Tom Friedman wrote a good piece today in the NYT, here
If Only Stephen Paddock Were a Muslim
Jimmy Kimmel opened last night’s show with great thoughts
In a thread on phish.net, I wrote that this terrible act ties to “societal decline”, here
http://forum.phish.net/forum/show/1377583772#page=4
I wondered why the maids didn’t notice the bags. I suggested that if they did and didn’t say anything, which is what’s so far been reported, that perhaps that ties to xenophobia and nationalism, what the RINO’s are about.
I wondered how the shooter got 35 pieces of luggage into his room without anyone at the front desk noticing. I tied both to where we are today as a society.
Two posted to my post, both thoughtful replies.
I’m not suggesting I have the answers. For sure, as both OP’s wrote, maybe the reporting is wrong and the guy had the do not disturb sign on. Bringing luggage into a hotel is what people do.
But what’s not arguable is the underpinnings of Friedman’s piece today. No informed person can disagree that our country has been taken over by politicians who’re loyal to the dollar. No informed person can disagree that we have auctions, not elections.
Regarding the 2nd Amendment. I’m all for a person having a gun. But my belief is that if the Framers could talk, they’d tell us that they never intended for the 2nd Amendment to be abused the way it is today. That they never intended for a person to have 43 guns, assault rifles, or some apparatus that functions more like a machine gun than not.
At this point how many Americans have been killed by ISIS? According to Friedman it’s 15 or 20. Whatever the number it’s less than the shooter killed.
I’ve written here, my beliefs that our country is on a speeding train to a brick wall. I stand by that. But I’ve also written that the young people can stop the train, turn it around towards a Phish concert. I stand by that.
Friedman writes that our government is “corrupt. Because it’s driven by money and greed – by gunmakers and gun-sellers and oil companies, and all the legislators they’ve bought and paid to keep silent”. No informed person can disagree.
So what to do?
If you haven’t already lit a candle, consider doing so.
Then move your feet. “Get Power” as Friedman writes.
Register someone to vote or run for office yourself.
Give money to politicians who won’t be run by the N.R.A or lobbying groups.
Give money to campaigns that are about saving our planet and restoring essential freedoms such as the right to vote.
Give money to independent news sources.
Don’t support music that’s sponsored by or in alignment with the N.R.A.
Call your friends and meet up at the local coffee shop and talk. The coffee shop owner will appreciate it, you’ll build stronger bonds with each other.
Young people: get together with your friends and build a new Internet, the one that my friends and I lost to corporations.
Change the world. You have the power. And power is never ceded without demand.
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