SWAMI’S DICTIONARY: Mass-Debating - The habit we have of endlessly arguing instead of having a loving intercourse where we produce a beautiful brainchild together. —Swami Beyondananda
Today is the Presidential debate we’ve all been looking forward to – or dreading – and we have a REAL choice as to how we watch it. You can watch on CNN of course, or you can watch that same debate, only including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his “radical” (meaning, “getting to the root”) view of what ails America and how we can fix it. (Details below.)
Speaking of “radicals”, here’s a quote from one of America’s “founding radicals”, Thomas Jefferson: “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”
Like most “trite and true” clichés, it may be trite but it’s also true.
As political “discourse” has devolved into bi-polar insanity, and (anti) social media algorithms amp up and exaggerate the culture wars, what has gotten lost is the essential interest of the American people in having a trustworthy governance that uses our differences to help us move forward together for mutual benefit. You may remember that phrase in the Preamble to the Constitution, “promote the general Welfare.” That’s not about government “taking care of us”, but about government being on the side of the people, and our well-being.
My colleague, transpartisan pioneer Joseph McCormick, came up with a pertinent phrase, something that will help we the people “deserve” better government:
Who’s in charge of who’s in charge?
Above and beyond the puppet show theater we are diverted to watch, who or what is “behind the curtain?”
This is a forbidden conversation, which is why CNN (and the financial interests that keep it afloat) cannot afford to have someone like RFK, Jr. breaking the trance of separation and messing up their narrative. The most tragic thing of all is that “we the people” have collectively (if subconsciously) accepted that we are ultimately powerless. Consequently, we spend our energy, money, attention and political capital in the “blame and complain” mode. When the Titanic goes down, we can point to the other side and say, “they did it.”
And they can do the same.
I’ve used this unfunny joke before and it applies here. We have become way more politically active. Instead of merely rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, we’re now throwing them at each other.
So, yes. Sadly true, and truly sad – we the people have “earned” the government we have.
We’ve enabled the dysfunction by allowing ourselves to be drawn onto the battlefield of one against the other, to the detriment of all. We have avoided confronting official lies and perpetrations to the point where a pathological liar can step on to the stage and proclaim himself as more honest because at least he is telling the truth about lying.
We have allowed and enabled official lies by accepting the Orwellian censorship of “mal-information” – information that is factually accurate but contradicts the “official” narrative. That so many of my progressive co-hearts have accepted this atrocity without protest makes me wonder what that Free Speech movement 60 years ago was about.
Everyone I speak with – regardless of which “side” they find themselves on – have a similar longing to work together rather than endlessly and fruitlessly fighting one another. Most also, sadly, feel helpless and hopeless, about anything changing – a sure-fire guarantee that things will continue staying the same or getting worse, until that inevitable trainwreck, where we will lose both the blessings of freedom and the comfort of security.
So, I am inviting you to engage in one courageous act, that will cost you nothing.
Regardless of who you plan to vote for – or against – in November, give yourself the opportunity to peek behind the “irony curtain” and hear Bobby out. You may agree or disagree or both, but his right to be heard represents YOUR right to be heard – and not just “herded” by the acceptable, polarizing and ultimately deadly acquiescence to “well I guess that’s just how things are.”
If you’re ready to step beyond defaulting to a “lesser evil” and instead work for a greater good, please tune into this program later today.
https://www.therealdebate.com/
6-9 pm PT / 9 pm – midnight ET
Yours in evolutionary upwising,
Steve Bhaerman
Thanks for sharing Zoe ... compared to the other two bozos on the "official" debate stage, we finally have an "adult" in the room -- in contrast with the "adulterer" and the "adulterated."
https://youtu.be/guw1fLJs5EY?si=4Woo-H7Iu0n0JXgv