Moral injury - it happens to most of us

You asked,
How do we sustain and enhance our highest values at a time when lies,
violence and cruelty seem to underlie most short and long-term
policy decisions that impact our lives?

In other words
How do we live in a fascist state?

Do we remain silent?
Afraid
cowering
in the shadows?

Counting our pennies
hoping for a jackpot
a lottery win
so we can escape
to a Pacific island
(forget that,
they're going underwater)

Those harsh words
cutting us deeply
as children
were laying
the groundwork
for the brown shirts,
this time
they wear custom made
suits on Wall Street
they hire the unemployed
to do the killing
for them

We look for healing
not easy to find
in a capitalist 'paradise'
where hearts slam shut
at an early age
blistered and battered
by the dog eat dog
culture called 'freedom'

It's a fantasy

So we must fly
on the wings of truth
into the arms
of those who love
with warm hearts
and kind smiles

a strength that
we've seldom seen
in our days

We must embrace
an active love
and justice
to defeat
the bitter present

Bruce