http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXL...

Pilger: What do you think of the term 'Anti-American'?

"It's what governments and their vested interests call people who honour America by objecting to war and theft of resources and believing in all of humanity - there are millions of these 'Anti-Americans' in the U.S.A - they are ordinary people who belong to no elite and who judge their government in moral terms though they would call it common decency. They are not vain; they are the people with a weightful conscience. The best of American citizens - sure - they disappear from view now and again, but they are like seeds beneath the snow - and truly exceptional"

~ Martha Gelhorn


This is what we can all be. There is no them and us, only us, and this comment is not intended to divide anyone - only to provide a poetic answer to the irrational use of the term 'Anti American'. The above quote was taken from this lecture which I highly recommend. If you watch it, don't bother to read my entire post, I am just quoting it.

For anyone fed up of living in fear, particularly financial fear, listen to this, and perhaps look further, I think this is particularly relevant to our mental health, how our governments continually shell out for military spending the majority of us do NOT agree with, leaving many of their own citizens poor, destitute and homeless.

And this is in further (and calmer on my part) reference to the question of what happened to the anti-war movement.

It has certainly died down - but this is all the more reason for those who do feel it is wrong to consider getting involved - and for those that do support the war, to ask more questions. I think it's important to never claim certainty. I can be certain of one thing, and that is that I cannot be certain of anything.

John puts it well:

"Activism doesn't give up. Activism doesn't fall silent. Activism doesn't rely on the opiate of hope - Woody Allen once said: 'I felt a lot better when I gave up hope'...I like that" [Laughter]

Later on..

"The opportunity within our grasp, is to recognize something stirring in America that is unfamiliar, perhaps, to any of us on the left ( I don't like the left right paradigm but it does exist), but is related to a great popular movement that's growing all over the world. Look down to Latin America, less than 20 years ago there was the usual despair, the usual divisions of slavery and poverty, uniforms and thugs running unspeakable regimes...now countries all over Latin America struggle for community rights that have vast implications for all of us.

These successes are expressed perversely in the recent overthrow of the government of Honduras, because the smaller the country, the greater the threat that the disease of emancipation (liberation from U.S economic and political dominance) will spread.

Indeed grass roots movements all over the world have emerged to fight 'free market' dogma. Educating governments in the south food for exports is a problem not a solution, educating people to stand up for their rights (Philippines and South Africa for example)

Look at the remarkable boycott disinvestment and sanctions campaign aimed at Israel that's sweeping the world (BDS). Israeli ships have been turned away from South Africa and Western Australia. A French company has been forced to abandon a railway linking Jerusalem with -illegal- Israeli settlements.

Israeli sporting bodies find themselves isolated, universities in the United Kingdom have cut ties with Israel - This is how Apartheid South Africa was defeated - and this, is how the great wind of the 1960's began to blow - and this, is how every game has been won. The end of slavery, civil rights, environmental protection, and the list goes on, and on."

Further viewing:

I.O.U.S.A - The crisis we tolerate -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_T... - Short (30min)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?... - Longer version

FOR ANYONE INTERESTED

I have a group (still getting it off the ground) Where I will try to share what I learn in my wook for understanding where we are, why we're here and what to do about it. I'm not interested in opinion just evidence. Not in fighting, only uniting people who are interested in sharing information or working on solutions. I'm starting a registered non profit organization, and the more of an audience I have the better. I don't ask anyone to take what I say as gospel - I want to bring things to people’s attention so they can decide for themselves. Come and join:

http://www.dailystrength.org/group...

Included I hope:

An option to sign up to a monthly newsletter
Sharing films / books / info
Support for anyone suffering from confusion or health problems brought about by the recession or our affairs abroad

Later on I'm hoping for a proper site which will be a sub-link from a friend’s independent news-site.

Peace

(I know I'm in the UK, but really, we're all the United States of the world right now) :P