History indicates that indifference to the plight of others today will doom your own to a similar fate tomorrow. All of humanity is far more connected than we wish to admit despite any man-made barriers that society has constructed. -ELW

We are in an era where foolishness is treated as if it were a valid viewpoint for viewer market share, intellectual sloth and insensitivity are running rampant, spewing lies and hatred is met with howls of approval and labeled by some as telling the truth, and stating the patently obvious is celebrated as if it were a deep revelation. Already turned in my cable boxes to cut down on the noise, but my interwebs are infected with this nonsense as well. Parsing actual news from the nonsense is an exhausting affair, but that is the point. Disgust those who want better to the point of disenfranchisement. But I will continue to sift through this cesspool of misinformation, malfeasance, commercial breaks, and breathless bluster called major modern media so as to stay informed enough to properly exercise that one right that has yet to be revoked. My right to vote. If we do not do this the moneyed interests and the lobbyists, politicians, and media outlets they have bought will have won by default. An uphill battle, but the only losing is in surrendering the polls by not showing up. -ELW

You are best suited to be your own advocate. Stop waiting and searching to fill that position with someone less qualified. Others may come to lend a hand, but any progress will be built upon the foundation that you lay down. No foundation, no building. -ELW

The root issue at hand is not red/blue, black/white, rural/urban, saint/secular. North/South, badge/civilian or any other delineations conjured up by man’s inherent, fevered desire to be a part of a ‘perceived as superior’ us while thumbing it’s nose at a ‘perceived as inferior’ them.

Yes, these delineations are real often because we make them so and in isolation they are troubling, but they are not the root issue. We ignore them to our own detriment, but these issues will never reach resolution while the root issue is ignored. The big picture is that powers that be use these real and manufactured delineations as the fracture points to keep the masses distracted, at odds, and squabbling over crumbs while the moneyed interests, lobbyists and the politicians for hire run off with the cake. Seems contradictory, but step back and look more closely. Truly hear and see what is being pumped into our minds by the media complexes. In blunt terms you will see:

1) Elevation of tripe. Things of no real significance at all are shoved down our throats until we discuss them ad nauseam as if they really mattered. We have people who can tell you what someone wore on the red carpet, who had a beef, who started dating, who blew their nose, or who scored the winning shot/touchdown/goal, or who got into it on whatever the currently popular fictional drama or fictional reality show was last week, but cannot tell you who their congressperson or senator is.

2) Devaluation of significance. Real power still lies in the vote, but too many believe the lie that their vote does not count. Please note that a key difference between Baltimore and other cities before it with regard to criminal charges being sought is that an official was elected that represents the constituency. As Martin Luther King, Jr. stated ““First, politics is the process by which we in a democracy create laws from our beliefs. Second, politics is the process of determining who gets how much of the whats, wheres, and hows in five areas: income, education, health care, housing, and justice…” As long as you do not vote many politicians could not care less what you think. Job 1 is staying in office and as long as funds raised has more impact than serving constituents money will rule.

3) News is a business. The media, all media, are for profit entities. They put on whatever will draw eyes and controversy sells big. Tune in next so we can tell you who or what to love, hate and/or fear as our sponsors see fit until that story gets old and we move on to the next thing.

4) Devaluation of intellectual discourse. More concerned with being right than doing what is right.

Who needs a secret Illuminati? Transactions of wanton malfeasance happen in front of our faces daily with no repercussions. We need to wake up.

I close with the balance of the quote above. When reading this consider these words of wisdom beyond race and view them in the context of corporations, banking industry, politicians for hire, lobbyists, for profit public and private incarceration/policing enterprises, and moneyed interests contrasted against we the people. These words are for all people.:

“On that bright spring day in 1957, at a time when civil rights activists were focused upon the efficacy of action in the courts, the prayer rooms, and the streets of America, Dr. King pointed the way to the efficacy of action in the voting booths. If we go to the polls to vote, he said, then we can elect people who understand our beliefs—and who will create public policy and practice from that understanding. And the vote gives us power: We have a say in what goes where, and how, in those five essential elements of living.

“Give us the ballot,” he said.”
—
The Honorable Walter E. Fauntroy

“Give Us The Ballot” Introduction,

“A Call To Conscience”, Martin Luther King, Jr.