The other day, I was watching a show on Discover Channel called "Preppers". It scared the daylights out of me. No, not because the people on it are nuts. Not even because a lot of it is unrealistic. It scared me because there is a show about it. According to Discovery Channel.. its a quite popular show. The fact that there IS a show says something about the current mind set of the general population. The general populace, to a certain degree, are all worried about things "hitting the fan".
And that my friends, is what I find so disturbing.
I remember when I was much younger and talking to my grandmother about raising children during the Great Depression. She told me her tales of rationing food, of doing without, of coming up with new ideas for making money, growing food or recycling things to help provide for her family. But never once did she talk about fear of the government.
As far as I can tell, at no point in recent history have we, the people, been so ... silenced and afraid... and ignored. The idea's that this country were founded on are being shaken to their foundations. We have ceased to be "we the people" anymore. The constitution is being torn assunder. We now seem to be "the people don't matter, only money talks".
Nothing made that clearer to me than an article I read today about Vermont and GMO's. Vermont, being a rather forward community, came up with a bill that would require that GMO foods be clearly listed on a product. Monsanto, the evil empire of GMO's..... did their typical disgusting bullying tactics. Despite overwhelming support from the population of Vermont as well as concerns about health risks, Vermont decided to put the bill on hold because Monsanto threatened them with a lawsuit. Not for the first time... Monsanto succeeding in suing several states to keep the people from knowing if milk was contaminated with growth hormones. And of course, because they are a corportion.. .they won.
I guess "we the people" no longer matter... only corporations do. And we are too stupid to make a decision for ourselves about if we want to eat something or not, or if our children should.
I felt the same anger and disgust while watching the oil companies testify to congress, when they said "if you cut our subsidies (despite billions of dollars their stock holders were getting in profits) we will cut our taps to you". Of course, they continue to get their subsidies.
Yet, in order to pay those subsidies, they cut funding for food, housing and medical care for our seniors, our disabled, our less fortunate.
We have a debt of 15 TRILLION.... yet all the things they want to cut are funding for things that benefit society as a whole, such as health care but not things that only give profit to the richest people, nor will they make the richest pay their fair share.
We have several states who are choosing not to teach science or health and even more who are trying put women back in their "place" as stupid breeding mares. We have the most hateful people preaching for the denial of human rights under the guise of "religion".
Voting doesn't seem to help either. So many of our people no longer study it, they only listen to the sound bytes. And besides, the Supreme Mugwumps agreed that corporations ARE the people and can fund anyone they want with as much money as they want... essentially making sure us "little people" have no voice.. its being drowned out by money. (Of course, they also decided these corporate "people" can not be held responsible for human rights violations.) Even our political parties.... When we finally get to the voting booth we have exactly 3 choices... this party, that party or not voting at all. We are forced to vote for the least evil.. not the best person for the job.
I understand those Preppers now. I can see why so many are looking at this country and world with such a feeling of hopelessness. The Vermont case shows us so clearly that it no longer matters what "we the people" want. These corporations are now so powerful they can dictate govermental laws... and have the money to threaten, harrass and buy off anyone who doesn't like it. Unless you are rich or in charge of a corporation, you just don't matter. I don't think there has been a time in recent history where we, the people, are so close to throwing in the towel because we are convinced, with good reason, that we are helpless and voiceless in the coming onslaught.
For the first time in my life... I am hearing words I only heard in history class: Revolution. Its frightening to me that so many people look at the situation and politics in this country and believe there is no other choice. That so many people have tried for so long the more pedestrian methods of change... and feel those things are just not going to get the job done anymore. So many people who feel that their voices fall on deaf ears. So many people who believe the constituion is only there now for the powerful to use it against the little people.. and only when its convienient for them.
The idea of Civil War in this country frightens me. They are never pretty. I joke with my friends about guillotines.. but in my heart I'm hoping for all I'm worth it doesn't come to that. But I can't help wonder: has it really gotten that bad? Has it gone so far that a civil war is inevitable? Has the tyranny of our corporations and idiots in goverment become so pervasive that there is no other way to fix this broken system?
The fact that some people think it is getting that bad should be scaring us all. Scary enough that "Prepping" has a TV show and that so many places, including Sam's Club, now sell "survival supplies" by the tons. I used to think those people were just paranoid. Then my husband reminded me "just because you're paranoid that there is an enemy behind every bush doesn't mean you are wrong.".
Our country is at a cross roads. I don't know what will happen, none of us do. I am hoping things can be brought back under control in a way that doesn't tear us apart. But more and more... I'm worried that it cant be without radical change. A radical change we won't get if we continue to let things go as they currently are.
As we wade in the the frightening waters of election year, I'm hoping for a miracle. That corporations will stop being greedy at the cost of human lives, that politicians will be granted common sense, that the most evil of politicians don't get their idea's put into law.
I fear that miracle will not happen, then where will we be? What will we do? Yes... I'm beginning to understand those Preppers. People who want nothing more than to survive if all hell breaks lose. I don't think I'm going to go by a shipping container to store things in. But perhaps stocking up on food while we can isn't such a bad idea after all.
How sad, how frightening... that we have come to this. How terrifying it is to our nation - how ashamed we should be... that we fear we the people no longer have the power that was granted to us at the founding of this nation. I never ever wanted to live in times where our future was so uncertain and our trust in our government so destroyed. I will continue hoping for a miracle. But I think I'll go invest in some food and medical supplies too. Just in case.