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To The People of Y3K
Author: Stephen Branch 12/15/99
(published in Boston Globe 12/27/99)
I lived one thousand years ago in a country called the United States of America. America
was rich in
natural resources and was home to some of the best educational facilities on the
planet. However, in
the last few decades of the 1900s, testing revealed a marked decline in scholastic
scores across the
country. This trend became known as "the dumbing down of America."
Surveys of the time
suggested up to 95% of Americans were scientifically illiterate (The Demon-Haunted
World, 1996).
Its no wonder the claims and practices of the supernatural, paranormal and occult
still captivated
so many.
In 1000 AD many Christians believed this date would mark the Second Coming of Christ. Fear
and
panic ensued with the supposed coming Armageddon. Whether they believed their own
prophesies
or not, religious zealots, psychics, astrologers, fortunetellers, spiritualists,
palm readers and the like
were in their heyday preying on the fears of the gullible. Well, the day came and
went uneventfully.
Incredibly, as the second millennium approaches, this phenomenon is happening all over
again.
Actually, it’s been happening all along, but with the approach of Y2K, a
crescendo of growing
intensity prevails. In my day, the promoters of doom and gloom also used computers
to platform
Armageddon. Some predicted a worldwide technological shutdown, complete with
endless
scenarios of disaster, primarily based on the supposed inability of computers to
handle the
numerical turnover between 12/31/99 and 01/01/00. Most people didn't realize the
new
millennium actually started on 2001.
I’m writing this letter two weeks before the new year and am certain of this: There
will be no
Armageddon; there will be no supernatural occurrences. Computer crashes will not
lead to chaos,
famine and catastrophe. Computers will continue to frustrate people for the same
reasons they
did before midnight on the 31st. Once again, the purveyors of doom will have to
recalibrate
their stopwatches.
Man created calendars and numbers to mark the passage of time. Apparently, when big round
numbers come up (or unique arrangements e.g. 9/9/99), many enjoy the excitement of
believing
something magical, mystical, or calamitous will happen. This folly, in itself,
could be the only thing
that causes any problems. The ultimate irony is that the attention and credence the
media gives this
irresponsible, alarmist behavior may actually attract real terrorists, ensuring
high visibility for
whatever cause they wish to promote.
Soothsayers can be amusing at times and they certainly have their right to freedom of
expression.
What’s disheartening is how so many people not only believe these promoters of
parascience, but
also spend billions of dollars supporting them (Skeptical Inquirer, 1998).
Meanwhile, medical and
scientific research is starving for financial backing. Even more disturbing is
paraphenomenon and
religious myth masquerading as science. Science is knowledge ascertained by
observation and
experiment, critically tested, systemized, and brought under general principles.
Science is different
because it is the nature of science to scrutinize information and objectively
modify, as new
information becomes available. Education and rational, levelheaded thinking are our
best hope
to live in a world with the highest possible standards.
I'm sure some of the first Millenarians, as they came to be called (The Alphabet Versus
The
Goddess, 1998), wondered what it would be like by the second millennium. I'd wager some of
the
more enlightened hoped by the year 2000 our species would grow beyond paranormal excess,
along
with slavery, prejudice and misogyny. In turn, I wonder about you in the third
millennium. I'm sure
your technology surpasses my imagination. But are there still those waiting for the
Second Coming
of Christ? Perhaps by now you have those waiting for the Second Coming of Elvis
(charismatic,
spiritual artist of the 19th century who died an early, tragic death…many of
his followers claim
he has already come back).
One of our astronaut's reflective observations from space was the absence of borderlines
surrounding
the different countries and nations of Earth (Pale Blue Dot, 1994). This reminded
many of us that we
truly are one people. Replacing our political, ethnic, and religious bigotry with
mutual respect could
be the first step towards the deprovincialization of our planet. One theoretical,
long-term goal of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was to terraform Mars by 2500.
If this idea
became reality, we may be a multiplanet civilization by now. I’m sure this
remarkable
accomplishment would be one of many if my descendents overcome the challenges that
threaten the longevity of both a technological civilization and a
fragile ecosystem.
This message comes from a period when we were still quite primitive, but at the same time,
intelligent enough to be taking our first steps to the stars. The excitement the
future holds makes
me wish I could live forever. I'm sure our race experienced
desperate trials and great glories on the
journey through the third thousand years. We wish you the best as you travel into
the 4th millennium.
Know that the wonder, hope, and love of your ancestors go with you.
Back To Top
The Quantum Hum
Author:
Stephen Branch 3/11/08
The
Fermi paradox is the apparent contradiction between the high estimates of the probability
of the
existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of evidence for, or contact with,
such
civilizations. There are many theories and principles addressing this puzzle. The
most well known
being Drake's Equation, which conceived a means to mathematically estimate the number of
worlds
that might harbor beings with technology sufficient to communicate across the vast gulfs
of
interstellar space. Some skeptics maintain the equation is unrealistic due to anthropic
bias: the
natural expression for universal scale favoritism toward humans. Ecclesiastics speak of
blasphemy
and the violation of divine law. If we are not alone in the universe, it has been
suggested that alien
civilizations well in advance of humanity may have means of investigation and
communication that
are not yet conceivable to human beings. Other theories propose that certain ethical,
political and
technological standards may have to be recognized before advanced civilizations choose, or
are
able to communicate.
The modern world of physics is founded on general relativity and quantum mechanics.
However, these
two tested and demonstrably sound theories are resistant to being incorporated into one
cohesive
model. Superstring theory not only postulates that all matter consists of tiny vibrating
strings, but that
general relativity and quantum mechanics can be united through higher spatial dimensions.
The likes
of Einstein’s curved space-time, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and
Schrodinger’s wave-particle
fluctuations are bizarre in their own right, but higher dimensional space? Theoretically,
a
one-dimensional line can only be traversed forward and backward; a two-dimensional plane -
forward,
backward, left and right; our three-dimensional cube - forward, backward, left,
right, up and down. If
this pattern of incremental expansion and versatility continues into higher dimensions,
and we learn
to engage them, we will need a new set of directions to navigate both space and time.
(Take
a map
of the United States and measure the distance between New York City and Los Angeles. It's
approximately 2800 miles. Fold the map so these two cities are touching each
other. Now, the
distance between the NYC and LA is zero. Einstein's plasticity of space does not
preclude the
actual "folding of space". Similar to the folding of a map in our three
dimensions, the folding of space
in higher dimensions may render distance irrelevant.)
Quantum
theory advances the notion of a universal connectedness between all things, including the
electromagnetic constellation of our own consciousness. It seems the theory maintains that
even our
thoughts are physically discernible at subatomic levels, offering epistemic significance
for
conventional cognitive neuroscience. Here’s the leap: If the mental activity of
consciousness is
measurable, might it be possible to measure global sentience? And suppose we discover
an
employable modality that naturally moves faster than the speed of light. What could
this mean for
interstellar investigation?
Let's imagine that once a civilization has acquired the energies required to
thoroughly probe the micro
world of quantum reality, they become receptive to frequencies beyond our spectrum of
electromagnetism and three-dimensional enclosure. The quantum cartography of curved
space-time
and higher dimensional geometry may ultimately reveal a vibration or temporal anomaly
which
actually allows instantaneous association with the most distant regions of our
universe, demoting the
theory that intelligent civilizations are too far apart in space and time to make contact.
Imagine discovering a quantum flux representing the net harmony of the
living biology of a planet;
an omni-dimensional pulse that qualifies the pacific unity of extra-terrestrial
civilizations; an
oscillating cadence characterizing the holistic sentience of a living world. If the
human species
survives beyond its adolescent divisiveness, perhaps we’ll be recognized and welcomed
into an
intergalactic solidarity of advanced, peaceful worlds. Will we ever come to hear the
Quantum Hum?
JUST
BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE
Just like a bell, all our love rings from within and beyond our world.
Just beyond impossible, something strange and wonderful,
universal love and peace, waiting for humanity.
And if we reach a certain frequency, we will be welcome.
Gentle hearts and open minds, treasure beyond space and time,
one small effort to be kind, vibrates every human life.
"Just Beyond Impossible" video can be viewed HERE
I
feel it’s important to clarify that the Quantum Hum is nothing more than a product of
my imagination,
inspired through the wondrous implications of modern physics. I am not smart enough to
fully grasp
these theories, let alone develop them. While it is significant that free inquiry and
creative imagination
frequently mark real advances in science, it is the hard work of skilled and dedicated
scientists that
has brought us to our present cosmological paradigm. Human beings have always speculated
about
our place in the universe and what the future could bring. The problem arises when naïve
and/or
fraudulent opportunists masquerade their unproven ideas as scientific fact. This explains
much of
religion, superstition, astrology and a myriad of pseudoscientific claims. Particular to
this essay,
many proponents of unproven concepts such as therapeutic touch, quantum healing and energy
medicine shamefully hijack the accommodating holistic and indeterminate agencies of
quantum
science to legitimize their claims. There is an ethical difference between proposing
hypotheses as
possible and promoting hypotheses as fact.
Physicists speak of a unified wholeness that will become apparent upon the
final discovery of a grand
unified theory; a unification of all fundamental forces of nature perhaps represented by
an eloquently
simple equation of terminological calculus. Interestingly, a unified wholeness is also
the final goal of
the spiritual aspirations of millions of human beings around the world. Unattended by
religious dogma
and void of any supernatural architecture, maybe there is a foundational mutuality here:
the
connection being that higher consciousness and its consequence of empathy,
awareness and
intelligence, may be prerequisite for both truly peaceful civilizations and advanced
technological
progress. This, I admit, conveniently suggests a form of universal justice: an
evolutionary and cosmic
reasonableness that would preclude hostile and uncultured civilizations from developing,
or even
recognizing, higher physics.
As
with relativistic time and motion, the dynamics of quantum reality occur at
velocities and
measurements undetectable and seemingly irrelevant in our every day lives. But the
verifiable
scientific utility of relativity theory and quantum mechanics is real and
continues to elevate the
promise of our future by enhancing the human intellectual landscape. And
although the inherent
randomness of the subatomic realm, the plasticity of time and space, and the unimaginable
roominess of higher spatial dimensions surely undermine our intuitive perception of
nature, string
theory paradoxically appears to be clarifying and unifying all the systematic dichotomies
we find
through modern physics.
Accordingly, our Descartian, dualistic sense of autonomy is an illusion. We are
not separate from
what we observe. Our conscious observations play a vital role in the nature of
physical reality. There
is an elemental reciprocity occurring right now between you, your surroundings, and
the universe.
You, me, everything we know and do not know may be interconnected through an infinity of
tiny
vibrating strings, which collectively and ultimately could reveal itself in the form of
one beautiful
symphony – a symphony that may come to be recognized just beyond impossible, through
a
quantum hum.
Re:
Ways of self-remembering/self-observation/self-examination
By Rick Branch - 2/01/07
According to Gurdjieff, we spend our waking hours in a kind of sleep,
responding
mechanically/unconsciously to the world around us. If challenged, we swear we are fully
awake, in
control, and living in the moment…and for those few seconds, maybe it’s true.
But for the
vast majority of the time (if not all the time), we are lost in our planning,
anticipations, fears,
defenses, personality, daydreams, judgments, etc. By 'self-remembering', as Gurdjieff
calls it, we can
begin to snap ourselves out of this fog we're in.
What is this ‘self’ that we are told to remember? I don’t know for sure. I
do know that it has nothing
to do with the deliberate calling up of created past beliefs, i.e., nothing to do with
remembering
aspects of the lower ego/personality/ identity. This lower self is something we should
actually be
forgetting or putting aside, not remembering. Gurdjieff intends ‘self’ here to
mean something else.
From what I understand, he is referring to a spiritual, or transcendent, or higher self.
Was he right? When we remember ourselves, are we tapping into something higher? Is
something
mystical happening? Are we more conscious? Or are we just garnering the benefit of what
happens
when we stop thinking and clear our heads? Again, I don’t know for sure. Either way,
for me, The
Fourth Way is at least a powerful form of cognitive therapy.
When I remember myself, I clear my mind, leaving that small world of the lower self. I
then simply try
to keep (remember) that sense or awareness one has as one is following the
moment-to-moment
flow of existence. This state has been described as...being aware that you are aware. It
may seem
empty and even boring but, for me, it also brings a feeling of peace and a sort of
grounding. It is from
this vantage point where I seem to possess a higher objectivity and a more sensitive
conscience. I
need to add here that, while in this sense or awareness, I don’t totally leave that
small world of my
lower self, I pay attention to it from a distance, observing. Self-remembering, as G
explains, involves
a kind of double (divided) attention. There’s a saying, ‘You can’t see the
picture when you’re inside
the frame”. It could be said that self-remembering lets you stand outside the frame
and look back in.
Learning to self-remember is no easy matter, for the pull and appeal of the lower self is
very strong.
Perhaps only when we begin to see the silliness of our ways and the harm we do to
ourselves
and others, will we want to make more of an effort to pause, to examine ourselves, to
change.
One analogy is that this sleep we are in is
like living under water. We are cozy in this underwater
world. It takes very little effort to float around and go with the currents. We can’t
see clearly under
water but we think we do. It is only when we rise up, break the surface,
and stick our head above
water that our vision clears and a different reality becomes apparent. Self-remembering is
like
treading water. It takes effort and we have trouble staying there for long.
I continue to make efforts throughout the day to remember myself/stay alert/be here
now. These
efforts may not result in me spending much time with my head above water, but I believe
they do
cause me to spend more time closer to the surface. Even closer to the surface, I seem more
apt to
notice when I am judging someone, worrying about the future, fretting about the past, or
indulging in
vain or selfish thoughts. It is here where I am more able to catch myself daydreaming
while driving,
eating too quickly, or talking too much. It is here where I sometimes find the strength to
stop wrong
thinking outright or replace it with right thinking.
Homemade Turkey Soup
Author:
Steve Branch 2/10/06
I’m
just waking up. My first realization is that I’ve had one of those beautiful, deep,
restful sleeps.
I’m still delightfully paralyzed with this restfulness; even to the point where it is
pleasingly difficult
to open my eyes.
The course of the night has left my seemingly amorphous body sunken into this old bed like
a thick bluish fog settles into the crevice of a mountain valley. This dreamy peacefulness
and somnolent
state of being beckons me back to the mysterious world of unconscious repose. I recognize
sounds and images seeping through from my subconscious. These are the entrails of dreams.
Ten thousand years ago our ancestors believed these to be communication from the cultural
god or leaders of their time. Even today, there are far too many whose wakeful state
differs little from their sleeping state. Thus, we have the prevalence of ideology over
sensibility.
But wait! There is an enchanting aroma squirreling its way up from the kitchen far below.
It is the homemade turkey soup, which has been simmering for hours already. It’s
remarkable how our sense
of smell can evoke scenes and emotions from our past; like the cherry-blend pipe tobacco
my grandfather used to smoke. The slightest scent of a freshly cut hayfield, salty ocean
air, blooming purple lilacs or this yummy soup du jour, all bring back specific and
endearing childhood memories.
So far, I really like the way this day is starting out. I’m cozily cocooned inside my
home. I hear the muffled sounds of a New England winter storm outside. The brittle arctic
wind has sealed our abode with tattoos of frost upon all the windows. Confident in this
domicile’s structural integrity, I’m still humbled as the stronger gusts of wind
remind me of its true infirmity. Our brutal reality is that our
next breath could be our last. Although this immediacy is highly unlikely, it is our very
biological fragility that makes life so precious.
I squirm deliciously beneath the toasty sheets of my bed. I cannot help but savor these
moments
with a deliberate and higher consciousness: the way you will become conscious the moment
you notice yourself reading these words. For these are the moments that can rival the most
passionate embrace, the softest cerulean sky, the grace of the great gray owl or the
whitest Christmas. Yes, these temporal oases are the inconspicuous, existential jewels
that give reverence to the exquisite delicacies of everyday experience: moments too often
overlooked through the disengagement of
those who tend to rush through life.
The indigenous isolation this storm has afforded me takes no offense at the distant
scraping and rumbling of the snowplow. These sounds assure me there are still people out
there taking care of
the world. These are the modern, comforting sounds distantly synonymous with the more
primal, evolutionary and conciliatory crackles of a burning fire, warding off the wilds of
nature.
Here at the homestead, the roof has been patched. The cold-cellar is replete with
summer’s garden harvest. The woodbin is full-up with split, seasoned oak. The
birdfeeders are generously quartered
with sunflower seeds, fruit, bread and suet. It’s funny how the burdensome chores
of youth can become so satisfying; even pleasurable.
Eventually, we seem to figure out that our precariousness here on Earth stands most
securely upon our peaceful and productive endeavors.
As if things were not already pleasant enough, my cat
just jumped up and has irresistibly snuggled
into
the cradle of
my armpit area. I can actually feel the sing-song vibration of his purring inside my
chest; and even
more sweetly, inside my heart.
I think I’ll just stay here in bed a bit longer. I know the anticipation of
having that homemade turkey soup is, at least, half the delight of having the soup itself.
The Beekeeper - observations
from a frustrated god -
Author: Stephen Branch 9/15/07
Dear
Human Beings,
This
is God. I know! I know! It’s been quite a while, but you gotta remember I have
billions of other worlds to check up on.
So,
what the heck has been going on here?! Your last few thousand years have been filled with
war, hatred, bigotry, corruption, misogyny, slavery, massacres and endless accounts of
unspeakable cruelty. Need I go on?
In
this universe, only life forms with a proclivity for compassion, cooperation and justice
continue to evolve. The imperative of my universal genetic imprint is: Peace, Love and
Understanding! Doesn’t ANYONE here recognize your own innate altruism? What
happened?!!
For
most of you, your actions are not reflective of all the sanctimonious lip service you give
to morality and ethics. Yeah, you clean up nice but you’re still behaving like your
apelike ancestors. Wake up! Raise your consciousness. Recognize how your lower impulses
dominate your behavior and diminish the quality of your lives. For crying out loud,
you’ve made sex dirty, greed shameless, corruption justifiable, ignorance
fashionable, inquiry dangerous, war glorious and peace cowardly! You’re a bunch of
reckless hypocrites and you’re really pissing me off!!!
And
why are you listening to all these clergymen who dress up like kings and act like they
know what they’re talking about? Heaven, Hell and immortality are fairy tales for
young children – and inappropriate ones at that. You adults still believe this
stuff?! If your incentive for being good is heavenly reward or eternal torture,
you’re missing the whole point. Being good is its own reward. It’s more often
the much-maligned atheist who actually understands true charity.
And,
by the way, I cannot hear or answer your prayers. It’s nothing personal. It’s
just the way I operate. Individually, the human sees himself as one organism among the
billions of humans on Earth. I see humanity as one organism among the billions of world
organisms throughout the universe. This matrix continues to a macrocosm where entire
universes are seen as one organism. Here, in my corner, I am not concerned with
individuals or separate groups among you. I attend to the merit of united, world
communities. I am the beekeeper interested in the honey, not the bees. If the bees are
divided, they will swarm hopelessly out of control. Similarly, human divisiveness has
rendered your global colony confused, unproductive and hostile to itself. It cannot
produce good honey.
Well,
here’s some parting advice: First of all, stop thinking you are better than anyone
else. I’ve seen this false sense of exceptionalism destroy many civilizations. The
genetic, historic and cultural differences between human subdivisions should be sources of
curiosity and respect, not suspicion and prejudice. Whether half way around the world or
right next-door, when you belittle your neighbor, you belittle yourself – when you
belittle yourself, you belittle the human race.
Secondly,
you need to secularize
religious resources such as
the “Bible” and the “Koran”. I didn’t write these books. They
were written by the likes of Bronze-age goat herders and opportunistic clerics imparting
their own dogmatic agendas. Attributing their ideas to the divine is one of the oldest
tricks around. Your ancestors were actually arrogant to the point they claimed I made
humanity in my own image! You Homo sapiens aren’t even capable of viewing me from
your 3-dimensional perspective!
Thirdly,
your misuse of nuclear technology and abuse of your environment are the greatest,
immediate dangers you face. Most of you are either in denial, indifferent or unaware of
their calamitous potential. Why is there so little solidarity on these issues? Gee,
you’d almost think your politicians are beholden to the military and big business!
Whatever the case, remember your self-inflicted hazards are within your control –
other hazards are not. It may seem rather inconvenient, but the long-term survival of your
species actually means leaving the Earth. Naturally occurring volcanic, climatic,
biologic, geomagnetic and solar anomalies may be more than you can handle.
Astronomical impact with an enormous asteroid, planetoid or comet can and will happen. You
need to start thinking about these perils now. Prepare to colonize your solar system
– even if it’s just for the adventure alone.
Finally,
scientific literacy is your most valuable tool. You can’t solve real problems with
unreal solutions. Understand what is and is not science. Science
is knowledge ascertained by observation and investigation of your natural world. It is
knowledge that is testable, falsifiable, and objectively modified as new
information
becomes available. Superstition,
astrology,
magic,
miracles and other alleged supernatural phenomena
cannot adhere to the basic requirements of the scientific method. To remedy their
credibility problem, the advocates of pseudoscience invalidate the very means of
validation! Now there’s a magic trick if I ever saw one. Your
ecclesiastic history abounds with “divinely” sanctioned prohibitions on reading,
writing and intellectualism. Less
detectable forms of obscurantism occur today through systematic censorship, misinformation
and debasement of scholarship and inquiry. Within the fog of illogic and ignorance, you
may find your preferential truth. But within the clear light of reason, you’ll find
your existential reality. It may not always be pretty, but education and rational,
levelheaded thinking are your best hope
at
living in a world with the highest possible standards.
Despite
your past indiscretions, there is still hope. Evolution has provided your species with an
extraordinary facility for greatness. Make it through your troubled adolescence, and
you’ll have your chance at the glorious longevity only the most enlightened
civilizations experience.
As
always, your destiny is in your own hands.
Goodbye
and Good Luck,
God
Stephen Randolph Branch The Beekeeper ©
Copyright 2007 All rights reserved
A
Global Pledge
Author: Steve Branch 9/2/07
I
pledge allegiance
to the way
of Peace Love and Understanding
With the realization
fate is in our own hands
One world
in harmony with nature
with education and fairness for all
Godless, Immoral and Unpatriotic
Author: Steve Branch 6/20/06
Ann
Coulter seems to believe all liberals are Godless, immoral and unpatriotic. In her new
book, she
also says the 9-11 widows (harpies and broads, as she likes to call them) enjoyed their
husband’s
death. This is the vacuous and hateful way she has chosen to deal with anyone who dare
criticize
Bush. Meanwhile, Coulter
sanctimoniously insists that everything she does is grounded in
Christianity. Too
often, when the desperate cannot reasonably justify reality, they create their own.
And too often, they fraudulently brandish patriotism and Godliness as credentials. This
farcical
behavior is a pattern demonstrated throughout history against those who promote truth,
peace and arbitration.
Conservative and liberals become most antagonistic when viewed in their extreme forms.
Coulter’s
et al basic ploy is to describe the worst possible examples of liberalism, then attribute
those stereotypes to ALL liberals. Most liberals and most conservatives have more in
common than not. Emphasis should be on unity rather than disunity. Recognize the
headline-grabbing, frivolities of the partisan worm for what they are: the primal grunt of
intellectual neophytes and greedy sycophants.
These ultra-conservative, self-righteous, phony pundits lack the depth and worldliness
needed for objective observation and productive debate. Republican sponsored media
continues to enable petty, partisan diatribe to seduce the naive among us. It’s no
wonder dignity and compassion have
morphed into impropriety and acrimony.
This administration’s disastrous record leaves little room for justification. It
seems these right-wingers
may figure; why let the facts stand in the way of a perfectly good opinion. The problem is
that the
hatred they feel and generate is too often the result of either gullible or selective
belief in the
fabricated injustices directed toward their adversaries. What an unproductive and
malevolent waste of
energy. Why can’t they simply aspire to the wisdom of facts, fairness and reason? Is
it too boring?
Or does the truth present problems for their ideology?
The conservative talk radio venue is flush with damning vitriol and insidious manipulation
of the facts.
Rush Limbaugh sees war hero John Kerry as both a coward and unpatriotic. Limbaugh, a
draft-dodger (and drug addict), is actually describing himself, but doesn’t know it.
As with Coulter
and all the others participating in the politics of hatred, people often despise and
project onto others
what they cannot accept within themselves. This is a most vulgar hypocrisy and sad paradox
displayed more often by dysfunctional people. The ultimate irony is that these flag-waving
Bible-thumpers are actually the ones who are behaving Godless, immoral and unpatriotic.
What can we do?
Author:
Steve Branch 1/1/07
Hang George Bush? No. I’m not convinced
the death penalty is appropriate even for someone
responsible for hundreds of thousands of needless deaths. Send him to Guantanimo? No.
Torture would make us no better than he. Probe into his personal life without a court
order? No. Despite the policies he has enabled, this is unconstitutional.
As he has done with his critics, shall we accuse him of promoting terrorism? No. He’s
too ignorant
to understand that this is exactly what he has been doing. Appeal to his sense of reason?
No. Not
unlike Islamic fundamentalism, Bush’s brand of Christian sanctimony and subsequent
militarism
inhibit open-mindedness and an ability to think rationally. Remove Bush from office? No.
Cheney is
even more dangerous than GW.
Short of replacing this administration immediately, we must do the best we can until the
2008
election. Then we must elect those willing to replace political and religious dogma with
reason and
empirical reality. We need politicians who value the future on a timescale larger than
their own.
Until then, Congress must impeach or censure Bush to show the world that Americans do not
stand
behind this arrogant cadre of semi-conscious religious ideologues.
Bush Gives The Finger To The Press
Author: Steve Branch 8/2/05
George Bush recently stuck his middle finger up to
the press, clearly showing his contempt for the media and the American people.
This cocky, irreverent behavior is too often seen as amusing, macho
and even patriotic. But I would wager most Americans feel ashamed.
Most of us want a President who will always show dignity and patience, whatever the
degree of adversity.
To me, profane words and gestures are no big deal.
There is an expressive and functional place for every word and gesture our species
develop. But coming from within the sanctimonious, moral periphery of a "Christian, Family Values
President", Bush's hypocrisy should be recognized
as both inexcusable and philosophically tragic.
Dick Cheney had some advice
during the U.S. Senate’s annual photo session for Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, who
had been relentless in his criticism of the no-bid contracts awarded to the vice
president’s alma mater, Halliburton. He told him to "go fuck yourself".
Bush was also
caught on tape saying "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the
New York Times."
As role models for our children, as well
as all Americans, how can our national leaders be so flippant?
In light of our seemingly new, behavioral standards, I now suppose it is
culturally acceptable for me to say that George Bush and Dick Cheney are two of
the biggest fucking assholes in the world today.
My sarcastic indulgence aside:
The sad, naive and arrogant, legislative repercussions of those such as these
in power, too often result in ideological and parochial guidelines
which foster disunion, ignorance and, ultimately, the end of our American
presence as a respectable world power.
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Ideological
SPAM – The Twaddle of Partisan and Religious Nationalism
Stephen Branch - 6/22/08
Last time it was Andy Rooney. This time Jay Leno has been falsely credited
with more rightwing, ideological blather. I wonder how it is that people come to believe
this stuff. Is this level of gullibility
an accident of birth or a deliberate unwillingness to question both source and content of
propaganda? Maybe it’s the intellectual disfigurement that comes from the dismal
combination of both. Whatever the case, the genesis of this ploy is a sign of
desperation to justify the failed conservative policies of the Bush administration.
When anonymous, ideological rhetoric is fraudulently attributed to well known
personalities, it must
be recognized for what it is: a deceitful and cowardly attempt to elevate dogma by
crediting it to a popular and/or trusted source. Please check your sources. For review of
this email-blast's content, history and authenticity, see - http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp
The rather amusing irony here is that even the author obviously doesn't believe
the message has sufficient merit to stand on its own. What the author does seem to know is
that millions of Americans are capable of nothing more than skimming the surface of
reality and holding fast to the opinions that most suit their self-serving,
ideological needs. But it’s not as simple as left or right, love or fight, and black
or white. It’s more about the illusive, existential shades of gray: the same
challenging and
subtle dichotomies the forbearers of our nation so diligently deliberated over and
so admirably concluded upon with their secular doctrines of fairness and
open-mindedness. Throw out the team jackets of tribal indulgence. Tackle the opponents of
reason and knowledge. Recognize the triviality
of our divisiveness and the splendor of our mutuality.
Every single human being is a victim of circumstance. Through no fault of our own, we all
come into this world without a choice of the body we are born into or the uncompromising
genetic imprint that molds our being. Whatever the variables between nature and nurture,
we all want happiness and
health for our loved ones and ourselves. We all bleed, cry, and die. We all laugh, hope
and dream.
And yet we all seem to think we are somehow separate and special. While this delusion
seemingly rescues us from our anonymity, it is this very anonymity where you will find the
greatest peace. A peace that comes from recognizing our commonality. A peace that
transcends all the senseless animosity. A peace that allows you to empathize with those
you once felt disdain for. A peace that brings you to a place of calm humanitarianism and
proper perspective.
The more reasonable among us realize that moderation and compromise strengthen democracy.
Conservatives and liberals alike, have much more in common than not. We need to
understand how
the extreme conservatives and extreme liberals are too often understood to represent all
of their kind. Most conservatives do not want a theocracy. Most liberals do not want a
socialistic state. All republicans are not hawks. All democrats are not doves. The rich
are not evil and the poor are not criminals. McCain is not crazy, Hillary is not a whore,
and Obama is not a Muslim. (By the way,
what's wrong with being Muslim?)
Resource reliable and trustworthy journalists. Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter,
Hannity, Savage, O’Reilly et al, are not objective, media representatives. These
people are nothing more than right wing ideologues that, either naively or deliberately,
distort and misrepresent the facts. They undermine our more
decent convictions by exciting the lower impulses of prejudice and passion. They revel in
their divisiveness and arrogance, failing to understand the gravity of their
insensibility. They cannot see the picture from outside the frame. Nonetheless,
they sure are smart enough to know this very same vociferation improves their ratings.
You may scorn NPR, but listen with an open mind and tell me they are not the
more objective radio news source available within the continental US. Read more than one
newspaper. Listen to the BBC. FOX News? I would question any news agency that has to
remind its listeners dozens of times a day that it is “fair and balanced”. They
also quip: “We report – You decide”. Well, I’ve decided. Fox News
is neither fair nor balanced. Also specific to this spam’s critique is
Newsweek magazine. Newsweek features some of the most respected and objective journalists
accessible. The most reliable
information available to us is what this spam encourages us not to acknowledge. Here again
we have the silly and ubiquitous implication that it is un-American to question God and
country. I would wager most Americans consider the willful ignorance of censorship and
book burning to be far more contrary to American ideals.
There
certainly are many things right with America. There are also many things wrong with
America. Our dilemmas cannot be fixed if you pretend they don’t exist. Blind
patriotism and sanctimony will not make our problems go away. Contrary to what this spam
suggests, do not ignore the media and do
not burn news magazines. Take your blinders off and take a good look at the world around
you. Agree or disagree as you will, but make your decisions, properly informed decisions.
Our future depends on reasonable, empathetic and well-informed people willing to plan
beyond the scope of their own lifetime.
This is the American Experiment and it’s not over yet. If there is a just God, he
favors no one race, creed or nation. God is not going to save America. Americans are going
to save America.
also
read
Lancing The Boil Of Deceit
Neither Sinner Nor Saint
by Stephen Branch - 6/1/07
A
Christian acquaintance of mine believes in white supremacy. He hates homosexuals and
believes
women aren’t smart enough to be U.S. President. After
attempting to discuss our differences, he
huffed out the door spewing hatred and insulting me personally.
A witness to this revealing exchange later observed that I, as an atheist, consistently
spoke of peace,
compassion and understanding while my Christian friend’s relentless theme was one of
hate, bigotry
and intolerance.
The measure of this paradox would be laughable if it weren't so sad. The absurdity of it
all would
seem beyond comprehension but for the actual corroborating depravity within the Bible
itself.
Although
considerable, theological merit is dwarfed by its divisiveness, obscurantism and
supernatural foolishness. Free
from religious dogma,
the secular community
does not
need rewards in
heaven or fear of hell to be moral, loving human beings. Our
altruism
is based on the empathy and
logic innate to our humanity. No gods or perks required.
Remember,
by
modern standards, the Bible (and Koran) was written by primitive, ridiculous men.
Delusions
of virgin
birth, resurrection, immortality and divinity
all predate the Jesus story.
Christianity
evolved
as an "amalgam of salvation myths"
in circulation during the
early centuries of
the Roman Empire. The major themes behind Christianity were not new ideas,
just borrowed ones.
With
education, intellectual honesty and courage, one is more able to see the world through the
clear light of reason. To quote Nobel
laureate Steven Weinberg; “It's high time we wake up from this
long nightmare of religious belief.”
The Integrity of Partisan Consensus
Author: Stephen Branch 11/8/04
In a way, it’s amazing that many Democrats and Republicans think the other is
misguided and
delusional. Which sides’ opinions come closer to the truth? Is there a way to measure
the integrity
of partisan consensus?
Ultimately, you have to look at the sources of information and the objectivity of those
digesting it.
Nearly everyone thinks they’re smart and knows what’s best for themselves and
others. But how
can everyone be right? Let's take a look at some of the social and topical demographics:
For example: it is clear that more Democrats listen to NPR and the BBC. These are news
organizations recognized worldwide as objective and reliable sources of information. It is
also clear
that more Republicans listen to right wing sponsored Clear Channel affiliates, Fox News
and
charlatan news-posers such as Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity: all of
whom
are partisan and clearly advocate their own right-wing ideology.
In both the 2000 and 2004 elections, the majority of Republican votes came from areas
where more
of our farmers, country folk and blue-collar workers live. The majority of Democratic
voters came
from metropolitan areas with the largest percentage of academia.
In light of the fact that at least 4 million of the Christian right wing rallied for Bush
in this election,
caterwauling the amorphous and self-righteous “moral
values theme”, it would be wise to remember
that statistics repeatedly show that “the
higher one's intelligence or education level, the less one is
likely
to be religious”.
(Paul
G. Bell) Regarding the declining
division between church and state, it
would also be wise to consider what Freud said: "The more the fruits of knowledge
become
accessible to men, the more widespread is the decline of religious belief”.
These observations, while based in fact, are certainly not black and white. But it is
still logical to
conclude that Bush supporters, on average, are less educated and/or more subject to
religious
dogma and partisan news sources.
Perhaps mediocrity is part of American destiny. It seems the inevitable repercussions of
“The
Dumbing Down of America” are bearing its foul fruit in the likes of George Bush and
his sincere,
but misguided supporters. The subsequent entrails of patriotic jingoism, religious dogma
and anti-intellectualism have a stranglehold on our fundamental, constitutional premise of
decency,
integrity and fair play.
Perhaps
America’s destiny is now truly in the hands of the
"bewildered
herd¹"; "those great masses
whose uncertainty of intellect begs for direction and manipulation from the
"wise" big brothers of
government.²" It’s been said that Rome fell
because only the intelligent people practiced birth control.
Take a close look at the Republican/Christian Right views and cutbacks regarding, civil
rights, birth
control, education and science based issues: all and the like being flushed right back
into the dark sludge of the more primitive, parochial times of human development.
History continually recycles justice with injustice. History demonstrates how lust for
power
trumps compassion time and time again, and that flag-waving nationalism inevitably results
in
international conflict. History has shown, as we see today in America, that a vacuous
populace
prefers consoling lies to difficult realities. History shows that too often people must
travel to the
deepest parts of the valley before they can clearly see the mountaintop.
But history also shows that insight, courage and perseverance, even within small numbers,
can
make dramatic changes for the betterment of our world. Beware the hypocrites who
continually
play the “moral values” card, in lieu of reasonably debate. |