I have never felt so utterly helpless in my life as I do now

[mark414]

Though admittedly my life thus far has been a relatively short one, 22 and a half years long.

My age makes it so that I never knew Nixon and his imperial president ambitions. My only firsthand experience of Vietnam was with all the homeless veterans roaming the streets of Milwaukee when I was growing up. The Civil Rights Movement seemed to be a thing of the past. America seemed like it was moving in the right direction; toward progress, toward equality, and toward bringing the world along with it.

We were still (in my hazy memories of naive and perhaps ignorant youth) a beacon of hope and freedom around the globe. People respected us and looked to us for direction and guidance.

Fast forward to the 2000 election. I was devastated and expected the worst. But my expectations turned out to be too high. These fools were given too much credit.

And now I'm helpless.

My age now makes it so that I know, and know well, Bush and his imperial presidency. Iraq is my Vietnam. Only this time it's my friends, my classmates, my peers coming home with damaged brains and missing limbs. That is me coming home in those body bags. It's not just names on a wall in Washington DC anymore.

I see Jim Crow rear his ugly head in a little town called Jena. I never thought I'd have to see so many people march once more for common sense and basic human decency.

America has come to a grinding halt and shifted to 'reverse.' Politicians always like to ask us if we're better off than we were four years ago. We're no better off than we were forty years ago.

Everywhere you look, hate and paranoia is seeping (most would say flooding) back into the mainstream American consciousness. I see a triumphant return to the Gilded Age. I see American citizens arguing passionately in favor of the suspension and expulsion of their own basic rights. I see a lot of things that I could continue on and on about, but I have neither the time nor the mental energy to do so.

My country is mired in an un-winnable war and seems intent to start another any day now. And it feels like there is nothing I can do to stop it. People are falling for the same bullshit concerning Iran as they did Iraq, even though in both cases the bullshit is so obviously transparent.

In my heart of hearts I would like to believe that America has been through and survived more trying moments. The Civil War. The Great Depression and World War II. But this time we have no Lincoln, we have no FDR. And even during Vietnam people stood up and spoke the truth. It seems to me the only thing the American people have to say to their government now is "thank you sir may I have another?"

How do you stay hopeful in such trying times? How do you raise your children to believe in the beauty of the ideal America when it's fast disappearing?

What on earth can we do?



(edited for spelling)

[Reno.Muse]

1. I don't know ...

...human nature has so many sides.

[soothsayer]

2. Hang in there! 4 more years of fascism (according to economic-political cycles) and then

TWELVE really groovy years ahead! So just hold your nose until 2012 and everything will get rosier.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

4. My brother follows the economy the way I follow politics..

He tells me there is another Depression coming.

I can't argue with him.

Sooner or later, any spree comes to an end, and the US has been on the greatest spree in history for quite a while now.

The crows are coming home to roost and there are so many that it's going to break the branches off the tree.

[spotbird]

7. What does your brother suggest you

do to prepare?

[OceanChick]

3. I felt the same as you when I was 22 in 1972

And what was going on then is child's play compared to today's state of affairs. Once they got control of the elections and the media in 2000, it was really over, as far as I'm concerned.

Your generation needs to take to the streets and us old hippies will join you there.

I fear nothing short of revolution will save us now.

[mark414]

10. they're too busy sending texts and checking their myspace...

have you been on a college campus lately? if you value your head not exploding you will avoid them...and these kids are supposed to be the smart ones.

i want somebody to tell me i'm wrong when i say i think this is the beginning of the end for America. our hubris and power will be our doom, much like all the empires of old that collapsed under their own weight.

a big part of me just wants to say "fuck it, this country is going to get what it deserves," and run off into the wilderness somewhere, away from it all.


welcome to DU, by the way

[bdamomma]

12. welcome to DU OceanChick

:hi:

[Warpy]

23. I'm close to that vintage

and while I thought Nixon was hideous and needed to go, I wasn't afraid he'd start throwing nukes.

That didn't happen until Reagan got in, and it's been a horrible ride in this country since that happened unless one inherited great wealth.

This is the worst of all. I keep repeating that old bromide about how it's darkest before dawn, but it just keeps getting darker and dawn's a long way off.

At 22, you'll still be young enough to take advantage of the day when dawn finally arrives. Those of us who began our adult lives during Nixon are battered and beaten down, our whole lives scarred by one conservative after another attacking our civil rights, our ability to make a living, our right to help when we get sick. We can't even afford to die.

What is delaying the dawn is the feeling of "It hasn't happened to me yet, so everything's fine with the rest of the world." It is going to have to get a whole lot darker out there before we have the energy to bring the dawn.

[ribrepin]

60. Warpy, you make me want to cry

I came of age during Nixon.

"Those of us who began our adult lives during Nixon are battered and beaten down, our whole lives scarred by one conservative after another attacking our civil rights, our ability to make a living, our right to help when we get sick. We can't even afford to die." I've spent my whole life trying to maintain a middle class life---I'm talking a roof over my head, food on the table and a used car to drive and I am fucking tired. Now the skipper(Bush) is re-energized and wants to "fix" Social Security. It just never stops.
:cry:

[gateley]

28. But a real revolution -- not just protests. I'll be the first to admit that I don't

know what all that would entail, but I think a successful revolution is the only way. The problem is it's going to have to get even worse (can you imagine?)before there will be enough revolutionaries to do the job. But it can be done. We did it once. And look at all the foreign governments that have been overthrown.

At this point I think we're all too worried about our kids in Iraq (understandable), about paying our increasing bills with our stagnant or shrinking paycheck (understandable), trying to do what we can out of fear of the health of the earth (understandable) and on...

I'm not saying it will take violence -- look at the 60's. It was called the Sexual Revolution but that demeans it. It was so much more than that. I think it will take a certain percentage of the population to say 'enough'. In the 60's I think we just started DOING and LIVING what we felt was right. It's more difficult these days, but we need to do it again.

And it's scary to think that because I'm expressing my opinion here (and I'm a harmless 54 year old woman), that I may end up on some list or in some jail. Sounds dramatic and paranoid, but that's where we are these days.

A long winded response to your statement about revolution. I could have just said I agree!:hippie:

[ClayZ]

39. Welcome to DU, OceanChick!

[againes654]

5. I honestly don't know

I am 29, and I was probably too young and ignorant to pay much attention to politics. I started paying attention in 2000 when the election was stolen, and I started really looking about a year ago. I learned that you really have to look for the information you want. Ignorance is bliss, and sometimes I wish that I didn't know what I do. But I do know. Nothing special btw, just the knowledge that our government is really evil. There are people in government positions that only care about furthering their own interests, and fuck the rest of us.

My husband and I had a slight disagreement this morning that has made me wonder what the use is. So I really don't know.

[Wanet]

6. I also feel hopeless

Literally like I'm standing on a railroad track waiting for the train to hit, and I can't stop it and can't move.

First this fascist, criminal Administration, and now betrayal (at worst) and weakness (at best) by our own party's leaders. I wish there were a Lincoln or Roosevelt on the horizon, but I don't see one unless Gore decides to run for President.

I feel terrible about the world we are leaving for young people like you. Sometimes I wish I didn't have children, because my heart aches for them and all young people every day. I wish I knew a way to how to get our hope back. -- Wanet

[OneBlueSky]

8. well, as one who's been on the planet some 61 years (and counting) . . .

I can confirm that the situation in the nation and the world today is indeed a great catalyst for hopelessness . . . we've had crises in the past, but never as pervasive as what's going on today -- and never without compelling countervailing voices within the government, particularly the Congress . . .

what's so discouraging today is that NO ONE -- not the Congress, not the courts, not the media -- is seriously challenging what BushCo is doing to this country and the planet . . . with a clearly criminal administration calling the shots, everyone seems willing to sit back and see what will come next . . . rather than saying "No more!" -- and doing something about it . . .

what it all boils down to is that the entire government is in the hands of corporate powers whose only concern is their bottom line . . . human rights, peace, saving the planet from human destruction, equitable healtcare for all, none of this is of any concern whatsoever to those holding the real power in government . . . their sole concern, their sole motivation, is, by law, their profitability and how to increase it . . .

it's a tragically dangerous way to run a country, and it's going to bite us in the collective ass big time -- and soon . . . hell, it's going to take our asses right off and leave us sitting on our bleached bones . . .

[rox63]

9. It's not just the young who sometimes feel hopeless

I'm twice your age, and some days I feel like I can't take another day of watching our country and our constitution being flushed down the toilet. I also feel helpless at times. But I dragged my tired old bones to DC earlier this month to be part of the massive march on the Capitol. And by doing so, I felt a little less helpless.

[bdamomma]

11. I do too, feel that helplessness, but WE THE PEOPLE

do have a choice, sit back or fight back (take that whatever way you want to) get on the phone and call your Senators and Reps, join a local organization start on a local state basis first, but do not give these thugs the satisfaction of us rolling over for them, bad enough there are those citizens walking around in denial, but again, until Americans are personally touched by something that these thugs do, then will we rise up (you can take violently or non violently). If only the phrase, WE THE PEOPLE, had more credence with people maybe then more eyes will be open (I am excluding DU'ers).

[rurallib]

13. My daughter and her husband work on plans to leave USA

and move to NZ or Canada. Guess that gives them hope.

[Skittles]

55. I won't leave my country to these fascists

I will stay and fight - always

[BlooInBloo]

14. Think how OMC must feel. :(

[Warpy]

24. Any updates?

[Midlodemocrat]

25. Yes, she's doing better. He posted in the lounge.

[Warpy]

27. Thanks, that's really good news.

[bryant69]

15. Eventually, whether things get better or worse, we'll all be dead

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[grasswire]

16. I think the premise is mis-stated.

Respectfully, I think what you (and others) mean is "I feel helpless and I am unwilling to give up normalcy."

Because, truly, you and I CAN do something. Citizens of other nations DO something when they feel helpless against their government. The idea that the citizenry of another country would sit around talking about how helpless they feel in the face of coming repression is laughable.

And I'm sure you know the steps involved.

But the first step is admitting or realizing that normal life is going away. We will either control our destiny or they will control us. Some say we don't have a year left. Which means we can't pin our hopes on a savior being elected in 2008.

Here are some steps to facing the reality that our lives will never be the same from now on.

1. Name the evil. It is fascism. It is here.

2. Decide if you will support liberty or tyranny.

3. Decide what your role is. Some can be leaders. Some can be feeders of leaders. Some can be protestors. Others can only pray, or pass information. But you must have a role, and your life will never be the same as it was. (And you must choose which to support -- liberty or tyranny. Not choosing means you are choosing tyranny.)

4. Find like-minded people. Make community with them.

5. If you cannot be visible as a resistor, you must support those who are. Feed them. Supply them. Stand with them. Care for their children.

Honestly, once you get past the mourning of the passing of your normal life and start planning and working in another direction, you will not feel so helpless. Sit for a minute right now and think about it. There's so much to do.

[mark414]

20. i've been doing that. and still am.

i'm not sitting on the sidelines deciding only now to speak up because it's starting to make my life difficult. if i really wanted to (for the time being at least) i could go on living my life without paying any damn attention to what's going on.

the reality is, i'm 22 and i've been constantly and consistently involved, on my own free will, in opposing injustice and tyranny since i was 15.

[OceanChick]

32. Good for you, Mark

I am grateful that you're fighting the fight.

I, too, will:

Never quit.

Never surrender.

FTW!!

[gateley]

31. Our normal life IS going away, and your post offered excellent suggestions of

steps we CAN take depending on our level of ability. I'm ready!!

[Traveling_Home]

17. Don't worry - You're Young - You WILL feel more helpless ;-)

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. ...

:evilgrin:

[Bitwit1234]

18. You know exactly when it started out in the open and so aggressively

when Newt Gingrich started his fake contract with America is when it started. Then it got worst when bush stole office.

We have never, as far back as I can remember, (I am 75)had any president who has deliberately destroyed his own country for greed and his supposed glory. Who not only sanctions the type of behavior happening in this country, but with his ignoring of Katrina and invasion of a neutral country, agreement with torture of prisoners has practiced it.

At least my generation had something going for it. We didn't let it stand we protested thru voice and vote. And that's what has to happen today. One thing else we had...a free press and later free news TV. That's something that is missing today. And until we have a free MSM and our voice is heard we will have to work three times as hard to be heard. But then freedom, it's worth it.

[gateley]

33. Excellent point about the free press! nt

[Ilsa]

19. I commend you for beng so astute about politics and the American

condition at your age.

My 81 year old father feels like it hasn't been this bad since the Great Depression and the early 1970's after that. He cannot recall any American president being as political and as bad as Bush. He is worried about his kids and the rising costs of everything, even though he has healthcare through a company plan and his pension and SSI and Medicare. He sometimes feels the hopelessness for us.

[ananda]

21. I feel for you, mark!

I was 22 once, and I had hope.

No longer.

[Bluerthanblue]

26. hope

flew out of Pandora's box.

And is still around if we look hard enough to find it, then embrace and nurture it.

That you are able to express your feelings in such an excellent post is pretty good evidence to me that you are one who will always know where to search to find renewal.

This nation is a mess. I have a son who is near your age and one 8yrs younger, so i can understand your concern about what can really be done.

The only meaningful answer to your question lives inside of you- And you already understand it. It's in your "comment"-

each 1 teach 1 to civilize man

wise men said:

'Each of us must be the change we want to see in the world.'.... Gandhi

"A Senegalese poet said 'In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.' We must learn about other cultures in order to understand, in order to love, and in order to preserve our common world heritage."
–Yo Yo Ma,

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.
This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.
I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, other-centered men can build up." MLKjr.



Reach out, reach in, rest. Being fully alive and aware is not easy or comfortable, but anything else isn't really living ... is it?

peace,
blu

[partylessinOhio]

29. Too many are supporting this insanity. Unless they wake up - we are screwed.

:cry:

[fenriswolf]

30. with the media firmly in the same pockets as our politicians

with our votes firmly in the had of big buisness

with the people firmly entralled with infotainment

with the people saddeled with so much debt they have little more time then to work and sleep

with the people horribly under educated thanks to state sponsered bills to get rid of critical thinking

with our ruling class focuesed on greed and profit rather then the continuation of our species

I have no hope for humanity let alone america
the only reason why we are not a facist state yet is because we havn't had violent protests in which our government would have to kill americans (make no mistake they would use rubber bullets straight to the head)

[snooper2]

34. smoke a joint...

and take a walk, with your puppy, if you have one...you feel better :smoke:

[Javaman]

35. Get a 2'x3' piece of card board

and write on it, impeach and stand on a corner.

It may not be glamorous, it may not be screaming at our elected officials, but it adds to the general concept that yet one more person believes we are on the wrong path and the country is run by criminals.

also, it will give you the feeling of doing something, which is: hoping to open peoples eyes.

If you change one mind your job is done, if you change many you start a movement.

You are young, channel that frustration it to positive energy.

remember, the revolution will not be televised.

[snappyturtle]

36. I know. I will not bore you with my life's details. I should be in a

much better spot; I'll leave it at that. Know that you are not alone. I go for days without getting much purposefully done....but I keep going. Here are a few things that help when I'm truly 'down':

Take a break. Put yourself into a cocoon for a few days. Pamper yourself. Take time to watch the sunrise, or sunset. Listen to the birds. Go to a park and watch children play. View movies that you enjoy just for their entertainment value. Fluff your pillows. Read a good book....something fun to read...not political! Eat healthy. Relax....think about more pleasant times, past experiences or times you're looking forward to. Call old friends and re-invest time with your family. Don't let the outside world/national troubles into your world....it takes some practice!

You aren't at your best if you're depressed. You have good reason to be depressed. View it for what it is.....I think today many think depression is a bad thing. It CAN be but, it can be turned around for good too.

Then, when you're stronger, come back! I'm doing a little less "keeping up with the news today" and interspersing it with pleasurable activities and those things I "have" to do...it helps. If needed, I will go into cocoon mode, for a while. Good luck. Be hopeful. Peace. :hug:

(I am no therapist however, I've lived through difficult times before and these suggestions helped me. I hope they help you too.)

[pansypoo53219]

37. look at the bright side.

we have only had to live thru this shit once, older people are getting the shitty rerun!

[Dystopian]

47. You've got that right. The rerun sucks. eom.

peace~

[ribrepin]

61. Sorry to bust your bubble

This ain't a rerun. This one's much worse.

[LanternWaste]

38. Organize, speak out and vote.

"What on earth can we do?"

Organize, speak out and vote. It's not dramatic, it doesn't get airplay on the 5 o'clock news, it's effects are rarely direct-- but it works.

Organize. Speak out. Vote.





"How do you stay hopeful in such trying times?"

For every red-neck, right-wing bumper sticker attached to a 10 solider/mile truck advertising guns and god, I see another one advertising honesty and tolerance- in Texas.

[abq e streeter]

40. The sensitive, aware ones

like you are hurting right now .I'm hurting too; we all are. But you also know damn well the bastards WANT you to give up. I'll never give them that satisfaction. I'm 56 years old (WHAT?????) and can't quite believe what America has allowed itself to be turned into , but I'm also not surprised at the organized, calculated effort to counter every decent thing my generation, even with all our human imperfection , tried to accomplish. They HAD to block us at every turn, satisfying their greed and lust for power depended on it. (I even occasionally see younger DUers buying into the rightwing spun myths of how the 60's generation are all sellouts or are responsible for everything that's gone wrong) And now your generation is having to fight battles it shouldn't have to now, but it does...The people that ran, and run, everything are desperate to hang on to their power, and their desperation is showing, and that's , in my opinion, why they're more dangerous than ever, and therefore the situation is so bad. They know damn well more and more people have figured out what they're up to, despite having intimidated or bought off the main sources of information. But they ARE desperate. This is exactly the wrong time to give up (and don't think I don't have those "fuck it, I give up" thoughts often). Don't let 'em get you to the point where you really do give up. Its this bad because they're desperate and they know, maybe better than you do yourself, that you're not alone. I also absolutely agree with others who've responded by suggesting ways to relax, decompress, and be happy. You're young; you got the energy to have fun as well as to fight. Do both,make sure you don't forget to enjoy being young...I'm rambling as usual...(too much ganja in the olden days?)

[MadHound]

41. Sometimes it is best to take a step back

And focus on your own personal future, make plans and start implementing them. Taking in the big picture all the time can indeed lead to despair and depression. Take time for your own self and own future, it helps you stay sane.

[ClayZ]

42. It gives me hope that you are paying attention!

Our kids are "thirty somethings". They have young children and jobs. They all four, plus their children have marched with us in protests. They keep up on the news.

I was 22 in 72 also.

My ex-husband was stationed in Germany in the army, and I lived there with him. We watch our friends get sent to VietNam and many died there. Those who didn't die came back insane. We marched in protests in Germany!

It has been devestating for me, as a grandmother, to watch this happen in the last 6 years.

I am appalled that so many people in our Government, who are around my age, could have lived on the same planet and made such horrible decisions. I am astounded that my Parents and my own Sister choose to hide thier heads in the sand and not educate themselves about what is happening.

Keep on speaking up. I have seen a waking up happing. It will take critical mass!

The youth did it in VietNam era.


Another old hippie chimes in.

[trashcanistanista]

43. You can get your hope back if you Never, Never,

Never, fucking NEVER give up. We are all in this together and you are not alone.

[emlev]

44. EVERY HOPELESS PERSON on this thread PLEASE READ POST #16

Grasswire, I thank you for your words.

Clearly millions of people are feeling helpless and/or hopeless. And ACTION is the antidote. I'm glad that you, Mark, are already one of the active people.

In my experience, it's very easy for people who aren't taking meaningful and sustained action to think, "There's nothing I can do." But once you begin taking action, you make connections with people and ideas and suddenly (or maybe for some people it's gradually) you shift perspective to one where you can see what needs to be done, and much of it breaks down into do-able tasks. Though there aren't (yet) enough people available to do them.

OneBlueSky says, "everyone seems willing to sit back and see what will come next..." and this is not true. Many, many of us are already acting. Comments like these, IMHO, make invisible the work of so many committed people here and around the world. And it makes it harder for people to join in the struggle, because it creates an image of them being the only one taking a stand, when truthfully they will be joining in a large and growing movement. (Note: Not meaning here to pick on OneBlueSky, I'm just tired of hearing things like this, and that "we need to *start* acting," etc.)

One of the most important things I think we can do right now is figure out ways to help millions more people understand that fascism is upon us and they must join with us now to stop it in its tracks. The challenge is how to get the word out to people in ways they can let in, not either push us away as "conspiracy theorists" or "crazies," but also not to be frozen by their terror. Does it interest you to experiment with ways of reaching people about this and share what you find? If so, I would certainly appreciate your doing that work.


edited to correct subject line

[backscatter712]

45. deleted

[applegrove]

46. Sharing your feelings helps a great deal. I was getting into a funk

about all the bad news lately. Just hearing from you that I am not alone makes a big difference.

[global1]

48. Mark414 - I Wish I Was 22 Right Now Knowing What I Know This Late In Life.....

I'm closing in on 60y/o and I lived through Nixon, Vietnam, Civil Rights, Kennedy, etc until today. If I was as astute as you are at 22 - I'd a been deadly. Just reading your post shows that you have a good sense about you and know the situation we are in today. I'd venture to say you are in the top 5% of your age group in terms of your political sense. Most people your age couldn't care less and are very self involved. That's how I was at 22.

I've been fortunate in that in the last 10 years of my life I have had a chance to get out to Washington D.C. and do some grassroots lobbying for my profession. I'm a medical professional. Having done this now for 7 years in a row - I now wish that I was your age - because if I was I would do everything I could to get involved politically and eventually run for office.

My advice to you is to get involved in local politics in your community. Take PolySci courses and work to run for local office and then U.S. office - Congress or Senate. You are young enough to be able to pull that off. If you can contact your local Congressman or Senator. See if you could work for them in Washington. Most of our government is run by people your age. If you can - visit Washington D.C. Visit the halls of Congress. Talk to your representatives. Sit in on committee hearings. Observe from the gallery - the House and Senate.

Not only will you feel less frustrated and helpless - you will begin to see that you can yourself effect change and help people.
Hopefully to the point that you would strive for a U.S. Congress or Senate seat in the future.

Just reading your post gives me the confidence in you that you would make a good precinct captain, alderman, mayor, state representative, congressman, senator or even president. Go for it. If you feel helpless - go out and make things happen yourself so you'll begin to feel helpful.

My generation was lucky. We were inspired by John F. Kennedy. In the '08 presidential campaign - support one of the Dem candidates for President. Get involved in their campaign. Go out and get people to vote for them. Make things happen.

There are many Dem candidates that have the potential to inspire your generation like JFK inspired mine.

Don't feel helpless. Go out and make things happen. Change things. Just from reading your post - I know you have it in you.

[dysfunctional press]

49. part of my solution was to avoid having children...

it makes the rest of the shit that much easier to take.

[blues90]

50. When I hear people tell us to refer to history I want to scream !

I went through the vietnam times , I was 18 during the worst part of this war .

I don't buy that history speaks in all cases because the US has never been in this condition ever before .

Yes we had a civil war and the depression and other wars to deal with however we still had a country that involved hope and promise with jobs and a way to rebuild , now this is nto the case and we have never been in a corporatist country or a world terror promoter or a semi dictatorship where the consitution has been ignored and shreaded where we have lost our basic rights .

I have no answer and I never thought the people in this country would allow another lied into war with no way out that will be easy if even possible now . This is the worst I have even seen things add in global warming and here we are screwed .

another thing is that the corporations will jump on global warming as another way to profit , we won't get the new jobs someone else will as it is now always the case , cheap labor = high profits .

[marions ghost]

51. IMO

it's going to get worse before it gets better.

But this is no time to give up. The darkness comes before the dawn. We have needed to see what was really going on behind the scenes. It's out there now, in all it's festering, depraved ugliness. All the corruption, the exploitation, the greed, the sadism, the pathological narcissism, the abuse --of our so-called "leaders" in business and government.

The people of this country are waking up and know that something is terribly wrong...despite the media lies. They know, even though there will always be some who won't admit it and don't have any will to fix it. We who questioned are not alone anymore. There is a general malaise across the country. Most average Americans are just getting by now--they feel up against it, scared of the future, depressed. This is NO way to live. Something has to give.

You will more than likely live to see big changes come, mark414. Be a part of it. Help make it happen. Everyone can do something, no matter how small.

Live with your eyes open, always.

[WindRavenX]

52. mark, im your age and i feel the same way

We're really in some fucked up times, and i feel the despair as you do.

where are the speakers of truth?

[Skittles]

53. I was just telling a coworker yesterday

I cannot think of a single area where America is progressing; we are either stalled or regressing.....I'm with you, I find it very depressing....all I know is I won't give up; this is my country and I will fight the fascist bastards all the days of my life

[Swamp Rat]

59. Never give up! Never surrender!

:D :hi:

[renie408]

54. You need to relax.

I am not belittling your feelings, but if you keep this level of emotion up, you are going to freak out.

You are dead on. America has been through a lot worse than we are going through now. BTW, the real things that will screw us up are economic in nature. I sometimes think stuff like the Iraq war are part of a shell game to keep us from looking at the REAL problems. Like China owning a third of our war debt and Dubai owning the NYSE. Sorry, that probably didn't cheer you up....

Anyway, things have always sucked. Pick a date in history. It sucked. Seriously...try it. If you pick any day in history and looked around the world hard enough, it sucked. BUT, try that same exercise in reverse. Pick any day in history and look for the GOOD things that were happening. And you will find those, too. The thing about human nature (which the media exploits) is that we are literally wired to take note of negatives over positives. I happen to have this illustrated for me on a regular basis. I teach horseback riding lessons. A kid can ride for five years and never fall off. Then one day...boom. And forever after, the thousands of successful rides they have had will be overshadowed by that one fall.

I know there is a lot of creepy shit going on in the world today. A LOT. But maybe you should take a creepy-shit-break and try to find some of the good things that are happening. Another thing you can try is to pick any date in history and figure out if you would have rather lived THEN...or now. Or even pick another country. Whenever I try either of those exercises, I realize I would rather have here and now.

[southerncrone]

56. Talk it up w/your peers. They may be texting, etc. but,

their future lives really do depend on who is elected in '08.

Word of mouth is the best way. Talk to your peers about politics, so they realize it's OK for them to have opinions separate from their parents.

This admin has soured so many from taking part in the process......but that was their plan! Don't let them win & turn the United States into a fascist nation! We have always been the party of youth; we need you now more than ever!

[Tsiyu]

57. First you need to see the value in your own self

Your own principles - if you strive to live by them and to improve in that living of your beliefs every day - are like a solid foundation. You cannot be moved once you realize this. Nothing - not even the worst situation - can shake your belief in what is right.

When you determine how you will live and what you hope to give back to this messed-up world into which you were cast, find a community where you can give it. You are surrounded by people who can help you find a sense of meaning and of the goodness of life. You are also surrounded by some real assholes.

Using your principles, find the good people. ;)

I am lucky to be part of a wonderful community of family and friends in all sorts of situations and going through tough times. We really do care about and take care of one another and I know that is rare but this is because we make a conscious effort to spend time with each other. We MAKE the time to get together, to play cards or see a friend's band play or to help one another move or haul something. It's like a family and there is acceptance and unconditional love.

We laugh together and cry together and no one ever goes through anything alone.

I think that anybody can find this community or help make it happen.

Online forums are great ways to share information and vent, but socializing with other people in real life - remembering your personal goals and ideals - is the surest way to find hope.


hang in there... from an old fogie bhg :hug:

[ConsAreLiars]

58. My two kids have taken two different paths in dealing with that reality. Both valid.

One is a very high-powered activist who lives every moment by slogan the slogan inspired by Joe Hill, "Don't Mourn, Organize!"

The other is more guided by "Turn on, tune in, drop out."

Both inspire the others around them to do more to make things better, and live their lives in ways that serve the greater good rather than personal greed or the powers that be.

They are both older than you, now 28 and 30, but the way they approach things was clear from their teens. A bit of floundering about for a while, but they both found very different ways to live by their (very similar and very progressive/revolutionary) values and yet express their unique personalities and talents.

In a sense these are "extremes" but if you do what fits and expresses your best nature and live a honest and caring life, you will being making that change.

None of us can do everything, but each of us can do something.