Essay: "The Insidious Threat of Censorship", Part1

Essay: "The Insidious Threat of Censorship", Part 1 of Several

       It was quite amusing watching televangelist Jim Bakker's number nineteenth nervous breakdown. Pat Robertson and his ilk are no different and no better than the sleaziest telemarketer or used car salesmen. Perhaps Oral Roberts should have been named for a lower part of the body. After all, a lot of the guano he made up to try to get more donations from the gullible and foolish (i.e. being  "Called Home") could fertilize all the farms foreclosed during the Reagan years. Thank goodness Jerry Falwell is no longer around to mess with out freedoms of action and choice. At least that is cause for celebration. I have great contempt for all of the above preacher/con-artists. As far as I'm concerned, these people cannot justify their opulent lifestyles as long as there are poor and homeless people with next to nothing. I'm sure these phonies and profitable false prophets only pay lip-service to helping the poor and less-fortunate, while meddling in all our lives through political power.  I recently noticed that the beginning of the Rolling Stones song "Sympathy For The Devil" applies to many of these tv and broadcast preachers who abuse their tax-exempt status to gain limousines, mansions, and Rolex watches, among other lavish material possessions; while attempting to shred the Constitution, making tinder out of the Bill of Rights, and changing the nation for the worse in the name of God. All of these so-called televangelists are  "men of wealth and taste" who have "led many a man away from Faith." (as Mick Jagger sang)  (to be cont'd)

 [ The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and was also part of my unpublished manuscript  "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays.]

Poetry: "Abandon All Hype", a Political Poem

Poetry: "Abandon All Hype"

       Abandon all hype ye who enter here.

       No more Paris Hilton. No more Britney Spears.

       No more phony celebs crying in their beers.

       No more rumors. No more lies.

       No more (Lindsay) Lohan's alibis.

       No phony people's crocodile tears.

       No former child stars crying in their beers.

       Give us real news, not pseudo-celeb. snooze.

       No more fake adoptions to make us feel so good.

       Give us health care, the economy and Iraq,

       Not celeb. murderers perhaps hooked on crack.

        Celeb. news is  "a weapon of mass distraction",

        So toward legitimate issues citizens will take no needed action.

        "In Fraud We Trust" when we turn in to certain kinds of news,

         Though those who watch or listen don't really have a clue.

         Tabloid  'Truth' oft isn't true and there isn't much about it you can do, (but)

         Don't buy the trash that numbs the mind and passes for newsstand information.

         Otherwise, your mind will get distorted inflammation.

         Don't tune into Rush Limbaugh or other propaganda-spewers,

         For they tend to twist the truth and flush it down the sewer.

         NPR is what I trust to give a balance view.

          At least they tell it like it is and do not twist the truth.

          Truth it is subjective if you watch Fox News.

          If you believe that tripe at election-time we lose.

       

     

 

Poetry: "The Terrorists Have Won", etc.

Poetry: "The Terrorists Have Won", etc.

        The terrorists have won

        For we have lost our rights

        We only have ourselves to blame

        For failing to put up a fight

        Now thanks to the PATRIOT ACT

        You can be taken away in the middle of the night...

        "The Sharps..."

        The Sharps are in a bag

        So never reach inside

        If your mama knew you did you know she'd tan your hide

        For all you know, one of the needle's owner's could have nearly died... (tbc?)

        

        

Poetry: "Disease"

Poetry: "Disease",  "It's too damned hot"

                

 "Disease"

         He came down with a disease

         Was told there was a cure

          But his health and life

          Was on the cutting-room floor

          "It's Too Damned Hot"

           It's one hundred degrees in the shade

           It's even too hot to get laid

           Even so, I must work to get paid

            I hope this damned heat it will fade

            I Curse the hot Centigrade

            The Environmental Police they should raid

            The Oil and Car co.'s tirade

            That reducing emissions 'hurts trade.'

Poetry: "He Passed a Stone...", etc.

Poetry:  "He Passed a Stone...", etc.

            "He Passed a Stone..."

         He passed a stone

          As hard as a bone

          Which caused him to groan

          On the porcelein throne... (tbc?)

          Untitled

His favorite magazine was a banana clip

His favorite vacation was an Acid Trip.

His favorite music was a RADAR Blip

While taking a Cat Nap his new puppy was Dognapped

He studied Alzheimer's and amnesia last week,

But he couldn't remember any of what he read... 

He once joined a fraternity and went on the lam(b)

Later in life he became a double amputee, 

And became dis-armed... (tbc?) 

    "Porn Is Poison of the Mind"

  You never know what ye may find,

  But porn is poison of the mind

  Not to ever be unkind,

   But hope you never do go blind

    Not that you ought-to

    Keep in mind it's some guy's daughter

     Porn is poison of the mind

     Rewind to her bare behind... 

Poetry: "March Madness", etc.

Poetry: "March Madness" etc.

       "March Madness"

       Don't care much 'bout March Madness

       Instead of fun it gives me sadness

       I don't care about the so-called  'Dance'

       I get more enjoyment from watching ants.

       I don't really care about the Final 4

       Could care less about the score

       I'll be glad when it's over,

       I think it's a bore.

       "Iambic Pentameter"

       As a poet I will always be an amateur

        I can't write verse in Iambic Pentameter

        And I'd sooner write a sonnet

        Than be caught dead wearing a lady's bonnet...

       "Opponents of Abortion"

        Opponents of abortion

         Will stoop to almost anything

         Like political extortion

         I'm sure some have committed arson

         Condoned by Operation Rescue parsons

         Some of them have even killed

         Aiming their weapons from a nearby mill...

Essay: "The True Ecoterrorists", Part 6 of 6

Essay: "Will The Real Ecoterrorists Please Stand Up?", Part 6 of 6

      At least in the example of being responsible toward the preservation and conservation of nature and the environment for future generations, our government(s) is certainly not working in our best interest by failing to act on most environmental problems; or not doing enough. These ecological problems already affect our quality of life, our health, and the options and choices of most if not all of us both now and in the near and distant future. These problems will inevitably get worse over time if not sufficiently acted on. Whether you want to consider this Ecoterrorism is up to you.

   [The original version of this essay first appeared in my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays and more recently in my political blog "Rage Against The [Bush] Regime.]