Whatever is liminal, or emerging –arts, culture, society, spirituality
politics
Tea Party/OWS Meeting of Minds
Dec 10th
Only a few weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about the need for a new coalition. This was in reference to the internet censorship bill that’s currently threatening us. however, it certainly has far broader implications.
Now, here’s a YouTube video about a meeting between Tea Party and OWS members. This isn’t much in itself, but it could be the beginning of something important. As the commentary states, the system tries to keep people separated by ideology, mainly on trivial issues.
Perhaps not all of the issues are trivial -many are rooted in culture, subculture, religion and other such areas. However, that doesn’t mean that the two groups cannot find important common ground. The fact is, if radical elements of the left and right, along with libertarian and greens, could put aside some of their differences, a truly momentous movement could emerge.
Lawful Rebellion and Common Law
Mar 13th
The video below was uploaded by someone named Ron, whose YouTube channel I recently discovered. I recommend checking out many of his videos if you’re interested in keeping up with the current changes and the emerging new paradigm.
The topic is a statement released in the U.K. about “Lawful Rebellion” and how people are starting to rebel against the conventional laws, banking system and other institutions. This is not merely another tirade against the New World Order (though that is mentioned), but actually brings up an important subject having to do with Common Law. While this document refers to the government of England, it’s universally relevant.
This subject is fundamentally relevant to the economic and political situation of the world today. If we recognize that our freedom and sovereignty is grounded in common law, we realize that we’re not obligated to follow laws that are in violation of these principles. The Founding Fathers of the United States, despite their serious shortcomings and contradictions (e.g. slavery, the treatment of Native Americans) intended to found the nation on principles of individual sovereignty, which, as the document on lawful rebellion describes, goes back many centuries in Great Britain.
This is, incidentally, also related to something called the Informed Jury Movement, which points out that when you serve on a jury you have a right, we might even say an obligation, to consider the validity of the law itself, not only the particular case in question.
The fact that we are seeing political unrest in so many places right now suggests that we may be on the verge of a worldwide movement grounded in a true recognition of our inalienable rights.
Ron Paul vs. Stephen Baldwin on Marijuana Legalization
Mar 14th
This video is from the Larry King show, where Ron Paul, the libertarian Republican congressman and presidential candidate debates neo-con actor Stephen Baldwin on the issue of legalizing marijuana.
It’s hard to think of an issue that more blatantly exposes the failure and absurdity of the war on drugs. As Ron Paul points out, the war on drugs is similar to the prohibition on alcohol, which resulted in organized crime controlling that industry.
Marijuana would be very inexpensive without the laws against it, so the only people who profit from prohibition are drug dealers and the prison industry.
To me, the idea of making something that grows in nature illegal is inherently ridiculous, and reveals the basically artificial and arbitrary nature of governments and laws in general.
Plus ca change?
Mar 1st
More of the same amidst Obama’s “Change”
Does Obama really represent a radical break from the past? Only time will tell, but so far certain things are not very different. I find it interesting how the news keeps reporting about missile strikes in Pakistan almost as if they were a natural phenomenon, like the weather, independent of Obama or the U.S. government.
Another thing to remember is that “Obama’s” idea to take troops out of Iraq and put more in Afghanistan was already the direction that Bush was moving in. If the status quo is a variation on the Orwellian plan of permanent warfare that is always shifting – “Now we are at war with Oceania” -so far Obama hasn’t done much to change this.
