Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXL998q7skI
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_TjBNjc9Bo - Short (30min)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=270867650600562607&ei=4a6NSqqANoiu-AbKmLWHBg&q=I.O.U.S.A - 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 peoples attention so they can decide for themselves. Come and join:
http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/cd
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 friends 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
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_TjBNjc9Bo - Short (30min)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=270867650600562607&ei=4a6NSqqANoiu-AbKmLWHBg&q=I.O.U.S.A - 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 peoples attention so they can decide for themselves. Come and join:
http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/cd
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 friends 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
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A friend sent this to me..As far as I can see, grief will never truly end.It may become softer overtime, more gentleand some days will feel sharp.But grief will last as long as Love does - ForeverIt's simply the way the absence of your loved onemanifests in your heart. A deep longing accompaniedby the deepest Love some days. The heavy fog mayreturn and the next day, it may recede.Once again, it's...
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Today is my 25th birthday, to my somewhat lack of surprise I can see already no one really seems to care. I've always been the kinda person to make sure that everyone I Care about feels appreciated and knew somebody had their back. I can count 4 times this year when I Went out of my way to make sure a "friend" felt good on their birthday, especially if they got left hanging. Its early in the...
Can't recommend it enough.
barack Obama said it best in France in the spring, "There has been a rise in anti-Anti-Americanism that is at once casual and can become insidious."
I don't agree with all the policies of America, but every country has its shameful past (ie colonialism-Dresden, etc etc etc). Why put up such a derisive post when we should be coming together? I don't like it.
I think we all have not only a right, but a duty in attacking all governments for immoral acts, and yes, reminding everyone about shameful pasts that should never be forgotten in the hope past acts will never be repeated.
I have no blood on my hands sunshine, as I am not complicit in all this. I don't 'get on with my life' without a second thought, and am particularly ill right now due to what our nations have done.
Your friend in support,
Ulla
this irrational reaction to the term 'anti american'. It's infantile. Sorry but also not everyone has a colonial past, I'm fairly sure there are countries with a history of being a pure victim to it, like East Timor or similar places.
I'm sure an 'anti american' sect exists perhaps in the extremist Jihad movement if it even exists, which I guess it does considering the millions of civilians we have killed. Does it occur to you I include 'my country', the UK in all of this too? Am I anti UK too?
With your previous repsonses I'd hoped you understood me, clearly, you don't. I welcome your input on the post, but as I said, the accusations and 'anger' are coming from you. Just listen to yourself:
"Why put up such a derisive post when we should be coming together? "
I gave some links and stated my intention was NOT to divide. It's you that read it that way.
" Oh boy, where to start with someone like you:"
You're labelling us, in the textbook fashion stated above, reading between the lines or simply not understanding.
I have no personal issue with you, please stop de-railing the post into something it isn't. They get ignored quite often, so no need to worry. If I talk about how awful I feel tonight, I'd get lots of replies. Not that that's an issue just the way it is.
Let me stress:
My own mistake is that it's easy to keep talking about the U.S but lets not forget the U.S DWARFS anyone else in military and economic stranglehold, without the U.S Britain is nothing, that's why I talk like that, because I target the source.
You say we all have a bad colonial past. Well. The U.S administration (yes, the elite, leadership, not the people neccesarily, as I always try to state..) has a very CURRENT and PRESENT day to day cultural, media, military and idealistic hegemony - if you doubt this, just go read about it. Read some Chomsky, read some of the books about globalization (Paul kingsnorths One no, Many yeses) and read about the effects on people world-wide.
There is a massive web of implications for this dominance, and none are positive, unless you work for Wal-Mart, Shell, Haliburton and so on. If you're 90% of the population, you're screwed, and well, I do see all this as valid reason to be depressed.
No, my dog didn't die, my girlfriend didn't dump me, but even though you decided to PM me with your orders not to 'gratuitously degrade your country' I will post about what bothers me and makes me depressed until I'm told I'm not allowed, and then I will probably leave the site.
If anyone thinks this should be in War and Terror, Please go and join the group for a week, and see how supportive it is.
Ulla and Powerout realized that they have more in common than not. Sorry for being so quick to judge, my bad.