What Is Going On?

What Is Going On?

          What is going on? The United States’ election is certainly an entertaining sideshow. Rather than talking about any pertinent issue the campaign his digressed into name calling. Short slogans and venomous jabs are the norm where actual policies to solve problems are not articulated.

          Donald Trump proposes to “Make America great” again. I once asked somebody on Facebook what does this mean and what he will actually do to accomplish this task. The individual’s response was to remove me as a friend. Perhaps Donald Trump articulates some of the nation’s problems. But anybody who lives here can identify them. Furthermore he as well as Hillary Clinton neglects so many. Donald Trump is openly racist, sexist and shows a massive disconnect with reality when he talks about using nuclear weapons. There is plenty more to dislike.

          One would think that you’d run towards Hillary Clinton then. But it would be like leaving the lake only to drown in the river. Hillary Clinton is an opportunist who has changed her position, over time on all major issues; homosexual marriage, the war in Iraq, trade agreements.  Hillary’s worst point is her hawkish point of view. If we just continue to Obama policy it will most likely lead us into World War 3. We are heavily involved in the Middle East; Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and so forth. Nuclear weapons are on the table with Hillary. Perhaps future historians when they dissect our times will decide that these were the initial stages of World War 3.

          One of the most disgusting things I have seen by Hillary Clinton or any other human being is her laughing over the death of Gaddafi. Here is the clip to watch it yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgcd1ghag5Y  Understand that Gaddafi died by having a sword shoved up his rectum. Couple this with Hillary’s insistence that she was under sniper fire in Bosnia you get a very dangerous combination. Hillary Clinton was endorsed by Henry Kissinger perhaps the most evil man alive today. Both are pro war and both have never been in harm’s way in combat.

          I am going to vote for Jill Stein. I am told that I am throwing my vote away.  I am told that I am in fact voting for Trump. The most compelling argument for me to vote for Hillary is from my African American friends. They point to how Trump’s campaign has emboldened the bigots in this country. That one issue would persuade me alone if I thought for a snap of a second that Hillary was any better. Hillary supported her husband Bill Clinton when he was president in their atrocious prison program; which is basically slavery by another name.

          A good part of the problem is that we are locked into this two party system. That is why Jill Stein and Gary Johnson, despite having a significant amount of support, were kept out of the presidential debates. Both Trump and Hillary are candidates of the wealthy. Hillary is a Wall Street shill. Trump is an unscrupulous capitalist. I don’t expect the election results will change either candidate.

          The answer to America’s problems is not in the voting booth.  “Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth,” Lucy Parsons. Lucy Parsons is of course the wife of Albert Parson who was involved in the famous Haymarket incident in Chicago. If you don’t know who Lucy and Albert Parson are then that is a serious difficulty.

          You see this country has been in turbulent times before. There is a whole host of history and individuals who have successfully fought against the system. Slaves didn’t get free and workers didn’t get rights by the kindness of those in power. I recall one day in Irvington, or the hood if you like, I asked a young African American male about Huey Newton. The young man, in his early twenties was clueless about the founder of the Black Panther Party.

          Education is a continuous process and it is the origin of emancipation. I recently became aware of Gill Scott Heron. I am almost fifty years old and I was totally ignorant of this poetic genius. “The revolution will not be televised.” It is a necessity we educate ourselves. If you rely on what is taught in schools and universities beware. Whoever runs a school or a university do not serve the truth rather they serve their own selfish agenda.

          But allow me to wrap this up. We’re caught in a two party system where either choice we select will most likely bring disaster to the United States. We have been locked into this system of choosing the lesser of two evil for a very long time. “Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil,” Jerry Garcia. When you vote don’t be selfish and vote for yourself. Vote for a generation fifty years from now. Let’s fix this systematic error in our political system. Dump Trump, say Nil to Hill. 

The War On Terror? No Thanks!!

The War On Terror? No Thanks!!

          What exactly is the ‘war on terror’ and how does it affect me?

          That is a very good question as well as a complex one. Presumably the ‘war on terror’ is an attack on those who would like to destroy the American way. That sounds like a noble cause until you define the American way.

          To me the American way are the ideals that this country expressed in the Bill of Rights. Free speech, free press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, a representative government where the people have the power. Let me assure you that nobody overseas wants to destroy that kind of America.

          But America has a sinister and evil twin. So horridly different it is hard to imagine they were birthed by the same womb. I am talking about the selfish capitalistic America; the one that was founded on genocide and enriched itself on chattel slavery. Like Satan who it serves this America is full of lies and hypocrisy.

          And thus there is a dueling conflict. The virtuous America attempts to exist and survive while the cruel America attempts to enrich itself at the expense of everyone else. It is the second America that these ‘terrorists’ are trying to destroy. Allow me to say so should every righteous person in the world.

          Outside of 911, which in the opinion of many was in fact self inflicted terrorism, what has happened on American soil? Rather the overwhelming amount of killing has occurred over seas; in particular the Middle East. It is a sad and familiar story. The United States uses it’s vastly superior military to kill and destroy the armed forces of another country. Then they go in and seize their resources. It happened in Afghanistan and it happened in Iraq. Unfortunately other countries are on the list.

          The means of conquest that the United States uses are barbaric and cruel. Drone strikes which double dip. That is after the initial missile attack a second missile is fired when rescuers attempt to help those wounded in the initial attack. Cluster bombs that drop and kill innocent civilians are common. In fact in Yemen the youth have acquired a great hatred for the United States as a result of these attacks. The second selfish America mind you.

          In sheer hypocritical fashion the United States continues to do what it condemns. That is the use of dangerous and illegal weapons is one glaring item. The United States still uses deplete uranium and white phosphorus; all the while condemning other nations for ‘alleged’ use of chemical weapons. Far from leading by example the United States is acting as if they are above the rules.

          Take for example the alleged Syrian bombing of two hospitals. The United States called this as a grievous sin; an unforgivable barbaric act. However when the United States bombed a hospital of Doctors Without Borders they sang a different tune. It was all an honest mistake. Subordinates were called out for not properly following the rules of engagement. That is the problem with the United States they can do no evil in their own wicked eyes.

But evil is what abounds in this nation. The only reason God has not treated us like Sodom and Gomorrah is because of the core of righteous people who live here. I am certainly not talking about the so called ‘evangelical’ Christians. I am talking about brave people who think with both their heart and their mind. Allow me to draw your attention to Standing Rock, South Dakota.

There on lands rightfully belonging to the Sioux Nation a host of people have gathered to stop the construction of a pipeline. The pipeline would go under the Missouri River which supplies an estimated seven million people with drinking water. Of course the whole idea of building a pipeline in such a delicate area is utterly insane. But unfortunately greed blinds people. The Bible is right when it says the “Love of money is the root of all evil.”

These peaceful protesters have been met with a host of violence. Armed soldiers in riot gear have attacked them. Hundreds have been arrested. Others had dogs set on them or were sprayed with pepper spray. I assure you the government would kill these people except that the outrage at such an act wouldn’t be worth the slaughter.

          So on one side we have people concerned with the well being of future generations. People who not only want to live the good life but want also want it preserved for future generations. On the other side are short sighted business people who are only concerned about themselves and their profits.

          You see the divide is so profound that it is really a battle of good versus evil. Why are you destroying what give us life? Wealth is a fictional concept. Green pieces of paper and digits on a computer have no intrinsic value. On the other hand pure water is as they say ‘life’ itself. There is no monetary compensation worth destroying the Missouri River. NONE!!!

          These same greedy people refuse to invest their resources into developing alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind. Rather they are fixated on their oil. To them oil is supreme. Henry Kissinger one of the evilest men who ever existed said this, “Control the oil and you control the nations; control the food and you control the people.” Sounds like a play right out of Satan’s handbook. Not only does it explain why Monsanto is producing plants that don’t bear seeds but it brings us back to the ‘war on terror’.

          You see the Middle East is rich in oil. Kissinger is correct in his assessment. That for the time being the world is dependent on oil. The United States in its sadistic quest to conquer to world is trying to grab all the oil for itself. It doesn’t matter to them whom they kill along the way. After all a country that used two nuclear weapons on civilian populations will pretty much commit any dastardly deed.

          So is it wrong to fight against such a force? I’ll leave that up to you. Also remember fighting does not necessitate violence. Let me leave you with this thought, ‘who are the real terrorists?” Is it the people fighting to maintain their way of life, whether they are in the Middle East or in South Dakota? Or is it those trying to make themselves a lot of money off of the suffering of others. Before you answer let me remind you that twenty two United States’ veterans kill themselves every day, far more deaths then the alleged ‘terrorists’ are responsible for.  

Hope?

Hope?

          When my wife Sylvia and I first visited the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue there was a thrill in the air.  It was after all in the year 2008 and there was a newly elected president  Barack Obama. Chancellor Avenue is located in the South Ward in Newark, New Jersey. For further clarification we were in the heart of the Hood.

          One didn't even have to talk to a person to sense the anticipation of something good coming along. It was written on their smiling faces and it was written on their shirts. I'm talking about the famous or perhaps now infamous one. It had the depiction of President Obama with the words HOPE underneath.

          I am certain that almost everybody down there was feeling good. After all sixty years ago if there was a black president of the United States in a science fiction story it would have been criticized as unbelievable. But despite slavery, despite Jim Crow, despite the riots, despite watching immigrants come in and move on ahead, despite a thousand other things, it had happened. One of their own had become president; or so they thought.

          Every time we were down there we saw that 'Hope' shirt. I am not exaggerating. We'd be down to the Church building twice every Sunday and Wednesday evening for Bible study. Our walk to the store front building from the street was measured in mere yards. But without fail we would always see that shirt. It was almost like a gang affiliation; perhaps stronger and definitely more universal.

          So what happened? Well my wife and I dedicated ourselves to the congregation. We met a lot of wonderful people and we made a lot of beautiful friends. Oh, yeah, the 'Hope' shirts are now gone. Not one has been seen in years. Somewhere the anticipated messiah of the poor African American had been shot down.

          Don't get me wrong there is still a tremendous amount of pride towards President Obama. Some of the people blame the senate and the congress, in particular the Republicans. Rumors abound, and based upon certain statements I've seen I believe them to be true. That is that the priority of the Republicans was simply to shut down Obama; so that he could get nothing done.

          There's not too much talk about the man selling out. Personally I believe to climb high into politics you do indeed sell your soul to the devil. That when you go to big business for financing a political campaign that favors are expected in return. Dick Cheney and Halliburton come to mind. But it's not limited to Republicans and it's not limited to the Federal level. Let's face it, even if it's the cop on the take or the local assembly man getting kickbacks this country reeks with corruption. I firmly believe that if Obama tried to fundamentally change the way our country worked this article would be a eulogy.

          Let me tell you that I have yet to see any sign to indicate whether people are more favored to Hillary or Sanders. I think that perhaps in some of the crowds that hangs around the church building, if somebody claimed to support Trump, they would get beaten. I'm not joking. In the eight years we've been there at the church plant I can recall at least three murders. Two on the corner thirty yards from the building and the most recent one on June first, a block away.

          These are the same people who as a pale skinned person have embraced me. That when I walk the neighborhoods and knock on doors there hasn't been the slightest hint of hatred. Except perhaps once. On the other hand when I take my Sylvia, who is African American to 'European American' neighborhoods, I have more concern for her safety.

          So to quote Marvin Gay , "What's going on?" Certainly I have seen no excitement in the Hood over this election. I think everybody is sad to see President Obama leave office. I don't think that the majority of the people down there have a grasp of the political climate. I really don't think I could make that claim for myself as well. It seems to be a very complicated world. When in the United States that it is a crisis that billionaires and millionaires on Wall Street are going to go broke, yet when that's the daily reality in the Hood, it's not even mentioned in the press. When you can spend all the money you need to 'defend' this country but can't do one lick to support what you are 'defending'.

          I believe there is an answer and I know it does not exist in politics alone. Politics can be an avenue for change, but if you focus on it you will lose every time. In the end, cynical as it seems, Washington is an exclusive club where money is the ticket to intimacy. If you have no hefty some of cash you are simply a statistic.

          So what is the answer? Community. Simple as that. A community of love and support. Obama and his wife did provide inspiration. They still fulfill that role today and historically forever will. But they fell short of what the people aspired to. Nothing great was done, outside the mind and spirit that is. But who knows what will grow from the seeds of Obama's legacy? What unimaginable good thing will happen sixty years from now?

          So we'll continue to do our service. Hand out free clothes. Buy the panhandlers food. Lend a sympathetic, listening, non judgmental ear.  Talk to the people about a better life with Jesus Christ. But most importantly there is an open invitation for anyone on this planet to come down to the Church of Christ on Chancellor Avenue and become part of what we are. You see we offer a HOPE you can and must believe in. 

The Inequality Of Wealth

The Inequality Of Wealth

          The idea of wealth is really starting to sink into my psyche. Whenever I venture down by the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue in Newark I am acutely aware of poverty. People come up to my almost every time I am down there. They ask for money for food, coffee or bus fare. Being a minister and thus a representative of the Church I almost never decline. The only exception is when I know the recipient squanders their money on drugs. Otherwise I am glad to buy a person a cup of coffee and I am grateful to have the funds to do so.

          But the concept of poverty hit me harder when I recently had to go to court. Where people had to pay fifty dollar fines and needed a payment plan to take care of it. The idea of living off of a fixed income really struck me. That people have to watch their budget so tightly they cannot even pay a small fine. Contrasting this are others who have every luxury and don't even need to have a budget. So my thoughts focused on 'the inequality of wealth'.

          In capitalistic America we are presented with this theory that we are all created equal. Also in our so called 'free market' we have the ability to act as we sit fit. Simply put, we all have skills and abilities and we can use our talents however we like. Success and failure occurs just like evolution with the superior rising to the top. We are all competing for the slice of the pie.

          Perhaps on a certain level this might seem just. That we all do our best. The person who works harder or is more clever succeeds. Those who are lazy or make bad decisions fail. Even at this base and accepted level this system seems harsh. What about the weak and wounded in our society? Shouldn't we make a special effort to take care to them?

          Let me now shatter all pretenses of righteousness in capitalism. Let us examine the history of the United States. If we are competing for a fair slice of the pie we must first recognize that the whole pie has been stolen. That's right, Europeans came here and through violence, treachery and deceit they gained power over the land. The takeover was done in a most detrimental way to the indigenous peoples. It is one of the most grievous examples of genocide ever in the history of mankind. We are taught that God gave the Europeans a mandate called 'Manifest Destiny' to seize the land. In all honesty I care not to know that wicked God and furthermore it is not the God of the Bible.

          Secondly the empire was built on cruel, forced labor or chattel slavery. People were stolen or kidnapped from their homeland. They were brought here in filthy conditions. The mode of transportation was so atrocious that a businessman wouldn't even transport stock in suck a fashion. Once arriving the slaves were dehumanized and robbed of their own identity. The women were raped. The children were sold on the auction block. And all were worked with no regard to their welfare.

          When chattel slavery ended great waves of immigration came to America. The newcomers were put to work in terrible conditions, for long hours and scant pay. Here when they workers organized and fought back things actually changed. Work hours got reduced. Pay was raised. Safety conditions improved. Child labor was banned. It is proof things can change if we fight for it.

          That is an economic history of the United States in a succinct and simplistic manner. Understand that wealth was originally stolen and then it was increased by the oppression of others.  Opportunity was never fair and equal nor was it ever just. Furthermore the conditions continue today in hideous forms. The oppression of the inner city is a prime example. Young African America youth are denied opportunity through various insidious methods. Primarily through the racist nature of the system. This is evidenced by the extremely high rate of incarceration.

          Now here is the key. Many have tried to fight for the oppressed. You would think that somebody wishing to eliminate poverty or to improve social status of people would be welcomed. Isn't it a noble thing to lift your fellow human being up in life?  Instead anybody advocating for anything remotely righteous is met with the fiercest resistance of the system. Whether it was Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, American Indian Movement, The Black Panthers, MOVE or the I.W.W. to mention a few. All these groups have been met with physical violence aimed to eradicate them directed by the United States Government. For the uninitiated research COINTELPRO. 

          I am saying that in the United States there is no free speech and certainly no freedom to practices as one feels politically inclined to. To prove the latter I just simply have to ask  you how much influence you feel you have in selecting the candidate. Rather it is the wealthy people or the upper one percent who have selected two shills for us to chose from. Even then I doubt the votes will be counted fairly. In addition left wing groups like socialists and communists are repressed. Eugene Debs the Socialist candidate for president of the United States of America was thrown in jail for saying World War 1 was not a war for freedom.

          As far as free speech surely we must have it, after all you are reading this very anti government treatise. Free speech is indeed tolerated. However when a person starts to have influence they are quickly delt with in a very hostile way. Keep on paying attention to those who speak out against the system.  They will either be co-opted or destroyed in the struggle. 

          The point of the whole matter is that there is an inequality of wealth in the United States. None can deny this. The overwhelming majority of those who have wealth have gotten it by the most despicable ways. Furthermore they maintain it in an equally evil way.

          There are other options. The Native Americans had an idealistic system based on cultural community. Certainly we could spend less money on war and on other things. Let me make this very personal. My wife is suffering from dementia. My car is getting fixed and I can't take her out to calm her down. Due to my limited economics my wife is suffering needlessly. First of all the burden of her care shouldn't fall entirely on me. Society should be there to support me in this manner. I cannot afford to pay for her health care in a day program. Thus I have to tough it out on my own. In a capitalistic society you can get the finest of things, but only if you have the necessary money.

          When people such as I advocate for redistribution of wealth I am derided by the rich and called a 'thief'. I know the history and I know the truth. The rich people are the ones who have stolen this country. The rich people used immoral and unscrupulous methods to create and maintain their wealth. I agree with Joe Hill that we should organize. Let's let the dialogue continue on this matter. There is so much that needs to be explored. Let us have a just world in every way. Let us end "The Inequality Of Wealth". 

For What It's Worth

For What It's Worth

For what it's worth. At age eighteen I was a brainwashed child with a narrow mind and little life experience. I was full of hatred and illogical beliefs. I can understand how I arrived at the point. I was immersed in a culture of hatred and lies. Escaping and learning new things I discovered that the overwhelming majority of what I was told was a lie.

God is not a Catholic. America is not a righteous country. Black people are not inferior. Money is not happiness. The list is in fact very long. I thank God for the grace to have escaped from hatred to Love. This journey literally drove me insane. The world I was taught to believe in did not exist. All the evidence was false and the facts interpreted wrong. I came to understand that these lies are purposely perpetuated to keep people in a state of oppression. One of the main reasons for this is that rich people can keep economic dominance over a poor people. The thrill of control, power and manipulation are other contributing factors.

Finding people who actually took Jesus serious was the beginning of the opening of my eyes. Not hypocrites who gave the Bible lip service but genuine believers. Here's a spiritual test. If you hate people for any reason you have failed. Hitchhiking around the United States was also an eye opener. I have been around rich people and I have been around poor people. I have been to Third World countries as an insider. Also I have extensively studied the cultures of other people and made a genuine effort to see the world through their eyes.

Here are some shocking truths.

1. Money is only paper and totally worthless.

2. You don't kill for Jesus under any circumstances.

3. The government doesn't have your best interests at heart.

4. Most clergy don't really believe what they preach.

5. America is as bad as Nazi Germany in it's aggression and only the method of genocide differs. Of course there are many other nations that are on the list like Great Britain, France, Japan among others.

6. School is in fact a prison. (Ask yourself this. Why does the government send a truant officer for children missing school but don't care if a child is starving in attendance?)

7. Education is a blatant lie when you are young and innocent. Overtime you are taught more of the truth. Eventually if you continue the process you are aware of the truth but lose the moral convictions to be outraged by it.

8. College doesn't make you more qualified to do a job unless you are in some specific discipline such as science or such. College tells an employer that you will submit to outrageous demands. That's why you study a broad array of disciplines. Not to expand your horizons but to do something you are forced into.

9. The vast majority of 'christians' are Satanic.

10. Violence is a sign of weakness and insecurity.

11. People of lower economics or those deemed socially undesirable are more generous and of higher character. I know this first hand from my experience with the mentally ill among other things.

12. More people will go to Hell than Heaven.

13. The news is propaganda and controlled by a handful of people.

14. Wall Street controls our government.

15. The Federal Reserve is a private institution.

The Question of Syria, What is the right question?

The Question of Syria, What is the right question?

     Syria is a hot topic in the United States and around the world. However, it seems that there is not an objective look at the issue in the United States press. Rather there is a call to condemnation for the 'Assad Regime'. Political pundits of the war machine ask 'What should we do in response to Assad's atrocities?'

          Allegations against the 'Assad Regime' include gassing his own people and bombing hospitals. There is no conclusive evidence in either case. Even if we were to accept every report against the 'Assad Regime' as gospel truth, the evil is paralleled by what Saudi Arabia is doing in Yemen. So where is the American outcry for the murder of civilians in Yemen? Is dropping barrel bombs on civilians any different than dropping cluster bombs on innocents? Instead the United States is encouraging the slaughter of innocents in Yemen as President Obama is petitioning for yet another billion dollars in military aid for the wealthy country of Saudi Arabia.

          The message here of course is clearly one of hypocrisy. We can stand back and abhor in terror what the 'Assad Regime' is doing while at the same time applaud and assist in the atrocities of Saudi Arabia. In fact, there is little press that is addressed to this dirty little secret conflict. Why that is so is a very good question.

          Additionally, the United States is declaring that Assad was not elected in a fair and democratic way. While not exactly the same, I have but to look at the actions of the DNC here at home to see cheating. Once more the claim is not a fact but rather a smearing of Assad. Whether we like it or not President Assad was selected by the process the country of Syria used. He is the legitimate ruler of a sovereign country. That is a very important reality.

          The question to be asked is not 'What should we do about the atrocities of the 'Assad Regime'?' But rather 'what right does the United States have to interfere in the political integrity of a sovereign nation?'

          Of course historically the United States has aggressively violated the rule of legitimate, democratically elected leaders. Say what? Let's put that bluntly. The United States has sent people to kill and destroy so that they could throw out of power legitimate leaders. This has been done in Haiti, Chile, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Colombia, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Brazil and others. Whether the interference involved sending in the marines, a full blown out war, or sinister and covert C.I.A. activity it matters little. What it amounts to is denying the will of the people of other nations and imposing America's will upon them. Without exception this brought about worse conditions for the masses.

          Think about that for a moment. How would any United States' citizen feel if after an election a group of Chinese marines landed in Washington because they were unhappy about the results. Or if Russian thugs assassinated the president-elect and put in power one hand picked from Moscow?

          So should we be unconcerned about what is happening in Syria? By no means. There are proper channels to influence other nations. There is diplomacy and the United Nations. But why not focus on situations that we could have a greater impact on? Why not pressure Israel into stopping the bombing of Gaza? Why not stop the war on Yemen? And while we’re at it why not stop the illegal drone attacks all over the Arab world? When it comes to virtue one should lead by example, not with hostile actions over ugly accusations that have never been substantiated.

          For you see we must ask the right question. "What right does any nation have interfering with the internal conduct of another nation?" Through the dogma of 'American exceptionalism' the United States is practicing a policy of might makes right. What are our goals? It has not one thing to do with humanitarian concerns. It all has to do with securing resources for American interests. "It's the money that matters."

          If that sounds callous, and cold, it is. Our 'war on terror' is nothing of the sort. Rather it is a gambit to steal the oil, secure minerals and control the opium trade. In the Rwandan genocide the United States decided to look the other way. ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/mar/31/usa.rwanda ) While Bill Clinton decided to use force in Yugoslavia he chose to ignore the much more severe situation in Africa. His turning a blind eye allowed genocide to happen. The choice of where to commit American military force is a glowing indication of what is in our 'national interest'. By ignoring the larger scale African conflict and taking decisive action in Europe, our interests were clearly shown as not to be motivated by humanitarian compassion.  

          I am one for getting our own house in order. The United States is a country in peril. Our industry is destroying the environment. Social justice in the United States is at an imbalance. We are waging aggressive wars. We have more people incarcerated than any other nation. We are the number one arms dealer in the world. We have made a mockery of our honor by flagrantly violating every treaty signed with the indigenous peoples. Our economy is out of whack enriching the rich, destroying the middle class and impoverishing the poor. Why can't we ask questions on those matters? As the Bible says "remove the beam from your own eye and you will see clearly to remove the mote from your brother's".

          I love my country. Not the greedy bankers. Not the marauding, bullying army. Not the arrogant, narcissistic politicians.  But rather the good people and the righteous ideals. I urge those who have a zeal to help the Syrian people to do so. But dropping bombs and funding radical factions who will turn their guns anywhere they see fit is not the answer. Rather let us capture a moral command and let others navigate by the light we shed in our greatness.  We have but to live up to the ideals that this nation was supposedly founded upon.

          What right does the United States have to interfere in Syria's internal politics? None.

         

          About the author. John Kaniecki is an activist writer and full time caregiver to his wife Sylvia. He volunteers as a missionary in the inner city of Newark, at the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue. His book Poet To The Poor, Poems Of Hope For The Bottom One Percent, poetically explores life by using historical figures and every day people. John is also a bipolar survivor. His book Murmurings of A Mad Man addresses the poetically. His soon to come out memoirs More Than The Madness reveals mental illness from the perspective of the mentally ill. To find these books and others please visit his Amazon author page.   https://www.amazon.com/John-Kaniecki/e/B00NV8AU76

John Kaniecki can be reached at peacepoems@mail.com 

John writes personal poems upon request.

http://johnkaniecki.weebly.com/

Murmurings Of A Mad Man

How can one describe mental illness?

There are of course the complex psychiatric definitions. But what do these cold hard diagnosis tell you about the heart? Or the feelings one has? Or the spiritual trauma? Murmurings of a Mad Man is a book of poetry written by myself. It deals with my time spent inside of Graystone Psychiatric Hospital. I am a sufferer of bipolar disorder.

I don't think the poetry is what anyone would expect from a psychiatric patient. It is written in strict rhyme with strict rhythm. Here's a sample.

Abandoned in Dorm Sixty Two

Beauty is a pleasing thing to the eye

For a lovely women men kill and die

Charm is a warmth eternal for all days

Conquering hearts as they lift subdued praise

But those things are a wave on the ocean

Life’s greatest treasure is plain devotion

As I sit in dorm number sixty two

Insane thoughts tornado right unto you

Not a lover, nor brother, nor friend

I am just something you liked to pretend

An uncomfortable being ignored

Seen with scorn, in contempt I am deplored

Not a visit, a call, nor a note

“I am the least of these” to give a quote

Abandoned ship when it hit disaster

Seeing a leper you ran the faster

Oh if you but knew our dear sweet Master

For Love is something worthy to die for

To give everything and then give some more

I needed just a hand to hold in hell

I believe you understand it now well

Fly away, to another discover

I desire you not as friend or lover

I am the summation of all holy

For even the greatest begun lowly

But do not pout nor have a frown on face

There’s always grace

Murmurings of a Mad Man come hear it

God is a lunatic and a Spirit

Dorm sixty two was the dormitory that I was in. Graystone State Psychiatric Hospital is a place where only committed patients are held. Those that were deemed as a threat to others or to themselves. It's most famous resident was Woody Guthrie.

In the book I use three figures to represent my ego, superego and id. These being Joe Hill, Woody Guthrie and Crazy Horse. One thing about mental illness is that it takes away your pride. Any semblance of arrogance vanishes. It is in this low state that one feels a connection with the common man. That one learns compassion for the oppressed and down trodden.

Murmurings of a Mad Man is definitely a statement about life. It looks at the world from a unique perspective; one that many are unaware exists. I ask you to take a moment and use the eyes that have been thrust upon me. It will lead to greater understanding of the world around you and even yourself.

Sylvia

My love she lies beside me sleeping our dream

My breath is hushed as my pen dictates scream

She is the angel that makes life easy

She is the devil that knows how to please me

Lover, Friend, Doctor, Nurse, Mother and Wife

The steadfast anchor the Love of my life

How many angry words have you forgave?

How many times my life came to save?

I do not have any greater desire

Then to kiss your lips and embrace your fire

You are fantasy a lady and more

In agony the woman I adore

When the well is empty from you I drink

When my mind is barren your thoughts I think

You are my black rose delicately tough

I ask for more I’ll never have enough

I pray your inner hopes of righteousness

Will awaken you with fulfillment’s soft kiss

I am the sage you humble to a fool

I am a god your life I cannot rule

Sleep dear child as I chase futility

You will never know what you mean to me

Murmurings Of A Mad Man 

30 Poems in 30 Days

I am involved in an  exercise to write thirty poems in thirty days. I will be posting my poems here. I hope you enjoy my creative experience.  Be sure to leave thoughts and comments.  John "FeatherLeaf" Kaniecki 

Links to purchase my books

Poet to The Poor Information
Murmurings of a Mad Man Information.
A Day's Weather Information

Here we go.

Next Stop The Crematory

by John Kaniecki  24/30

Full of science

Full of reason

No defiance

Tis but the final season

As the body aches

Blistering in pain

The mind awakes

No words to explain

A sad goodbye

Back to the dust

Loved ones cry

No God to trust

Life lived to the best

The brave atheist

End of story

Next stop the crematory 

She Came

by John Kaniecki   23/30

She came

With rags and tears

Wading in raging waters of fears

Crying

Tears flowing like rain

Crying

Unable to refrain

Falling at the Master's feet

Silent, suddenly sweet

Her sins

Knowing each by name

Her sins

No longer to claim

For on the cross of glory

Precious blood flowed free

In death, life

In giving, receiving

A miracle

In believing

With rags and tears

She came

Never to be the same 

A Glorious Song

by John Kaniecki  22/30

Singing a glorious song

Drenched in praise

Singing a glorious song

All of our days

A song of joy

A song of sorrow

A song with promise

Of a better tomorrow

So lift up your voice

And rejoice

Cry from your heart

With a spirit sincere

For God will never part

So have no fear

Though you enter the grave

God shall save

For you will rise from dust

If God is your trust

In heaven's home

You belong

God fully known

In a glorious song

Without beginning or end

Which none can comprehend

Sing in strong

A glorious song 

Gospel Train

by John Kaniecki    21/30

There is a train steaming down the track

Ain't no pain in dreaming if you don't look back

Tomorrow is certain the Promised Land

All sorrow and hurtin' you shall understand

Catch the train cause you can afford the fee

Catch the train don't you know the ride is free

We'll be singing as we fade into glory

Always bringing the great gospel story

Let me tell you sister

There ain't no stopping this train

Let me tell you brother

We ain't a riding in vain

We don't care

About your race, country of skin

We don't care

We'll give you a helping hand in

We'll even say a prayer

To help you overcome your sin

Don't you hear that mighty whistle blowing

I want  you to be confident in knowing

That gospel train it is always on time

Go on and claim it say 'it is mine'

So get down on your knees

And cry out to God Almighty

He'll hear your pleas

And He'll set you free

The gospel train it'll never stop

Till it reaches Zion's top

So come on catch the ride

Gospel train can't be denied 

Stevie Nicks

by John Kaniecki 20/30

You were the woman

From a dream

You were the woman

Who made me scream

And between

Coming and going

There was no knowing

The scene

so, so, so serene

I will ride the white horse

I will sail the seven rivers

I will wrestle the ocean
I will fight with Love's force

With utmost devotion

So long lady stardust

It was only lust

Your sins have been forgiven

Mother of Heaven

Fair Thee Well

by John Kaniecki 19/30

I promised to always be there

To hold you

And to care

I promised love sincere

To protect you

From every fear

I promised so much

To be gentle

When we touch

I have upheld my part

I never left you

It is true

You live in my heart

But you have forgotten me

I am but a memory

So fair thee well

You have earned your hell

Leroy Passed On

by John Kaniecki 18/30

Leroy walked his final step

Momma cried

And the children wept

Leroy went on home

At least that's our prayer

I can't be sure

Cause I've never been there

But one thing I know for sure

Leroy ain't here no more

Leroy is gone

Leroy passed on

Perhaps on heaven's shore

I'll see Leroy once more

A hope to hope upon

Leroy passed on

Soul Brother

by John Kaniecki 17/30

Soul brother

Remember me

I'm the one

Who raped your mother

I'm the one

Who called you boy

I stole the blues

To make rock and roll

I've got news

I'm still in control

You'll never see me

Down in the hood

You'll never see me

Is that understood

I am the general

Standing behind the ranks

I am the businessman

Running the banks

I am the man in blue

With his gun pointed at you

You won't know my hate

Until it's too late

Soul brother

Take my advice

To me hatred

Is sacred

I feed off the rage

It turns me on

You want to turn the page

Show some real Love

And I'll be gone

Soul brother

Understand

You are also

In my command

For none can claim

That they are without sin

Uplift my name

And I always win


Hometown Hero

by John Kaniecki  16/30

He was the hometown hero

In a village of losers

Really liked his blow

Hung out with the boozers

And I was the one with the greatest sin

Cause I was infested with hatred

Without and within

But somewhere in my journey

Walking under a dark, dismal, gray sky

It occurred to me

That everything I learned was a lie

And the hometown hero

Could not conceive

Cause no matter how you count the cost

The numbers add up to zero

And in the asylums I found

Answers to the secrets most profound

Superiority is but an illusion

And most of life is futile confusion

That money is simply a paper green

And all our theories of war obscene

And so the hometown hero

Plays the local bars

Smiling, singing, strumming guitars

One day I might come by to say hello

Cause tomorrow is uncertain

You just never know

So raise the glass

And let the past pass

As we give a toast

To our hometown hero

In whom we still boast 

 Those Walls of Hatred

by John Kaniecki 15/30

This poem is my prayer

This poem is my plea

God I wonder
If you care for me

Sorry for the doubt

I'll try to refrain

But all about

Are walls of endless pain

Walls that confine

Walls that shout

Walls that define

Keeping Love out

Oh Lord can you hear?

Listen to my call

If you are there

Tear down the walls

The Song Of The Martyrs

by John Kaniecki 14/30

The song of the martyrs

Are laced with fire

While the good man barters

Faith for desire

And I fall upon my wicked knees

To pray

Crying in anxious pleas

For strength to get through today

And in your silence

Your anguish is heard

And in your silence

I mourn every word

Crucified on the cruel cross

Of some fabricated reality

Counting the cost

Until you are numbered as a fatality

The bass drum keep the beat

As our blood cleanses the street

The song of victory

Is the song of defeat

For in order for one to win

Another must lose

Righteousness or sin

That is for you to chose
Just remember

Before you surrender

Long after you are gone

The song goes on 

A Poet's Prayer

by John Kaniecki 13/30

Well the winter wind it blew

And somehow I just knew

That the times were due for a turn

Cause when you work for pay

Day after day after day

You just seem to learn

It's an instinct

A second sense if you will

Something you learn to trust

To tell love from lust

Or a kiss from a lie

And I was feeling bitterly cold

And I was feeling bitterly old

And I couldn't understand why

To be born a fool

And then to live and die

With unimaginable promise

Settling for this

I'm hoping for spring

I'm hoping for a better thing

A blessing from the Divine

Not just for me and mine

But something to find

For all of mankind

So I gazed to the heavens cloudy and gray

And I wondered who listened

When the starving children pray

Still I have to say
I have hope for a better day

An end to the winter's wicked white

An end to the endless fight

And the missiles are aimed to kill

And the missiles are aimed to kill

And the missiles are aimed to kill

Still....

Propaganda Poem

by John Kaniecki 12/30

Everybody give glory

To the official story

Those who died on nine eleven

Went straight to heaven

On this I must insist

Except for each terrorist

This is the only way to feel

Never mind

That you find

Temperatures too low to melt steel

One plane, two plane

One tower, two tower

Building Seven as well

It's insane

To question those in power

It is the Highway to Hell

In the awful aftermath

Deny basic math

Can't you see

One plus one equals three

Wave the flag

Boast and brag

Go on the attack

Invade Iraq

But don't bitch and moan

Cause we left Saudi Arabia alone

This poem is propaganda

So I declare

You'll lose all your rights

From guns to Miranda

So beware

In Remembrance Of A Beloved Son

by John Kaniecki 11/30

No words for Ron

Now that his son has passed on

Nothing to say

What good are words anyway?

There exists the tragic loss

And the inevitable cross

So I write this poem of sympathy

Between Ron and me

To express

I have offered a prayer

And that I care

God bless

Perhaps these words shall last into eternity

And forever will be his memory 

Modern Poetry Magazine's Solicitation

by John Kaniecki 10/30

Poems wanted

Our tastes are eclectic

Send us your best work

We are avant-garde

So ahead of our time

Words lose all meaning

Abstractly vague poems

Decipherable only to the authors

Is our specialty

Talent is ambiguous

As a Rorschach Test

I am happy to publish

Anyone who will publish me

And if you have a degree

Who am I to deny your talent

After all you know

How many PhD's Tesla had

Our contests are outright scams

If the winner ain't rigged

Well then we always stand

To make a tidy profit

I am misunderstood

Which explains a lot

If you happen to display

Real talent

Perhaps rhythm and rhyme

Or some clever imagery

You will be deemed

A threat

In the end

We will reject you

With an anonymous email

Telling you art is highly subjective

And not to be discouraged

And please resubmit

So we can repeat

The same sadistic experience

Jazz At The Montclair Library

by John Kaniecki 9/30

They only play Jazz
Cause they can't handle the blues

And I am composing this poem
Walking in the freezing drizzle

I won't use the word rain

Despite that

Vain, pain, and remain, all rhyme

So you all must understand

That eternity has done a flip

A psychedelic trip

While I must never forget

The tea pot is on the fire

It's not tea I desire

Rather to poor the boiling water

To unclog my bathroom drain

And yes that too rhymes with rain

And poor drizzle

Only can fizzle

I had a nice cupcake

Chocolate with green icing on top

They were dispensed after the ensemble

Perhaps to avoid an early

Exodus

Yes I was reading my Bible

And talking to Gerard

I like reading my Bible

I realize life ain't too hard

Like playing jazz

A lot of sophistication

And endless hours of dedication

Just to be misunderstood

And if you're really good

Well then...

I just poured the boiling water down the

sink

It cured my ills at least I

think

So.. tap...out...right....rhythm

Love Lost

by John Kaniecki 8/30

Grains of sand, coarse petals of rain

The color red laughing immersed in pain

A lethal leather tongue lapping love

A sacrifice

At any price

Is never twice

A puff of smoke whispers forgotten

Blacker than night my only true love begotten

Marry me, marry me, marry me

Your love was a deluge of anarchy

Liberty is not freedom

One finds sin binds crueler than steel

Wake up, wake up, this is real

I wonder, down under

Darkness seething thunder

And the lightening

A flash of every righteous reality revealing

Only a momentary feeling

As the waves lap upon the eternal shore

Once more

Dark as before 

From Engineering Student To Novice Poet A True Story

by John Kaniecki 7/30

Perhaps it was the harsh doctrines of science choking me

Two brutal hands of logic and reason

Or rather the poetic fire ignited

As my heart burst into a blazing beacon

Either way came the insanity

I was lost

Longing for anathema

The sum of my existence

Uniform boxes

Defined by complex, intricate, equations

I did not spill these containers

Rather

I detonated a billion and three neutron bombs

Free as the essence of liberty

Oh sweetest nectar of impossibility

Poisoning my tart reality

Crushing waters of the lightlessness

Of the deepest ocean depths

Crumbled me to my knees

Devastated

My mind stripped barren as a bark less tree

Gnawed by savagery

Inflicted in the asylum

With repeated lethal injections of Thorazine

But I had kissed the Promised Land

For my liberation

I would pay the ultimate toll

I was riding on the New York subway on January nights

Simply to stay warm

One and one is not three

One and one is me 

Love Letters Written In Mania

by John Kaniecki 6/30

Why rebuke flaming words of passion?

As if my letters had teeth

To bite your tenderness underneath

Hate is cold and vile

Sold and sterile

The dark, dead moon on a frigid winter's night

What then is love?

The savage furies that I am thinking of?

They are the shocking pinks of fashion

Painted on pants

Slow, sensual, sexual, dance

Rhythmic racing raging romance

The elegance of style

Ending in a satisfactory smile

Was it all in vain?

Strewn ashes but remain

And I

At this very instant

Eternally still in time

Momentarily sane

Plead guilty to the crime

Of reckless, boundless, affection

But need I mention

For my tender heart's protection

I have moved on

And like other ancient, forbidden, mysteries

Gone

Do you still possess

My chaotic poetic mess

Of the love I once dared to profess?

I refuse to take a guess

For that is the double edge sword of the blues

Either way, I lose 

Endurance

by John Kaniecki 5/30

On Mount Hope's summit pondering

I behold with my eyes

A City of Truth

Ivory White Towers, void of lies

Streets of gold

So the journey begins

The story of life laced with sins

Wandering, wondering

Down in the dark depths of the valley of woe

Uncertain, confused, which way to go?

Cruel creatures calling to compromise

Demons deceitfully dark donning angelic disguise

In the soft song of the wind blowing

A frail, faint, beautiful sound

Somehow mysteriously knowing

A secret truth profound

If you keep to the task

And you never surrender

All that you ask

God shall render

Youth's strength shall fade in days

A family there will be to raise

Trials, temptations, torments, testing

Days upon days without resting

Finally to awaken intimate to grays

And whom shall win God's praise?

Money and mammon a hindering weight

To your shame are the wages of hate

All you gave so shall you receive

Trust in the Word, believe

For the length you walk the trail

Shall not make you prevail

Rather the one the Lord will bless

Is the pilgrim who did his best

Who despite evil vile circumstance

Ran the race with endurance

The Slaughter Of Loreal Tsingine

by John Kaniecki 4/30

Most citizens do not know

Or heard of the Navajo

All tribes slandered

Into the convenient box of 'Injun'

All peoples slandered

By this injustice done

Apparently somebody stole a case of beer

Losing money America's worst fear

A casual call to the police

From the convenience store

Agony, a declaration of war

Here's the description they release

Native American woman

Gray sweatpants, white top

Native American woman

This reckless anarchy must stop

For if we don't put them in their place

By mercy and God's grace

The Great Spirit will bless their race

And all these lands shall be returned

And the pale face spurned

So what went down?

A police man came

Loreal didn't want to be arrested

And who would?

The charges she contested

The nameless cop makes a claim

Scissors the woman drew

Upon the man in blue

One shot

Perhaps from surprise

Two shots

Well that'll stop her cries

But five shots

YES FIVE SHOTS I said

Until she was good and dead

So long my dear daughter

Like the buffalo they did slaughter

As their crimes amount

More then we can count

It is up for us, those still sane

To make sure

Our sister did not die in vain

And the authorities will not even release a name

To tell us who was to blame

Cowards with no shame

Cowboys and 'Injuns' their sadistic game

Loreal Tsingine you sought no fame

For those you loved

Whom I am thinking of

Life will never be the same

I pray their misery

And this poetry

Will ignite a mighty flame

So to the whole world will proclaim

We are sick of this racist war
NO MORE!!!

A Poem For Peace- A Mother's Words

(Dedicated to Cindy Sheehan and the memory of her beloved son Casey)

by John Kaniecki 3/30

What have you done

To my darling young one

To my precious son

Whose life had just begun

Why?

I need no answer

From you sir

All you speak is a lie

And even that you deny

Generals, politicians, laugh

There is no draft

But as the empty belly aches
Minds make mistakes

Three hots and a cot

So many of life's miseries forgot

Until you deploy

To kill and destroy

For they assume control

Of body and soul

Casey

I long to see your face

To hold you in an endless embrace

But you were stolen from me in youth

And so I am obliged to speak the truth

I lament

I cry

I weep and wail

But I shall never repent

For many more shall suffer and die

If my mission I fail

So in the solitude of my sorrow

I dream of a better tomorrow

Where soldiers fight no more

And war

Is but a sad memory

Of a forgotten history

And so I must raise my voice

For I have no other choice

For if I am silent

It speaks consent

And nothing do I deplore more

Then war

So shall I never cease

Until we achieve peace

And Casey this

Is my solemn promise

Momma loves you still

And momma always will

Feelings mothers share

Everywhere

Oh Almighty God hear this prayer

Help us if you care

Precious

(Dedicated to Tatyana and Sophie ages five and four)

by John Kaniecki 2/30

Precious

Sweetly pure

Eyes alive saying so much more

Oblivious

To hate and death and war

Why?
Why do angels have to cry?

While demons of foulest sin-

Always to win!!?!

I believe

As you live

As you take and give

So shall you receive

For life is not the accumulation of gold

Rather

Our story to be told

And as Heaven and Earth

Rebirth with fervent heat

On the other side

So shall we meet

Once more

To bow before God's son

To answer for all that we have done

Of that precious
I am sure

A Day @ The Poet's Cafe

by John Kaniecki 1/30

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!!??!!"

Rosie is far from nosy

Serving as waitress at the restaurant

Chewing Bazooka bubble gum with a smile

Her raw radiance

Tightly fitting finely filled uniform

Compensates for her lack of style

Her glossy red cheeks speak abundantly

Strawberry Blossom -  exactly

My eyes tip toe over the menu

"I'm not sure"

"I've never been here before"

"Perhaps an extended metaphor?"

Rosie smiles savage and cunning

Sultry, sexually stunning

"Take it from me"

"Try a simile"

"The taste is nice"

"At an excellent price"

Confounded by a vague reference

Like a ship lost upon the sea

"Oh my" I cry suddenly

It's the worst thing to say

At the Poet's Cafe

A corny cliché

So dead the corpse is but dust

Embarrassed like cuddling lovers discovered in lust

I surrender sorrowfully

"Just coffee for me"

Poet To The Poor

Murmurings of a Mad Man

Words of the Future