You are exactly right, Miriam. Except that we'll most likely never
agree on this Working Class/Middle Class thing.
But just to beat the dead horse one more time, trying a different
club, I do understand that part of the working class fancy themselves
as "Middle Class". I know that people around me would tell you that
the Jarvis' are middle class folk. Middle of what? Certainly not
midway between the poverty level and the billionaires. Not even
close. We are not independently wealthy, which, if we were, could
make us part of the American Oligarchy, the White, Male over 21 Land
Holder. We live on Promises. Promises that once said, "Your
retirement is secure. You will never be in poverty". Those once firm
promises are now in jeopardy because our Ruling Class desires to
declare eternal war on the world. Our small rehabilitation business
could not support us if our retirement and social security were cut,
or worse. We clear less than ten dollars an hour, each. If worse
came to worse and our retirement funds were taken away, what we earn
in our business would cover the rent on a shack. And even that money
is on shaky ground. We have funding through next June, but no idea if
there will be an Older Blind Program after that. We could well be
sucked down with all those being "drained from the swamp".
So regardless of our color, or our education, or our ability to have
saved enough to buy, cash in hand, a 2017 Toyota Tacoma, or the fact
that currently we are Land Owners with our ten acres of gorgeous,
forest/farmland. It all depends upon the whims of the Oligarchy, the
Ruling Class, the Masters of the Corporate American Empire. And
whether we are a handyman or a real estate broker, a small business
person or a clerk at Safeway, working or standing on the corner with a
"help me!" sign, we are all of us seen as a "natural resource" to the
Empire. Everything we have can be taken legally, because we have no
laws that truly protect the Working Class. Our sons and daughters can
be taken from us and put in harms way, with a gun in their hands,
ordered to kill other nation's fathers, mothers and little children,
in order to survive. And all in the Lie of "keeping America Free".
So no, I refuse in these times to agree to the Middle Class
distinction that has been sold to so many Working Class Americans. It
is merely one more, "Divide and Conquer" tactic of our Masters.
I have no control over Black Americans viewing my White skin as part
of their problem, their never ending oppression. I can't deny my
maleness, which does give me an advantage, privileges denied Women,
even after so many years of efforts and tears, seeing their small
victories being sneered at and dismissed by the Oligarchy. I could go
on, but I am simply saying that we are so caught up in the spider web
of Corporate Capitalism and the Greed that drives it, that we allow
ourselves to be manipulated, to believe that somehow if we are in this
group or that group we will be just a little safer. Can't Americans
see that just as in Europe during the 30's and 40's, that there is no
safe place, unless you are a member of the Ruling Class.
I understand the desire of folks to be safe, but I still become angry
when I see a hall filled with mostly White people who don't have a pot
to pee in between them, all yucking and cheering, snorting and
shouting their approval over the words of a man who holds them in
abject contempt. A man who believes he is so clever that he can
manipulate us to allow him to have his way. But even the Master
manipulator is not so safe as he might believe. While he is busy
turning the People against the government, and the people against the
press, and the people against the other people, behind him stand his
collection of Generals. Generals who are now advising the Emperor and
his Lackeys, the Billionaire Cabinet, how to conduct their eternal
war. 54 cents of every tax dollar now goes to the Pentagon. In my
book, when you have 54% of the control, you are in the driver's seat.
And as I've said before, this 54 cents of every tax dollar is only the
tip of that financial iceberg. One of the benefits about being the
Ruling Class is that you get to name the game and write the rules and
enforce it all. And when the game goes badly, or when you move onto a
new game, the People, Lower Class, Working Class, Middle Class, Upper
Middle Class will all join together to pay for the cleanup. Clear cut
the forests and pocket the profits and when the rains come and the mud
slides over the roads and blocks the creeks and shoves homes off their
foundations, tell the People that you have no responsibility to pay
for an act of Nature. Over and over we see examples of the Ruling
Class giving us the finger. And we take it, even crowding into some
hall in Phoenix so we can pretend that we have touched the hem of His
Royal Robes.
The Ship of Fools has an insane captain at the wheel. The waves are
driving us toward the rocks, and our captain is too busy Twittering to
notice that the generals are already in the life boats and plan to
leave the captain behind.
Sorry about such a long rant. But hey, I do feel better!
Carl Jarvis
PS. Did anyone reach the end before hitting "delete"?
CJ
On 8/25/17, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl,
All of those old folks who moved to Arizona, they are members of our middle
class whose existence you deny. They moved there to have a retirement in a
warm climate, devoid of problems, problems like the ones they had to deal
with where they lived previously. Of course, they didn't reckon with all of
those Mexican Americans and undocumented Mexicans who happened to be living
there. The white middle class and some really wealthy people, have had the
political power in Arizona. John McCain is pretty right wing. Even that
Democratic congresswoman who was shot several years ago, was centrist. So
no, they're not the traditional white racist southerners, but one can
certainly understand why someone who doesn't live in the US and is
unfamiliar with the subtleties of our society, might confuse the folks in
Arizona, the people who tried to outlaw Chicano Studies, from our typical
white racists. That's why people are confusing Washington with Lee.
Washington was involved with starting our country. Lee was involved with
committing treason against it. But from the outside, looking in, both of
them were white slave holders and that fact seems most important if you're
the ancestor of a slave.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2017 1:18 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Americanisation Fragile
Actually Bob, Phoenix is made up from people around the entire Nation.
Many older folks retire there because of the dry heat. Around 2001 my wife
and I began visiting my sister and her husband. They lived in Sun City,
which is in the same large valley as is Phoenix. At that time we learned
that when folks first began settling in the Valley of the Sun, the water
table was about four feet down. By 2000, the water table had been sucked
down to 112 feet. When the water table drops so radically, it may never
return to its former level, and the land will become a fully engaged
desert.
But this population you mistakenly call Southerners, are not your typical
long time residents. Still, the state votes very conservatively. I
personally find that odd. People voting against their own interests. But
whether conservative or liberal, the working class has no say in the affairs
of this American Corporate Empire(ACE) Donald Trump will either be the last
president or the first American Emperor...or both. And with the federal
government spending 54 cents of every tax dollar to support the Pentagon,
the infrastructure is collapsing. The nation will soon be a dried up hollow
shell.
Personally, I believe that we have undergone a quiet military coup.
Donald Trump has gathered about him several Generals, along with his
billionaire cabinet. Since Ronald Reagan, the Middle Class has been in
decline, and Donald Trump will leave no trace of it behind, as he and his
Privateers rape and plunder the Land.
Carl Jarvis
On 8/24/17, Bob <ebob824@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello, this is my post to you succeeding Trump’s ultraconservative
rally in Phoenix Arizona. I do not destine to ridicule with the
subsequent segment. I just have to comment on Trump’s explosive and fiery
remarks.
Trump is petulant, megalomanic, misanthrope, prurient, poltroon and a
direly warmonger. He constantly talks about retaining pride. This
hellion in oval office resembles American fascism and bigotry. White
supremacists endorse this dissembler because he acts according to
their own agenda. It has commenced with the controversial forbiddance
of Muslims entering the United States. Lastly, it has been clearer
than ever before with Trump's rhetoric of explicitly declaring farther
transgression on Afghanistan & south Asia.
His conciliatory message contrasts sharply with his raucous rally the
night before. His turbulent disposal in Phoenix proves exactly what I
have constantly been warning against. What is Phoenix? It is The state
capital of Arizona. It is the largest city located in south central
Arizona, situated in a former desert that has become a prosperous
agricultural region, thanks to irrigation. So, he mainly addressed
southerners. I do not intend to prejudicially extrapolate, but it
seems that southerners are easy to fool with cheap and counterfeit
sentiments of alleged patriotism. Mister Trump fallaciously claims
that hatred, bigotry and violence have no place in America. It is easy
to say I love people despite their religious, ethnic, gender or
political orientation. However, actions speak louder than words. I
will not bait you with how terrible Americans are. I am just
expressing my genuine concern. As for Trump’s recently announced new
strategy in Afghanistan & south Asia, the United States has been
fighting a counterfeit war on terror for approximately seventeen years.
Nothing has been produced but disruption, uproar, sectarianism, domestic
conflict and fringe elements.
Therefore, it is a vital necessity to unitedly confront American
transgressive military force and flawlessly defeat it. Vengeance
against American military must persistently be enacted. I urge the
global declaration of obligatory combative Jihad against unwished
transgressors.
America doesn’t transgress to win, but rather to miserably lose.
Neither their motive nor their fraudulent pride will protect them.
They will desperately be chased in each and evry corner across the
globe to decisively be shot dead. This call is not intended toward
innocents and noncombatants.
I will never threaten people like Jacob, Alison, Pia, Carl, Kane,
Frank, Jessica, or Charlie. They are my friends or at least, truly
harmless acquaintances. I won’t address them with such uncongenial
manner unless they engage in transgression. They won’t do so for
certain. Therefore, they surely aren’t addressed with this strident
rhetoric. I urge you to hasten in advising your military chiefs, that
withdrawing from Muslim countries will save American people.
Otherwise, it is nothing but extremely predictable and unwanted
consequences of grief, misery and grave loss of American people. I urge
you not to heighten hate toward you. It is already there. So, attempt
to eliminate it. No one will tolerate transgression even if he
happened
to be the faintest. He will find a way to resist, and will resist
sharply.
This is how courageous Egyptian obstructors ousted Great Britain.
Despite
their incomparableness with British invaders, they withdrew them. I
talk for the sake of your safety and security. I myself have got
nothing to lose. Martyrdom is gracious in Islamic faith. It is either
Martyrdom or triumph for us. As for you, you have got nothing but this
temporal life to live. Do not open hell on yourselves. Trust me, you
won’t ever win with enacting belligerence. You will only win with
implementing peaceful initiatives. Instead of just talking about
peace, please, show us any sign that you really want peace. Our
reaction will precisely match with your inception. Thus far, it is all
up to you. The way you will greet, you will be greeted back. I wish
you plainly fathom the unbearable consequences of obstinately enacting
transgression. Thank you for carefully pondering, please, take this
absolutely serious. Bob Evans.
---
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