[From the diaries by susanhu.]
I am angry, not despaired,
I am hopeful, not hopeless,
I will stand against injustice,
For I am a Human Being.
I wrote this yesterday, after reading about all the tragedy that has befallen the world in the course of King Georges watch. As a leader, Georgie boy is a loser, as a corporate lackey he has all the attributes necessary and as a despot of destruction, he more than qualifies. I have read so many wonderful diaries over the last three days and I hope this one gives all who read it a sense of hope. That we shall not be denied our rightful place in the way our government is run and how it makes decisions concerning the welfare of not only the peoples of the US, but the peoples of the world.
::::More after the fold::::
I would like to break this short poem down for you, so you will understand where my point of reference is coming from and why.
I am angry,
I am livid that the leader of my country has so far been able to keep his lies and lunacy from the very people who have placed him in power. The spin machine from the white house has been in super overdrive for the last 12 months and it is not going to be able to maintain that rate of spin for very much longer.
Not Despaired,
Because the fascists that have taken over my country’s government, have not yet gained a complete hold on all the seats of power. If my fellow countrymen and women arise in their righteous indignation at the despoiling of our country by these corporate fascists raiders, we will have our best chance of defeating them.
I am hopeful,
As a person in recovery, I have grown to understand that hope is eternal, that without hope, there is nothing. I believe in the American people, I believe that they will recognize evil and face it and change that which makes us less than our very best.
Not hopeless,
Again as a person in recovery, I am quite familiar with hopelessness and today I have no sense of hopelessness. I firmly believe that the current regime is in for some truly magnificent come uppance in the near future and it will find itself standing in the light of the peoples righteous indignation at the crimes it has committed in the name of the people of the US.
I will stand against injustice,
Are we not all standing up against the injustice of this war on terrorism, this war against our fundamental rights as citizens of the US. Until such time as my government clamps me in irons and ships me off to Gitmo or some such hellhole, I will raise my voice, in defiance to their fascism, their illegal war, their destruction of our Constitution. I will not shirk my responsibility as a citizen of this country, to stand up for those who are less able to stand for themselves. I will voice my opinions in everyway possible, to maximize how many people might hear what I am saying about the injustice that is perpetuated by my government.
For I am a Human Being.
Above all else on this earth, I am a human being, I am valuable because I am a human being, not for what I have, or do not have, not for what I own or do not own. I am valuable because I walk upon this earth, a member of race of human beings that encompasses a vast multitude of other human beings. All faced with the same life decisions, all forced to face our inequities, shortcomings and faults. But blessed with the joys of hope, love, honor, truth and commitment to helping those who are not able to help themselves. I am because I know that I am. I live because I feel the grace of being alive. I love because I have been given love. I share because I have been shared with. I am a being that has been given life in a human form and that is a wondrous gift, that I nearly lost, yet here I am, sharing with others the truth as I know and feel it, within myself.
Please feel free to add anything you would like to each of these points. I would enjoy reading what your feelings are on each of them. Again thank you all for allowing me to be a part of your lives and sharing with me the many and various joys and disappointments that come with being just a Human Being.
I always draw upon a line by Cornell West when dealing with this theme:
I feel much better and I have been nourished.
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.” -Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption
Let’s get busy living or get busy dying.
From The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles:
The statement pretty well sums up a viewpoint that would be useful as a guide to both personal and societal goals.
I have a chronic problem with the “optimistm” and “hope” parts, tho. Both seem to me little more than political rhetoric meaning nothing, wishful thinking elevated to an indeology. I could go on at tedious length on this, but will instead just question how one can “believe in optimism rather than pessimism and hope rather than despair” and yet claim to believe in “reason rather than blind faith or irrationality”.
To me, a rational assessment of possibility beats hope, optimism, and faith hands down.
For one <not necessarily you> who has never faced being hopeless, lacking faith in anything and veiwing the world from a place of suicidal pessimism, I am sure your rational assessment of possibility really does appear to beat out hope, optimism and faith.
As one who has been lifted from the anguish and prison of self destruction by chemical alteration of my psychi, I know first hand how well hope, optimism and faith can lift up a human spirit. Do I believe in miracles, you damn betcha I do, for I am a walking talking miracle of recovery from heroin addiction. A disease that had me committing suicide on the installment plan, that turned me into a lump of waste material that even the police did not want to have to deal with on any given day.
Do I believe your rational assessment of possibility is a viable and enlightened way of viewing the world, Yes I do, but I would never think to challenge your assessement or claim that my veiw trumps yours in any way, shape or form. The beauty of my humanity is that acceptance of all forms of beliefs bring forth such a magnificent cacophony of life that all beliefs are given a fair hearing, that all beliefs are given their due and that all humans regardless of those beliefs are accepted for the beauty of their humanity.
Finding recovery has made me a dopeless hope fiend, no longer a hopeless dope fiend. I strive for the optimal optimism in my life, so my children will know that no matter how dark the day, there will be something different and maybe better on the turn of the next day. I hope you take this in the manner in which it is offered, a way for you to “hopefully” view others viewpoints as not so much at odds with your own, just different in how they bring the light of truth, honor, respect and love into thier daily lives.
Well, I won’t go on about it, because, like you, I delight in the variety of human consciousness. I”m not sure where you got the idea that I was trumpeting my view as “superior”. I tend to question pretty much everything. I’m glad your view worked for you. We’d have been poorer if your thoughtfulness had not flowered as it has.
I’ve been in some bad places and done some bad and stupid things, too, and got past them, for now, by a different route. Vive la differance.
and a hearty handshake and glad to make your acquaintance Dave. Thank you for bringing forth points of enlightenment that I would not have explored, but for your discourse. I thank you for being a part of Booman’s and for allowing me the opportunity to get to know you.
I don’t see a contradiction at all. Reading the rest of the Affirmations might clarify things a bit. I have hope that humanity can use reason to make this world a better place. I have optimism that a we will someday overcome the ignorance. I don’t expect it to happen overnight or by some miracle. I know it will take work. But if I don’t have hope and optimism that the outcome is possible, then why even make an effort?
Mostly, those are just statements intended to contrast Humanism with the fire and brimstone of the brand of Christianity that preaches that we are all sinners doomed for hell unless we conform.
If you read my diary I Am The Boogeyman I go into much greater detail on these issues.
I believe, encompasses the best of both worlds, the humanist and secular, as a means of gaining enlightenment and a method of living together with all the living beings on our Planet. I have posted a few diaries, that lightly explore the Native American spiritual journey. I hope you had the opportunity to read them.
I did, indeed. They were quite enlightening. I always look forward to your diaries.
One of my all time favorite quotes….
Gives me goosebumps every time! Now don’t I look silly, sitting out here in 100 degree weather with goosebumps!
I really needed to hear that today!
We humans are capable of performing some extraordinary acts of kindness sometimes …
It’s a simple fix, repair crews say, but doing so would put them within arm’s reach of a pair of fledgling peregrine falcons, and state Department of Transportation workers don’t want to disturb the protected birds until they can fly.
“It’s about a 20-minute fix but I’m prevented from going there because of our guests,” said Kip Wylie, bridge maintenance supervisor for the DOT.
KING TV
Peregrines have nested on the bridge since at least 1998.
They figure waiting two weeks will give the falcons time to get airborne.
How this affects drivers:
The U.S. Coast Guard, city of Tacoma and Port of Tacoma have been advised.
“It’s an inconvenience,” Wylie said. “Everybody seems to understand the situation.”
I love stories like that. Are the affected drivers really not complaining?
Seems not! So many birds and animals get killed ruthlessly in construction projects around the country that it’s wonderful to see this kind of effort and sacrifice of convenience.
Tough situation: I’m really torn now about the studies coming out that show that “wind farms” can have a negative effect on bird populations. On the one hand, I think wind power is a great renewable energy source. On the other, we don’t want to wipe out birds.
I haven’t actually read any of the studies, but I have a sneaking suspicion that pesticides and air pollution probably have a much bigger impact on bird populations than wind farms. These studies are probably being pushed by the oil industry… anybody know?
So goes the life that we lead.
Susan,
Thank you, I am overwhelmed, thank you.
You always bring us hope and a lot of compassion. You’re a special person. We NEEDED this diary from you today.
Such exquisite writing and such sensitivity to the life around him:
How to hike across tundra: Pretend you are a giant. You are walking across a distant planet whose surface is full of squishy volcanoes, which to you, being a giant, are knee-high at most. Now take long, steady strides and, one step after the next, place your foot between two volcanoes. You’ll have to be careful, because there is often not quite enough room in that wet, squishy space to accommodate your monster-sized feet. …
From
June 14:
I was thinking today about the terms “wildlife” and “wilderness.” I’ve never been comfortable with those words because they imply chaos or violence. But living out here each day, I feel just the opposite. Life is quite orderly, in a way, and there is not violence. Life just flows. The trouble is, many people have difficulty understanding this. Shoot, I have difficulty with it, too. These days have been disconcerting already. The absence of darkness and the lack of familiar terrain are not easily overcome. I’ve made my place by putting some order into my daily routine, but this is a quite conscious attempt to add a little “civilization” to this “wilderness.”
But the days pass. Somewhere a bear is chasing a caribou right now. A musk ox calf is calling for food from mama. The ice slowly melts into the rivers. Life happens, whether people are there to observe it or not.
Last thought today: When I walk by a group of caribou on the open tundra, they pursue. This reminds me of gazelle in Tanzania who follow the female lions-at a safe distance. I think both of these herd animals are instinctively “thinking” that it’s in their best interest to know where their potential trouble is. As long as the caribou can keep an eye on me as I pass, they feel safe. When I lie down and suddenly go out of sight, they freeze. When I get up and continue walking away from them, they follow.
From June 21:
There is a tarp over my tent to keep the ultraviolet sun rays from degrading this good tent. The tarp comes down pretty low, and I must crawl out backwards to exit the tent. When I did so this morning, I stretched, turned around, and there were hundreds of caribou. I slowly crawled back in the tent. They were already spooked, though, and left soon. When I got out to look around, I saw several thousand caribou along the hills by the river. They were all females and calves.
I photographed them all day from my food tent, up on a little bluff near my sleeping tent.
The highlight was watching them cross the river. Moms calling to their babies, lost babies calling for mom. There was one mother who stood in the gravel for hours calling for her calf, which probably drowned.
On the hill beyond the river, little calves were running like mad up and down the hill, just playing, …
From The Wilderness Society’s Arctic Journey: “Accompany nature photographer John Dunne on his summer-long visit to the Arctic Refuge. John’s journal notes give you the feeling of a wilderness adventure.”
“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send forth a tiny ripple of hope, crossing each other from a million different centers of energy, daring those ripples to build a current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance.” Bobby Kennedy
Ah, hope springs eternal. Honestly there are days that I am more hopeful than others. Coming here helps me to keep that balance. It has been such a fine line between the anger and the hope quite frankly. I hang on to the hope though for the most part because I know I have work to do. I know it is part of my journey to voice what I know is the truth and continue to seek information to be the best informed I can be. To learn the talking points so I do not lose my temper when trying to explain how corrupt this administration is.
Coming to this site, this circle of friends, this circle of support helps me to do the work that needs to be done. I am eternaly grateful to all who come here and point me in the direction that needs to be looked at at any given moment or issue that needs attention. There are days that I say to myself will this nightmare ever end. Those are the days I know I need to work hardly to make sure it ends for our children and grand chilren’s futures.
Jeez, spellcheck Leezy. I meant work harder not hardly…sorry.
Lol Alohaleezy! It sounds just like a Bushism :O)
and a much needed salve. It reminded me of a poem by Thich Nhat Hahn. Betsy Rose turned it into song as well.
I hold my face in my two hands.
No, I am not crying.
I hold my face in my two hands
to keep the loneliness warm–
two hands protecting,
two hands nourishing,
two hands preventing
my soul from leaving me
in anger.
Chapter II of Bulfinch’s Mythology: Prometheus and Pandora – “So we see at this day, whatever evils are abroad, hope never entirely leaves us, and while we have that, no amount of other ills can make us completely wretched.” After every other thing escaped from the curious Pandora’s box – she was left with the jewel of hope.
Frankly, I was prepared for something mushy, despite my respect and admiration for most of what you’ve written here. Instead you managed to meld “tough mindedness” with compassion and empathy. A hard job well done.
My only caveat would be the “hope” part. It’s a concept that seems to me to serve little useful function. But that’s trivial compared with the rest.
I’m especially happy with the “angry but not despaired” part. This is something too few folks on the liberal/left side can manage to take in. Well-directed anger is among our most positive and beneficial emotions when it’s directed consciously and well at deserving targets.
Hope is very important. If I don’t have hope we will someday be able to improve our society through hard work, why make any effort at all. That hope is based on the fact that people in the past have been able to improve society through hard work, so I it is not blind hope, but it is still hope.
Hello Ghostdancers way,
it seems not only do you have a talent or, should I say, intuition for setting out your thoughts in a diary, you also have a fine sense of timing :O)
Since you asked, I will try to respond to each portion of the poem.
I am angry,
This is an understatement for me. More so today as we witness more needless death in London, especially because there is some question as to whether or not there was any for-knowledge of an impending attack. I am angry that the American media and politicians have risen in indignation at the attacks, not because the victims don’t deserve recognition, but because I can’t remember the last time any of them showed any such concern for the thousands upon thousands of Iraqi dead. Anger is appropriate in the face of the crimes we are witnessing. We just need to remember to use that energy and channel it into actions that achieve the task of removing this cancerous Admin. from the seat of power. Ranting is good. Lashing out is not.
Not despaired,
because there are men like John Conyers, and women like Barbara Boxer who do have some measure of power, that are aware of what is really at stake and have the courage to stand and fight. Not despaired because history is full of would be emporers and dictators who sought to usurp power and subjigate their own people and others, who nonetheless failed when confronted with the ultimate power of the people. Not despaired because I still breath, and I see, and I am hammering at the wall.
I am hopeful,
If my Mother taught me one thing, it was to Never….Give….Up. If not for hope, there would be no need to struggle because the battle would have been lost before it was joined. I have joined. I am hopeful.
Not hopeless,
Hopelessness is the home of the battered soul. The soul that has temporarily forgotten to listen to it’s own beating heart. The sound of life. The reminder that a future is possible.
I will stand against injustice,
You expressed how I feel far better than I could.
For I am a human being.
Well…..if I had a choice…..an Orca’s body might better suit my perception of what I would wish to be, but since my vessel is of the two legged sort, I will strive to make the best of a less than ideal situation :O)
Among all of these, it is hope that we need to nurture, because hope gives birth to action. Action gives birth to a better world.
Peace
thank you
Not just a diary, but a wonderful soulful expression of life. THANK YOU
One of my daily favorites “If” by Rudyard Kipling