Oy vay... We need to get working NOW!

My dad is really pissed right now. He's going off at the reports on CNN of the French withdrawing their support of an international UN force in southern Lebanon to ensure that Hezbollah does not rearm once they have been disarmed. He's convinced that this is yet another symptom that the world hates Jews and that the vast majority of the world, including France, wants to see Israel destroyed... This may or may not be the case. I certainly don't believe that the vast majority of the world wants to see Israel destroyed per se, but it would not surprise me to learn that the vast majority of the world doesn't give a damn if it survives... including France... And France does and doesn't surprise me, taking this turn. They surprise me because France is home to more Jews - in raw numbers, not percentage - than any other country in Europe. They don't surprise me because they're the French, who have a history of rolling over for whoever comes knocking at their door since Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, and more than half the times that's happened since Charlemagne died. They are, after all, the fucking French, to paraphrase Eddie Izzard.

How is it that anyone can believe that, if left to their own devices, Hezbollah, an admitted terrorist organization, will not reform themselves and rearm and go back to their terror tactics against the Israeli people just because the Lebanese army is in Southern Lebanon? Anyone who does is more than naive, they are fools! But they won't be the ones to pay for their foolishness, the Israeli people who die will be the ones who pay. But I suppose they probably won't care about those who die, anymore than people who buy exotic wood, beef or soybeans from South America care that their patronage contributes to the destruction of the rainforest and the murder of innocent farmers, as surely as if they cut down the trees and put the guns to the farmers' heads and pulled the trigger themselves. It's appalling. And all the while their misplaced faith or apathy strengthens governments and organizations that free people should never even dream of strengthening, the jihadists and the extremists of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan and in smaller numbers in most of the rest of the Middle Eastern countries, furthering agendas that will mean the death of what little freedom people can enjoy under any government. And all out of ignorance and want of oil to power their creature comforts! Fools, fools, everyone! And if they don't wake up to reality soon, their children, and, more importantly to me, my children, and most certainly the Israelis will pay for it dearly!

These sycophants are lazy, and forget that they have power if only they are willing to exercise it. They forget that they are capable of impacting positive change for the ultimate good of themselves and the world. They forget that cars, electricity, air conditioning, etc are recent luxuries for the human race. We can and have survived quite well without all that... Perhaps not as comfortably as we do now, but we have survived and can do it again if we must... Though there is no reason why we must because there are alternatives for energy production all around us if only we are willing to use it and reject the oil. Then we can say to Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia, whose anti-democratic agendas fly in the face of everything every free person holds dear, "Drink your damned oil, for all we care, and eat your sand, I'll be your thrall and allow you to treat others this way no longer!" I, for one, pledge to work to this end, making myself and my family as independent of black oil as one who is not independently wealthy can possibly get with no help from big business or the government. Instead of buying fancy cars or luxury vacations, I will save my money so that I may spend it on energy efficient, solar and wind powered housing that hurts no one but the evils of Big Oil and benefits everything in the end. What money I do spend in the meantime will be on the most fuel and energy efficient cars and appliances to be had, and on food grown and produced in harmony with nature. I will drive as little as possible (already I'm down to an average 1 tank of gas per month, and in the last 8 months, I've driven under 3,000 miles total) and use alternative means and carpooling whenever possible. What is good for Big Business is no longer good for everyone. I am a proud American capitalist, and I believe in the power of free markets, but I have my limits, and that is it. When the machine of economy is heading us all for a cliff with a hundred foot drop into disaster, I choose to do everything I am capable of to stop it before it gets there and to find a safer, better road. I urge everyone who reads this to do the same.

Every citizen - that's right, every - in these United States is as capable as I am.

Start by writing to your government representatives at any level you choose, or at all levels, and tell them what you want for this country. It doesn't take much time. You don't have to be eloquent or persuasive, just informative. And together with the work of other Americans, we can take back our government from Big Business, Lobbyists and corruption!

Research the candidates' records and history, and VOTE and for who you think will do the best job (not who the media, or your pastor, or your next-door neighbor thinks will do the best job!). The right to vote in free, democratic elections is the thing that sets free people apart from those who are manipulated and exploited by those in power. That we have allowed ourselves to come to this point is a deadly shame on our American ideals. Men and women have truly suffered and died to give us all the right to cast a ballot for our chosen candidates and causes. That is an historical fact, so think about that for a moment. Would you die? Would you give up your life in order to give your fellow citizens the chance to impact their government's policy? There have been many thousands who have done just that for you, for your family and loved ones, and for your fellow citizens. So VOTE and make it count for what you think is right.

Write to the media - to newspapers and news networks - and tell them what you think of their reporting, or tell them about stories you think they should report on less or more than they do (Such as the NAIS plan of the USDA). You don't have to write to them all, you don't have to write long letters... just pick whatever source you use to get your news from (I don't think that "The Daily Show" or "The Colbert Report" will be all that effective, but if that's where you want to send your letter, go to!) and send them a letter, a quick e-mail, a post-card, anything. They will listen to the people who compose their audience. They must if they want to keep your attention with the competition in that field right now.

Be active in your consumerism! A good deal of your power in a capitalistic society is in the money you choose to spend and on what you choose to spend it and with whom. I don't say that you can't buy things that you want to buy. I only ask that you make conscientious decisions about what you buy and from who you buy it.

Compare the benefits of organics with those of non-organics, and buy what you will from whomever you will.

Consider the economic benefit to yourself and your friends, neighbors, and countrymen if you buy goods produced in the United States, rather than imports.

Consider if something you can only get "made in China" is really necessary for you to buy, and if it isn't, consider not buying it. If you must buy it, make sure that you get your money's worth and don't buy cheap junk that you'll have to replace with another purchase from China.

Write to companies that you have purchased from in the past and ask them to manufacture in America as much as possible, stating that it is important to you as a consumer that they do so, and praise them if they already do.

Buy appliances and cars that are as efficient as possible and write to manufacturers that you are considering patronizing and ask them to make their products even more efficient. Write to car manufacturers and ask them to build cars that at least have the option of running on something other than gasoline, full-time (as opposed to those that still require any amount of gasoline in order to run).

I have done all of the above at least once in the last six months. Some I have been doing regularly for even longer than that, and some I have integrated into my day-to-day life with surprising ease and little effort. I believe that all of these things are things that any American citizen, regardless of economic situation, is capable of doing - especially since in this blessed country it is free to get a public library card (to this day, not so in Russia! "public" libraries are truly a foreign concept there!) and internet access at public libraries is free for those who have a library card. There really is no excuse anymore to not get involved in some way in making a positive impact of change on our society. Take a few moments to consider all this, and do something about the negative things we all see daily on the news, in our country, in our cities, towns and homes.

Our American system is only as perfect as we are willing to make it be for us, and for our children. It can work and it does work, when we want it to work, if we are willing to work for it!