All That Needs Help

The list of problems in the U.S. and on the earth is so very long, and you may continously add to the list, and, if someone were facing them with the idea of resolving them, one could begin to prioritize them, but even if there were enough sane and humane political forces to face those problems, action would be blocked in the U.S. as in most of the countries on earth. While we are called a "democracy," we too are under the thumb of one man whose power trumps the will of the people so that we do not truly have a democracy. To mention one issue: The collapse of the bridge in Minnesota is one sign of the deterioration of the neglected U.S. infrastructure, while, at the same time, we watch the U.S. occupation result in the destruction of the infrastructure of Iraq.






















Currently, as reported, Baghdad has had virtually no running water for days, while daily high temperatures have ranged from 115 to 120 degrees. There is not enough electricity to run Baghdad's water pumps. This in a country with vast energy resources. Meanwhile the U.S. is providing military aid to countries all around Iran that also oppress their populations just because the Bush regime thrives on paranoia. As usual, the "friends" they arm against one selected country, will later be the "enemies" we have provided arms to attack us. That the U.S. is paralyzed by the dictatorial powers of simple-minded George W. Bush -- while there is currently nothing that can alter that fact -- would seem to indicate that something major needs to happen to restore, or bring into being, a U.S. democracy. What is (are) the answer(s)? Impeachment of the president? Changing the constitution? Destroying the power of what Eisenhower called "the military-industrial-corporate complex."




















Finding a way to create free and undistorted sources of information? Elected officials are apparently unable to cure our sickening condition. Only a popular ground swell, demanding that there be a true democracy, will effect this change. Bless groups like Code Pink who refuse to be silent as only through many voices speaking out can we hope to lurch the insane machine of state out of its current fatal track. Will such movements not immediately be distorted by one political agenda or another? Would that Shirley Chisholm,





















running for president as a solitary woman among men, the single African-American among Euroamericans, could have been elected, as her message was simple and straightforward, that the work of politicians is simple -- Face practical problems -- Cut out the general political posturing and just see that the garbage is collected, that the infrastructure is kept in a condition that would make us an honorable and well-respected nation (If you can find a public restroom here, won't you want to avoid using it?), provide health care for all (as failing to do so is more expensive in the end), treat no-one as human garbage (the homeless), provide a living wage that presumes that "living" includes some notion of everyone enjoying a certain "quality of life," and remember that, while most people espouse a religion, they all seem to forget the principles of compassionate humanity that they learn there. In other words, eliminate hypocracy, and go ahead and look for a society that represents a sane and compassionate humanity. Do not admire the vicious and hate-filled. How does your view of the situation differ





















from mine? Will there ever possibly be a touchstone, a reminder, that could keep us on course? I am tempted to say that the only way we can remind ourselves that the only purpose of government is take care of our practical needs, to respect and keep healthy the earth that sustains us, and to fulfill the higher values we supposedly all believe in, is to avoid those who indulge in self-righteous bombast, and look for a simple description such as "We are the Take Out the Garbage Movement." A fine anthem for us would be Leonard Bernstein's "Make Our Garden Grow," perhaps creating a general chorus out of what is a combination of characters singing and a final chorus in his musical CANDIDE:

CANDIDE
You've been a fool and so have I,
But come and be my wife,
And let us try before we die
To make some sense of life.
We're neither pure nor wise nor good;
We'll do the best we know;
We'll build our house, and chop our wood,
And make our garden grow.
And make our garden grow.

CUNEGONDE
I thought the world was sugar-cake,
For so our master said;
But now I'll teach my hands to bake
Our loaf of daily bread.


CANDIDE and CUNEGONDE
We're neither pure nor wise nor good;
We'll do the best we know;
We'll build our house, and chop our wood,
And make our garden grow.
And make our garden grow.

PANGLOSS, MAXIMILIAN, OLD LADY, CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE, and GOVERNOR
Let dreamers dream what worlds they please;
Those Edens can't be found.
The sweetest flowers, the fairest trees
Are grown in solid ground.

ENTIRE COMPANY
We're neither pure nor wise nor good;
We'll do the best we know;
We'll build our house, and chop our wood,
And make our garden grow.
And make our garden grow.

I have received this information about U.S. obligation to deal with the collapse of the Iraqi infrastructure:

According to Article 55 of Geneva Conventions (1949) to which the U.S. government is a signatory: "To the fullest extent of the means available to it the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate."

Article 59 states: "If the whole or part of the population of an occupied territory is inadequately supplied, the Occupying Power shall agree to relief schemes on behalf of the said population, and shall facilitate them by all the means at its disposal."