Citizens of the World

Happy Pride Day! (Albeit belatedly for some.) As the summer winds down and the kids head back to school, let us consider what kind of world we are working hard to achieve. Is it a world of perpetual war and violence? Or is it a world where everyone is free to use their divinely-inspired talents for the benefit of all? Are we only members of one nationality, ethnic group, race or religion, or can we become true citizens of the world?

Citizens of the World

by C.A. Matthews 

(Toledo Pride Day Parade snapshots by Cindy and Adrian Matthews) 

It's difficult for me at times to see what all the fuss is about in the world. We are all human beings (at least, I assume we all are) and we are all unique in our own ways. If you believe in a positive creative force in the universe, then you probably see all this diversity as a good thing and even a necessary thing. Where would we be if we all looked alike, thought alike, or talked alike? We would become inbred in fairly short order and cease to exist if we only reproduced clones of ourselves. Our society would stagnate overnight and possibly collapse if we didn't welcome new ways of thinking and communicating with each other. Variety is not only the "spice of life"-- it's essential for life itself.

The super-rich establishment's "divide and conquer technique" is an example of insanity at its best then. It is the antithesis of variety and uniqueness. It worships the negation of life itself. It rips society apart into its smallest components by indoctrinating all factions into the "it's my way or the highway!" mentality. By scorning differences between human beings, the one-percenters use "the fear of the other" to crush individuality. Uniformity and tribalism are to be adored. Violence and war enforce the sameness of the status quo. Group think becomes the order of the day. Who better to tell you what to think and how to act than a white male billionaire who claims he deserves to hoard all the world's gifts at his workers'--and the planet's--expense? Who indeed!

Above the lie of violence, uniformity and group think flies the rainbow flag of peace, love and acceptance of others. Pride Day celebrates the fact that we are all citizens of the world. To rejoice in its message, all that is necessary is to refute the establishment's attempts to divide and conquer us through discrimination and hate and embrace the world's need for diversity and tolerance. A few good "free hugs" along the parade route helps, too.

After all, we all were born here on Earth; we all live here, and one day we will all die here (or among other human beings in space). We all have these things in common. All the rest is icing on the cake of life, and it's okay if some folks like their cake with lemon frosting or pink stripes or rainbow sprinkles or just plain vanilla glaze. It's all cake, and it's all good.

Cherish the goodness. Share it with others. Invest your energy into becoming a true citizen of the world and not a slave to denigrating group think. Don't let the establishment crush our individuality in the name of so-called "freedom" that is anything but. Walk proudly, with head held high into a future that includes all of creation living harmoniously together, equally worthy of all the gifts life has to offer.

                         

***

The attempts by the establishment to divide and conquer ordinary people are ramping up. Lee Camp explains how he and other independent progressive voices are being blocked and banned on social platforms. No diversity of opinion means more uniformity and group think in favor of the wealthy elite's agenda to exploit workers and the world's resources. The way to fight back is by sharing knowledge--knowledge is power. Power to the people!

 

https://youtu.be/pPKVcDn36bQ  

Jimmy Dore explains how ranked choice voting is a more democratic way to vote and actually increases voter turn out. (It's been successfully implemented in Maine.) This is yet another story you won't hear much about on mainstream media outlets since it challenges the status quo's hold on power.

https://youtu.be/q0R_SbMdKYM

To Understand What's Happening in the World, We Need a Diversity of Voices--We Need Independent Journalists 
 

The Revolution Continues has set up an easy way to donate to the cause of independent journalism by keeping it ad-free. We've been publishing over three years without those obnoxious ads (that many news sites have to cover costs). It's been great, but the editor does have to pay for internet, electricity, etc., out of her own pocket. She would like to be able to pay her contributors in the future.

Please consider donating a buck, $5, $10 or $100--any amount you can share with us to keep this progressive site going without those awful ads is appreciated. Help us become a strong alternative voice protesting against the corrupt establishment and its paid-off corporate mouthpieces. Give to TRC today. Thank you.

You can donate via Paypal at http://paypal.me/camatthews 

Power to the people and not the corporations!    ***
 
The world citizenship movement, which now numbers over 1,000,000 world citizens, was sparked by Garry Davis after WWII. Humiliated by his role as a bomber pilot in the war, Davis declared himself a world citizen, founded the World Service Authority (WSA), and refused to conform to the idea that any person must maintain national citizenship when nationhood is inextricably linked to violence, suspicion, hatred, and war.

Now, we're teaming up with the World Service Authority! When you register for a World Passport (or other world document) with WSA, World BEYOND War will receive 20% of the proceeds. In addition to your World Passport, you'll also receive complimentary gifts from WSA, including a "I'm a World Citizen" button + a copy of the UN Declaration of Human Rights in your language of choice. Register here.

The World Passport, issued by WSA, is a neutral, apolitical document of identity and potential travel document, that has been issued for over 60 years and accepted by over 185 countries on a case-by-case basis. It is a meaningful symbol and powerful tool for the implementation of the right to freedom of travel.

Apply here for your own world passport - and identify yourself as a citizen of the world.

You don't have to renounce your national citizenship, as Garry Davis did, to register for a world passport. But you can travel with it! The legal mandate is stated in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to leave any country, including one's own, and to return to one's country." But, as Garry found out in his travels, not every country upholds this universal right (so be sure to bring your national passport as a back-up). The world passport is a mechanism for advocating on behalf of the human right to travel freely.

What the world citizenship movement shares in common with World BEYOND War is our mutual vision for a peaceful world beyond the divisions of nation states and a global political service institution, or mechanism for global governance, that pursues peace through peaceful means.

When you sign up as a referral from World BEYOND War, your World Passport (or other world document) registration fee will not only support the work of World Service Authority - which provides pro bono legal advocacy and documentation assistance to refugees - but also 20% of the proceeds will go to World BEYOND War, to help sustain, and grow, our ongoing peace education programs and advocacy campaigns for war abolition.

Fill out the form to register for a world passport (or other world document) today!

In peace,

Greta Zarro
Organizing Director
World BEYOND War
greta@worldbeyondwar.org

P.S. Attend a World Citizenship Workshop with WSA President David Gallup at this year's #NoWar2018 Conference, September 21-22 in Toronto (and travel there on your world passport, like WBW's own Donnal Walter!). Register here for our Toronto peace conference.

***

From Progressive America:

Manuel Duran Ortega should never have been taken by ICE.

Manuel Duran Ortega―founder of Memphis Noticias, a Spanish-language publication in Memphis, Tennessee―was arrested on April 3 and charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic while covering a local protest. Two days later, the Memphis Police Department dropped the charges against him. But instead of releasing Duran Ortega, Memphis officials turned him over to ICE. 

The Southern Poverty Law Center is fighting for him because he was the only journalist arrested at this protest. His attorneys from SPLC allege that Duran Ortega was targeted by local police in retaliation for his critical reporting.
As Donald Trump continues to attack journalists as "enemies of the people," we need to stand up for truthtellers like Manuel Duran Ortega. An attack on journalists is an attack on our First Amendment rights! 
 

Join Progress America and our allies and demand that ICE release Manuel Duran Ortega immediately.

Thank you!
Mike Phelan
Progress America 

 ***

From Friends of the Earth:

Donald Trump hopes to cut a deal on a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement by the end of this month.

 You know what that means -- we could soon be one step closer to another trade deal that favors corporate polluters over people and the planet.   

The Senate can still reject Trump’s new NAFTA. But we need your help to push it to act! 
Call your Senators TODAY and oppose Trump’s new NAFTA! 

Trump’s NAFTA would be a disaster for people the planet. It’s yet another example of his administration’s determination to gut environmental protections and hand our lands and waters over to corporate polluters.

This new deal is likely to have a raft of anti-environment provisions. Trump’s stated NAFTA negotiating objectives indicate that he plans to use a new NAFTA to hamstring effective environmental regulation across the board.

 Even worse, Trump could try to sneak these anti-environmental provisions into the fine print -- making it especially hard to stop them. For example, Trump seeks to ease the approval process and promote the export of genetically modified crops. What seems like a small addition could be disastrous for our environment and our food system. And that’s just one instance -- there could be many more! 
 Call your Senators today and stop Trump’s new NAFTA. 

Rejecting Trump’s NAFTA is a no-brainer. It would be horrible for our environment. It would gut protections for food and chemical safety. It would be bad for workers. The only ones who stand to benefit are giant corporations, from Bayer to the fossil fuel industry

Together, we can push Congress to prevent the use of trade deals to gut protections for people and the planet. Thanks to pressure from Friends of the Earth members like you, we stopped the disastrous Trans Pacific Partnership. This shows that when you speak up, your Senators will listen. Now, we need your help to do it again. 

Make a two-minute phone call and tell your Senators to stop Trump from using NAFTA to destroy our environmental protections!

Fighting together with you,
Bill Waren
Senior Trade Analyst
Friends of the Earth

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The Amazing Creativity of Bernie Supporters

 

Bernie Haiku by Erica Williams

One thing we learned from the recent Bernie Sanders get-togethers is that supporters of Bernie Sanders are an extremely creative and enthusiastic people. (Our new site banner above was created by Bernie supporter Jane Jefferies, for instance.) It’s refreshing in this day and age of “snarky” commentary and negativity in the media to come across folks full of such great joy, eager to share the good news of Bernie’s White House bid with others. They’re generally an optimistic bunch. They feel that our country will become a better place for all under Bernie’s leadership—and it will happen very, very soon!

An online “contest” to create haikus about Bernie Sanders yielded some excellent examples of their creativity. Here’s a sampling for your enjoyment:

Bernie Haikus by Charlotte Bierman

Blue moon, our moon, EARTH
Climate change, pollution CHANGE
BERNIE, help us CHANGE !

Schools, healthcare, labor
Rebuild infrastructure too
Bernie President

Enough is enough
We the people say enough
Bernie Sanders yeah !

Bernie Haikus by Katarina Stenstedt

A fair living wage
and health insurance for all
—what's crazy 'bout that?

Super PACs aren't fair
And money can't buy justice.
Come back down to earth!
 

Haikus by Jane Stackowicz Ganser

All that Bernie is
And what our country should be
Are one and the same

Enough is enough
The wise leader proclaimed
Let’s change history

You really like Bernie
But don’t know if he can win
He will if you vote

Greed is the disease
America has fallen
We need Bernie Now
 
Bernie Haiku by L. Graykin

He who stands for us
Deserves our full support
Vote #BernieSanders!

Bernie Haikus by Verena Hodge

fresh air fresh water
all future generations
should have these things

Bernie tells it straight
with wild hair and forceful words
working with us all

rock the boat
the ripples in the water
will become a tidal wave

Bernie Haiku by Frank Binda

Ninety Nine Per Cent
Will be smiling ear to ear
In fifteen short months

Bernie Haiku by Christina Nespoux

Bernie's message ignites our hearts and minds
A modern day Robin Hood
Greed and corruption will see its end

Bernie Haiku by b8akaratn

I want a country
I can be proud of again
Please fix it, Bernie
 

Bernie Haikus by Brainstorming for Bernie ( brainstorm4bernie.com)

 

check Bernie's record
he is sincere, and listens
he will work for us

climate action
income equality
right to health care

serious debate
problems to fix, not ignore
Bernie fights for us

millions of people
a political movement
to break corruption

From the traditional haiku, to the modern stage musical, another Bernie supporter turns his talents to “filking” new lyrics to a classic from Les Mis. (I can’t stop singing it!)

Do You Hear America Sing?

(Sung to the tune of Do You Hear The People Sing? from Les Misérables)

New words by A. J. Matthews

Do you hear America sing?

We’re gonna see a good man win!

It is the music of a people

Who will not be duped again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beat of Bernie’s drums

There is a life about to start

When November comes!

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Somewhere beyond the Facebook page

Is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight

That will give the White House to Bernie!

[All:]

Do you hear America sing?

We’re gonna see a good man win!

It is the music of a people

Who will not be duped again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beat of Bernie’s drums

There is a life about to start

When November comes!

Will you give all you can give

So Bernie Sanders may succeed?

A better way to live

Will you stand up and state your need?

Reform this great nation and terminate corporate greed!

[All:]

Do you hear America sing?

We’re gonna see a good man win!

It is the music of a people

Who will not be duped again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beat of Bernie’s drums

There is a life about to start

When November comes!

When the counting’s done! 

From poetry to songwriting to performing, Schmaltz and Schlepper in their Weekends For Bernie video sing and rap their fantastically funky tune, Whatta Mensch. Click on the link and get ready to start dancing: http://www.weekendsforbernie.com/whatta-mensch.html

You said it, ladies!

Have you created something unique that expresses your support for Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy? Tell us about it in the comments below (share a link to it if you can) or email it to us at The Bernie Blog. We plan to post more haikus, short poems, song lyrics, graphics, and whatever else you care to submit throughout the campaign. After all, Bernie supporters are creative people, and we shouldn’t keep Bernie to ourselves—we need to share him with the world!

Got an upcoming Bernie Sanders-related event you'd like to share? Let us know. Here are a couple events coming up in the Northwest Ohio area:

Wood County Bernie Meet-up: Sunday, August 16 at 6 PM at Grounds for Thought, 174 S. Main St., Bowling Green, OH. See you there!

"Books for Bernie" (book sale) Event: August 25-26 in Perrysburg, Ohio. Go to the event page for more info on how to donate and/or purchase books. All proceeds will go to Bernie's campaign.

Bowling Green Pride Picnic: September 5 in Bowling Green City Park. We're planning to set up a "Bernie table" there to share info and fun stuff with voters. See you there!