but rather, in an effort to shake loose the complacency towards
unnecessary suffering, and the refusal to be aware, even when our own freedoms
depend upon our informed choice. It is intended to gut comfortableness, and
strip off the false smiling masks of the bloated corporations that really have
control of America, placing elected officials in their private pockets behind
closed doors meetings and through the transfer of assets into private accounts
when domestic programs are cut and the weapons manufacturers, chemical makers,
and food producers, banks who control housing, and churches that bleed their
followers become grotesquely rich in the face of suffering they cause.
The manner in which I speak, and the
subject matter about which I chose to express opinion, are mine alone to
decide, based on knowledge, faith and a dedication to helping others in their
efforts to maintain and improve their lives through the alleviation of
INJUSTICE, HATE, EXPLOITATION and BLINDNESS. These are my choices to make and I
make no apologies for what I have worked hard to understand, nor my choice to
be passionate about my undertakings, including teaching, advocacy and preaching
the TRUTH. Make no mistake, my radical views are a part of me; they always have
been and they always will be.
I created this blogsite as a way to
turn anger into action, and to create a path for others to follow in the
petitioning of our grievances as part of We, the People, Politics.
When you see something wrong, do you
speak, or do you walk away from others in need? If the former, I provide
petitions and a forum for intelligent discussion. If the latter, all I may do
is see you become a part of the apathetic throng that continues to rush into
the midst of a comfortable distraction, as part of the Age of Catastrophic
Distraction we have created for ourselves in our attempts at self-governance.
For those who back away from challenges because they are controversial, I forgive
you your lack of strength, conviction, or empathy. But I do expect you to let
me do my job of agitating the complacent, restoring peace, and eliminating
unnecessary suffering.
When I first began this discussion, it
was in response to being thrown out of a discussion by the “unofficial”
University of Phoenix Alumni group discussion on LinkedIN when I posted the
NAACP Petition for Trayvon Martin. It has become more than that since then, but
where it ends up, no one can yet tell. RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL and I reject
its tenets, philosophies, practices and EVILS.
I ask for people of conscience to work
for peace in your hearts, your families, communities, the nation, and the world
by acting and speaking to protect the vulnerable, especially the children;
never give up the faith or the fight to be FREE, to expect JUSTICE, or to
extend AWARENESS to combat HATE.
That is why I created Agitation in
Motion: We, the People, Politics. If we do not speak for ourselves, and for
others, who will? And if no one will, how will it change? There must be change
because we are FAR from perfection as a country, as a World Power, and as
Enlightened Citizens. I love America BECAUSE it is still a WORK IN PROGRESS! We
have not yet become truly born to the freedoms we espouse. Turn your anger into
action. Contribute your actions to the catalyst of change. WE are just the next
generation to pick up the fight.
Pluralistically Yours,
Rev. Nancy J. Bell, Ph.D.
No comments:
Post a Comment