countdown to the new year

2012 kicked my ass...i almost prayed that the mayans got it right...i sincerely hope that 2013 is better...going into the winter solstice yuletide season, i am not in a festive mood- as i suspect many aren't...i have been plagued by allergies that are aggravated by the weather change and haven't gotten better and my entire life has been turned upside down by my family...many stressors from many angles and i hope to start knocking some of them off this coming year...

there were moments of positivity though- i had a small harvest from the backyard this summer and am looking forward to next season as even better...i am ending the year on a more creative note- many crochet plans and minor home renovations and redecoration plans on the horizon...

life isn't perfect and some years are better than others...i can only look ahead and hope that the future isn't as bleak as it seems to be shaping up for...

happy winter solstice and a happy new year....

just my thought...

i have nothing against veterans...in fact, i am very vocal in demanding actual support for returning military personnel as well as veterans...i believe that it is shameful that we, as a country, put them in battle and then say 'fuck 'em' when they come home...they deserve to be paid properly and they deserve top of the line health care- mental as well as physical...

i am against the glorification of the military though...the 'freedom isn't free' bullshit really wears on my last nerve...the last time i checked- we were the ones starting shit around the world- from the 'korean conflict' to the present day iraq and afghanistan...these battles don't keep us free- they keep us in debt and they kill our precious men and women...the military doesn't keep us free- they keep the war profiteers rich at their expense...

the people who keep us free and who have fought for our freedom have been ordinary citizens- and yes, military personnel have joined them- who have put their lives on the line in order to fight for the civil liberties that we all take for granted...the citizens who fought to end slavery in the 19th century and the women who fought for our gender's right to simply vote; the blacks and whites who worked together to end lynching and for the right for black men and women to vote safely; the lgbt folks and their allies who are continuing the fight for marriage equality- and the occupy movement and the civil liberties union who are on the front lines daily fighting to keep our constitution taped together...

i am certainly not taking anything away from veterans' day- the folks who fought these battles deserve the honor and recognition- but i think that we need to be honest with ourselves and know that we flag wave and give kudos to the military out of guilt and not pride...

clarion call

this may come as a complete surprise to some- perhaps not- but i am a patriot...yep...i am old fashioned and follow the traditions of my family and i believe that the idea of america can be realized...in short, if you didn't know better, you might think i was a republican...they firmly believe that democrats are liberal heathens who don't give a damn about god and country and believe that they have cornered the market on patriotism and traditional values...

i am here to say YOU ARE WRONG....

what we sane folks need to start doing is actually voicing those words- YOU ARE WRONG...because the republican party is wrong...people who vote republican or libertarian are wrong...now, i know i'll take a wrath of shit for that- but it's true...

consider the right wing platform:

make the rich richer
take away any and all safety nets
take away affordable health care
take away women's rights
take away worker's rights
steal elections through voter suppression and fraud
take away civil liberties
deregulate, privatize and put profits over people every time
marginalize and discriminate against women, non whites and gays

the right in this country are at war- they are at war with the rest of us...anyone who doesn't lock step with their ideology...we cannot continue to allow them to 'agree to disagree' it is far too late for that...i am not being melodramatic i am speaking the truth...one only has to listen to the propaganda from the media- not just fox noise- or watch a network tv show thinly disguised but propaganda too...one only has to listen or read comments by republican voters who buy into the rhetoric...

it is not enough to vote...the right is taking over state and local governments through stealing elections and redistricting and they are passing restrictive laws against women and other minorities...they are passing shoot to kill gun laws, open carry and concealed carry laws...the corporates have their own security forces...the militias are traditionally rightwing hate groups and even the bible thumpers have their soldiers for jesus...

seriously- folks....putting your heads in the sand doesn't make the problem go away and neither does one election...these people have been fighting the rest of us for over 30 years....they have set aside their guerilla tactics and are openly engaging and we sit back and take it...it won't be over in one battle or 10- we must always be vigilant because the moment we don't take these folks seriously- this country is done...and we are close to it now...

so- i will say- if you vote for any right wing party- you are wrong...you are a selfish, paranoid, fearful, racist, misogynistic, homophobic bigot who only cares about profit over people- and you are wrong...