Back at you, Carl. We will have a new year. I had a dream that we celebrated
my son's birthday at a restaurant, Waterloo and City, a pub with good food,
that went out of business last year.
Abby
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
(Redacted sender "rogerbailey81" for DMARC)
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 6:35 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: I tried...I really, really tried to listen...
I try my best to ignore Christmas. That has actually become easier since I
became blind, but it is still far from avoidable. Every December I have it
imposed on me constantly even though I find it distasteful and it is not
especially meaningful to me.
On 12/22/2015 3:55 PM, Carl Jarvis wrote:
Many years ago I stopped trying to please other people, or worry about
what they thought of me. I don't have a big ego, but I do know who I
am. I know I am about as right and wrong as the average person, and
about as good looking. Besides, If I simply say what I think, and do
it with as much kindness as I can muster, most folks who disagree with
me just delete my ramblings while they shake their heads. I doubt
I've ever had a hate message. But back on this Christmas thing. What
does it matter if someone says, "Merry Christmas" when they do not
believe in God? We say many things we don't really mean. "Good
morning", was the proper thing to say as someone strolled into the
office. "how are you doing?", when we really could care less about
that person's health.
And as far as my belief that our worshiping a mythical God and a
crooked capitalistic system, that's just my personal belief.
Since I doubt what I believe is not going to change anything, I might
as well ramble and enjoy myself. Besides, it expands my own thinking.
So to you, Miriam, and to all my invisible friends on Blind Democracy,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...if we have a New Year.
Carl Jarvis
On 12/22/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, there are folks who might disagree with the following gem in
your email.
As far as the silliness of covering Christmas with some nondescript
phrase as, "Happy Holidays", I always respond with, "And a Merry
Christmas, to you". Why not? It is our unspoken acknowledgement
that Jesus is our Savior, and God is still a Christian. Although He did
start out as a Jew.
The Right Wing would love it. But then there are the Jews who
celebrate Hanukah at approximately the same time of year, and the
Pagans, who most likely celebrate the Winter Solstace. There are the
Jews who have Christmas trees, christened "Hanukah bushes, and all
those people who think that God is a force within each person or a
non denominational father figure. There are the Evangelical
Christians currently debating with other Christians and Muslims about
whether or not they are worshipping the same God.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 10:44 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: I tried...I really, really tried to
listen...
None of us rebel in the same way, over the same issues. For me it is
the Big Lie, this basic premise that we are the Special Creations of
some All Loving, although violent, God. Along with our
indoctrination in loving Capitalism, we are trapped in a downward
spiral. Until we address these false beliefs and set them aside, all else
is of little consequence.
So indoctrinated am I, that I still do buy gifts for my loved ones.
But they are small potatoes compared to what I once thought was
expected of me, and they are mostly little personal things. As far
as the silliness of covering Christmas with some nondescript phrase
as, "Happy Holidays", I always respond with, "And a Merry Christmas,
to you". Why not? It is our unspoken acknowledgement that Jesus is
our Savior, and God is still a Christian. Although He did start out
as a Jew. Even bringing in Santa Clause and Christmas trees and
going into debt, we have not shaken this fundamental belief. All of
us Working folk cry out against the cruel heel of the super rich on
our backs, but we worship Capitalism because we just might be the lucky
person to make it out of the swamp.
As I say, we record our favorite programs and skip past the long
commercials. If the day comes when we are forced to view the entire
program, we will simply stop viewing. Even my interest in some
sports, as corrupt as they have become, is not enough to cause me to
sit through viewing stuff I would never buy.
Anyway, Cathy is off to take her mother to the doctor, and I need to
have her show me where the Christmas wrap is, so I can pretty up the
stuff I bought her.
Carl Jarvis
On 12/21/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
OK, but the presents? Does loving and sharing have to involve buying
more stuff? Of course, I am an outsider. Truly, I am. And I watch
each year while everyone around me is programmed to spend hundreds
and hundreds of dollars on things because this is how we show that
we love each other. Those corporations have truly learned how to
program all of us so that their share holders' profits will rise.
There's this mass hypnosis that takes place. It starts on
Thanksgiving. I can tell immediately because on the DB Review list,
everyone starts reviewing Christmas fiction. It's an annual event.
Some people read the same books each year as well as new ones.
People around me rush from one crowded shopping mall to another and
from one holiday party to another. And several people who were in
my life in the past, went into deep depressions and began drinking
alcohol more heavily. As for your definition of the meaning of Christ, it's
nice.
But, of course, it's one of many interpretations. It does become
obvious at this time of year, how the Christian ethos still
dominates in the US and in all western countries. In America, lots
of people who aren't Christian have joined the celebration to a more
or lesser extent for the sake of survival. At the end of a call to
the doctor's office the other day, the receptionist automatically
wished me a Merry Christmas. We're just all swallowed up in this,
willinglyor not. So every year, being the kind of person that I am, I rebel.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 10:09 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: I tried...I really, really tried to
listen...
Guilty as charged! But of course I do have my own spin on what this
Season represents. True, I still insist on calling December 25,
Christmas, but I do not spend my day worshiping a mythical Son of a
Made-up God. And of course, only a very few dedicated Souls do that.
But to me it is a Season of Good Will, Love and Sharing.
And besides, Christ represents Man's recognition that he is flawed,
if he is to survive. The concept of Christ envisioned a change of
heart, a move from our violent self to a communal, caring People.
But of course our not so loving spiritual leaders perverted the
basic meaning, creating a violent loving God who drove fear into
Men's hearts and caused them to turn to killing one another in His
Holy Name.
There is a side of me that longs for a Hereafter. That would also
mean that Hell exists. And every pompous, self-righteous,
controlling Spiritual Leader would be lined up and marched into the
eternal fire and brimstone.
Since no such place exists, we will need to do the job ourselves.
The day will arrive when what few humans remain on this stinking,
destroyed planet, will set out to cleanse the land of those Evil Beings.
And besides, Seattle whupped Cleavland. How much better could a day be?
We
always tape the game and watch it as we skip past the commercials.
I wonder how long it will take our Corporate Masters to put an end
to such behavior?
Carl Jarvis
On 12/21/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm shocked! shocked! You were manipulated by the corporate worldtoday.
to purchase more stuff to celebrate a holiday that is the be all
and end all of the religion at which you scoff!
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2015 10:40 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: I tried...I really, really tried to
listen...
As I said, I could not make it through the entire debate. The
theme I noted was one of shaking fingers under the Corporate noses,
shaming them for their greed, while condoning their violence
around the world. Who ever settles into the presidents chair in
2017 will forget all the political promises and at best we will see
an extension of Obama. At worst? It's too scary to contemplate.
At times I feel like a crew member on the Titanic, watching the
ship go down while I'm bailing frantically with a coffee cup.
We went Christmas shopping today. Marlene, Cathy's sister, took me
to Bed, Bath and Beyond where I spent gobs of money on stuff I
think Cathy will like. Then we took their mother to Chinese Buffet
and Cathy and I stopped at the Christmas Tree Farm and cut a seven
foot Noble Fir. Then we settled down in our recliners and spent
some quality time watching the Seattle Sea Hawks whip the Cleavland Browns.
After all of that, I stuck my nose out the door and found that the
world had changed very little.
Carl Jarvis
On 12/20/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Well, here's my story. I couldn't watch the first debate because Iafford to lose the appearance of its power base.
only pay for basic cable so I don't think that CNN is included in
that. I didn't attempt to watch the second debate because I never
bothered to find out what channel was broadcasting it. The reason
I didn't bother to find out is that I, too, think the debates are
just a show and have little to do with the actual mechanics of
choosing candidates, electing them, or the governance of our
country. I'd rather read a good book. But this time, I thought
maybe I'd watch at least part of the debate. I even knew what
channel it was on and what time it started. But when I pressed the
on button on my remote, nothing happened. I don't know why. We put
new batteries in it a while back and I never use it so the batteries
should have been fine.
So much for the debate.
I read summaries of it on Truthdig and Alternet this morning,
which is quite sufficient. But someone does have to find out why
the TV that I never use, wasn't working.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl
Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2015 9:48 AM
To: blind-democracy
Cc: Virginia Jarvis
Subject: [blind-democracy] I tried...I really, really tried to
listen...
Say what you want about last evenings debate, and yes, it was
better than the republican clown show, but it is still a part of
the Two-Headed Monster, The Corporate Empire.
I really tried to listen to the differences between the three
combatants, but in the end they will knuckle under and find ways
of justifying our Corporate Empire's need to dominate the World.
We once talked about the Industrial/Military Complex . But it has
morphed into what I now call, The Military/Corporate/Greed-Driven,
Empire.
"Times they are a changing", far faster than our ability to adjust
to the World we now live in. While Corporate Giants duke it out
for dominance, we wander about with one foot back in the Mister
Rogers World, and the other foot in Lah Lah-Land.
But just for the record, and so folks can later on say, "I told
you so!", here is my spin.
The Republican Party is scared
that Donald Trump just might become their presidential candidate.
So in back rooms, formally, smoke filled back rooms, the Corporate
Masters of the Republican Party, have decided to set up a backup plan.
That plan would be to quietly support Hillary Clinton. She is
already mostly under their control...maybe all under their
control, so they would avoid the disaster which would surely occur
if Trump were elected, and they could continue quietly bleeding
the American Public dry. The old adage, Divide and Conquer, is
only good if you can control the divisions. Trump and his radical
backers are threatening to split this nation wide open, filled
with angry little divisions, unwilling to join forces with any
other division. The nation could well fall into disarray. While,
on the one hand, the Empire no longer needs the United States of
America, on the other hand it cannot
Which brings me back to why I could not view the entire debate
last night.
It, along with the Republican Side show, are nothing more than a
distraction. More entertainment without substance. Frankly, I'll
get more substance from watching Seattle beat up on Cleveland,
later
Carl Jarvis
