Inaugural Post – Kickin’ it manifesto style

I've procrastinated for quite some time with regard to starting a weblog. One reason why is my concern that I will not have enough time to devote to it since infrequent posting or simple troll-like linking to another’s work is not going to do anyone any good. There are plenty of smart, progressive bloggers out there and I usually find myself reading them, to the point where my ‘spare’ time has passed.

But lately, I’ve found it very difficult to resist the urge to put fingers to keys. I’m very disturbed with the current state of the world and can’t say that I am very optimistic. Many of the problems we face should be plainly evident for they are the same as we’ve had since before the rise of civilization. With the development of human society the scale only increased until today, as a species, we face myriad challenges to our individual and collective existence. Conflict and suffering seem to be inescapable aspects of our condition but I think otherwise. In this space I intend to examine the issues we face through the lens of my political philosophy.

Where we stand now is not a matter for debate. Where we go must be in a direction toward a sustainable future for all the Earth’s inhabitants. We cannot find that direction without a rational perspective, one that leaves traditionalism and nationalism behind.

For our part in the U.S. we have to accept our share of the blame, historically and presently. The ‘absolve America first’ crowd would have you believe that we are simply reacting to the evil-doers in the world as a means of survival. Their arguments are hollow. We’ve clearly been playing the ‘grand game’ for more than a hundred years, as other nations have played for centuries. The U.S. may have largely avoided the consequences, aside from the events of 11 September, but I don’t foresee it lasting too much longer.

It is, in my opinion, impossible to counter the fact that the current administration is the most contemptible and incompetent in our history, run by crass ideologues and staffed by apparatchiks. The damage they’ve done has deepened the darkness. Money and corporate power corrupt a system which is, in theory at least, very elegant. A huge number of people either don’t vote or are led into voting against their own interests. The NeoCons will not save us.

Worldwide, religious extremism is increasing in intensity and furthering the division of humanity. No religious tradition is guiltless but it is plainly obvious among the more fanatical and backward elements in Islam. I think it is high time we move away from supernaturalism. No sky god will save us.

The environment is under siege and few seem to care enough to do anything about it. It is the human race that will suffer with the collapse of a habitable world. Largely we’ve lost any understanding of the interconnectedness of life. We’re not thinking about seven generations. I once asked a ‘conservative’ co-worker how far he would consider the impact of his actions. Not beyond the lives of his children was his answer. These days, the powers that be are not looking beyond the next fiscal quarter. The market will not save us.

My hope in doing this is to be a part of a change in the human perspective, a rather ambitious goal I admit. The reference in my propositum to a Second Enlightenment is half-joking but I do think it will take another grand movement forward in the evolution of thought if we are to have much of a future. It may seem hyperbolic but I think the only way to see it accomplished is through human interaction and the free flow of ideas on the internet. Corporate media is a dense filter.

My future posts will elaborate a bit more on issues and solutions as I see them and will cover the broad topics of politics and religion (my favorite subjects). Of course, I will also comment on other blog entries, articles, and other online resources or books I’m reading. As ongoing projects, I will “spotlight” (thanks to Bill “you will be spotlighted” O’Reilly for techniques on demonizing) the Way of the Mendacious, Answers in Genesis crowd, the Bush-Cheney Administration, NeoCons and other evil-doers.

I remain,

one pissed off cracker


About me:

White Anglo-Saxon atheist; born in Memphis and currently residing in Houston, by way of Philadelphia. I’m happily married, mostly, to a lovely woman who was born in Baghdad and lived briefly in England. We have two wonderful boys one is four the other eleven months. I have a B.S. in Geography (Cartography) with a minor in Geology but also took a good deal of classical Greek & political science. I work in the telecom sector doing wireless site development.