(It's the End of the World as We Know It)
...And I Feel Fine
by C.A. Matthews
Sometimes it just feels like everyone is on the same page. This is one of those times. Just about every podcast I listened to, every article I read, every Facebook discussion I stumbled upon this week shared the same topic. This has to be the universe telling me--all of us, really--that this is something important. We're all on the same page, at the same time for a purpose, and we need to cooperate to bring about its fruition.
What is this purpose? Why, it's the end of the world as we know it.
Immediately, the chorus of the R.E.M. song starts playing in your head: "It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel fine."
You know what? I do.
I feel fine that our world is experiencing a strong paradigm shift. It's about time. Sure, it's sad that hundreds of thousands (if not millions) are dying, have died and will die of a horrible virus during a pandemic, but perhaps these are the only conditions that can shake humankind up enough to admit the old ways have to die so that the entirety of humanity may live.
This harsh new reality is particularly necessary for Americans. We are experts in self-delusion. We love to fool ourselves into thinking that everything will be all right, that we can trust our leaders, that "We are the best country on Earth!" If recent events haven't exposed the man behind the curtain to be an immoral ignoramus of unspeakable proportions, then what will? Our fellow citizens drinking bleach because said ignoramus told the American public during a press conference that pouring U.V. light and disinfectant into your body may cure COVID-19?
Oops! They already have. This false worship of "Our president, right or wrong!" has got to go before anyone else gets hurt.
But the major un-brainwashing task that Americans, and most Westerners, need to undergo is clinging to the silly notion that somehow capitalism is the superior economic model, and it will eventually save us from our self-destructive ways. If your neighbors hoarding toilet paper and Trump pedaling an ineffective (if not downright deadly) anti-malarial drug he owns stock in to cure the coronavirus doesn't convince you of the evils of capitalism, then nothing will. (But the following song could help.)
https://youtu.be/oMG7DW0iHEI
A system that rewards the rich with more material wealth at the expense (and oftentimes the death) of the poor isn't "superior" by a long shot. In fact, it's nothing but pure bullshit.
It's time to break out of this abusive relationship with capitalism and finally admit it: Capitalism never really loved We the People in the first place. It doesn't care whether we live or die so long as we keep buying worthless crap and making the billionaires muchos buckolas forever. It has always been about protecting the select few, the elites of our society. It was never about us.
Sure, "a rising tide carries all boats," but when the tsunami of a pandemic hits, it becomes more than obvious that the "tide" of capitalism is capsizing and sinking the vast majority of us "boats." How else do you explain 17 million unemployed Americans, many with no way to afford medical treatment during a time of mass illness?
The rising tide of capitalism has always been about how the rich will float above the rest of us in their luxury yachts while we simply drown. It's time to blow the f*cking yachts of the elite out of the water so we can all enjoy a swim, free and open to all and not just the so-called privileged classes, don't you think?
Once the true ugliness of our corrupt economic system and the elitist-driven government whose immoral practices it upholds are exposed, the true healing of the Earth and all its people can begin. In fact, many environmental experts claim that it is impossible under capitalism to maintain and provide a healthy planet for human beings and other lifeforms. A system that allows Big Oil companies to continue to frack, drill, pollute and suck the life's blood from the planet (while the price of a barrel of crude oil crashes to less than $0) demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that capitalism is more about death and profiteering than life and building a future for all to thrive in.
It's time. Let's allow capitalism and fascism to die now so we can get on with truly living and not simply surviving.
I'll feel fine watching the bonfire of MAGA caps go up in flames as we burn the whole sick and twisted motherf*cker to the ground. Pass the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers... It's going to be one hell of a conflagration. And then we'll all feel fine.
Planet of the Humans is a great documentary that clearly shows how capitalism is killing our planet (and us along with it). It's now available free online at You Tube and is a must see. Clear a couple of hours from your schedule so you can watch it uninterrupted, and I promise it will open your eyes. (Be sure to have a tissue for the last scene. It'll have you in tears.) https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE
I feel fine that our world is experiencing a strong paradigm shift. It's about time. Sure, it's sad that hundreds of thousands (if not millions) are dying, have died and will die of a horrible virus during a pandemic, but perhaps these are the only conditions that can shake humankind up enough to admit the old ways have to die so that the entirety of humanity may live.
This harsh new reality is particularly necessary for Americans. We are experts in self-delusion. We love to fool ourselves into thinking that everything will be all right, that we can trust our leaders, that "We are the best country on Earth!" If recent events haven't exposed the man behind the curtain to be an immoral ignoramus of unspeakable proportions, then what will? Our fellow citizens drinking bleach because said ignoramus told the American public during a press conference that pouring U.V. light and disinfectant into your body may cure COVID-19?
Oops! They already have. This false worship of "Our president, right or wrong!" has got to go before anyone else gets hurt.
But the major un-brainwashing task that Americans, and most Westerners, need to undergo is clinging to the silly notion that somehow capitalism is the superior economic model, and it will eventually save us from our self-destructive ways. If your neighbors hoarding toilet paper and Trump pedaling an ineffective (if not downright deadly) anti-malarial drug he owns stock in to cure the coronavirus doesn't convince you of the evils of capitalism, then nothing will. (But the following song could help.)
https://youtu.be/oMG7DW0iHEI
A system that rewards the rich with more material wealth at the expense (and oftentimes the death) of the poor isn't "superior" by a long shot. In fact, it's nothing but pure bullshit.
It's time to break out of this abusive relationship with capitalism and finally admit it: Capitalism never really loved We the People in the first place. It doesn't care whether we live or die so long as we keep buying worthless crap and making the billionaires muchos buckolas forever. It has always been about protecting the select few, the elites of our society. It was never about us.
Sure, "a rising tide carries all boats," but when the tsunami of a pandemic hits, it becomes more than obvious that the "tide" of capitalism is capsizing and sinking the vast majority of us "boats." How else do you explain 17 million unemployed Americans, many with no way to afford medical treatment during a time of mass illness?
Once the true ugliness of our corrupt economic system and the elitist-driven government whose immoral practices it upholds are exposed, the true healing of the Earth and all its people can begin. In fact, many environmental experts claim that it is impossible under capitalism to maintain and provide a healthy planet for human beings and other lifeforms. A system that allows Big Oil companies to continue to frack, drill, pollute and suck the life's blood from the planet (while the price of a barrel of crude oil crashes to less than $0) demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that capitalism is more about death and profiteering than life and building a future for all to thrive in.
It's time. Let's allow capitalism and fascism to die now so we can get on with truly living and not simply surviving.
I'll feel fine watching the bonfire of MAGA caps go up in flames as we burn the whole sick and twisted motherf*cker to the ground. Pass the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers... It's going to be one hell of a conflagration. And then we'll all feel fine.
Planet of the Humans is a great documentary that clearly shows how capitalism is killing our planet (and us along with it). It's now available free online at You Tube and is a must see. Clear a couple of hours from your schedule so you can watch it uninterrupted, and I promise it will open your eyes. (Be sure to have a tissue for the last scene. It'll have you in tears.) https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE
How To Start A Successful Strike During Crisis
https://youtu.be/Y3UeVTxZHC8
Pandemic is Not Just a Crisis, It's a Gift
https://consortiumnews.com/2020/04/23/lee-camp-pandemic-is-not-just-a-crisis-its-also-a-gift/?mc_cid=05feff046f&mc_eid=f9a8f47491
Trump Goes Peak Batshit Crazy Urging UV Irradiation and Chlorine Injections and Cable TV Greedily Broadcasts It
https://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/62580-focus-trump-goes-peak-batshit-crazy-urging-uv-irradiation-and-chlorine-injections-and-cable-tv-greedily-broadcasts-it
Trump Suggests Injecting Disinfectant as Coronavirus Cure (video)
https://youtu.be/zicGxU5MfwE
The End of An Empire (video)
https://youtu.be/-zfbrMPe63o
UHM Coronavirus Update (video)
https://youtu.be/v7HIaqorIeE
In-depth interview with Chris Hedges (from The Jimmy Dore Show)
https://youtu.be/zpa7GR-EyF0
***
The bottom line is: people are hurting. And the last thing we need to worry about is making rent.
That’s why we’re calling for a national rent strike. Covid-19 has made it clear that “business as usual” is far from what we need going forward. This pandemic has shed a light on this country’s many failings-- from racial disparities, to inadequate access to healthcare, wage inequality, unprotected rights for workers, and unaffordable housing. It’s time to be bold and fight for real, long-lasting change.
Whether you can afford your rent/mortgage payment this month or not, take the pledge to withhold your payment on May 1st. Many cities across the country have eviction moratoriums in place, but that is not enough. Families and individuals living paycheck to paycheck will not be able to afford months of owed rent when the moratoriums are lifted, which is why experts are predicting an even worse housing crisis post-pandemic.
We need to act now. Housing and advocacy organizations including ACRE are coming together to help organize the biggest rent strike in recent history. Nearly a third of Americans didn’t pay rent on April 1st, and the numbers are only expected to climb once rent is due again in May. Take the pledge and join the next wave of rent strikers.
The time to take a stand is now. Over the next few days, we’ll be collecting stories from local rent strike leaders, zip codes from all who are striking or planning to strike, and resources from housing organizations and experts. It will all be compiled in a centralized location for easy access and to show our elected officials, corporate landlords, and big banks, that the strength in our collective struggle is greater than the sum of its parts.
In solidarity always,
Maurice BP-Weeks and the ACRE team
PS - We rely on you to produce our ground-breaking reports that help
inform movements on the ground. Want us to continue to hold Wall Street
and big banks accountable? Please donate and join the fight!
***
It’s time to rethink our national priorities and prepare for real threats like pandemics. One way to do this is divert the billions of dollars that are currently fueling the nuclear arms race.
Will you write a Letter to the Editor calling on the U.S. to shift its priorities?
Instead of building up our dangerous nuclear arsenal — which only puts the world more at risk — we need true leaders who will focus on healthcare, education, infrastructure, and other life-affirming services.
In 2019, the United States spent $35.1 billion on nuclear weapons. Imagine that money being redirected to the COVID-19 response or preparedness. According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, one year of U.S. nuclear weapons spending would pay for 300,000 beds in intensive care units, 35,000 ventilators, and the salaries of 150,000 U.S. nurses and 75,000 U.S. doctors.
| Write a Letter to the Editor |
We cannot go back to business as usual after the pandemic. This crisis has proven what we’ve been saying all along — the system is unsustainable and we need to shift our priorities.
In solidarity,
Colleen and the Beyond the Bomb team
***
As an Iranian-American, I worry every day about my family and the people of Iran.
Will you help call on Congress to pressure Trump?
Already, there is a lot of momentum. Senators Feinstein, Sanders, and
Warren, and Reps Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Omar and others have raised
their voices.
Now is the moment to escalate. Please act. |
Between the sanctions and the pandemic, there is a medical catastrophe in Iran. As an Iranian-American, I worry every day about my family and the people of Iran. My two nieces are doctors in Iran and they tell me that many health workers in the Iranian hospitals lack personal protection equipment. Medicine is scarce, there is a shortage of disposable parts such as ventilator tubes, and the ventilators are overused and breaking down. Medical equipment cannot be replaced and ventilator parts and connectors cannot be bought due to the sanctions. There have been some international donations, but these donations are not nearly enough because Iran has a population of 83 million, and is the most affected country in the Middle East.
That’s why we MUST call for an end to U.S. sanctions.
Before COVID-19, sanctions were already hurting the most vulnerable Iranians—the poor, the sick, the marginalized. Take cancer medication, for example. The chemo medicines that are available in hospitals are low quality and the side effects, like nausea, are extreme. I know this only too well because I lost my sister to cancer. Her children had to buy chemo meds on the black market and carry them in iceboxes to the hospital for their mother. These medicines are extremely expensive, which means that many people are not even able to buy them on the black market.
I think that my sister’s cancer, like thousands of Iranians, was also related to the sanctions. The rate of cancer in Iran has increased significantly, mainly because Iranians are breathing air that has ten to eight hundred times more toxins than the international standard. That is because the sanctions have prevented the Iranian state from sending crude oil to be refined outside. As a result, the state has created home-grown technologies that produce extremely poor quality gasoline.
Now, the sanctions are killing the Iranian people even faster, because of the Corona pandemic. Tell your Senators and Representative in Congress to join the growing voices — including Dianne Feinstein, Bernie Sanders, AOC, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar — demanding U.S. sanctions on Iran be lifted.
Even though the Trump administration claims that medicine and medical equipment are exempt from the sanctions, in reality most pharmaceutical companies, as well as banks, insurance companies, and shipping companies, do not do business with Iran because they fear penalization by the U.S.
From the need for cleaner air and cancer medicines to the COVID-19 pandemic, sanctions on Iran MUST be lifted. Contact Congress right now and tell them to add their voices to this urgent call.
The sanctions are not helping the Iranian people’s legitimate protests against austerity measures and the rise in gas prices. If anything, they hurt the social movements and set their achievements back. The sanctions are war by another name. During war, the state deploys the rhetoric of national security to accuse protesters of collusion with the U.S. The Iranian people are caught between the appropriation of the Iranian protests by the opportunistic U.S. hawks and opposition groups such as MEK, and the Iranian state’s crackdown of the protests in the name of national security. The U.S. claims that the sanctions help the Iranian people’s freedom is paradoxical at best. How can the U.S. promote rights and democratization in Iran while depriving the Iranian people of the basic right to food and life-saving medicine? And how can one advocate for human rights but be in favor of sanctions during a pandemic?
Iran is certainly no model of democracy, but then neither is the United States. During this pandemic, we see more clearly than before how race and class determine who is most exposed to the virus and who has access to affordable healthcare. The level of houselessness, mass incarceration (the U.S. has 5% of the world population and 25% of world’s prisoner population), the ICE detention centers, the historic and present-day violence against indigenous peoples, police violence against black communities, and lack of universal healthcare are all reasons why the U.S. is not in the position to impose sanctions on other states for the violation of human rights. Historically, the U.S. is the only country that has dropped nuclear bombs, and its ally Israel has never signed the non-proliferation treaty. Yet, the U.S. imposes sanctions on Iran based on the claim that the Iranian state is developing nuclear weapons. We saw that this claim was false in the case of Iraq. The sanctions in Iraq killed more than 500,000 Iraqis. Now the Iranian people (and not the state) are paying with their lives for the unjust U.S. sanctions.
Right now, the moral issue is clear: Sanctions and the coronavirus are killing the Iranian people. We must urge Congress to speak out and pressure the Trump administration to lift the sanctions. Ending sanctions will not only help Iranians get jobs, open businesses, have access to food, clean water, clean air, and life-saving medicine, but it will open more space for civil society movements — women’s movement, student movement, labor movement, environmental justice movement — to push for the changes they want to see. You can help them achieve their goals by asking your representatives to lift the deadly sanctions on Iran.
Towards peace and health in Iran,
Sima Shakhsari, Assistant Professor of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, University of Minnesota
