On the Eve of Election Day

[Velokid1]

So anyway, I don't know about you folks but I've got the Primaries on my mind this evening, the eve of Election Day. I've been reading and listening to things and people all day long today who are true patriotic American heros, getting fired up for tomorrow and generally trying my hardest to realize why I love the United States.

Now when I say "heros" and "patriots," keep in mind that I'm not talking about any close-minded, bigoted, short-sighted, itchy trigger finger, money hungry ADD attention span, ladder-climbing a**hole like George Bush or the rest of the Bush Cartel. I'm not talking about the chest-beating types whose idea of being a "patriot" is to let your fear turn you into an insensitive, ignorant bunghole with a 4' long American flag glued to the back of your big ugly truck.

I'm talking about heros. True patriots. The Good Guys. The kinda people you want your 5 yr old son or daughter to grow up to be like.

People who understand the true value of the Constitution because they've lived on the shit end of the stick that is society, where our constitutional rights are sometimes the only thing that stands between your family and death, or between you and your freedom.

See, I'm talking about Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Tim O'Brien, Abby Hoffman, Leonard Bernstein, John Stewart, Bill Hicks... and yes, Woody Guthrie. Folks who so often have had their words and actions twisted to make it seem that they are the enemies when the truth is that they are prophets - true patriots- people who risk it all to speak out and stand up for their country, for the Average Joes, Mother Nature, Love and Kindness. People whose resolve is even harder than their fists and whose hearts are bigger than their rifles.

It's so f'in easy to stand up for what you believe in when what you believe in is the Almighty Dollar and your bank account is stuffed full of 'em... when you're sitting behind a desk in Washington or on your electric toilet seat onboard Air Force One playing like you're the Wizard of Oz.

But it ain't so easy when you're 22 years old, newlywed and have your first-born back at home in the States still suckling its mother and you're up Shit Creek in the middle of the f'in desert 8,000 miles from home with a bunch of other sweaty, confused, scared kids staring down the barrel of a machine gun every day for no good reason.

For no damn good reason. And you know it. And the other soldiers know it. And the officers all know it. And you all know damn well that the President knows it. And you're sitting over there, cut off from the real news wondering what the hell's going on.

And most of all, you wonder why isn't anybody back home doing anything about it? They too busy with making dinner or raking leaves or seeing the latest Borat movie? Why aren't they raising hell each night instead of raising their feet, turning on the TV and pretending to care?

So anyway, you get the point. Tomorrow is one of the very best times for all of us to prove to the world, to each other, to the troops, to the suffering Iraqi citizens and the hundreds of thousands of children over there who have watched their parents get blown to bits for driving past a checkpoint, that we give a shit.

I don't know about you all but I'm looking forward to standing in line tomorrow.

Come back Woody Guthrie, indeed.


Here's something I was listening to earlier tonight. A tune Steve Earle wrote the night after the 2000 elections, as we all stood staring at the TV with our jaws on the floor, wondering. And worrying.

They took it from us. Let's take it back. And show them how it's supposed to be done. I have a feeling that come Wednesday morning the conservative cartel that's overrun our country is gonna be phonin' each other saying, "Folks, I think we have a problem." :wicked::t-up:

And if that doesn't happen, well folks, we have a bigger problem than any of us can even begin to comprehend.

Christmas in Washington
Steve Earle

It's Christmastime in Washington.
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Of things not gettin' worse.
The Republicans drank whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars.
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
There'll be no more FDRs'
I sat home in Tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And I'm wonderin' what it means

So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now

I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere I failed to find your trail
Now I'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So I sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now I'm stuck here in this town

There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and Cisco know
It's going straight to hell

So come back, Emma Goldman
Rise up, old Joe Hill
The barracades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, Malcolm X
And Martin Luther King
We're marching into Selma
As the bells of freedom ring

[Velokid1]

As I read this this AM, I'm struck by one thought. And that thought is that about ten days ago we threw a Halloween party during which an older lady drank two fifths of vodka and almost died on my living room floor. And yet alcohol is legal while cannabis is not... with alcohol you get ruined lives and dead people and yet with weed, the worst you get is rambling like I did last night!

[steve74baywin]

As I read this this AM, I'm struck by one thought. And that thought is that about ten days ago we threw a Halloween party during which an older lady drank two fifths of vodka and almost died on my living room floor. And yet alcohol is legal while cannabis is not... with alcohol you get ruined lives and dead people and yet with weed, the worst you get is rambling like I did last night!

BTW, good post, I read it, just didn't have anything to say at that time.

Other than all the reasons Jack Herer discovered as to why they made it illegal, I have my own original thought.
I got my thoughts from several findings I learned about..
1) Cannabis' worse problem is temp short term memory loss and it does the same thing a natural chemical does in the brain to help us forget bad things. But main emphasis on short term memory loss.
2) Programming, propaganda as done alot lately, IE, for this war or with the Terrorist...Defense for Iraq "Remember 911"...These subtle message that so many adopted, but now we see as bogus,,,,had a really hard time sticking in the minds of someone who uses Cannabis....
In other words, getting everyone on the same page through carefully planned statements in the media just doesn't work that well when you got the "short term memory" thing going on.

[Velokid1]

Steve, I like that theory but the problem with it is that I watch/read the news pretty objectively and feel like I see through the B.S. and yet I only toke 1-2x per week. I guess I spend about 6 hours out of every 168 hours stoned.

I value cannabis and other mind-altering drugs for their ability to alter our perspective, rather than to prevent us from experiencing the stimuli that come at us while under the influence. Once you experience a drug taking your supposedly rock-solid perspective of what constitute's reality and bending and twisting it, turning it around and upside down so you can see all sides of it, you are almost instantly taught one of life's most vital lessons (IMO), which is: Perspective is everything.

One of Rumsfeld's biggest challenges as a human being is that he is so obviously incapable of putting himself in another person's shoes. He lives in one rock solid reality that he assumes is the reality of everyone and everything in the Universe.

The conservatives call that "resolve." I call it ignorance and find it pitiful.

[DjEep]

I value cannabis and other mind-altering drugs for their ability to alter our perspective, rather than to prevent us from experiencing the stimuli that come at us while under the influence. Once you experience a drug taking your supposedly rock-solid perspective of what constitute's reality and bending and twisting it, turning it around and upside down so you can see all sides of it, you are almost instantly taught one of life's most vital lessons (IMO), which is: Perspective is everything.

One of Rumsfeld's biggest challenges as a human being is that he is so obviously incapable of putting himself in another person's shoes. He lives in one rock solid reality that he assumes is the reality of everyone and everything in the Universe.

The conservatives call that "resolve." I call it ignorance and find it pitiful.

=D> =D> =D>

[Amskeptic]

You Go Greg

We don't have much time to illuminate the difference between human passion and horrid passion.
Colin

[dingo]

well said Velo....nothin more to add...you done said it.

[steve74baywin]

Steve, I like that theory but the problem with it is that I watch/read the news pretty objectively and feel like I see through the B.S. and yet I only toke 1-2x per week.

That might be all it takes.
Also noticed how those who don't watch TV aren't as deceived.

[DjEep]

I treat TV like bubble gum...

[LiveonJG]

Cannabis' worse problem is temp short term memory loss

Cannabis' worse problem is temp short term memory loss

Cannabis' worse problem is temp short term memory loss

Damn I can't remember what I was going to say. Anyone have any gum?
-John

[glasseye]

Or, as Apple Marketing says, "Think Different". That's why I enjoy the herb.

[DjEep]

This reminds me of the only project I ever got an "A+" on after about 8th grade was a 10th grade history project in which we had to invent and explain our own society. My group's society's origin was a massive, aerosolized release of LSD across the Lower 48, followed by a period of mass confusion and death, and then the flowering of a utopian society built by those with minds nimble enough to survive the massive initial dose.

Meanwhile, how's that election going?

[Elwood]

Or, as Apple Marketing says, "Think Different". That's why I enjoy the herb.

Me two-too - 2- II- and so on and so forth~ place and time~ fun and music needed.

[Velokid1]

Meanwhile, how's that election going?

Well, cannabis users didn't fare too well in NV or CO, but reasonable folks everywhere have prevailed by handing over the House to the bleeding hearts!

"Uh, Carl. Daddy wanted me to call ya and tell ya we have a problem. Yeah, seems all the damn sheep are wakin' up and it's time we buried that Constitraption once and for all... yeah, Constitution, that's what I said, Rovie... anyway, we're on conference call, by the way... Osama, you still awake brother?..."

[hambone]

I love that post Greg and I love Woody Guthrie. "Bound for Glory" is one of my favorite books.
Woody stood up for people even before the word liberal was invented, then made ugly. Yes, we need that sort of thinking again. A distraction from comfort and the almighty dollar, but will the numbed masses even listen? Maybe the soft polyesther rug needs to be pulled out first?