Sentiments such as this by Al Schumann at SMBIVA almost make me want to start writing again. Almost.
Activism and political engagement are bugfuck nuts. They both fall solidly into the "no good deed goes unpunished" category. Good intentions are rewarded, right off the bat, with cold call fund raising duties and a worm's eye view of yet another corporate hierarchy. Successful activism is even worse. Absent a revolutionary change across major blocs of society, it's a sure road to bitter disappointment and in many cases poverty and poor health. We've got SMBIVANs who could testify at length on that.- emphasis added
Oh, Al. The stories I could tell.
I think, at least for the most part, I've just escaped getting involved with this thing in an official capacity by the skin of my teeth.
Political engagement is truly not healthy for children and other living things.
Speaking of poverty and poor health, ladies and gentlemen.....
Mr. Arthur Silber!
It is crucial to appreciate the significance of our ignorance (often self-willed), denial and apathy to the monsters who rule us. If a substantial number of Americans acknowledged the great evil their government now embodies, they would protest in some manner. I desperately hope they would do so non-violently; the Death State possesses the most fearsome weapons ever known to mankind, and it has no hesitation about using them. Don't give them the excuse -- although I must note that even peaceful protest might well be construed by these monsters as a "reason" to unleash those weapons against those who object. It must be acknowledged once again that they require no reason at all...
...And what are you going to do? With very rare exceptions, not a damned thing. You will not choose the route of non-cooperation. You will not choose to say "No." If you chose in that manner, you might be on the next list. I don't criticize this course of action in every case (although I certainly do in some categories of cases, and not infrequently I strongly condemn it). I simply show you the operations of the nightmare.
I recently became slightly under-employed myself, or else I'd have donated more to try to help allow this vital voice continue to write. I wish I had donated in the past, when I could have actually afforded it, Arthur. Good luck, friend, and please keep writing.
And click through his goddamn links, people.
