Finding hope on the street

 

Keep moving folks, nothing to see here. There is no democracy in America.

We've got neo-feudalism.

We have a nation that is owned and run by corporate oligarchs who long ago captured all the relevant governmental agency decision making processes.

Our wealth-poverty divide is growing dramatically every day.

Yesterday I was out on the street again in Brunswick, Maine for an hour as I've done almost each Thursday for the last 16 months. Also every Friday I do the same at the weekly PeaceWorks vigil (on-going since 9-11) in town.

I hold signs that read 'No war with Russia, Stop NATO, or 'No more $$$$ for Ukraine - $160 billion so far'. 

Brunswick is a 'liberal Democrat' run town. Those driving by during my weekly vigil reflect that reality. They are mostly brainwashed by their loyalty to their political party which has been running this Ukraine operation since the Obama-Biden orchestrated coup d'état in Kiev in 2014. They mostly have swallowed the 'blame Russia' mantra.

It's surprisingly not much different here in Maine than it was during my 30 years in conservative central and north Florida. While out on the street during those years standing for peace the reaction was oh so similar to what I get today.

It goes to show that the American people are thoroughly manipulated and lobotomized. Of course about 20% are different but the vast majority just regurgitate what they hear on corporate media, in school, in the military and at church. 

The constant media commercials paid for by big Pharma, the MIC, the banksters and the companies that try to feed us a poisonous diet do have an impact on all of us. I've swallowed a ton of BS during my life. More times than I care to recall.

Often I get comments on my Fazebook page calling me a Putin-ista or the equivalent.  Those comments largely come from North Americans. 

In the counter on this blog I get a daily list of the nations from which readers come. Historically the majority of the hits come from overseas as people in those nations have little trouble (with the exception of Europe these days) when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff. 

Americans are hung up on believing the daily dose of crap they are fed from the likes of NPR, MSNBC, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, etc. They fear their social circles will reject them or they might even lose their job if they don't go along with the corporate narrative. They essentially hand over the decision making about their own children and grankids future because they fear being judged in public. 

So as people like to say in America, they 'stick to their guns'. In other words they do as they have been told by 'authority'.

I am truly thankful though to the few Americans who honk, wave or flash peace signs while I am standing on the street. It gives me the courage to return again and again. I can see the appreciation in the expressions of those people who give positive acknowledgement. They don't feel so alone when they see us on the street. It feels good to be connected to those passing by even if we don't really know each other.

Thanks to you thinking and caring people.

And thanks to you blog readers too - no matter from where you come from.

Bruce