[img]583|left|Eric L. Wattree||no_popup[/img]I thought my activist days were behind me, other than fighting for the cause of human dignity in this column. But as a creature of the 1960's, it's t not in my nature to turn my back on injustice and the exploitation of the weak.
I have been advised that a journalist should never get personally involved in a story. A journalist should simply record the facts, or in my case, comment on what is taking place. But what if I'm covering a story and observe a child who is drowning. Do journalistic ethics require me to just stand there and record the event? I don't think so. As I see it, American workers are drowning. I have no intention of just standing by and watching it happen.
In last week's column I mentioned the creation of CARMA (Citizens Against Reckless Middle-Class Abuse). CARMA is in the process of building its database, and I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to contact us. Once we've attained sufficient numbers to make an impact on the system, we're going to get on with the business of doing just that, laying down our law on the political establishment, bot/ political parties.
While the Republican Party is undoubtedly guilty of obstructionism, the Democratic Party is equally guilty of allowing it to happen. Both parties are engaged in a game of “good-cop/bad-cop” to maintain the status quo. The Republican party is doing everything it can to undermine the interest of the working class, and the Democrats keep coming back, wringing their hands, saying, “Well, we tried. Can you send us a little more money?”
That's a bunch of crap. They're not trying, and that is what has everybody up in arms. The only time they've managed to come to a non-partisan consensus was in the decision to bail out Wall Street. But when it comes to addressing the welfare of the American people, they haggle for months until the bill is watered down to nothing.
A Matter of Values
Congress was whining over the impact of extending unemployment insurance for jobless Americans for 26 weeks, for example. They complained that it would add $33.9 billion to the deficit. Yet, they're fighting to extend Bush's tax cut for the richest 2 percent of the population. That would add $4.4 trillion to the deficit. They also just authorized $37 billion to go shoot at rocks in Afghanistan, and that's in spite of the fact that a DOD audit indicates that $8.7 billion disappeared in Iraq.
Stop reading for a moment and think about that. The same people who are supposed to be so concerned about leaving a debt on our grandchildren that they're willing to let the families of unemployed workers starve, haven't said a word about the loss of nearly $9 billion.. We're no longer going to play that game. If Congress can't manage to carry out its responsibility to the American people, we need a different group of people in Congress.
You will find CARMA to be different. Unlike many organizations, our primary reason for existence is getting results, not raising money. We are not going to be begging for money. All we want is your voice, and your vote.
We're only about raising three subjects — raising voices, raising votes, and raising hell. We don't need your money because we're not going to give politicians a penny of bribe money. They are already being paid, much more than they are worth. We're going to make them do their jobs. If they don't, we're getting rid of them. It wasn't money that got Shirley Sherrod fired. It was the administration's weak-kneed fear of public outrage.
It wasn't money that had them crawling back, trying to apologize and offering her a better job – it was that very same weak-kneed fear of bad publicity. If it were not for the publicity, Shirley Sherrod would be at home licking the wounds of her injustice and trying to file an EEO. That episode alone demonstrates what this political system is about. To obtain justice, it's not enough to be right. You must have the ability to make the powerful look bad.
This is what CARMA is about, gaining the attention of the press and shining a light on injustice.
Gaining Attention
CARMA is convinced we can impact this corrupt system with just the clout of human capital, the raised voices and focused outrage of dedicated activists. If we can grow our numbers enough to gain the attention of the corporate media, and make enough noise where we control the votes, all the corporate money in the world will be rendered meaningless. Urge all of the sincere activists among your family, friends and associates to join this effort to bring focus to our mutual concerns. We can do this! We are going to do it. We don't need one voice speaking for millions; we need millions speaking with one voice. If you haven't already done so, please register with the “Citizens Against Reckless Middle-Class Abuse (CARMA )” webpage on Facebook. That will allow us all to communicate and share our experiences with one another more easily. But if you would rather remain anonymous, join our database by emailing me at the email address below.
Eric L. Wattree
wattree.blogspot.com
Ewattree@Gmail.com
Religious bigotry: It's not that I hate everyone who doesn't look, think and act like me. It’s just that God does.
