You know what I hate? Going to the beach on a hot day and baking in the sun. You see the Sun has a funny way of defying every maneuver I make with my flimsy umbrella to shield myself from its searing heat that creeps ever closer towards me. As sweat pours through my blistered pores, each and every solar radiated fibre in my body screams ‘Help! I’m burning up!’ The grievous cacophony of cellular shrieking overwhelms me so … that I just lay there and allow sunstroke to set in.

So that’s what I hate. Unfortunately, it’s only a metaphor for what really has been bothering me lately: life overload. And trust me, I’m completely and utterly fried!

It seems I’ve reached a point where I’m just too ‘outraged’ about everything that, although I want to write, I just don’t know where to begin. Each day that passes I become more and more burdened with the weight of the world, not to mention my own personal ills and frustrations, that all I can manage to do is simply tread water to prevent myself from going under … and I must confess, I’m not a very good swimmer! As I mentioned in my last post, I like to think of myself as more of a Bohemian by nature. Alas, I’ve become a twittering outraged Bohemian.

The perversity of my predicament is that, for ‘not such’ a strange reason, I’ve become addicted to this state of adversity … indeed almost self-righteous about it! Why you ask? For the simple reason that for all my flailing about, I have found a voice … my own.

You see, ever since ‘I don’t know when’, I’ve been hooked on Twitter. If you’re a follower of mine, perhaps you’ve noticed I’ve gone from “here’s some news” mode to “Live! From My Soapbox” mode. A while back, someone clever told me “if you want your voice to be heard you need to get in there and start talking!” And, so I have.

However, my reason for doing so has far less to do with hearing the sound of my own voice, and far more to do with my speaking … ok, ok, my raging on about things that I believe matter. And, never let it be said that I’m not a man of my own convictions! Yes, I care greatly about a great many issues and causes. In fact, the older I get, the more I care. So when I write about the weight of the world getting me down, it’s true – and in regards to more than one continent!

In the USA (where I was born & bred):

• Shooting sprees and out of control gun violence.
• Zero commitment to supporting Free Speech, Privacy Rights, Human Rights.
• You need a permit to step into a ‘Free Speech Zone’ to speak your mind.
• An institutionalization of Police Brutality and Racial Profiling.
• Lack of guaranteed health-care for all.
• Uncle Sam caters to the interests, influence and power of ‘Big Business’ more than it does to the real life needs of its citizens.
• The reality that the elite 1% is all that really matters. Ask Mitt Romney, he’ll tell you!
• It really doesn’t make a difference which party is in office; US foreign policy is dictated by multinational business conglomerates and the oil industry.
• Drones (see above), especially for domestic use.
• Far too many Americans have no clue what is happening outside the USA and rely solely on the elite controlled main stream media (MSM). Yes, Fox News is nothing more than Faux News. Really.
• TeaBaggers and Libertarians don’t understand their organization are wholly owned subsidiaries of the GOP. Denial is everywhere.
• Censorship still exists. Hypocrisy is all the rage.
• The new gospel is whatever is advertised on TV.
• Those who disagree with you are labeled ‘commies’ or ‘anarchists’.
• Judd Jugmonger still thinks Sarah Palin is ‘hot’.

In Greece (where I’m currently eating but not making any bread):

• Extremism, particularly in terms of racism, is increasingly rampant. No one cares because of self-interest.
• Everyone knows the truth of the ineptness of the country’s political system. No one cares because of self-interest.
• The usual gang of suspects are still in power after screwing the country into the ground. No one cares because of self-interest’.
• History lessons are never learned. No one cares because of self-interest. See 1930’s Germany. See World War II.
• Neo-Nazis (Golden Dawn) are in the parliament. No one cares because of self-interest.
• The Greek MSM is completely controlled by the state, which is controlled by the elite. Censorship is rampant, especially with regards to news that may embarrass Greece. Citizens rely on political ‘rags’ for the news.
• Parroting politicians, priests and celebrities has become a cultural pastime.
• Hypocrisy is all the rage and brown-nosing an art.
• Denial is everywhere on all levels and in all sectors. Those who are not afraid to speak the truth are labeled ‘traitors’ or ‘anarchists’.

Truthfully, there are more issues I can shake a stick at, any number of which will ruffle my feathers and scorch my bottom on any given day. What I have learned in the process is that for all this talk about ‘Free Speech’, there are obviously those that will go to great lengths to shut you up and shut you down.

While some might admonish me to ‘keep a low profile’ or ‘hold my tongue’, my own sense of indignation tells me to defy the expectations of those whose brainwashing and fear-mongering tactics have so obviously failed. Sorry, if I refuse to conform; get over it. And, might I add that shouting louder is no way to silence me or anyone else.

There are others like me who also have voices, and they are denigrated each and everyday for no good reason … except that they are non-conformists. They, too, are tired of the rat race and of a life sucking ‘establishment’ in which the 99% are enslaved. What? You haven’t read George Orwell’s 1984? You think I’m kidding?

Here’s an example: follow the news and you will see how the MSM is trying it’s best to ‘put down’ the Occupy (Wall Street or otherwise) movement. That’s right, it’s the same old “Move along folks – Nothing to see here – Keep moving” mentality. Further into the maze you are pushed; a lamb led to the slaughter.

Time to wake up, folks. To me ‘Occupy‘ has never been about a movement, it’s been about YOU taking control of YOUR life. Its focus may be about railing against those such as Wall Street ‘Banksters’, Big Business and the ‘Powers That Be’ – all of whom that have usurped power from you over your own lives.

You don’t like what I have to say? Sue me. I’m not a diplomat. I’m not paid to be one and I have no vested interest in being one. I’m just a guy using his voice – as is his right to do so. I encourage you to do the same!

——————————-

Note: The first and last images are posters that may be downloaded, along with others, at:

• http://www.occupytogether.org/spreadtheword/

 

Required Reading:

What the heck has occupy done so far?

•  http://whattheheckhasoccupydonesofar.com/

Amnesty International Report:  Greece: Police violence in Greece: Not just ‘isolated incidents’

• http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR25/005/2012/en/edbf2deb-ae15-4409-b9ee-ee6c62b3f32b/eur250052012en.pdf

The ‘Occupied’ Wall Street Journal

• http://occupiedmedia.us/

‘Occupied’ Chicago Tribune

• http://occupiedchicagotribune.org/

Occupied Stories: First person news from the Occupied Movement

• http://occupiedstories.com/

 

Suggested Reading: