The following is once again not a blog in the blog sense. But instead something I wrote one early morning just before the invasion of Afghanistan. I imagine it was a cleansing for me. It gives some insight to what I think of war and its futility
Of Best Intentions
I have seen the sea of Stars and Bars
Flapping, snapping on the black topped highways
The glow of candles so meaningfully burning deep into the night
In numbers that dwarf the stars of that silken blackness
I have heard the moans and cries, chorused by tears falling as monsoon rains
To the ready swollen rivers of anguish
I have walked down those green rolling valleys that lay thickly filled with white crosses that stand sentinel
What of these will speak for me
Who among them has such powers to breathe life back into this box of rattling bones
What glue might they conjure to piece together my broken soul
Oh! Speak to me; shout to my ears for I know the answer
For all the good spent intentions soon become arcade. Once the coin drops through its slot
The show is soon forgotten
Now once again they speak of war
Its line drawn through sifting sand
Again our armour stands ready
Our faces turned towards
The Winds Of War!
Written by j.o.Sweptson
First please forgive the darkness of this blog. I just feel that it is necessary.
When I was a young boy I day dreamed. My dreams were a constant. I imagine everyone dreamed when they were young. I dreamed of being a cowboy. I had a hat and boots and yes a set of six guns strapped around my waist. When I was a young boy I dreamed. As I grew older my dreams turned to girls, hey, I'm only human. I dreamed of finding that perfect girl. You know the type. That one girl that would be with me through thick and thin. When I was a young man I dreamed. Somewhere between that time of dreaming of being a cowboy and finding that perfect girl I had another dream. That dream was of a place where I could feel safe and free. A place where I could feel safe and free. A place where everyone could be safe and free. I dreamed that place was america.I thought it was more than a dream. I thought it was the real thing. Something I could hold near and dear. I thought it was something real. When I was young I dreamed of being a cowboy. During those days and years of dreaming america went to war. It was a war fought in a little country I had never heard of a country I knew nothing about a war I knew nothing about. Little did I know those childhood dreams would soon end. Little did I know that that place where I felt safe and free was about to change. I spent a year in that little country far away from all my hopes and dreams. But I still held the hopes and dreams of that safe place deep within. Twelve months past rather quickly. I came home unscathed by the scars of war. My face and body still fresh and whole. But inside something happen. Something changed. Gone was the trust, gone that feeling of being safe and free. Something replaced that free, safe,fresh feeling leaving instead a feeling of distrust, a feeling hopelessness, a feeling of despair. I carried a burden from that war. A smoldering fire burned deep within a fire of question. Why did I return whole, when so many others had left behind so much. Why was I able to walk away while so many were left dying in the fields.Those questions blazed within my soul for more than 25 years. Then one day they were gone. The fire was extinguished all that remained was the distrust that I would never find that safe and free place again.
Something happen around 2004 I heard a black man speak at a political convention. We all know that man as Barack Obama. Oh! I still distrusted in that safe place but I felt this man just might know the way.
To this day I still feel that Barack Obama can help lead the way. Not just for me but for all peoples who have lost their way. Be it from any scar placed upon us. But there's forces that would do everything within their power to stop this from happening for all of us. Its the same force that's kept it from becoming reality for most of america from the first tic of the clock. For the most part people of america have let outside forces change what burns within us all. Political and corporate greed have tried to douse the flame of freedom that burns within us all. I'm afraid that the exact political machine that has driven us to this point will continue to do so. I fear for us all.
I am fine in my life now. I am free and have found the perfect woman that helps complete me. But I fear for others less fortunate. If the out come of this political struggle leaves the current regime still ahold of the reigns once the dust settles america will no longer exist.This current regime is nothing but a warmongering machine. They could possibly lead us to our end. I so hope I am wrong. I so hope there is a tomorrow. We only have one chance left. That chance is to make Barack the leader of america. THIS BLOG FINDS ME WELL AND HAPPY, I SO HOPE COME NOVEMBER 4TH IT FINDS US ALL THE SAME. PEACE AND LIGHT TO ALL.
A short time ago I had the opportunity to read a blog written by George Dunson of Jacksonville Fla. A Black Vietnam era veteran who was wrongfully charged with a crime while in service and consequentially imprisoned in a military stockade. Please take the time to read that Blog and think about it deeply. I to am a Vietnam veteran. Not something that I'm proud of at all. Yes, I too served but like lots of white guys with a little more education I was in the rear with the gear. But this is far from being about me. This deals with racism. Yes, it raises its ugly head every tick of the clock. Its something that the government has stirred with its mighty stick from americas very beginning. Why would the government do such a thing? Simply to keep the masses apart. Simply to keep control. Simply to implement its agenda. Simply to keep the corporate wheels turning. Simply to keep those that have in power and those that have little chasing that proverbial carrot or the american dream as one could put it. We all are witness to it every waking minute. Some of us practice it day in and day out. I grew up in the south but thankfully it was not taught in my home. But just as soon as I stepped foot on that military bus headed for Fort Bragg it was doused on me like a bucket of ice water. Force fed to all of the troops during that basic training stint. We were pitted whites against blacks during that whole nine weeks. So you see its forced into our lives just as one would try to force a peice of a puzzle that didn't fit.
Hopefully we can all fight the fight of our lives and place a man in the oval office that just might turn things around. Its up to all of us. I hate thinking of someone as an unequal. We all bleed when cut, we all cry when someone causes us pain. We all are human. No matter the color. No matter the orgin. We are all brothers and sisters. That's what it will take for us to survive. Peace and Light.
I come here often during my day to read people's thoughts concerning the Obama campaign. Blogs about religion, faith and the such. Blogs about what Barack should do to win this election. Blogs about the lies spread by the Republican Elite. Blogs about the conflict in Georgia. These are all fine and wonderful. But Blogs will not and can not win this election. Hopefully they can motivate and instill a desire to cause us all to move forward. To awaken us from this government induced deep sleep. Truth be told we all need a good shaking. But Blogs alone just won't do the trick. americans have become fat and lazy in a sense. We've become so involved in worrying about what everyone else is wearing,doing,going and being that we've lost site of just who we are. Were lied to by the government and have been since its inception. I'm not talking just about the current regime here but pretty much every group of leaders that have been in the little house on the hill from day one. What was suppose to be a government of the people and by the people has become a government of the rich elite by the rich elite. There's nothing wrong with becoming rich but for most of us that dream will never become a reality. We all for the most part are here in hopes of changing that. In hopes of making a man that we all believe in for the most part president. But Barack is just a man. Just a human. With failings and fears just as all mankind. If by some chance Barack becomes our president (americas president) he can not and will not do it alone. americans will have to learn to change. Actually not change but learn to share. To share in times of feast and in times of famine. For the most part we have forgotten how to do that. We've become a country of get it while you can. We must change. Most of the country considers themselves religious. They are free to do so. I on the other hand consider myself as someone who has just switched on the light in a very dark room. Oh, I have stumbled around like a blind man. Feeling and sometimes touching what was there but not really seeing. The last few months have helped open my eyes and heart to the less fortunate. Hopefully Barack has done that for millions. Its going to be a long hard road the next few months. Lets join together and make it happen. Peace and Light to all.
Good morning to all. Actually this is not a blog in the blog sense. But a letter to the editor of the Winston Salem Journal that I recently wrote. It was originally titled "Racism In america" but I actually prefer their title "Darkness". The letter before editing was much longer and quite wordier if there's such a word. It speaks of a real problem in america today as well as the rest of this planet we call earth.
"DARKNESS"
In the past few months I have worked as a Barack Obama volunteer in Winston Salem, registering voters of all political affiliations. During this time I have witnessed the good and bad that makes up the fabric of america. I have seen first hand the re-birth of what america can be. But I have also heard and felt the darkness that lies deep within us all: the darkness of racism. This is not something we are born with, not a cancer that cannot be eradicated; instead, it is a hatred that we have been force-fed since early age; poured into our lives by family, media, religion and government; eating away at the very principles that this country was built upon.
Racism is not bound by color,origin or facets of life- it has no borders. We as a human race will never find true friendship or love of our fellow man until it is exposed and destroyed.
On Nov. 4, I hope readers will vote. Vote with knowledge, vote with compassion, vote with honor. But please, for all mankind, don't vote with racism.
Signed:
Clifford J. Bowlin
Winston Salem N.C.
This was originally posted on my other Barack website but Internet Explorer or my Barack website had problems. So here it is on my new and Improved site.( lol.) Peace and Light
