End the broken Cuban Embargo Now- Never Worked-Never Will

If this "Great Recession" has taught us anything, it is that these crises occur from the need for us to stop what we are doing wrong and bring about a time of self analysis to eventually and hopefully let go of the systems or structures that are no longer sustainable or working for us.

As is evidenced in the recent Susan G Komen VP's resignation, the million signature petition to oust Scott Walker and the firing of right wing extremist Pat Buchanan from MSNBC, the voices of the moderate, liberal Americans have finally gotten louder than the small group of right wing extremists in this country. A majority of Americans are calling for a more progressive, future-minded America with less waste, debt slavery, and more sustainability, less reliance on fossil fuels or foreign oil and foreign policies that do not bully other countries into doing what we tell them to do.

As Iraq and Afghanistan has shown us, we can no longer afford to be the policemen of the world. We need to turn our focus towards our own country; it's strapped educational system, our citizens' access to affordable health care, preventing the disappearance of the middle class, relying less on foreign oil and the elephant in the room, decreasing our looming deficit. 

We have a long way to go to complete this "house-cleaning" process and in the end we will be on the path to a truly progressive, contemporary and evolved society that is sustainable for generations to come.

The U.S. embargo on Cuba is a gas guzzling, 1959 Studebaker and yet another cantankerous, nonfunctioning system that must be shed in order to progress towards a brighter future for all. Agression begets aggression, fear begets fear and an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We must break this template of suffering and agression that our history has been pockmarked with and progress towards a more harmonious and cooperative future. This failed foreign policy has done nothing but kill jobs, insulate the country, giving the regime an excuse for all it's malaise, and only serves to please the small group of Republican Cubans in Miami that support the embargo for their own emotionally-laden and illogical reasons. Like a child that has his toy taken away, they object to anyone else playing with their toy if they can't. Democratic Cubans want to end the embargo but they have never raised their voice in Miami for fear of societal reprisals or being accused of being gasp, "Communist". Since the Cubans that are the most powerful in Miami are the one's carrying the biggest sticks, the others don't speak up, quietly rolling their eyes, waiting for their obsession with Fidel and their tired family feud to end.

The world has changed much since it's inception in 1960 over 50 years ago. As far back as 1975, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy urged the U.S. government to lift the embargo and normalize relations with Cuba. "I believe the idea of isolating Cuba was a mistake," says Kennedy. "It has been ineffective. Whatever the reasons and justifications may have been at the time, now they are invalid." Now 37 years after Kennedy proclaimed it a dead policy, I, a Cuban-American, son of Cuban immigrants call for this sczherade of a policy to end.

This policy has not only been completely ineffective at removing the regime, it has in fact been the main factor in keeping it in power, allowing the regime to use it as a blanket excuse for all it's malaise much in the same way conservatives in this country blame it's troubles on the gay or immigrant communities. It's as if the few supporters left of this embargo were hired as double agents to do the regime's bidding. The only thing the policy has been effective at has been to discredit the United States and give evidence to our detractors that we are practicing, card-carrying imperialists. This embargo has fertilized the egg that gave birth to other radical anti-American leaders in Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia as well as Iran. 

I want not only other Cuban-Americans to experience the island, but other Americans to experience my country and realize what it means to be hispanic or latino living in the U.S. and missing home. They will finally see why we cling to our culture, why we still sing the songs from our past and all the dated stereotypes of what a latino is will melt away in one visit. These Americans would see a mirror in this country that has fallen from grace, while our own country is still recovering from it's own fall from grace. 

The problem with debating this is similar to the debates raging in this country, the ones debating are not informed enough to fight the status quo or the ones that are screaming the loudest. I urge you to research the topic from both sides; for even the flattest pancake has two sides. Become informed so you can come up with your own conclusions. Compare this policy with others worldwide. Has there ever been an embargo lasting this long on any country? Has this policy done any good? Is it hurting more than helping? Is it time for all parties to sit down and come to a new kind of policy or intelligent debate? 

I imagine a day when this inane embargo would be gone and two vibrant sister cities of Miami and Havana working in synchronicity for each other's growth and vibrance. Miami is a modern day Havana, missing it's elegant mother from which she mirrored her spirit and sex appeal after. Miami's mother has been secreted and locked away in a bitter, dark and cold corner where no one else can enjoy her beauty. 

The older generation of Cubans have wrapped her in a didactic burka of poor judgement, envy and non-democratic foreign policy.

I want to open this discourse from private meetings of U.S. President's with Miami's Cuban elite to all citizens to make a decision on what is right for Florida's closest neighbor. This "Cuban issue" has been used as a pawn to gain votes by so many political hopefuls seeking to win Florida. The ones that have suffered are the Cubans in Cuba stuck with a regime that is isolated without any hope of revolt or access to any kind of weapons to do so. The Cubans living in the U.S. also suffer by being required to send constant remittances to support their families and keep them away from malnourishment or illness. They yearn to be able to visit their homeland without limits and share their heritage with their children. 

Americans and Cubans on the island are held hostage while this eternally long chess game is played out and a nation of over 11 million people across the Florida Straits are left with nothing but isolation from us. If it isn't a child's fault they were born in a communist country like Cuba, is it right for our policies to play a part in that child's suffering? A free and democratic country's right on whether or not it's citizens can do business, generate jobs, or simply travel to that beautiful island cannot and should never have been up to a small group of powerful individuals who claim to own that land. That land as with any land, is for ALL to enjoy.

We do not live in Wonderland where the Red Queen can dictate to her kingdom where her subjects can or cannot travel.

This is a democracy and as such, we Americans should be able to begin business, trade and tourism with Cuba at a time when jobs are so desperately needed. Sister cities nourishing and strengthening each other's economy's, creating thousands of much-needed jobs. If you believe this is a democratic right as strongly as I do, please sign this petition to end this failed foreign policy of more than 50 years by clicking the red button at the end of this blog.


The United Nations voted unanimously yet again in October of 2011, to denounce the Cuban embargo and it's old-Cold War policy of intervention. The votes were 186-2. The two countries that said no were of no surprise; U.S. and Israel. This same vote to end the embargo by the United Nations' General Assembly has occurred consecutively and unbelievably for the last 20 years! This siege is not right, it never was and now it is blatantly obvious and only serves to cause animosity between the two countries instead of mutual cooperation. The supporters of the embargo would say, "you cannot do business with that government.". To that I reply, we already are. America has special trade agreements already in place that create large profits for our country to the tune of up to 711 million dollars since 1992 and that's just for medicine and some agricultural trade. Imagine the potential for commerce if the trade restrictions were completely lifted. It would far surpass the billions.

As recent as January of 2011, Obama reversed Bush's ineffective tightening of the Embargo and reinstated the rights of Americans to send remittances to struggling families and opened up travel restrictions, to certain special groups of Americans. He cut short from eliminating the crusty old mess of a policy due to the objections of one Republican; Ileana Ros Lehtinen whom has consistently been a biased puppet for the select few power-Cubans in Miami. Her lack of vision and creativity for a new strategy has been a blockade since 1989 to any progress for removing this failed policy. It is a comedy of errors that she is also a strong supporter of the Church of Scientology and chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Do we really want someone that gives validity to Scientology as the chairman of our Committee on Foreign Affairs? Cuba has recently made a large, sweeping gesture to the United States to normalize relations by releasing over 2500 political prisoners late last year. However, like Israel and the Palestinians, it never seems to be enough for the Embargo supporters to release their iron grip on the past, ever fearing any future where they cannot punish their enemies instead of trying to find a middle ground and finally making an agreement.

One surprisingly realistic declaration from within her ranks came in 2008, when Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) spelled out a proper policy regarding Cuba: "The United States should allow its citizens to travel and trade with whomever they want. Not only would that be the right thing to do for Americans, it would do far more to bring freedom to Cubans."

I want to take my nieces and nephews on a cathartic field trip to discover what their heritage is without fear of being arrested or fined by U.S. customs agents. I want them to know what it feels like to ride a horse to the top of the Pinar Del Rio's low mountains and view the foggy, green valley below and on the way down feel the spirit cleansing waterfalls of Soroa on their skin. I want them to know the tenderness of the Cuban people and how they taught me to appreciate all the opportunities in America through their positivity and sense of humor; in spite of all their extreme limitations. How a mother and daughter eating rice and beans under a bare light bulb taught me what true generosity was by inviting me in their home to share the little they had to eat with me. We are all missing out on so many wonderful and life-changing experiences that this enchanting island has to offer and the Cubans are missing out on all the wonders of America and it's dynamic and modern culture.

The world has changed and just because we can't get our way doesn't mean the rest of us have to agree with your mentality or go to jail. Americans are free to go to China where human rights abuses are violated daily. Tibetan priests are burning themselves alive to liberate themselves from China's unjust rule of their country but yet Cuba who is only 90 miles away is forbidden for us to visit.

Yes, Cuba has violated human rights and there is room for improvement but so has our government. All governments are a work in progress. Aren't our citizen's rights violated when they are pepper sprayed in the face and arrested for peacefully protesting in a peaceful Occupy demonstration? Aren't they political prisoners as well with their only crime being in protesting the way our government and economy is victimizing them? Aren't our LGBT youth committing suicide by the hundreds as a result of the dehumanizing attacks of the religious right in this country? The United Nations recently sent a harshly worded communication to our government over the apparent human rights abuses of our Occupy Protesters. Should Europe and China put economic embargoes on our country for these human rights abuses? Our policies on either side can only be improved through discourse and exchange of ideas, not from isolation. Isolation equals polarization. The more we exchange ideas the more we can realize our greatest fears are exaggerated illusions of the truth. 

"We live in a sphere where nothing really gets out. The masses now understand that nothing less than global cooperation and shared consciousness of our interconnectedness, will bring solutions to our society's multitude of ills. This and only this will eventually give birth to peace and a sustainable balance with our Earth's finite resources" 

Responsible Charity

Do you think Cuba would be more apt to violate human rights with more tourists and foreigners visiting, living and doing business within her borders? Do you think her isolation could be controlled with the flood of technology flooding her land and finally giving it's citizens free access to the internet. Her isolation is her greatest ally, allowing the country to get away with holding back the spread of modern technology and thus, the interchange of ideas. Just like Fox news tries to steer Americans by tweaking the truth, "if you control the information, you control the people". Only difference is, we have a choice of where we can get our information, the Cuban people don't. The greatest thing we can export to Cuba after the embargo ends would be our way of life, our technology, our latest toys. Communism would take an instant back seat to the latest Iphone or Playstation.

This petition is also for our president-elect, Obama to finally end this remnant of the Cold War by not approving the extension of the U.S. Embargo in September of this year.

Will you simply adopt and carry someone elses point of view on the matter or take the time to educate yourself on the matter and make up your own mind?

Help make history by signing this petition and finally free two countries from this tragic, 50 year old dance that has separated and hurt so many families. 

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Recent Stern article calling for lifting of the embargo.


Another article written by a Cuban supporting the end of the US Embargo.

Havana's Biennial of Contemporary Art this year hosts a bevvy of American art and highlights a cultural reason for increased interchange between our countries.

U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton calls for an end to the embargo.


A historical time line of the do-nothing, job-killing, dictator-sheltering, Cuban embargo.

2012- The Year of the Flood

My brother sends me a text at 3 AM that he is driving himself to the hospital and that he was having a heart attack. They restarted his heart 3 times. He survived and was now scheduled for surgery to repair his defective ticker.

My mom, giving me her best Puss in Boots face and Cuban guilt-trip to coax me into flying to dreaded Atlanta (cue screechy horror music) to support my brother in his time of need. Although it boasts one of the largest gay populations in America, it is still a backward, bible-belt, Republican-landia where people actually still celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday with a cake, candles and all (wish I was kidding). For obvious reasons, I like to visit there about as much as a Jew likes visiting Iran. I have no hesitation when it comes to visiting my other sibling in gloriously liberal and uber-democratic Boston. The vibe is so much more pleasant when you are among people that don't hate you.



Republicans don't seem to understand why we liberals abhor them. The reasons are countless and increasing every day in this very Un-Civil war being waged in this country. Their party has maligned us, spread lie after lie about who we are or how we love, compared us to rapists and child molesters, labeled us more dangerous that the global warming they deny exists. They have electroshocked our bodies and forced hormone therapies to try to cure us of our gayness, they have spent millions of dollars nationwide obstructing our quest for full and equal rights and the right to marry. They have fought to keep laws as draconian as sodomy laws on the books just to prove a point that our sex displeases them. They avoid discussing rampant gay suicides of youths in states that they control policy in and do nothing to enforce anti-bullying behavior. And last but not least, they divide our families and our government, stalling every one's progress by obstructing job bills or even offering up any real solutions to help the struggling middle class or our stalled economy. All this just so they can cause their arch-nemesis, Obama to fail and them to regain totalitarian control of this country. The Republican party has not only become an enemy of the LGBT community, they have become an enemy to America.

While this laundry list is in it's rinse cycle in my mind, I come back to listen to my mother's pleadings to fly to Atlanta and be there for my Republican brother and his Republican wife in bible-thumping Atlanta. Her final plea of "What if he dies in surgery?", was the lynchpin to winning this argument. She is right, what if he dies? Republican or not, he is still my brother. I am forced to take the high road and be the supportive, loving brother a family member is expected to be to his sibling. It isn't easy, for my brother is a character to say the least. The list of his offensive behavior is quite long. At the top of the list is he is an extreme Republican. This is not only offensive because of the bigotry he espouses such as telling me, his gay brother that gay marriage is equivalent to pedophilia or bestiality. I let that one slide, knowing full well he is just regurgitating rubbish he hears among his peers in the good ol' ATL. Secondly, he treats his wife as a house maid, expecting love to be given upon his demand just because he brings home the bacon. He is a conversation hog and can never admit he's wrong in life or in any intelligent debate you engage with him. His voice is so loud when speaking that it feels like a pot banging, drum session and is a constant embarrassment to be in public with. He is a habitual liar and after googling Histrionic personality disorder, I can now add that to the list as well. He is in essence, the epitome of everything I dread becoming.

Upon arrival to the backwards, hillbilly underworld, I hear an obnoxious, booming noise of an engine revving for no apparent reason. I turn to realize it's my brother picking me up in an fixed-up 1968 Camaro. Basically a loud, gas guzzling, shiny piece of shit on wheels. I visualize the boatman of Hades and check my pockets for gold coins for safe passage. I guess he thought that buying a car that adds exponentially to global warming and annoys everyone as he drives by, is impressive and cool in his book. As I get in, he asks me if they make the sweater I'm wearing for men and laughs, amusing himself and forcing me to give him a caddy retort, "You're an idiot and why did you spend money on this shitty car, when your broke?". He guffaws replying, "You don't know anything, It's for my son, when he grows up." I counter again, "When your kid grows up, gas is going to be about $20.00 a gallon and why the hell would he want to drive a car that doesn't even have air conditioning?" He replies with a grumble. The banter ends and the awkward silence reigns. I quietly empathize for my doomed nephew and how horrible it must be to be my brother's son.

The gloom of the day is brightened by finally getting to see my two beautiful nephews. I have hope that they will grow up and not repeat the mistakes of their parents. I have faith that these two bright lights will follow Darwin's path and improve on the design. After reading to them, laughing and joking until they fell asleep, I went to my room, trying my hardest not to concoct paranoic visions of lynch mobs with torches pounding at my brother's door to hang my gay ass on the nearest peach tree. I remind myself why I am here and rest easy knowing that someway, somehow this labor of love will be appreciated.

The following day in the waiting room, I get to bond with my brother's wife while surgeons try to fix my brother's faulty heart. She confesses the problems with their marriage and then goes on to admit that she has softened her staunch Republican stance imbued upon her by her father for years. She admits that she doesn't agree with a lot of things the Republican party stands for and that when it comes to social issues, she is more of a Democrat. No surprise there, the Republican party doesn't fight for any social issues, all they focus on is greed and power, for themselves and corporations, "for the good of the people" is dead last on their bucket list. She finally, tells me that after years of being afraid of the gay agenda and opposed to gay marriage, she now believes that we should have the right to marry. Her sentiment, is now being echoed by a majority of Americans as recent polls support. After hours of waiting and meeting at the middle with my brother's wife, the nurse comes to take us to see my brother. The doctor proudly advises us that his congenital heart defect has been cured, well at least he claims he was 95% sure it was cured for liability reasons. We leave the room so he can rest and his wife breaks down in my arms, hugging me and confessing that she still loves him but can't stand to live with him anymore and that their marriage is dead. I was completely moved and felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for her. How do you live for years with someone that never apologizes, doesn't listen to you or even allow you to have a different opinion? I reaffirm to her that no matter what happens she is family and we will never turn our back to her.

After all, one doesn't ask if a choking victim is Republican or not before giving him the heimlich maneuver to save his or her life. You just do what you have to do to help a family member. She may be a little bigoted but everyone has limitations and her views have progressed and she is alas, family. Whether your family is repub or dem, it's the relationships within that realm that matter and how one family gets along with another family. The family unit is the primary circle that later converges with all other circles on this planet. if we don't get the first circle right and find a harmonious balance, all our other circles will be off-kilter and out of balance. Our country is so polarized and out of balance that we seem to be on the brink of new Civil War or at the very least, the start of a revolution.

This blog was written not to bash my brother whom although clearly has his faults, I still love very much and want nothing but the best for. It was written to serve as a metaphor for a larger issue of broken politics in America and how it is dividing our country and our families. I have my faults as do Democrats but at least I am open to change, I push myself to be better every day and always leave room for doubt that maybe I can do better with this or that. The day I think that my ideas are perfect and the only way, is the day I stop evolving. Republicans have not only stopped evolving they are riding full throttle in their gas guzzling hummers, in reverse.


Anti-Republican Crusaders
Tom C. :
"I am sick and tired of those supporting the right-wing including friends and family!!! People say play nice, I say FU! I sacrificed 30 years of my life for this country yet I've been told by members of family that my way of thinking is a cancer to America because I support the left. Right-wing zombies whose whole life has been about themselves. They have based their life on self serving agendas and what they have. No education, no technical skills, protected by those who serve. What they have they have gained by others sacrifice and freedom they never defended. Republicans cant face the fact their no longer the Grand old Party and the free ride most have had is over. It's sickening to see these people defending the right-wing and take lightly the candidates of their choice for President of the United States, while showing nothing but contempt for President Obama who exemplifies all the values once respected in America. So if you lean right and don't like being told where to go, Stand Down!"

Now that the wizard has gifted my Republican brother with a new heart, I can only hope he will take a moment to pause and analyze what he is doing wrong and maybe change course and find a better path. Just like our economy stalled, a heart stalling or any other "health" issue should be a time of self-reflection and modifying the factors that caused the breakdown in the first place. Hopefully, both of them can soften their stance and realize we are all in this together. One big, modern, dysfunctionally functional family that must love each other, bigotry and all.

Fast forward to Mount Sinai hospital, Miami Beach. As one family falls apart for one brother, a new family is born for another sibling. My sister's baby is born, two days before Christmas.

It's these times when your standing at a delivery window looking at your new niece for the first time that all these quarrels melt into oblivion. You're reminded what matters most is human life and the protection of it. Now if we can only agree on how to manage that "protection" of life for all and not just a few, chosen ones and to find a sustainable balance for life without straining our earth's resources...that's the gazillion dollar challenge that would win us a ranking as a higher civilization of this galaxy and we would walk forward on the road towards how "man-kind" should be....kind to each other. For if governments would do their job right, there would be no need for charitable organizations or charity.

Whether you believe in the apocalypse, rapture or our world getting kentucky fried in 2012, it's gonna be a bumpy ride this coming election year. One of the most volatile and stressful years of our lifetimes. A flood of energy with two worlds are colliding; one of compassion, sustainability and inclusiveness and the other of greed, self preservation and manipulation of the masses, no matter the cost to our collective world. Use your inner bullshit filter, occupy your heart and decide which path is the correct road to Nirvana on this earth.

One thing is certain; complacency is no longer acceptable. 

Burying your head in the sand is no longer possible.

The masses are a-awakenin'- and a'realizing we've been getting the short end of the stick for far too long. We are finally becoming conscious that we have been coralled into pens of ideological, political, religious control. The one percent controlling everything is nothing new, it's sadly as old as history. America was the game-changing country that made it seem like more than one percent had a chance at reaching a dream of success. That dream has been broken and shattered all over the kitchen floor and the puppeteers in the shadows don't want us to notice. They want to keep us blind to the injustices we have allowed, that we have given permission to. All the moneys spent for wars we didn’t agree on, military expenses we didn’t feel were necessary, corporate tax breaks we never wanted to give, most offensive of all, tax breaks to the very ones controlling our puppet strings and having us bear the majority of the burden while they sit atop Mt. Olympus as demigods that never were gods at all.

After all, if they did not have OUR taxes, they would have nothing. WE are the ones with the power. WE are the ones that can take it back. WE must remain awake and vigilant. The masses one by one, are unplugging themselves from the Matrix.

We are starting to occupy our own minds, occupy our consciousness, occupy this world we live in instead of floating through it like zombies chained to a maniacal ever turning wheel doing what is expected of us, never questioning authority.

Psychological article on why people defend unjust and corrupt systems that enslave them?

Time magazine named "The Protester" as Person of the Year- 2011.

What happens to a country when the difference between reality and illusion is blurred.

What the Mayan elders are saying about the coming "flood" in 2012.

Why do They Occupy Themselves with Occupying?

I have a Facebook message battle with a huffy, entitled queen from New England. He sarcastically posts on his wall- "Where do the Occupy Protesters summer- Burning Man?" to which I quickly reply, jumping at the opportunity to make him fully reveal his bias, "They summer where you do, the Occupy Protesters are you and I". Immediately I get a troll, private reply in my message inbox-

• Joshua

  • I didn't ask who they are... Perhaps you are still high from the altitude poisoning we all suffered last ski season together in Aspen. I said "where". PS. If you hadn't noticed by the private jet we took, Ritz we stayed at, or the meals my trust paid for. We are not them.
• Eric A. Vasallo

  • Joshua, if you want to go there i come from a good family myself...but i would never consider myself to be above anyone -especially people that are suffering without jobs due to the 1% of this country that snub their noses at the protests of other americans. you are a gay idiot. i am sad for the hypocrisy in which you live. oh and by the way the glaring red initials on ur jacket make u look like a pompous ass.

Ok so I admit, I should've left out the gay idiot and pompous ass insults. I would expect this kind of rhetoric from an obstinate Republican but not from a fellow homo. He's as big a hypocrite as Herman Cain or Clarence Thomas to his own people. Apparently, ignorance comes in all colors and people, no matter who they are, choose their morality based on their need for survival (I learned this in Anthropology). His being a trust fund baby means he is of the very few that are insulated by those that don't have to worry about a recession. In every movement there are always at least two sides, it's how the universe works; cause and effect, the yin and the yang. We saw it in Libya with the Gadhafi supporters in the streets supporting the insane despot, we see it in Cuba as well. The well off that are connected to the Government or a constant flow of good income and benefits are loyal to it's source. From the outside, you think how could these folks be loyal to such a corrupt and one-sided system? How can anyone defend Gadhafi or Fidel Castro? The answer is easy, "morality is based on one's need for survival". A retired economist in Cuba once told me, "If your people want to win this cold war against Cuba, end the embargo and start sending ship loads of medicine, food stuffs, appliances and clothing and you will see how quickly the people abandon Communism.". I never forgot that statement, the majority of people are loyal to whatever benefits them, no matter how badly it screws the rest of the population. Absolute power breeds absolute corruption and the root of this whole "class warfare" is just that. Corporations and big money have completely taken over this country's democracy. We are at a tipping point and while our country is not as impoverished as Egypt the inbalance of power is eerily similar. The proof is everywhere, from the countless graphs charting how much the middle class' income has been reduced since Bush's reign began to the Supreme Court ruling that corporations can be considered a "person" and kept corporate donations at their democracy threatening levels. This class warfare was not started by Obama or the Middle Class, it was started by Bush's "temporary" tax cuts benefitting the rich and will inevitably be finished by the masses taking back their democracy.

Enter - Occupy Wall Street Movement - not just a movement but an idea who's time has come, not created by one person but by the masses waking up and finally smelling that the bull shit in this country has reached an unbearable level. No manner of spinning or truth-twisting by the right can cover up the stench of the situation, at least not for the well informed. The other side swears the smell is coming from us evil liberals trying to defend equal pay and equal opportunity. Damn those evil liberals trying to take away their cake!

Don't believe in this conspiracy theory, then ask yourself or even Google when was the last time that journalists were arrested in this country for reporting on public events? 10 reporters were arrested in Zuccotti park in New York just this week. It's happening now, in this country, totalitarianism isn't just for the Middle East anymore. The Occupy movement is growing and will continue to grow as long as the inequality isn't remediated. The more people out of work the more will take to the streets, it's common logic and has happened again and again throughout history. America, as great as it is, is not immune to revolution.

The Occupy movement is global now, winter will not stop these protests, it will simply evolve into different types of protests and effect more change come voting season, just as the Tea Party did. Mass, organized voter registration drives would be an effective avenue to focus their energies on next.

If you want to continue to sit on your couch and pretend that everything is okay, go ahead, you can afford to, for now. If you don't then check out what Occupy is all about. It is not a bunch of hippies or "terrorists", they are fellow Americans, just like you and I. They are US and we are THEM.

When you gather with friends and family to dinner to give thanks this season, think of those protesting in the streets, working for us to have better lives and for the American Dream to be more equally accessible to all. Send them your warm wishes that things will get better, for they are a different type of soldier fighting to protect our democracy and this is a different kind of war, a class war. They started it and we will finish it.

Amazing graffitti artist-Shepard Fairey, whom echoes the Global Occupy Movement struggle for justice-

Why can't millionaires aspire to be like spiritual billionaire- John Templeton aka "god's sugar daddy" or like Bill & Melinda Gates?

United Nations envoy communication to United States on why Occupy Protesters human rights are not being defended.

Connect with the Global Occupy Movement here.

Doomsday Boy

A golden sun over the Giza plateau sinks under the horizon and I mind-trip imagine the Egyptian goddess Nut giving birth to a full moon, rising to the center of the sky above the pyramids- the only man-made, ancient wonder of the world still standing. As the moon lights up the night, I spy a young tourist couple gazing at their romantic, dumb rock in the sky, enjoying their Hallmark-romantic moment. A modern day Adam and Eve wishing upon a star, conjuring up dreams of a perfect life together with good jobs, 2 kids and a nest egg to cushion their years of retirement. They believe the American dream. They believe the history they've been programmed to believe, that the pyramids were tombs built by an ancient, advanced race. I perceive a different scene altogether. I see the moon as many have begun to theorize, as an artificial, hollow structure moved there by an intelligent race so that our planet could be in the perfect orbit to sustain life for their new Earth colony. I see two pyramidal structures and a Sphinx built thousands of years before the Egyptians created their empire around them. They were built as industrial, power plants for wireless microwave energy, similar to Nikolas Tesla's. 

I ask myself when this dark con of man will end? When will this world full of lies spun by religions and governments to keep us in line and divided, whither into oblivion? It seems like that time is coming faster every day. More cracks of truth are leaking through, information is being shared at faster speeds than ever in the history of man. What used to take months to convey by way of human runners now take a quarter of a second from our smart phones while at dinner. We can know anything almost as quick as Neo learned Karate in the Matrix. 

A new generation of barn-busting, establishment shattering devices such as WikiLeaks, Grass roots organizations like Amnesty International, GreenPeace, Human Rights Campaign, movies such as Food Inc., Religilous, Tapped, Supersize Me and I AM, are helping to crack open a trickle of truth into a tsunami exposing these old institutions of hatred, disrespect for mother earth and industrial poisoning of our own people for profit.

I am of the ilk that believes what Agent Smith tells Neo in the Matrix, that we humans are a parasite on this earth and that we reproduce and consume without any consideration for the limited resources. We are now 6 billion parasites on this planet and without any movement towards population control, we are  hurdling towards our own demise just as the Mayans and the mythological story of Atlantis. We are basically eating ourselves to death. Religion is the key source of this problem. The defenders of their faith claim that God protects all life and that we need to preserve all life. Are we respecting life when we consume so much that we are killing the live planet that we are on? When the tipping point is reached won't millions of lives be at risk?

The Earth does not have infinite resources and without a balance of consumption and development, she will shrug us off like a mangy dog with too many ticks, sucking it's blood. It is ironic that the Maya, the ones that consumed themselves into oblivion are the ones that have their voice being heard through way of their prophecies for the end of our world. Their is an ancient Maya greeting (La'Kech) that when one enters a home, you say "I am you. You are me".  The greeting underlines a universal law of harmony and balance that even the Inca and ancient Egyptians followed. That harmony and balance was obliterated by the dawn of the Industrial revolution and we are now witnessing it's end. With the global recession, a new awakening has been born that we need to retool all our institutions, to a more sustainable, balanced path. Our systems were addicted to growth, consumption and profit without a thought of how long it could be maintained. To the cynics, that say it's all hogwash, imagine this, we are on a small blue orb hurling through an infinite space filled with asteroids, comets, millions of tons of satellite debris and a burning sun that can burn us to dust in seconds if we moved just a few degrees closer. How can we think that doomsday cannot occur? Science proves an asteroid obliterated the dinosaurs 65 million years ago and recently science has discovered a solar proton burst sizzled our earth and extinguished countless species worldwide, no less than 12,000 years ago. Has our arrogance gone so far as to think we are immune to extinction as well?

While every generation has had it's "doomsday" scenario with plagues, World Wars, Cold Wars which we have thankfully survived. Each fear-laden time brought about changes in consciousness and slight changes or improvements in governments and systems to manage the masses.
It seems that this time around we are at a tipping point, earthquakes are occurring almost every month in places that haven't seen earthquakes in hundreds of years. In the last 2 years alone, major quakes have rocked Spain, New Zealand, Virginia, India, Alaska, Haiti, Chile, Japan. While scientists downplay it, I know I have never heard of so many earthquakes in the 4 decades of life lived so far. Add to this the theories of pole shifts caused by these quakes and fact that the Earth's axis has already been tipped by Chile's earthquake causing our year to shorten by 1.26 seconds. We've had back to back natural disasters that are increasing in frequency. The proverbial shit seems to be hitting the fan and people are sensing or at least fearing that maybe there is something to the whole Maya prophecy after all. There isn't a party i've gone to recently that didn't have a doomsday joke or discussion of what could go down. It's as if the world has contracted HIV and is finally coming to terms with it's own fragile mortality. Britney wants to dance until the world ends, Chris Brown wants to remember his last time with his girl when the world goes by and Neyo and Pitbull want to enjoy life tonight because we might not get tomorrow.

There's a convergence of end-time scenarios beginning to blur together, preventing your average citizen from figuring it all out. There's the uber-popular Maya prophecy, the Evangelicals believe the Rapture is coming soon, Catholic Saint Malachy prophesied the last Catholic pope would be from the Order of the Olive which our current Pope St. Benedict is from. There are also astronomers that believe a 2-7 mile wide comet named the Elenin Comet will cause our demise. Finally, NASA admits they are expecting a once in a lifetime period of high solar activity coming to a peak around late 2012 (same time as Maya prophecy)  that will cause an array of problems for our planet. Through my months of research on the web researching this topic and using my finely-tuned, inner bullshit filter I can now bequeath unto you my summary of the end times in order for you to have some type of preparation if and when the "walls come tumbling down".

Doomsday scenarios that may or may not occur in the near future:

1. Maya prophecy - Their long count calendar literally ends on December 21, 2012 marking the end of one time and the emergence of a time of renewal. Some theorize that the Maya marked the end of their calendar to align with the 26,000 year alignment of our planet with the center of our Milky Way galaxy. In that center is what is called a "dark rift" an area with interstellar dust and God-only-knows what else. Some Mayan elders have spoken out saying that they have channeled messages that we will finally have a moment of mass contact with intelligent life from another planet. The powers that be on this planet will try to instill fear to distrust these beings and prevent their loss of power over humanity caused by this new relationship with our cosmic family. Your inner "bullshit meters" will have to be fine tuned to sort out the lies that will be spun at that time. Factoid- Mufon network has reported that global UFO sightings have increased 67% in the last 3 years alone. An announcement will be made by Mayan elders before the end date, reportedly revealing more details. The only monument found that refers to this end date is Tortugero Monument 6 and some of the engravings have been damaged, preventing a full understanding of the prophecy (see photo). It says that this time will be terminated and a "darkness" will occur. Their God of creation that was present at the time of creation (Bolon Y'okte) will then descend from the sky to witness the end of this time as well. Most Mayan elders alive today believe that this whole end-of-time thing will be an end of one era and the beginning of a renewal period or birth of a new era. Think end of all unsustainable systems that do not work for us anymore; religious intolerism, dictatorships, free-rein capitalism, money systems, global addiction to coal and oil, corporate greed, ego, etc. *Survival tip- remain positive, stay calm, stay hopeful that all the old, cantankerous systems on this planet will finally go away. 

2. The Rapture-  An evangelical, extremist belief that Jesus will return to the Earth to sort out the sinners and the saved. The saved would soon after be enraptured and lifted up into the heavens. The sinners will be left behind. Religiously led mass suicides a' la Jim Jones will probably occur in the days before or soon after December 21, 2012 as the religious hysteria will reach a fever pitch. *Survival tip- if you believe in the Rapture then you are probably too far gone already to be saved. If you don't, you need not worry because Jesus Christ was probably a fabrication in the first place. See -Religilous. 

3. Sudden Pole Shift of the Earth - Mass extinctions caused by a magnetic pole shift after the appearance of a 10th planet named Nibiru by ancient Sumerians 6000 years ago. Zechariah Sitchin theorized this through his archaeological studies decades ago. Global tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and massive earthquakes would result. *Survival tip- you are basically f*&%'ed if you live anywhere near a fault line, coastal area or volcano. Otherwise, run to highest land or condo in your area with lots of water and food and hope for the best

4. The "days of darkness"- Channeled messages from ascended master Saint Germain channeled by Aruna explains that our planet is vibrating at a higher rate and allowing us to come into contact with a 5th dimension. This will cause the veil between this dimension and other "spirit dimensions" to be thinned and more contact with ascended or highly evolved beings will be more common. Our human DNA is being altered causing many to feel lethargic while the newly activated components of our DNA are activated. The being informs us that those that are receptive are receiving higher vibratory "downloads" altering our consciousness more than ever before. She also warns of the coming "days of darkness" where the Earth will be enveloped by a certain "darkness" (could be mass power outages caused by solar flares or sun blocked by volcanic ash) for anywhere from 30-60 days. She asks that we remain calm and learn how to spend time with our loved ones in the dark, peacefully. Fear is a feeling that we must leave behind at this time and trust that this will pass. The climax to her prophecies are that beings from an intelligent planet have prepared an alternate safe planet for up to 1 million ascended souls to be transported to to save their precious genes and soul levels for the new Earth after the natural disasters have ceased. (think modern day UFO's descending to pick us up like a hundred Noah's arks in the sky). We will have 2 chances to go with them. This is unlike Rapture in that the choice will be ours to go with them or not. *Survival tip- stock up on gallons of bottled water and canned or dried foods. The days of darkness should begin sometime around late september 2012. See- The Knowing for a good representation of this scenario.

5. St. Malachy's prophecy- A Saint had a prophetic vision in 1139 of the end of the Catholic church that would end with our current pope and the destruction of the "7 hills of Rome" and of the Catholic church. St. Malachy doesn't go into specifics or at least the Catholic Church has never revealed how the  seven hills of Rome would be destroyed. *Survival tip- You can rejoice if you are a young boy or are gay because there will be no more priests to molest you or spew hate at you for being gay. This is the easiest of doomsday scenarios to survive. 

6. Elenin Comet- A large comet anywhere from 2-7 miles long will reach it's closest orbital point sometime from September 27th to late November of this year, possibly causing global earthquakes and tsunamis. Some theorize that the Elenin comet might even be a large spacecraft due to study of an enlarged photograph and observed turns that are impossible for a comet to do. *Survival tip- if it is a spaceship, you will be alright as our world's energy problems will be resolved, all diseases cured and we'll finally be able to take trips around the world in seconds and never have to pay 25 dollars to check luggage or be crammed into a tiny airplane seat ever again. If aliens really wanted to invade and eat us, they would've done it thousands of years ago. If it isn't a spaceship then get to your nearest state that doesn't have fault lines and get ready for a really bumpy ride, massive power outages and possible global tsunamis.

7. NASA reports of Solar activity late 2012- long overdue Solar eruptions are calculated by NASA to occur sometime late 2012, early 2013 causing possible satellite failures of cellular communications, air traffic control and possible massive blackouts caused by power grid overload. These massive blackouts would be nationwide across the globe and would take months to restore power. NASA has even released plans to evacuate the International Space Station for "other" reasons. *Survival tip- massive power outages and cell phone service will be down for months. Store loads of can goods, nuts, water and cans of coconut water. Disaster bonus- without computers or cell phones we'll finally be able to connect to the people sitting next to us. 

My choice on the Doomsday menu above would be a combo platter of scenario 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7. It would be the fastest path to restore the balance of the ancients, end the cannibalizing of our planet and prostitution of it's resources.

Run fast for your mother 

Run fast for your father

                                    Run for your children for your sisters and brothers

Leave all your love and your longing behind 

you can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

Can you hear the horses

'Cause here they come

These scenarios may never occur and all this brouhaha might just be a load of rubbish but wouldn't you rather be mentally prepared instead of blindsided in case anything does go down? Either way, things are a' changing in this corner of the galaxy. Whether you believe in global warming or not, the Earth is getting hotter, droughts are increasing, people are overpopulating, the last of the dictators are all a' dying' or being removed from power. May the Maya prophecy mark a moment when the last dictator falls -a final call for the end to this dark con of man, where religions will finally be exposed for the cancer and tools of manipulation that they are. When the liars will stop lying, the deniers stop denying, the scammers stop scamming other men, when the anti-gay agendas will let go of their hate and the caste-class systems cease repressing the downtrodden. We are 6 billion Trumans from the Truman Show finally realizing we are caged, scratching at the edge of our reality, through the lies of eons, dying to break out of this single world view. I count the days for man's universal awareness to be born. Where we finally stop thinking we are the center of the universe and know that we are not alone and never have been.

CUT TO:

I walk through an early morning rush hour in the streets of Chicago, navigating through an ocean of people on their way to work. I look at the faces of the masses as they automatically run like ants from point A to B and ask myself do they know or even have an inkling that they are all going to die? I am aware of it every day, I can't stop thinking about how it's all going to end and count the moments for it to finally arrive. I can't wait for this world to end to clear the way for a new version. I make a call for the feet draggers of progress; the Republicans, the Taliban, the religious extremists of the world so afraid of the future - "Evolve or die!". I am doomsday boy, the biggest party-pooper, debbie-downer you've ever met. Get ready to meet your maker and ask yourself when the storms come will you be able to stand strong or will you be swept away? 

Who's gonna save the world? Will it be Mother Earth, our cosmic family or can we come down from our high horses with blinders on and save ourselves?

Human beings will have to redefine everything and change everything if they are to survive.

Albert Einstein

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"The President was elected with the vision of transformative change. Nothing would so transform the world as the ending of this secrecy, peaceful open contact with the Extraterrestrial Civilizations visiting Earth and the release of these wondrous new energy technologies for peaceful energy generation. In just a few years, the world will be made anew.Steven M. Greer, MD Director of CSETI

God speed the year of jubilee The wide world o'er! When from their galling chains set free, Th' oppress'd shall vilely bend the knee, And wear the yoke of tyranny Like brutes no more. That year will come, and freedom's reign, To man his plundered rights again Restore. God speed the day when human blood Shall cease to flow! In every clime be understood, The claims of human brotherhood, And each return for evil, good, Not blow for blow; That day will come all feuds to end, And change into a faithful friend Each foe. God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth Shall exercise a lordly power, Nor in a tyrant's presence cower; But to all manhood's stature tower, By equal birth! That hour will come, to each, to all, And from his Prison-house, to thrall Go forth. Until that year, day, hour, arrive, With head, and heart, and hand I'll strive, To break the rod, and rend the gyve, The spoiler of his prey deprive -- So witness Heaven! And never from my chosen post, Whate'er the peril or the cost, Be driven. 

Frederick Douglass, Volume II Pre-Civil War Decade 1850-1860

A Wrestler's Tears

A burly, sweaty guy is forcefully holding me down, his hot bull-breath, heating me up so close and fast that my neck gets wet. I squirm through his legs to try to take him over and get him on his back, submissive...so we can finish with me on top. I work to be the top and finally win.

Sounds like a raunchy scene from a porn movie, don't it? Well, it ain't. Why does such a straight sport have to look so gay? It's exactly what I observed at the local wrestling match for my older brother's first born, somewhere in the boonies of Atlanta's wilderness. A subculture of Americana playing out in front of my Miami-safe, gay-bubbled eyes.

My older brother, stocked full of pride that I would finally be able to witness his son's Gladiator-ness action. He hauls my ass out of bed at 6 AM so that we can make it in time for the "weigh-in", where teams of really young and tiny boys get weighed in like piglets going to farm on their way to be fattened up for an eventual slaughter. Only difference is these little piggies are their family's pride and joy destined to fulfill their dad's uncompleted life dreams. These little boys, burdened with the pressure to eliminate any signs of weakness before they even hit puberty. Some get thrown into this Herculean arena of adult expectations as early as 4 years old (mat rats). They seem to be willing enough to satisfy their parent's demands until they get into the ring. As each match begins, you hear the father's and coach's cattle calls into the ring.

Losing is not an option!
Man up!
Get strong!
Dont make excuses -make adjustments!
Suck it up!

All this is heaved upon these willing, young and feisty pups before they are even mature enough to know how to deal with the emotions of it. It's a surprising reaction to see them burst into tears at the end of each match; faces red and eyes swollen.

Not just a tear but a rush-gushing of tears. Sometimes the tears come even after a win. It's the adrenaline high pressure to comply, muscle overexertion and overwhelming mental processing of their own strategy to win that breaks even the toughest of wrestlers to a whimpering-wet Sponge Bob.

To see these young Spartans walk by with their blank faces and eyes red from tears is a moment of poetic, human theater- a front row seat to a loss of innocence live and in HD. You want to reach out to them and tell them it's alright and that they did okay but at the same time you feel like you will rob them of the maturation process unfolding before you. They will with each game gain emotional intelligence, stamina and learn how to stand their ground in life. Most importantly, they learn that even when your opponents pin you down and you are about to lose, that with srength and a little bit of cunning, you can "pull a reversal" and turn a failure into a victory.

It all sounds so healthy and normal but I can't keep from thinking what this whole scene means to a child that happens to be born gay? What a sad prison of disappointment that would be for him. It'd be enough to run away and live a life on a river somewhere a' la Huckleberry Finn. The whole wrestling thing seems to be an unspoken insurance policy that their sons won't grow up to be "swishy in the hips". Unfortunately, there aren't any Glee clubs in this part of America.

Wouldn't it be progress if our world wasn't so harsh that we had to teach our kids to be so tough? Wouldn't it be evolution that our civilization could reach such heights of civility that skills of battle would be trumped by those of selflessness and consideration for their fellow man to live in a sustainable peace? Like the great Minoans who would compete over which man could jump gracefully over a horned bull without being mauled by it's horns. Displaying human strength, agility and grace in one Olympian flip in the air over the back of a bull.

When will we get to this point in our humanity? When will our values of defense budgets over educational budgets and corporate profits over civilian quality of life no longer be so fiercely important? When will greed and hoarding of wealth no longer be more important than the simple civility of spending time with your loved ones without all the complicated and expensive toys? Hopefully, it won't take a near-death of our civilization for us to wake up and evolve a little more towards bull jumping and less harvesting of innocent, wrestler's tears.