Thursday, January 31, 2013

Strength From the Sole


Because my blood pressure has gone through the roof over the last couple weeks, I need to calm myself down a little bit; and quite frankly, some of YOU look like your heads are about to pop like an overripe zit, so I think it’s time to go somewhere else for a while… relax in the hot tub… crack a nice, home-brewed beer; maybe pass a joint around the tub… waddaya say?

So I think I'll attack the status quo from a different direction. I'm going to write about something I promised myself I'd never write about... fashion. I promise, I'll try to keep this as “manly” an approach as I can.

I’ve never really liked shopping for clothes. When I DO buy clothes, it’s usually at a Thrift store. That’s where I get the majority of my furniture, too.

The main reason I shop there is the cost… you can’t beat the prices. Often, you can find brand-new, never-worn clothes, some of which are things that will never go out of style. I’ve found that there are some things that a person can wear and look just as normal 20 years in the future as they do now; a basic “uniform,” if you will. Jeans and a t-shirt… it’ll never go out of fashion… regular, worn jeans and a plain, black t-shirt… no designs; no logos; maybe a pocket… you’ll never look “out of place” in society while wearing it.

As for the jeans, however, I find that I don’t like the pockets, so I’ve taken a little of my own license and decided that cargo pants fit into that category as well. I mean, we have a lot of shit to bring around with us these days, don’t we?

We have our cell-phones, our money, our keys, our wallets, our flash drives, our pocket-knives, our pot and pipes, our mp3 players and the headphones to go with them. Regular jeans can’t carry all of that shit, and I hate having a million things hanging off my belt like some kind of fuckin’ security guard… been there, done that.

I have my keys hanging from my belt loop on a clip, because I know that I won’t lose them if they’re fuckin’ ATTACHED to me and it’s easy to separate my car key from the rest, so I don’t have all that weight hanging from my ignition, fuckin’ it up.

As far as my cell-phone goes, I don’t want it ANYWHERE NEAR my dick! I don’t want some kind of fuckin’ cancer or something, and ESPECIALLY not in or near my daddymaker! I prefer to keep my phone near my knee or thigh.

Smokes… easy to get to in the left-thigh pocket, alongside the pipe and pot… keep all that shit together… that leaves my back pocket free for the wallet like most people. My hip pocket is for my card and cash, right next to my fuckin’ pocketknife. For times that I believe I may need a little extra protection, I keep a second, less utilitarian knife on my belt.

There are some pants that have more than just the standard allotment of pockets; there are some that have pockets on top of pockets, and smaller pockets, and loops for hammers… I LOVE those! Sometimes, you find that you need MORE pockets, like if you’re framing or hanging drywall in the basement, or if you have a date and you know she’ll want you to hold her lipstick (I really don’t fuckin’ mind)… then, when she asks for it, you can just be like “WHA-BAM!” … and then you get a blowjob later, just for being a nice, decent guy… how do you like that? See? Cargo pants cause blowjobs!

So, we have the standard “uniform,” if you will… cargo pants and a black t-shirt. Hat? Hair? Jacket? Optional... as long as I don't feel like a walking billboard, it's all good.

I’m a fuckin’ chameleon; I blend in everywhere. I’ve been in several “scenes,” and I can adapt and become what I need to be for any fuckin’ environment. I’ve been a goth, a punk, a headbanger, a professional, a filthy-stinkin’-liberal, a stoner, a jock, a hippy, a rock star, a hellbilly, an intellectual, a comedian, a comic geek, a film snob, an art snob, a theoretical physicist, and a fashionisto. I’ve always been what I needed to be in order to survive. Through all of that, one thing has never changed; my shoes.

It’s true… all you need are a good pair of Doc Martens! They’re dressy enough for just about anything you’d want to attend; they’re comfortable enough to spend HOURS on your feet at a time; they’re durable enough to go through RIGOROUS use for five or more fuckin’ years; and they come from a country we can trust to treat their workers as good or better than many of our own!

There’s one pair of Docs that I’ve had and worn for over 10 years! These things won’t fuckin’ die! Another pair (my favorite one) got over five years of daily, hard use before I had to retire them because the soles split.

A good pair of Docs doesn’t get replaced; they get retired. It’s a fact! People keep them like trophies and show off the scuffs and scrapes in the impermeable leather as if they were battle scars!

“… that one? I got kicked by a skinhead at an Agnostic Front concert! On this other pair, you see that scuff? Deflected a hunter’s bullet while I was hiking!”

Often, if someone owns Doc Martens, they’ll leave their old pairs out in the open, next to the wall; beaten and tattered; the soles worn down to nearly nothing… they are the voices of past wars and daily abuse; they are the aging veterans of past personal conflicts... and they are saluted in their own way by their owners.

When wearing a good pair of Doc Martens, every step feels like it has a PURPOSE! It makes you feel like you have something to SAY, and you’re not going to be QUIET about it! You FEEL like a warrior! You FEEL like a REVOLUTIONARY!

Part of that is because they weigh a little more than most shoes; part of it is because of the history behind them; and part of it is because of the somewhat militaristic appearance of their boots and shoes.

Doc Martens have been worn in urban and suburban environments to make the statement that “life IS a battleground, and we are all soldiers in our own way!” There’s always at least a little bit of “rebel” in people who wear Doc Martens. Just a little piece (or more) of the lack of desire to conform to typical society; a rejection of the status-quo. You may not see it at first in some people, but it’s there... trust me.

All through the 80’s and 90’s, Doc Martens were commonplace in the Punk movement, as well as the resulting Goth, Industrial, and Ska movements. They’ve had their place in the white supremacy movement and skinhead movement, as well as their rivaled SHARPs (Skin Heads Against Racial Prejudice) and two-tones. The determinate factor: the color of laces used. Skinheads wore red laces, white supremacists wore white laces, two-tones wore black and white checked laces, and SHARPs wore green laces. Seriously, people used to get STABBED for having the wrong color laces in the wrong crowd at concerts, in parks, or just walking down the street.

Doc Martens were the voice of the Punk movement in every corner of it. In many ways, they continue to be. But as some of us who came up in those scenes have moved away from certain fashion statements, the good Doc has been kind enough to adapt and evolve, offering us footwear that meet the guidelines for tasteful apparel in the workplace. Being a chameleon, I have had to make this adaptation, myself. When I first held a non-boot Doc Marten in my hands, I felt dirty; like I was selling out. But the second it was on my foot, my feelings of betrayal subsided. It had all the heft and the purpose I had grown accustomed to; every step still felt like a stomp; but it was comfortable in ways I had not yet seen and found a home within the confines of a less-restrictive piece of footwear.

Hence, I've been converted, and currently wear my newest pair as I write this now. I still feel every bit the part of the revolutionary that I did when I first put on a pair of Docs, and I understand and feel the devotion that people have to their retired pairs. It’s like your first car all over again. You love it; you want it with you till the day you die; it’s a symbol of your independence and freedom; your first car and your retired Docs hold the same meaning to you. The car, however, was likely a piece of shit; whereas the Doc Martens don’t leave oil stains on the driveway, so it’s much easier to keep them around, reminding you of all your greatest victories, hardest-fought battles, toughest defeats, sweetest rewards, high times, low times, good times, hard times, and everything in between from days behind you.

But there’s something more to them; you KNOW everything you’ve been through, and IT IS, after all, a war out there; it’s us against the status quo, and a good pair of Docs are your ticket to say “FUCK YOU” to “the man.” They’re the right tool for the job. They’re the best way to show that you won’t bow down to the bastards that seek to keep their boot on your neck!

All you really need in life is a good pair of Doc Martens, and you’ll make it through just fine!

Kind of weird when you think about it that way, isn’t it? It’s true, though. Sometimes, you just need that little “edge”… that little “something” to make you feel like you have a purpose! Your clothes CAN impact your attitude, and simply having the right shoes to make you feel stronger can make all the difference in the world!

Things are shitty out there… I get it… I’ve seen it… I’ve been there…

… and I’ve seen the torture you’ve all taken… I’ve been there for it… I’ve been through it, too…

Knowing that, I know that we need to find a place to draw strength from and every little fuckin’ bit helps! We need people to be STRONGER right now… we need people to be AWAKE! That one small change, I think, would make people feel the way the world NEEDS them to feel right now!

When average people are stronger, the assholes who’ve placed themselves on pedestals will easily fall from the great heights at which they sit! I had a dream last night… a dream of what may be the future.

In the dream, I was speaking to THRONGS of people from a stage. The people were awake. The people were angry. The people were ready to tear the tyrants from their positions of power. The people were ready for the changes that we need. The people were desperate enough to do anything it will take to get what we need!

Thousands of fists filled the air! It was an army of Brodes. It was beautiful!

Thousands of people, knowing they wouldn't stand for the bullshit...

Thousands of people, speaking their minds...

Thousands of people, finding a direction...

Thousands of people... all of them wearing Doc Martens!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Consti-Tuesday: "Freedom" of Religion


Here we are... our second installment of Consti-Tuesday. Having covered the Preamble last week, it only seems appropriate to continue on to the First Amendment. Sure, I could do the Articles of the Constitution, but there's just too much there to decide where to go first, so I think I'll come back to those issues as they present themselves to be necessary in later debates... cool?

So... the First Amendment...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Let's be honest, here... there's a lot packed into it, and quite frankly, that's a lot to conquer in one post, so I'll break it down to several pieces in order to keep it more readable.

We'll start today, with the first two little sections. (“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”)

Why is it that the FIRST TEN WORDS are so hard for so many people to acknowledge?

Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion...”

For some reason, people of one particular religious leaning fail on every level to realize that this means THEIR RELIGION can't be used to affect law! That's where our bigoted laws preventing the marriage of loving couples comes from. “Certain people” think that because THEIR religion says that gays are lesser human beings at best (and SUB-HUMANS in some circles), that means THEIR religious beliefs should be shoved on everybody else. These are the same people who use THEIR religion to claim that Abortion should be illegal.

Here's some news, though... YOUR religion doesn't speak for EVERYONE! That's why the Amendment says YOUR religion can't become law, and neither can ANYBODY ELSE'S! (yes, that means that your fears of "Shariah Law" taking over the courts... I'm looking at YOU, Oklahoma... *remember?... are founded in absolute ignorance of the Constitution)

Those are also the people who like to say that America is a “Christian nation”... no... it's not... “Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion”... remember?

They also use THEIR religion to say that SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN FACTS can't be used when educating our country's children! Just because YOUR book says something contrary to what FACTS have determined, doesn't make it true! I mean, would you be as apt to have students taught that the world is actually on the back of a turtle, floating through the Universe, like OTHER PEOPLE'S beliefs state? I doubt it... but THEIR book says so, so what's to say THEIR theory isn't just as relevant as your's? Don't like THEIR religion being shoved down YOUR throat? Tough shit! That's EXACTLY what you've been doing to everyone else!

such arrogance is destructive and belligerent...

Let's look at the second half of the first part now, shall we?

... nor abridging the free exercise thereof...”

... huh...

... nobody can tell me how to worship...

unless I use marijuana in my religious practice, as is done in virtually every corner of the world, by people of several different faiths...

Let's be honest... some people CAN'T celebrate their religion lawfully because a certain aspect of their faith has been made illegal in one way or another.

From that perspective, let's consider the job market...

Even companies who claim to be “Equal Opportunity Employers” will discriminate against people who use marijuana for spiritual purposes... If you have THC in your pee, you can't work there... the fact that it's part of your RELIGION doesn't make a lick of difference!

and, of course, if someone claims religious freedom in this respect, they must be lying just to get high, right? Well, who the fuck are YOU to tell ANYBODY that their belief is illegitimate just because it's not how YOU worship???

Allow me to delve into my own belief a little bit, here...

I believe that God is the absolute intangible personification of purity. Given that fact, bringing thoughts and feelings of “corruption” (anger, hate, arrogance, fear, etc.) into a conversation with God is an abomination akin to blasphemy. Marijuana is a holy herb that drives away “corrupt” thoughts and feelings, so as to maintain the purity of God.

In most of the country (with the current exception of Washington and Colorado), if I'm caught with marijuana, I would go to jail for violating the law, despite my own personal beliefs. MY religion doesn't matter in the eyes of the law, because I don't purport to follow a "major" religion.

doesn't that sound like they're “abridging the free exercise” of my beliefs? I'd sure as fuck say so...

It's fairly rare that BOTH parts of the first part of the First Amendment are observed congruently. People see one part, but not the other. When will people start looking at EVERYTHING, instead of just the shit they like?

I call this “Constitutional Cafeterianism,” meaning they treat the Constitution like a cafeteria... they only see what they want and ignore the rest... and, of course, if it's there, it must be there JUST FOR THEM!  You don't have to share anything at a cafeteria... if you want to try something, you just get some of it.  So, of course, what you have is YOUR'S and YOUR'S alone!  This is something we HAVE to stop doing! It's arrogant, ignorant, and elitist; and it's a philosophy that we don't need ANYWHERE near our laws!

What it all boils down to is, everyone worships differently. One group's beliefs shouldn't be EVERYONE'S law, and that's EXACTLY what this part of the Amendment says! Furthermore, just because you don't agree with the way someone practices their faith, that doesn't mean they're wrong for practicing it their way! The Amendment says that, too!

The two go together FOR A REASON! You can't have one without the other! You can't pick and choose! Plain and fuckin' simple!

Time to get back on track, America... why can't we all just... get along? Why can't we all just... let people worship the way they please and keep our religion to ourselves?

Consider this... in Article VI, sec. 3, it further enforces the First Amendment by stating “... no religious test shall ever be required as qualification for any office or public trust under the United States...”

Get it? YOUR religion doesn't make you qualified for ANY office! Therefore, even MENTIONING your religion on the campaign trail is a VIOLATION of the Constitution! If your religion doesn't make you qualified for your office, it can't be used to justify the laws you make, either!

On top of that, consider this... if you think that your Christian beliefs are something that should be shoved on everyone, look at Matthew 6:5...

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” (http://bible.cc/matthew/6-5.htm King James version)

How do you like that? Since you made SUCH a big deal of pushing YOUR shit on other people, you won't be going to Heaven... what's more, EVEN JESUS THINKS YOU'RE A HYPOCRITE!

Don't like it? Sorry... it's YOUR Bible... just like the Constitution, if you don't like it, tough shit! You can't pick and choose. It's right there in Jesus' own words... sorry to point that out, but your delusion called for it.

See? The Constitution isn't the ONLY document that tells you to keep it to yourself... your own holy book says so, too! I don't give a fuck if it's inconvenient to your political motivations... blow me!

and for those of the people who think that what I'm saying is wrong just because it's coming from a “Non-Christian”... for those of the people who think that I should be blocked or banned for speaking my mind, allow me to introduce you to the next part of the Constitution, which I will get to at a later time...

... nor abridging the […] freedom of speech...”

I can say it as loud as I want, in any way I want, with any tone that I want, and if you don't like it, tough shit!


Friday, January 25, 2013

Ode to the Working Man

A toast and a suggestion...

Here's to the working man, and all the jobs we do.
Here's to the shit they put us through.
Shitty bosses,
Shitty wages,
Shitty pay,
Shitty coffee.

Here's to the things we've given up.
Here's to the things they've taken from us.
Our lives,
Our raises,
Our benefits,
Our time.

Here's to the way things CAN be!
Here's to the power we CAN'T see!
Our pride,
Our voices,
Our numbers,
Our evidence, implied!

The time has come,
My friends,
To get things done,
my friends.

Our bosses have taken
What WE were due!
And things get WORSE
Every day or two!

Twice the work
For half the pay;
Chided and berated
Nearly every day.

Bullied
And floored.
Demeaned
And ignored.

"I'm sick!"
"I'm tired!"
"I'm disgusted!"
"YOU'RE FIRED!"

We won't give up
One inch more!
I think it's time
We settled the score!

There are more of us
Than there are of them!
Those worthless douchebags'
Fuckin' heads will spin!

Let's stand up
For what we KNOW is right
And tell those shitwaffles
"WE'VE COME TO FIGHT!!!"

-Brode

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Consti-Tuesday: The Preamble


When telling a story, where should a person start? Obviously, they should start at the beginning, and I think that's what makes sense to do here, as well.

When we discuss the Constitution, we often forget about the Preamble; despite the fact that it's the VERY FIRST PART of the Constitution! If you ask me, we should consider the Preamble more often when discussing Amendments to the Constitution, or even the Constitution as a whole. Why? Well, the Preamble is intended to set up the reason and the need for the Constitution. It lays the most basic groundwork for the document that rules our land. The text reads as follows:

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

What does all that mean? Let's see here... this says that the Constitution is intended to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”...

let's break that down, piece by piece, shall we?

  1. Establish justice

This means that it's intended to create laws that allow people access to the courts, and for what reasons they may use the courts.

  1. Insure domestic tranquility

This means that the laws are meant to keep us all living together in an orderly, peaceful manner with each other.

  1. Provide for the common defense

This means that the Constitution sets up the guidelines for the use of our military and law enforcement.

  1. Promote the general welfare

This means that it's meant to allow ALL people (even the poorest of us) the means to live their lives reasonably.

  1. Secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity

This means that the Constitution is intended to dictate to ourselves and the world that we are a free people, and the Constitution is supposed to keep us all from looking like assholes to everyone else.


So, if those are the purposes for the Constitution, then how does the rest fit into this? How do the Amendments address the prescriptions of the Preamble? With ANY proposed law, the VERY FIRST FUCKIN' QUESTION that should be asked is, “How does this relate to the five pillars of the Preamble?” The problem is, nobody asks that fuckin' question anymore. As a result, there are laws against gay marriage, the use of marijuana, and a shitload of other things, despite the fact that they take “liberty” AWAY from SOME people (which goes against the fifth pillar), while saying that other people are just fuckin' fine.

Furthermore, I would argue that bans on gay marriage are in direct opposition to the first, fourth, and fifth pillars, because if some people have rights that others don't, purely because of the way that they're born, then the public tranquility is NOT preserved, only the welfare of SOME is promoted, and the laws don't apply to everyone equally, because the people those laws discriminate against don't have the same ability to lead an enriching life as the rest of us do. Ergo, as a result of the inequality, the domestic populous is certainly less than tranquil.

For that matter, the fourth pillar is widely ignored! Look at the number of starving children in the United States... look at the number of people who can't afford health care... look at the number of people who are forced to work until the day they die... look at the number of people who are denied the education that they need, because they can't afford it... look at the number of people and families who live on the street because the banks fucked them... look at the number of people who are denied a wage that allows them to simply survive...

These numbers are growing, dictating the fact that the “general welfare” is NOT being promoted! The only people who are truly doin' fine right now are the RICH!!!

Health care, education, food, and shelter should be a RIGHT! Every human being should have the chance to live reasonably, but for some reason, we only really seem to care about how the wealthiest of us are doing; not the poorest, where we SHOULD be focusing our energy.

The fact that our “general welfare” is NOT promoted, while our “common defense” is OVER promoted is a big part of the reason so much of the world looks at us like arrogant, ignorant, dumbass, inbred assholes!

Our military has become our Government's strap-on dildo. We slap it on and fuck every brown person we can find that's not in America, and then we wonder why the fuck there's so much anti-American sentiment in the Middle-East, and why so much of Europe finds us distasteful and vulgar.

Seriously... when was the last time we TRULY saw a time of lasting peace? When was the last time we weren't at war with one country or another? When was the last time we knew we could turn on the news without hearing about fallen soldiers? I want THOSE days back. I'm TIRED of war. I'm TIRED of wasting money and lives.

The problem is, we've pissed A LOT of people off... so many, in fact, that we've to the point where even if we DO bring all our troops home, there are so many people pissed off at us, that we STILL won't see an end to the acts of attempted retribution in the parts of the world where we've anally invaded the people and their lives with our floppy, rubber, fake dick.  End result: Our "common defense" stepped on our "posterity."

As for the “justice,” where is it? Justice has become a luxury. Only the wealthy can afford access to the courts. If one of US wanted to pursue justice against a corporation, we would get buried by a TEAM of lawyers; given that we lack the resources to counter their representation.

Believe me, I've been fucked by a SHITLOAD of employers! I'd LOVE to have my chance to make them pay for the things they've done to me; as would millions more in the working populous of the United States. Employers should have to answer for the way they treat their employees. The fact that we don't have the legal access to hold our employees accountable for their abuses only means that the abuses will get worse and more widespread. If nobody is telling them, “YOU CAN'T DO THAT,” then where's their incentive to change and treat people more like people, and less like disposable peons?

Obviously, if the poor don't have the same access to the courts as the rich, then the first pillar of the Preamble is not firmly upheld. Furthermore, if the rich can access the courts more easily than the poor, then the fifth pillar is ignored, as well!

If a law doesn't stand up to the five pillars of the Preamble, then simply put, it shouldn't be a fuckin' law! It's that fuckin' simple!

The Preamble is intended to establish the fact that rights and laws should apply to EVERYONE EQUALLY, and that our laws should be founded in sane, rational reasoning. Obviously, this is not something that's on the minds of the assholes who make most of our laws.

From that perspective, why aren't there lawsuits relating to the Preamble? Almost every other Amendment has been challenged in one way or another over the years. Numerous challenges to the First, Second, Fourth, Tenth, Fourteenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-First, and Twenty-Fourth Amendments have been issued over the years; but never... NOT ONCE... has there ever been a challenge to the Preamble... isn't that weird?

Sure, the majority of the laws on the books are well-intended, but not ALL of them. Some of them are purely based in bigotry, hate, and discrimination. Unfortunately, that's been a constant theme in the history of our nation. We've used our laws to discriminate against Blacks, Witches, Atheists, Hispanics, people who use marijuana for spiritual purposes, people with disabilities, Muslims, people who aren't Christians, poor people, and just about everyone else who isn't rich, white, or Christian; mainly because too many people who get elected believe that ONLY their race and religion is meant to be protected, because America is a “Christian nation”; and if people are poor, it's because they've done something to deserve it (despite the fact that America, to these people, is a “Christian nation”).

To sum up, the Preamble is intended to define the reasons for the Constitution, and the ways that our laws are supposed to apply to the Constitution. The fact that so many of them don't, I believe, is abysmal. But for some reason, nobody challenges our laws on the grounds of the Preamble.

Something needs to be done to fix these things, and I believe that all starts with education. The more of us understand the Constitution, the more of us know to speak up when shit gets fucked up! We know WHY we're mad, and WHY certain laws have no place in society, so we can attack them on the lack of pertinence to our nation's greatest document!

This is how we take our country back; we build an understanding of how things are SUPPOSED to work, and argue our position based on rock-solid reasoning and Constitutional knowledge! They can't oppress us if we know what the fuck we're all talking about, right?

and, of course, understanding the rest means understanding the platform on which it's built.


Monday, January 21, 2013

A Hero We've Seen and a Hero We Need


Today, I would like to take some time to honor one of the people I hold in the HIGHEST regard... a man whose words and actions have greatly shaped my life... a man who helped to permanently redefine both the Democratic and Republican Party... a man whose philosophies have helped shape the world as we know it... a Martyr of Civil Rights... a man whose selflessness could only be mirrored by his courage...

I'm speaking, of course, about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Without him, we would be facing a vastly different America. 

In a setting riddled with blatant racism, denial of Constitutionally granted rights, obscene abuses of power, and a nation opening a rift that has yet to be mended, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had the titanium balls to stand up to an entire nation that had been corrupted by dozens of generations of purely malicious hate (much of which still exists today; more in the South, of course, than the rest of the country; although elements are visible in every State, City, Town, Province, District, Village, Community... basically any collection of two people or more in one place).


Images of fire hoses being turned on protesters,


"Whites Only" signs,



 public beatings, 



and cross burnings 














have been permanently emblazoned in my mind.  The blatancy of the pure vitriol towards people who are guilty of nothing more than having a different genetic makeup is something that I personally find abhorrent, and something that shall never be forgotten.

... just like the way that gays and immigrants are treated today...


... today's "faggots" and "illegals" are yesterday's "niggers"...


Think about it... the "Civil Rights Act of 1964" forced the bigots to focus their hate in other areas, so they went in two different directions, and then, eventually, a third; first, the gays and the immigrants (which gave them "license" to hate ANYBODY that's not white, as long as they "talk funny"); and then, of course, the Muslims (after 9-11).

I'm focusing on the gays and immigrants because there are widespread, specifically focused laws on those groups of people and their actions.  (Although, two states have also ignorantly banned Shariah Law from being practiced in their courts, despite the fact that this is a DIRECT violation of the First Amendment.  The bigots are still trying to find ways to discriminate against Muslims... even though it's completely natural to them, it's still a new group to hate, and that kind of focused hate takes time to organize.)

There used to be laws that African Americans couldn't marry or adopt children... just like the gays, now...

There used to be restricted rights pertaining to Power of Attorney and legal status on African Americans... just like the gays and immigrants, now...

Many of the racial stereotypes once held by African Americans now belong to certain groups of immigrants (lazy, unintelligent, loud, etc)... and it's founded in the same ignorance of cultural differences.

it would appear that we've gone from the frying pan into another frying pan...

And these obvious signs of blatant hate, as with the time of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., are coming from the same places... purely bigoted "Christian" organizations (Christians who celebrate Hitler's version of the Bible, like the Westboro Baptist Church), the KKK, and everyone else the the Republican Party picked up during Nixon's run for office when they realized that they couldn't win unless they picked up the ignorant, bigoted "Dixiecrats". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other civil rights leaders in the 1960's caused a rift in the Democratic Party on the grounds of civil rights for African Americans, alienating the Southern Dixiecrats.

The Dixiecrats found themselves as a people without a party. Then, in the 1970's, along came Richard Nixon. His election campaign wasn't going so well and he knew he couldn't win unless he expanded his base. So, you know what that asshole did? He decided that the ignorant Southern racists could be easily controlled and converted, knowing that stupid people are easily controlled. So he started spreading racist “dog whistles” that were aimed at converting the moronic bigots over to his side.

As a result, this racism was allowed to fester and spread throughout the 80's and 90's. It was fed with the “Willie Horton” advertisement during George H.W. Bush's 1988 election and Ronald Reagan's references to “Welfare Queens”. African Americans have been demonized by the Republicans in one way or another in LITERALLY every election season by one Republican candidate or another.

This is something we've seen especially predominant during Barack Obama's campaigns in 2008 and 2012 by the “Birthers,” numerous rants referring to our President as a “nigger” or as a witch doctor during the health care debate, or by EVERY SINGLE HOST on the Foxaganda network in one way or another, or Rush Limbaugh and all the other right-wing radio hosts virtually daily.

The racist references found on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter FAR eclipse the suggestive “dog whistles” found on the radio or television. These are things that I don't think people would say out loud on the street, but the internet allows people to remain masked while they spew their hate, rather than speak openly, and it grants them an audience, which allows them to branch out and spread their corrupting, factless bullshit.

Like I said before, Dr. King's words and actions shed a light of shame on racism, which the majority of us took as a cue to change our thinking. However, some of us took that shame and re-directed it at other groups; specifically the immigrants and the gays (as I pointed out before). I guess, for some people, hate is just something that's hard to eradicate once it's been sown at the genetic level. But that doesn't mean that it can't be eliminated; we just need another man like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to cast the same light on intolerance.



Who will pick up that mantle? Many have tried... Harvey Milk... Cesar Chavez... Mario Solis Marich... Dan Savage... Al Sharpton... Jesse Jackson... George Takei... Barney Frank... Jared Polis...



What it all boils down to is, we need a hero. We need someone who has the charisma, the balls, and the dedication to step up and make a difference, just like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did. We need someone to tear down the walls of intolerance that have been built by dozens of generations of bigotry. We need someone who can speak truth to power, with a history of victimization and prejudice to back up their words and actions.



So, who should it be? Who could pick up the mantle? Where is this person going to come from? When?



This is the part where I attempt to inspire you. This is the part where I try to instill a feeling of power within you. This is the part where I tell you to speak your mind; say it LOUD! Say it CLEAR! Say it with PRIDE!  Say it with CONVICTION!

I believe that we ALL have the power to be “that person”... I believe that we ALL have the potential to change the world... I believe that we all have some understanding of injustice on one stage or another, and we should speak to the injustice that we know... therefore, I believe that ANYONE can be “the one.”

YOUR voice is important! YOUR experience is invaluable! YOUR voice is needed!



YOU
have a voice!!!


Use it to
SHOUT!!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

How to Fix A Lot of Shit With Seven Simple Laws


Ok... I realize that so far, I've been somewhat heavy-handed in the finger-pointing department. I've drawn a clear focus at what I perceive as the root of many of our problems: the Plutocracy.

What I haven't done yet is offer any solutions. I'd be some kind of asshole if all I did was bitch and moan about the way things are, without offering any way to fix it, wouldn't I?

Well, here we go...

Here's how I'll do this... I'll list the law, and then demonstrate it's need and impact. This isn't gonna be the same shit you've heard on TV or radio. These are MY ideas! Most of these aren't the ideas or thoughts that you've seen expressed anywhere else, so read on with the understanding that you're not just gonna see the same warmed over crap you've seen and heard on the radio and television. Sound good? This is gonna be fun!

  1. Tie Executives' personal tax rates on ALL INCOME, and corporate tax rates, to the amount of assistance their employees need. The more assistance (food stamps, Medicaid, etc.) their workers need, the more they pay in taxes.

Let's use Wal Mart as an example, here. The Walton family (the family who owns Wal Mart, Sams Club, Pets Mart, etc.) owns more wealth than the bottom 42% of all Americans COMBINED! They make OBSCENE annual salaries, while over half of their employees are on food stamps! On their disgusting salaries, they paid a family average of around 15% in taxes. So, not only are they paying their employees next to nothing, they're paying next to nothing in taxes, as well...

but their salaries are costing the REST OF US a SHITLOAD of money in tax dollars! Because Wal Mart refuses to pay their employees a decent wage, the rest of us have to pay for the food stamps and other subsidies that Wal Mart's workers need to survive!

I think the WALTONS AND WAL MART should have to pay for those benefits, because THEY cause the need for the benefits! That gives them an option... either they can cut THEIR OWN salaries and pay their employees better, or they can pay 98% above $500k to meet the needs of their employees!


There you go... a way to reduce the wage gap, the wealth gap, and "spending" all in one... but I'm just getting started, here...


  1. If the press is to be free, as prescribed by the First Amendment, then it must be FACTUAL!

One of the biggest problems we have today, is our media. So-called “news” organizations lie freely and regularly to their audiences, which means that we do not have a reasonably informed electorate. All the major networks are guilty, and ESPECIALLY the cable “news” networks (Fox, above all).

The damage that's been done to our country by the utter failure of our media and press is insurmountable. Responsibility and ethics have entirely left the building. Something has to be done to fix this. The requirement of factual reporting would protect the spirit of the First Amendment, as well as help to break some of the lies that the public has been fed. Propaganda networks masquerading as “news” would no longer be able to get away with saying “Obama was born in Kenya” or “There are death panels in Obamacare” or “Trickle down economics is working”... people would be told the TRUTH, and would have to vote on the FACTS, rather than the BULLSHIT that's out there now!

This would also force news outlets to report stories that are otherwise quashed by their parent companies and advertisers. If they're going to be competitive, they would have to cover ALL the stories in a clear, concise, honest fashion; not just the ones that are convenient to their sponsors and ideology.

  1. If a Church or religious organization is going to preach politics from the pulpit, then they should pay taxes.

The First Amendment sets up a “catch 22” with regards for Churches. On one hand, you have the first ten words, which read, “Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion...” but later, it says, “... or abridging the freedom of speech...”

Arguably, if the Church has it's freedom of religion and speech, then saying that it can't impose itself on the law of the land, there's a conflict there. As a resolution, a deal was struck. The Churches were granted a tax exempt status, provided they stay away from political speech.

Several religious organizations, however, have not taken this to heart. Consider organizations like Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and all the other anti-gay and anti-abortion groups, who believe that THEIR religious beliefs should become law. Obviously, they are committing a breech of their end of the contract, so in my mind, they should either lose their tax-exempt status or pay a fine. If they can't live up to their end of the bargain, they don't get the perks... it's that simple!

  1. Limit executive compensation.

Over the last 30 years, the wages of the people at the top have exploded, while the rest of our salaries have stagnated and/or declined. That's just a fact. We all know it. We've all seen it. If THEIR wages have gone UP and ours have gone DOWN, then it becomes obvious that the raises that WE were due were STOLEN by the people at the top!  The executives have proven that they're not going to be honest or fair with regards to compensation, so steps have to be taken to restore balance.

If executive compensation were limited to 100 times (or even 150 times) that of their lowest paid employee, then things would have to change FAST!  It would put more money in the hands of people who SPEND it rather than HORDE it.  The increased consumer spending would create the need for jobs, which would lower the unemployment rate.  On top of that, people would be making more money, so they would actually be able to clean up their credit, buy houses and cars, and regain their financial footing.

  1. Limit executive benefits.

One of the things we've seen over the years, is the slashing of benefits to employees. While the employees have to do with less, the people at the top remain comfy. There should be a law that says executives should receive the EXACT SAME benefits they offer their employees and NO MORE!

Executive bonuses would dramatically drop, as they would be forced to spread the wealth among ALL the people that worked to make the business successful... not just the shitwaffles at the top! A successful business is a TEAM effort, and the spoils should be shared by the WHOLE team; not just the coaches!

On top of that, the Executives would have to see the health care system in a more similar light to the rest of us! AND, if they get a pension, then WE SHOULD, TOO!!!

and check THIS out... executives of companies that give their employees NO benefits (I'm looking at YOU, Wal Mart) wouldn't have THEIR benefits either!!! QUIT YOUR FUCKIN' BITCHING! TRY LIVING LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU'VE DEEMED YOURSELVES SUPERIOR TO!!!

  1. Break up monopolies.

Ahhhhhh... an oldie, but a goodie... revived from the days of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; necessary once again. How about an example...

Have you ever heard of a company named Luxottica? Probably not, but they own an entire INDUSTRY! Wanna know what companies they own? Well...

Lens Crafters, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, Sears Optical, Pearle Vision... just about every major optical chain you can find...

They also own...

Ray Ban, Oakley, Arnette, Vogue, Persol, Revo, Oliver Peoples, Steroflex, Mosley Tribes, and ESS... AS WELL AS the the optical lines for Anne Klein, Brooks Brothers, Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Chaps, Coach, Fox, Dolce & Gabana, DKNY, Donna Karan, Miu Miu, Polo, Paul Smith, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Stell/McCartney, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch,and Versace.

So, they own all the major chains AND most of the brands that are sold everywhere in the country... tell me how that's NOT a monopoly... where's the “free market,” here???

Consider this... Luxottica is just one of SEVERAL monopolies around the country. Want a few more examples? 

 Ok... How about this... 

How many companies other than Comcast can you go to for Cable TV service? 

Can you start an independent radio station?

Monopolies are EVERYWHERE, and if we want to offer any REAL kind of “free market competition,” the monopolies have to be broken up! Stricter regulations must also be put in place to prevent them from regaining their stranglehold on their various markets and industries.

  1. Create “Mediation Centers” for workers to address their grievances against their employers.

As union membership has declined, so have workplace conditions. Employers now openly and blatantly commit abuses against their workforce, knowing that people are afraid to lose their jobs if they speak up!

I think it's time to make it easier for workers to address their concerns without fear of retaliation. People should be able to speak their minds about their working conditions without being seen as insubordinate.

The people may have “freedom of speech” in society and with regards to our government, but when it comes to our places of employment, that freedom ends! People should be able to express their opinions without fear!

If concerns are presented to the “Mediation Center,” WITH EVIDENCE OF MALFEASANCE, then concerns should be addressed by means of mediation between officers of the company and the workforce. This would also have the benefit of dictating trends among the working populous regarding laws and regulations that are necessary. For example, if there are lots of people coming in complaining that their employers aren't allowing them to take breaks and it can be proven, then obviously legislation is needed to fix that problem. Or if unreasonable quota expectations are required... or if managers speak in a demeaning way...

The “Mediation Center” will also monitor statistics and trends regarding the workforce. It will be a direct link of communication between the government and the working class, which will give us more of a voice in government, bypassing the lobbyists who really don't give a fuck about how we're treated.

The goal with this is to make employers more empathetic to the needs of their employees. It will balance out the power that the rotten shitwaffles at the top have over the people at the bottom. It'll give a very clear picture of what the working class is going through and bring these issues more to the forefront. This can be paid for by fines assessed to companies who have high numbers of complaints. If they have more complaints, then obviously, they have a lot to fix and it's going to cost a lot to mediate that. However, smaller businesses that have smaller, minor complaints and will take less mediation don't have to pay anything (or very little) for their assistance. The companies that cause the majority of the problems pay more to resolve them... it's that simple. It'll teach a lesson to all the douchebags at the top who think they're fuckin' better than the rest of us... those fuckin' narcissists would get the lesson in humility that they SO DESPERATELY need!



There you have it. Seven simple laws that ACTUALLY fix shit! They punish the wicked and relieve the stressed. They inspire integrity, rather than underhandedness. They enforce the ideals that make America great! Mostly, they take power away from the people who have abused it, and gives it to the people they've FUCKED!

Maybe this is just a “Dear Santa” list, and nothing will ever come of it. Maybe our government is just so fucked up that necessity will never ring true. I'd like to think that's not the case. I'd like to think that there are enough sane people left in the country to fill the gaps left by the crazy and/or stupid people. I'd like to believe that things have a chance of getting better. I'd like to believe that we're rising above the bullshit that's constantly shoveled in our faces. I'd like to believe that those of us at the bottom still have a chance to disembowel the dastardly bastards who operate under the delusion that we're inferior to them! I'd like to believe that we still have the option of paying back those fuckers with a reality check!

Are these radical ideas? That depends on who you ask. If you ask the millions of people who are tired of getting fucked and fed bullshit, these things are probably just about right. If you ask the millionaire and billionaire executives from Wal Mart, probably not. However, I tend to fall into the “fuck 'em” category, because they've never shown ME (or the rest of us) any fuckin' respect, so why the fuck should we show THEM any? Every time we “turn the other cheek,” we get “the other cheek” slapped with a steel-toe boot, so why the fuck should we afford those assholes ANY slack? There's a time for Jesus, and a time for Hammurabi...

You know what I say?

STOP… Hammurabi time! (Can't Touch This)

Consti-tuesdays!


Folks, I'd like to introduce a new feature to my blog: Consti-Tuesdays!

On Tuesdays, I'll come here to discuss my thoughts on the Constitution or Constitutional issues with regards to the things going on in our world as they happen and become relevant. Sound fun? Good!

I think this could be a great thing; both informative and inspirational. I'll admit, though... I have an ulterior motive here...

It's my attempt to get more people to read and attempt to understand the United States Constitution. In recent years, there have been a shitload of people who CLAIM to have read the Constitution, but obviously have NO FUCKIN' IDEA what it says! As a result, politicians run on their faith, despite the fact that Article VI, sec. 3 says “No religious test shall ever be required for any office or public trust under the United States...”

People think that “Freedom of Religion” means that they can insert ONLY THEIR religion into any law, while stripping rights from other people because THEIR religion is apparently the only one covered by the First Amendment...

People think that the “debt ceiling” is something that can be debated...

Well, we'll dispel these myths by education and discussion. Over time, we'll work our way through the Constitution a little chunk at a time, and as otherwise necessary when prescribed by current events.

My fingertips are already itching to get started... I'm excited... I hope you all are, too!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Shrugging Atlas


Who was John Galt?

That's the question that people like to ask when they want you to read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Here's the thing, though... Atlas Shrugged is just another form of propaganda the wealthy like to shove on us to make us believe that they are better than us. Where's my proof? Well, read on and find out.

Atlas Shrugged is the story of a rich asshole named John Galt, who left his country along with all the other rich douchebags because they thought they weren't being pampered enough. In the FICTIONAL book, this left the rest of the people to suffer, because they no longer had the wealthy to take care of them and give them “free things”. It's supposed to be a lesson in self-reliance. Like Herman Cain said, “If you don't have a job and you're not rich, BLAME YOURSELF!” 

Fuck you, Herman... your pizza's shitty, anyway...

Here's what that tells ME, though...

That tells me that we're not co-existing with the wealthy in any way that benefits society... it tells me that we're actually being held HOSTAGE by them! It tells me that their collective fuckin' ego is so fuckin' big that they think they're ENTITLED to special benefits and privileges that the rest of us aren't! Why SHOULD they be? They're not any fuckin' better than the rest of us... they're just richer!

If you were to ask me (and even if you weren't; this is MY blog, so I'm gonna tell you anyway), if those douchebags want to leave society and go live on their own little fuckin' island somewhere, that's just FINE!!! I think we'd be BETTER OFF without 'em! I say, if you want to go cry and bitch about how unfairly you're being treated when you're already wealthy enough to buy our government and get anything you want anyway, THEN FUCKIN' GO!!! Nobody's telling you that you HAVE to live here... get the fuck out! Good fuckin' riddance! Fuckin' assholes...

Then, maybe we can do things the way they SHOULD be done! We can put the power back with the MAJORITY of the people, where it belongs! If we were to rid ourselves of the REAL parasites, then we could safely put the regulations and laws in place that we need, without the influence of their obscene “political contributions” getting in the way of OUR political process! FUCK 'EM!!!

According to Atlas Shrugged, there are two kinds of people: makers and takers. The “makers” are the people who control the industries, and the “takers” are the poor people who sap off them like parasites, by means of paychecks, benefits, and government assistance. Here's the thing, though...

When the wealthiest 2% of the people own more than 90% of the wealth, AND claim the largest portion of “government assistance,” then it becomes apparent who the “takers” ACTUALLY are! They STOLE what they have from the rest of us! This can be dictated by a glance at the rise in executive compensation and wealth vs. the stagnation of the worker's wages and wealth over the last 30 years.  ( http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/19/news/economy/ceo-pay/index.htm) When you look at the numbers, you'll see that the REASON they got so rich, so fast is because they STOLE OUR RAISES!!!!! If something's been STOLEN, then doesn't that make the person who stole it a “TAKER?”

Furthermore, who is it that works (or rather, USED TO WORK) in the factories, making their shitty products? Who is it that ships their shitty products? Who is it that builds the roads that they ship their shitty products on? Who is it that buys their shitty products that have been made and shipped? Who is it that staffs their shitty businesses? WE ARE!!!

But the thing is, the rich shitwaffles AREN'T paying for their fair share of society. They use the roads more than the rest of us to ship their goods; they use the courts more than the rest of us to settle their piddly little bullshit disputes; they use the police and fire department more than the rest of us in order to protect their businesses; they use all these things more than the rest of us, so they should PAY MORE for them!!!

But the rich don't, because they've tricked so fuckin' many people into believing that THE POOR are just leeching off of society, when the OPPOSITE is actually fuckin' true! The RICH are the leeches!!! NOT US!!! The RICH are paying PENNIES into the system (comparatively), while the rest of us shoulder the majority of the burden!

And don't give me any of this “They pay 40% of the taxes” shit because the point is moot, given that they own 90% OF THE FUCKIN' WEALTH!!! If they own 90% of the fuckin' wealth, then they should contribute 90% of the fuckin' taxes!!! Why? Like I said, they use OUR shit more and they've STOLEN what they have from the rest of us, so they don't DESERVE it, anyway!!!

Let me ask you a question... there's a tax deduction that a person can get for OWNING A YACHT!!! Will YOU ever be able to afford a yacht? Probably not. So, if only rich douchebags can afford yachts, and they got that money by stealing it from you and me, do they REALLY need that tax deduction? FUCK NO!!!

Because of Ayn Rand's philosophies, poor people all over the country believe that the rich are over-taxed. They've been indoctrinated to believe that if they need help, then they're somehow guilty of theft from society. Let me make something clear to everyone who believes this...

The RICH use a SHITLOAD more subsidies and government assistance than the POOR do!!! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN THAT FUCKIN' RICH??? Companies and people who are in the most profitable industries in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE WORLD are paying LITERALLY NOTHING in taxes because of the loopholes and subsidies they're given!

Let me ask you something... Say you're making $25,000 a year. You're paying about $9,000 in taxes (with a little rounding). Meanwhile, Exxon/Mobil is making HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS in profit, while getting ALMOST HALF AN ASSLOAD BACK IN REBATES, come tax time! (... and THEIR "assloads" are WAAAY bigger than OUR "assloads"...) How the fuck is THAT shit fair??? If they're making THAT MUCH fuckin' money, shouldn't they pay more than YOU do? 

And what do we do for them? OUR military protects THEIR oil tankers... OUR infrastructure TRANSPORTS their oil and gas... OUR police protect their operations... AND THEY'RE GETTING A SHITLOAD OF MONEY BACK FROM US!!!

If they're paying less than what they're using, doesn't that make them “welfare queens?”

If they're making THAT MUCH FUCKIN' MONEY, then they can afford to pay for THEIR OWN fuckin' protection! They don't need US to pay for it! Fuck, hire Blackwater for all I fuckin' care... just don't charge ME for it, on top of the gratuitously inflated prices I've been paying at the pump! ...greedy, filthy fuckin' shitwaffles!

FUCK THOSE BASTARDS!!! They don't NEED their “government assistance!”

Consider the health insurance companies... the executives are taking salaries in the TENS OF MILLIONS (and often HUNDREDS of millions), annually! Meanwhile, their companies keep raising rates, making it harder for average people and small businesses to afford quality health care for themselves and their employees...

Before Obamacare, those douchebags were perfectly happy to take YOUR hard-earned money and then FUCK YOU when you need your insurance! They were PLEASED to cancel policies on cancer patients, sick children, and anyone else who actually needed the services that they PAID FOR!!!

If that's the way they're going to operate, do they DESERVE to make those salaries? Their wages are LITERALLY paid in BLOOD MONEY! They're PERSONALLY responsible for the deaths of the people who they've denied coverage to! They should be BEHIND BARS for THOUSANDS of counts of NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE!!!

FUCK THOSE BASTARDS, TOO!!!

The list of abusive rich shitwaffles goes on and on, but the people who've been tricked by Atlas Shrugged seem to think that this is just fuckin' fine, because if the rich aren't coddled, then they'll abandon us and leave us high and dry; which is a TERRIFYING thought to them! Trust me, if such a thing occurred, it wouldn't be as bad as you think... we'd all be better off without those spoiled, narcissistic fucks! We don't fuckin' need 'em!

Therefore, Atlas Shrugged had it 180 degrees WRONG!!! WE are the makers, and THEY are the takers!!! WE made the shit and everything THEY need to MOVE IT; and THEY took what WE were due! On top of that, they don't even pay for the shit they use; like OUR roads, OUR emergency response personnel, and OUR utilities! The rest of us are subsidizing the rich with OUR tax dollars, and they just think they should be able to float along and let us HAND THEM all our fuckin' money because they think they're BETTER THAN US!!!

but somehow, the single mother working at Wal Mart who needs food stamps is the one that's seen as the villain... people who DON'T need the help are subsidized and left alone, while people who DO need the help are demonized and shamed for accepting the help they get...

Doesn't that just sound bass-ackward??? Well, you're right... IT IS!!!

I don't know about you all, but I'm FUCKIN' TIRED of coddling the rich!!! If they want to be coddled, let their fuckin' HELP do it! That's what they're PAID FOR!!! The rest of us shouldn't be subjected to their fuckin' abuse; but through THEIR control of OUR government, WE ALL ARE!!!

So, why do so many people buy into this Atlas Shrugged shit, if all it does is tell them how much better the rich are than the rest of us; including them? The answer is simple... Stockholm Syndrome! We've all been held hostage by the rich for so fuckin' long, that some people DO believe that the rich are better than us. Some people are tricked into believing that the rich are GODS, who must not be angered, so as to not to invoke their wrath. They end up siding with the rich because they believe that if they don't, bad things will happen and the rich will just squish us all like the bugs we are.

So they buy into this “every man for himself” bullshit, without considering the fact that we all live in a SOCIETY!

Let's look for a moment at the word 'society.' The word 'society' can be broken down into two parts: 'soc,' as in 'the people' (consider also, the word 'social'); and 'iety', meaning 'of the politic'... 'the politic of the people'... what does that mean?

In this case, the word 'politic' is not the term referencing government; it's the word meaning 'constructive order'. The phrase “the body politic”, for example, is in reference to the way all the different systems within the human body work together to make a fully physiologically functional person. This is the definition we're using here; only in reference to the way different PEOPLE function together to advance the common goal of survival and advancement of the species.

It means we all work together to build the world we live in. It means we all help each other out. If it's “every man for himself,” then we're NOT a society; we're a bunch of scavengers, fighting each other for our own selfish needs, right? Consider this... without society, we would have no roads, no police, no fire protection, no hospitals, no courts, and no central structure or infrastructure to build upon. These are things that benefit us ALL and therefore, would offer no benefit to the independent entrepreneur, because the independent entrepreneur would have no incentive to help anybody but themselves.

Because we all need to work together in order to accomplish the things we need to, we have a government to monitor, control, and procedurize all of the social constructs that we need! We all pay into society, because if everybody was trying to do these things on their own, it would be CHAOS. We would live in a constant state of civil war because the Hatfields and McCoys would always be at each other's throats over who can do what and where. Matters that are now settled in court would be settled with bullets, probably killing many more in the cross-fire.

Do YOU want to live like that? I don't think so... neither do I. Therefore, we have SOCIETY, and we have a government, which is supposed to collect taxes in order to conduct the business that addresses ALL of our needs.

The time has come to break the chains of your rich douchebag oppressors!!! The time has come to stop buying into this bullshit and tell them “FUCK YOU!!! You're NOT better than me!!! I'm not gonna let you fuck me ANYMORE!!!”

Those rich fucks are like an abusive husband, and it's time we all left them for the newer, better version 2.0! It's time we started relying on the rest of the people like US, and stopped handing them every fuckin' penny we make with our sweat and pay in taxes! If they're gonna fuck us and hold us hostage to their whims, then it's time to amputate that appendage! The Gangrene is spreading, and we have to cut it off before it gets worse!

Atlas Shrugged is nothing more than fear-mongering for the rich... it's designed to make people be afraid of their wealthy overlords... it's more about demeaning the poor than it's about empowering self-reliance!

If you want to read it, that's fine... it has cultural relevance, in that it HAS influenced society. From that standpoint; from the 'pop-culture' aspect, it might be worth looking at. But it shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a work of FICTION! It shouldn't define your entire world (like Paul Ryan says it does for him... I mean, if that's the philosophy he's running on, it's OBVIOUSLY bullshit!); nor should you let it impact your views of the poor OR the rich...

As I've repeatedly said in my short time writing here, the rich are NO FUCKIN' BETTER than any of the rest of us, and they don't need our fuckin' help!

The sooner we get that through our heads, the better off we'll all be!