Arbitary and Abusive Policing

Port of Tacoma, Washington
August 4, 2008
Port Militarization Resistance Protest

The officer in this unmarked vehicle made sure to tell everyone where not to park.

He was telling people that their cars were too close to driveways and had to be moved - or that their vehicles would be impounded.

When asked how far away from the driveway cars were allowed to park, he responded, "Didn't you pass the driver's test? If you don't know, then read the book."

If I remember correctly, when I took the test the distance was 10 feet.

Is that right? In this case the cars were more almost certainly more than 10 feet away; they certainly were not blocking anyone's access to driveways.

Really, it seemed to me that the officer was just being mean. He was abusing his authority and threatening people, people whose cars were not blocking driveways, with the impounding of their vehicles.

Arbitrary and discriminatory abuse of power. Why are people mean to each other? What causes people to behave like that?

Is it fear? Low self-esteem? I want to know!

The world would be a much better place if people were not mean to each other.

link to larger version: Unmarked Police Squad Car

Help us love even those who hate us; so we can change the world. - Cesar Chavez

Cultural Transformation

I have posted this before here, but I am posting it again, because I have been thinking about this quote recently.

Here's another MLK quote that I like:

We must accept finite disappointment,
but we must never lose infinite hope.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

see photo larger: Cultural Transformation Shift

Peace for All People

Peace for Children. Peace for Our Children. Peace for All Children.

Peace for All People.

All people deserve to live in peace.

The real vital national interest is peace - and not war.

The real vital national interest is to create mutually beneficial and cooperative economic structures - as opposed to the economics of domination, as opposed to policies of imperialism.

The real vital national interest is social justice and ecological sustainability - not exploitation - nor any other harmful economic activities, which cause so much, and so many, horrendous social and environmental degradations.

I believe that it is wrong for some people to personally "benefit" from activities that are socially and/or ecologically exploitative, abusive, or harmful in any other way.

Check out this video of a speech by teenager Severn Suzuki to a UN Conference on Environment and Development: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW_YxJy-9Y8

view larger: Peace

Global Village Slideshow

I received this great slideshow today from my Mom. Thanks Mom! Check it out:



Regarding the information contained in the above power point; we, as a humanity, can do better. I know it.

There is no good reason why 80% of human beings (or any human beings) need to live in poverty.

Have a good day,
-Berd

David Korten on Time of Useful Consciousness Radio

Hi All,

I want to plug this excellent speech by David Korten. It was delivered in March 2009 at the Northwest Regional Veterans for Peace Conference. I heard it the evening of Wednesday, December 30, 2009, on KAOS 89.3 FM Radio. The speech is in two parts, and both are excellent. The speech is titled, "Community and the New Economy: Why Wall Street Can't be Fixed, and How to Replace it."

In the speech Korten very clearly talks about what's happening in our world in relation to corporate power, militarism, policies of dominance, economics of growth and profitability, violence, poverty, socio-economic inequality and exploitation, and environmental degradation (among other topics.)

Korten also addresses the hopeful and great potential that exists for change to a society (and a money system) that would serve life (rather than profit) - a society that would be cooperative, consensual and mutually beneficial for all people.

I think the speech is a very worthwhile listen.

Korten is the Chair of the Board of Yes! Magazine.

Here are links to the streaming audio, in two parts; an excerpt (that I transcribed,) and a link to the Time of Useful Consciousness Radio Program website.

Please enjoy!

Part One: http://www.tucradio.org/090429_Korten_ONE.mp3

Part Two: http://www.tucradio.org/090506_Korten_TWO.mp3

excerpt:

"...replacing the culture and institutions of an economy devoted to the service of money, with the culture an institutions of an economy devoted to the service of life...

"War is an outmoded institution that serves no beneficial purpose other than to enrich the unscrupulous - and it has become an act of global scale collective suicide."

links to the mp3s can also be found here: http://www.tucradio.org/

Kindly,
Berd

The Story of Cap and Trade Video

This is a great video. A must see.

Here's a comment I left on youtube:

The wealth of developed nations is based not only on ingenuity and hard work. The wealth of developed nations is also critically based on oppression and violence, including slavery and environmental degradation (greenhouse gas pollution very much included.)

The myth of meritocracy runs rampant in American culture.

It's important to realize that much of our material "success" is based not on merit - but instead on oppression and violence, on expropriation and exploitation.

The video:

The Story of Cap and Trade

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

We Shall Overcome, MLK Jr.

Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

Socio-economic Inequality

This is from the September 2009 issue of The Progressive Magazine, an article called "Wall Street's Gall, by Les Leopold:

• In 1970, the ratio of the top100 corporate CEOs and the average worker's pay was 40 to 1. By 2007 it was 1,723 to 1.

• In 1970, the top 1 percent received 8 percent of the national income. By 2007, it was gobbling up 23 percent of the national income.

• In 2006, the top one-tenth of 1 percent of tax payers (about 140,000 tax returns) reported as much income as the bottom 50 percent (67.4 million tax returns). The last time we suffered from such an extreme income distribution? 1928-29.

...

simply, yet absolutely, astounding - mind boggling

A Foot in Two Different Worlds

This is a rough dissertation. I am sick and tired of corporate power and socially/environmentally/spiritually destructive economic systems. Another way is possible...

I feel like I am living in two different worlds. One is the world of economic necessity, a world that for many people is cold, hard, cruel and oppressive. This is the world of bottomline economics. It is a world where profit motive is the reality. Yes, there are values here, but even the positive values of this world often times (and ever increasingly so in decades recent) get steamrolled by the sheer weight of motive for financial profit. This world is a world of fear. Fear of destitution. Fear of hunger, of alienation. Fear of scarcity. Fear of punishment for stepping out of line. Fear of termination from employment for political activity and/or political beliefs. In this world, hate and violence operate on a daily basis. People are corralled by big media into groups, where their differences are analyzed, and hostility and distrust are provoked.

Then there is another world. A world that exists to replace the current reality. A world of hope and love and care. There is a rainbow between these two worlds. A bridge. Let's walk it. Cross the bridge with me into this other world.

In the other world, which exists in the dreams of many people, and is, excitingly increasingly taking shape into a real physical and philosophical form, the principles of success relate to our abilities to co-exist harmoniously with each other, and the planet. Success relates to our abilities to care for one another, and to make provision and space for the meaningful and uplifting economic contribution from everyone. To work and to have health care is a human right. No one should have to struggle to find meaningful and positive work. No one should have to live without access to health care. Success can be measured by our abilities to care for each other.

Both of these worlds exist. The world of light, of kindness, of compassion, forgiveness, tolerance of personal differences, of cooperation, of equitable distribution of resources, of long-term sustainability, of uplifting and life-serving economic structures awaits. The rainbow bridge awaits. Join me in walking the path toward another world. A world that is human. A world that is benign. A world where care is among the pinnacles of human achievement.

Blessings. May Peace Be Unto You.

Laura Nader | When the Rule of Law is Illegal

To Save Our Republic: Stop Our Empire!

Hold the Torturers Accountable

Some Brief Thoughts on The Richest Man in Babylon

Today I finished reading The Richest Man in Babylon, by George Clason. Very interesting book, it is a fable, apparently based on some clay tablets, about the principles of gaining and controlling wealth (aka gold.) I have mixed emotions about the book. While it definitely delivers sound financial advice and principles, it leaves a lot to be desired when viewed from my perspective of concern about social and economic justice. I believe that hard work is important. Saving is important, and so is re-investment in socially responsible / life-serving activities. But the book has a decidedly "ends justify the means" approach to investing, that does not account for the present day realities of destructive technologies.

Although the ancient babylonians were (according to Clason's account) not a conquesting sort of people (and good for them!), they were not impervious to severe oppression, to dealing in slaves, and to amassing personal financial empires. I don't think that slavery can ever be rightly justified. No matter how much ambition, desire and determination a person has to succeed - it does not make it right to hold other human beings as property, to be ordered and subjugated in whatever way seems necessary or expedient toward amassing wealth. Dealing in human beings as a commodity is a very injurious and low-down way of economic operation.

This, of course doesn't absolve myself, (or anyone else) as an individual from working. It doesn't mean that as people we oughtn't take the initiative in order to provide for ourselves.

A lot has changed in the thousands of years since Babylon was an active and thriving society. The world is a very different place. While there is still great opportunity in the world, including the opportunity to gain wealth, there is a new need based on the ever increasing environmental impacts of a human population grown large, and grown powerful with technology, to ensure that our economic activities are not having a detrimental effect on others.

It's a new age. A new world. It is time for a new system of ethics. This is the Age of Aquarius. A new age. An age of humanitarian ethics. An age of innovation, invention, and tremendous opportunity - not to blindly pursue economic self-interest - but instead to pursue the common interests that we all share as part of the human family. This planet Earth is a beautiful and wonderful place. It is full of magic. We, as human beings, have important decisions to make about how we will choose to live in the future. Will we live in ways that are harmful to the planet and each other? Or will we live in ways that are beneficial, uplifting, and life-serving?

I believe that we, as a society, can make a transition to a culture that does no harm. And not only that! I believe that we can have a society that actually serves to improve upon our environment, promoting bio-diversity, ensuring for all that there will be healthy water to drink, healthy air to breathe, healthy earth to grow food and play... This is not too much to ask. This is only the right path.

On the Right Side

"I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered."

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Challenging the Dominant Paradigm

The following is a comment I made on facebook in response to a friend's status update: "capitalism: boom, bust, boom, bust." There was ensuing discussion about the comment. There was talk about taxing the "rich." One person said that if we were to increase taxes on the rich, then he would want to know how to define rich, because he makes a lot of money and wouldn't want to be taxed...

So the following are a few thoughts I shared, thoughts about harmful economic activities, about cultural change, and etc.. It's not thoroughly fleshed out here; it's not perfectly composed and it's far from complete. But it is important to challenge the dominant paradigm, so I wanted to share.

Everything is not okay. It's not "all good." Still, all the same, another world is possible -- a better world -- a truly richer and more prosperous world. A world that doesn't infringe on the health and well-being of so many (in the present and in the future.) So please, read on.

There are multiple ways to define rich. It's important to have common definitions from which to work, for the purpose of intelligent conversation. I won't attempt to define the exact perameters here, but for the purposes of this discussion, I suggest this definition for affluence: the ability to buy without regard to, or worry about price.

There is nothing wrong with making money, in and of itself -- so long as no one gets hurt in the process. The problem is that we're dealing with socio-economic harmfulness on a grand scale. There is a lot of harm being done, it's so prevalent that it's actually easy not to see it. It's easy to take for granted.

So, while many activities may not be illegal -- it doesn't mean that they aren't harmful.

It just so happens that many of the activities that generate great financial profit are also harmful. Currently, the tax rate is not high enough. Harmful economic activities should be taxed 100% -- because we will all be better off without harmful economic activities. All of us.

We have a culture that promotes aggressive and destructive competition. But we can change that.

Another world is possible. A world where people don't take without asking. A world where people don't beat each other up. A world where people don't seek to dominate each other. A world without oppression.

This other world is possible.

...a world without bullying...a world where people have power with each other, rather than over each other...

On the Existence of Evil...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the concept of "evil." This concept is referred to in many cultures, by many different names. Many cultures, thought-systems, and religious and faith systems refer to the problem of demonic forces. Another term for these forces I have recently come across is Ahrimanic (via an Antrhoposophical writer.) I have also read about what Edgar Cayce referred to as the "Sons of Belial." Different groups of people advocate different responds to demonism (or evil forces of whatever type.) One common approach to the problem of destructive, violent, cruel behavior is to name it, label it - and seek to destroy it through a variety of measures, punitive, and/or exclusionary.

Last night I went to see a presentation (by Stephen Zarlenga) about the problems in our monetary and economic system (American Monetary Institute) - namely the inequities and injustices that exist. At one point in the presentation, the presenter referred to what he feels are evil forces that are bent on continuingly putting people down - oppressing the masses in favor of the freedom for a few...

Obviously, it's understandable how the current system, iniquitious and unequal - discriminatory, oppressive and tyrannical - could be interpreted and perceived as bearing some sort of evilness.

However, I was struck with a thought after the author referred to the problem of evil interests. I think there is an alternative theory for why people do wrong to each other. there is an alternative, and I believe workable, theory for why people put each other down and hurt each other. The theory is this: people hurt each other, and put each other down, because of their own wounds, their own sense of insufficiency and inadequacy. People have a notion that success is dependent on having power over others, on having power over their environment. People get ego-boost from feeling superior over others, and then, once superior - they abuse their position, putting people down, treating people as if they are inferior.

The fact is that all people have power. All of us. All human beings have personal power. All human beings deserve to be respected.

Perhaps the appearance of evil is just that, an appearance. And what is really at the heart of harmful economic activity, and destructive competition, are petty fears about loss, about personal loss, about loneliness, isolation, insufficiency.

...So that if we were to be more generally supportive, respectful, and tolerant of each other, then people wouldn't feel the need to wield power over each other. And instead of wielding power over each other - people would seek to wield power to serve each other - to serve the best and true interests of a healthy and sustainable human civilization.

Let's stop hurting each other people.

Evolution from a culture of conquest, domination, consumption and intolerance — to a culture of consent, sharing, cooperation, spirituality, creativity, and sustainability... etc.

However, it's possible that there are truly evil / demonic forces. At this point I am undecided. And even if there are truly evil forces (or individuals), then it is no less important to treat those destructive elements in a way that is fair and nondiscriminatory. For example, instead of punitive justice only - major efforts could be made in the direction of restorative justice.

p.s. additional thought to consider: what are the effects of materialism, and the culture of consumption, on humanity and planetary ecology?

Peace,
Berd

p.p.s. human labor is not a commodity

Ambiguous Utopia / Socio-cultural Transformation, Evolution

[update Tuesday 27 July 2010: I just want to chime in here, that while I love much of this song, the lyrics of which really resonate with me, I have lately been questioning the first paragraph more and more. I think it is possible for the mind to control love, in the sense of compassion and empathy with the suffering of others. Anyway, those are my rough thoughts on this. Peace, Berd]

Ambiguous Utopia is a song, the lyrics of which are adapted from a speech by the main character in the novel, The Dispossessed, by the legendary author Ursula K. LeGuin. The melody is by Mark Gunnery, (of, if I remember correctly, Port Townsend, Washington.)

I have been singing with the Olympia Free Choir, and this song was recently introduced to the song list. It's a great one. Come to Free Choir practice! Tuesdays 5-7pm in downtown Olympia, either at the Sylvester Park Gazebo, or northern (all ages venue, 312 East Fourth Avenue.) More information about Free Choir:

http://groups.google.com/group/olympiafreechoir/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48861072375

Ambiguous Utopia

ambiguous utopia
the fools

it's our suffering that brings us together
it is not our love, love don't obey the mind
and it turns to hate when you force it
the ties that bind us are beyond our choice

the hand that you reach out is empty
the hand that i give you is empty too
i don't expect a hand to help unless i reach one out to you
all that you have is all that you are
all that you have is all that you give
we don't own anything and we're free

we have no states and no presidents
no bosses bankers landlords or war
no charity no police and no soldiers
and we don't have, very much

we come to the future with empty hands
naked as a child comes to this earth
you can't take what you haven't given
and what you give is yourself

you can't make the revolution
you can't buy the revolution
you can't be the revolution
it's in you or its nowhere

Commentary:

I have been thinking about the concept of revolution. And to be quite frank, there are some aspects of revolution that are really bothersome for me. Inherent in the concept of revolution is a divisive clash between winners and losers. What if it's possible to have a world without losers.

What if, instead of pushing for a destination where there are winners and losers, it is possible to orient our socio-cultural compass(es) toward a world without losers - a world where we are all winners. Just imagine, an inclusive, open, honest, warm, accepting and tolerant society, where everyone can contribute to the best of their abilities, and where everyone can belong.

So, while I support many revolutionary ideas, I like the exercise of comparing socio-cultural evolution : versus socio-cultural revolution! evolution v. revolution

True and foundational transformation is possible: instead of just revolving around the same cycles of patterned abuse and intolerance. True transformation, deep and lasting socio-cultural evolution is possible. Meeting each other as the sufficient and wonderful human beings that we all are, the development of a new kind of respect for all existence is possible. Another world is possible. We are all special, unique, and sufficient. Be Well. Be Peace. Be the Evolution.

Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming Abuse of Rank

This is a description of a great book I was recently turned onto. It's about rankism. It is a very interesting topic. I have browsed in this book, it's available on google reader, and I have found it very compelling. The author doesn't argue against rank, hierarchy, or the existence of authorities. What he does argue against is what he describes as a culture of abuse that has developed around rank. People abuse their rank to the detriment of others. Essentially, people use their rank to hurt others. It's not right to hurt other people. Pretty simple idea. I think it's possible to have a world where people don't behave in ways that are hurtful/harmful toward each other. - Berd

Somebodies and Nobodies
Overcoming the Abuse of Rank
By Robert W. Fuller
In the on-going attempts to overcome racism and sexism in North America today, we are overlooking another kind of discrimination that is no less damaging and equally unjustifiable. It is a form of injustice that everyone knows, but no one sees: discrimination based on rank. Low rank -- signifying weakness, vulnerability, and the absence of power -- marks you for abuse in much the same way that race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation have long done.

When discrimination is race-based, we call it racism; when it's gender-based, we call it sexism. By analogy, rank-based discrimination might be called "rankism." Somebodies and Nobodies explains our reluctance to confront rankism, and argues that abuse based on power differences is no more justified than abuse based on color or gender differences. It shows where analyses based on identity fall short and, using dozens of examples to illustrate the argument, traces many forms of injustice and unfairness to rankism.

Somebodies and Nobodies unmasks rankism as The Feminine Mystique unmasked sexism. It demythologizes the prevailing social consensus -- the "Somebody Mystique" -- to demonstrate the pervasiveness and corrosiveness of rankism in our personal lives and social institutions. The book introduces new language and concepts that illuminate the subtle, often dysfunctional workings of power in our social interactions. It presents rankism as the last hurdle on the long road from aristocracy to a true meritocracy, brings into focus a dignitarian revolution that is already taking shape, and offers a preview of post-rankist society.

About the Contributor

Robert Fuller taught physics at Columbia University in New York, where he co-authored the classic text Mathematics for Classical and Quantum Physics. He then served as president of Oberlin College and, subsequently, worked internationally as a 'citizen diplomat' to promote democracy in developing nations. He has four children, and lives in Berkeley, California.


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