Monday Meditation: How to Honor The Fallen

"The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men." ~Minot J. Savage, Decorating the Soldiers’ Graves

"Your silent tents of green
We deck with fragrant flowers;
Yours has the suffering been,

The memory shall be ours."~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Decoration Day

Today is the day we Americans have set aside to honor our warriors who have fallen in battle. Since the Vietnam War of the 70's, when America shamed herself by treating her veterans of that conflict poorly, we've swung to the opposite end of the spectrum in trying to out-do one another with expressing love for our military folks, both the living and the dead. 

Many will thank a veteran or military service member today- and I can tell you on behalf of all of us, we don't want you to do that.  This is  NOT our day. This a day to honor those who have fallen in battle, not those of us who lived through the battle, nor those of us who've never seen battle. We appreciate your sentiment, but we do not wish to take from those who gave the sacrifice of their lives here on earth in war.

A lot of folks will post a Facebook meme or say a silent prayer or put out a flag and then race off to their barbecues, picnics, and "unofficial start of summer" celebrations.

So, what do I suggest that you do to honor them?

I can guarantee you that those who fell in battle (and those of us who live) want you to go to those picnics, barbecues, pool parties and the like because those are freedoms you enjoy in America. You can cook and eat what you want here. You can dance and swim and play. Your children can squeal in delight as they run through a sprinkler or jump into a pool. You can choose where you want to celebrate- at the beach, a friend's home, in an American state park.. all of these are things that many in the world cannot do. 

Because they live under tyranny and oppression. They are not able to eat as well as you, nor would their children be safe in a park or in the back yard playing, and a sprinkler or swimming pool would be unheard of where they live. You can pursue your happiness here as a right, not a privilege. 

That's what these brave folks died trying to preserve. Oh, don't get me wrong. Our government has sent people out to wars that were unjust and not truly fighting for "Freedom"; but those who didn't make those decisions and who gave their lives did so for the ideal of freedom and love of this country. They made a conscious choice to serve "We the People" at all costs, including their lives.

I don't ask that you spend the day mourning them, or that you have to be solemn and reverent all day long. The fact that you are exercising your freedoms is what they would want to know you were doing. 

Perhaps though, during the picnic, barbecue or some time during the day, you could toast them with a beverage of choice and just say a simple "Thank you". It's more than they would expect and the very least that they deserve.

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." ~ George S. Patton

Monday Meditation: The Travelers and the Plane-Tree (Aesop's Fables)

The Travelers and the Plane-Tree (Aesop's Fables)

Illustration by Arthur Rackham

TWO TRAVELERS, worn out by the heat of the summer's sun, laid themselves down at noon under the wide-spreading branches of a Plane-Tree.

As they rested under its shade, one of the Travelers said to the other, "What a singularly useless tree is the Plane! It bears no fruit, and is not of the least service to man."

The Plane-Tree, interrupting him, said, "You ungrateful fellows! Do you, while receiving benefits from me and resting under my shade,dare to describe me as useless, and unprofitable?'


Moral:  Some men don't see the value of their very best blessings.


The behavior of the complaining traveler seems to be a prevalent thought-form lately. I've been witnessing it in several people with whom I've been in contact in recent weeks, both professionally and personally.

I have to wonder if sometimes folks don't add to their own challenges by how they view their situations.  Quite a few of my clients keep asking me "How can I get out of my situation? I need specifics. I want to know EXACTLY what do to because I've tried EVERYTHING."

In my readings, I find that Tarot is responding with, "Change your outlook and things will change." Unfortunately, that's not what people want to hear.

Oprah Winfrey once said, "If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough."

One of the best  exercises I know to get out of that mindset is to speak 3 things for which you are grateful each day for 21 days. It's not a new concept. Lots of people utilize this. The most successful and happy people in the world are the ones who have an "attitude of gratitude". And, it's difficult when you're in the midst of major challenges to see your blessings.

It's easier to slip into depression and ask questions like "Why me?" or "How am I supposed to be grateful for THIS?"

I get it. I really do. Been there, done that; got the t-shirt for participation and wore it proudly for a long time. But, the thing is, when I started to embrace the process and the situation I was in, and to be thankful for the things that I took for granted, things started to change- and rapidly. It may get to the point where you have to say, "I'm thankful that, for today, I have a roof over my head. I have food I can eat to sustain me. I have clothing on my back."  That roof may not be ideal, the food may be peanut butter sandwiches, and the clothing may have holes in it. But, some people in the world don't have some, or even all of those things today.

There are always things for which you can be grateful. Life is a gift. It isn't fair, and it isn't always pleasant. It isn't always awful, either. Our lives tend to move cyclically, like the turning of the wheel or changing of the seasons. Many times, we're put into similar situations to give us a second chance at learning what we didn't get the first time around (or the third, or fourth). When we learn to embrace and be grateful for this moment and all of the blessings it brings, we find ourselves enjoying the journey, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Why not give it a try? For the next 21 days, write down 3 things for which you are grateful (no repeats!) and speak them out loud. Make them part of your morning or evening routine. It'll take you less than 2 minutes. Is it worth 2 minutes of your day for 3 weeks to possibly radically change your life for the better? If so, let me know your results.


Sláinte,
Kallan

Monday Meditation: The Cave

Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” is the foundation for many myths, religious beliefs and stories throughout history. His unique expression of allegory created a timeless classic which is examined by nearly every student of philosophy today. The fable of intellectual or spiritual blindness, seeing the light, ascending to attain knowledge and the obligation to serve others through leadership is now a common theme in humanity’s collective conscious.

If you've never read Plato, or the cave, the synopsis is as follows:
Plato writes the act as a discussion between his mentor, Socrates, and Plato’s older brother, Glaucon. Socrates poses a scenario to Glaucon in which he must imagine that there are human beings who have grown up inside a cave, chained at the neck and legs, facing the cave’s wall. These people have never seen daylight or real objects before. A fire is located behind them, and facilitates shadows cast against the wall by people and animals they cannot see. These people have become so adept at shadow-watching that some are able to predict the movement of the shadows, and others bestow praise upon them for their ability to foretell these events.

Glaucon is then asked to imagine what would happen if a prisoner is released.

“At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows” ( Jowett translation). 

This description is very much like what happens when human beings spend time in the dark and light is suddenly shone in their eyes. The pupils contract suddenly, and sharp pain ensues. Furthermore, there is very little that can be seen until the pupils are able to adjust and begin receiving input again.
Socrates then asks Glaucon to suppose that this person’s eyes had adjusted, and he could begin to see objects as they were, instead of only their shadows.

At first, he would seek out the familiar- the shadows. Then, he would see reflections in the water. After, he would see the objects themselves, and then the heavens. Eventually, he would come to see the sun and surmise that the sun itself was the source of all things, and that it was good.

“He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?” (Jowett translation). 

With this revelation, Socrates proposes, this man would be compelled to share what he has learned with his former companions still trapped in the cave.

As the man re-enters the cave, he attempts to explain the reality of what his friends are viewing, but his eyes are now accustomed to the light and he cannot view the shadows in the same way that he could before his ascent. His associates now see him as a subject of derision.

“Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death” (Jowett translation). 

Socrates then goes on to instruct Glaucon that this man would pity those who were unable to see clearly, just as those in the cave believed it was he who had become a cautionary tale against going to the light.  Socrates now pulls the tale together in summary for Glaucon.

The cave represents reality for the majority of the people. The fire represents the sun, and the ascent of the man is the journey of the soul seeking knowledge of truth. The enlightened are obligated to return to the cave and interact with those who can only see the shadows on the wall, even if it means being ridiculed or imprisoned. To Socrates, this is the task of true leadership.

So many are living in that proverbial cave today. They cannot see the reality of what is going on. They live in  their happy little grottos, passing judgment on those who would attempt to show them that what they see is only a shadow of reality. They ridicule, imprison, and even murder those who are trying to wake them up.

To the rebels, the truth-tellers, the real leaders of this world- this is for you...

The Cave
Mumford and Sons

It's empty in the valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater, you see
But I have seen the same
I know the shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

'Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I'll take mine
Now let me at the truth
Which will refresh my broken mind

So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears
I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker's hand

So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

'Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be

And I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

*Jowett translation of Plato's Republic can be found here

Monday Meditation: Dirty Secrets

I confess: I did it. I waited as long as possible, but I couldn't hold off any longer. Other wild witches will forgive me, because they understand. There is a need to connect with the land that is almost overwhelming. I had to put my hands in the soil.

I have two flower-box areas that span the front of my home. I moved in here in late autumn, when the time for sowing and reaping was over. The time for frost seems to have passed, and I couldn't wait to get to know this place from a plant-whisperer's perspective. My fingers were itching to put plants in the ground.

I've had some hints as to what I might discover, just from viewing the lay of the land. My house sits below street level, as my front yard slopes down from it. This told me that I'd have to deal with the effects of impervious surface runoff.  The house has forced-air heat, meaning there is a gas tank in the ground, and I noticed that the two trees at the end of my driveway, also sit just above that gas tank who have branches that are rotting.

My landlord's wife mentioned to my son that she wants to spray weed killer on the growing number of dandelions, and said she wanted to talk to me about that. She's a very kind person, so I have to imagine she is ignorant of the reason for their presence.

Red clover is in abundance in the front garden boxes. As I began to pull up some of the weeds, the soil began to speak, and I listened intently.

The soil needs to rest and recover. The run off from the street, the years of chemical weed killers, and mass-planting over the last 20+ have stripped it bare. The red clover is there to help heal it, and the dandelions in the back yard are doing the same. The earth knows what it needs, and my role is to help facilitate it.

I pulled up those plants that were draining nutrients, and left the ones that were supposed to be there. I then went to the local store and bought cedar mulch to cover her and let her rest. I promised the land I'd do what I can to help for as long as I am here.

I remember when I first saw this place- I felt the call of the forest and the soil. I knew I was meant to be here, although I wasn't exactly sure why. Listening, healing, protecting... these are what being a witch is all about.

The earth will share her secrets and desires to a soul who is willing to listen.

Kallan Kennedy is a lifelong free-thinker, truth-seeker, and wild-warrior witch. A military veteran, martial artist, writer, teacher and public speaker; she is a child of The Morrigan, and a tarot/totem intuitive with a degree in Religion and Philosophy. Connect with her via  The Secret Life of the American Witch Facebook page,  or email her here.

For The Love of Baltimore

I have lived in the state of Maryland since the spring of 2002. I love this state, and particularly, I love Baltimore. I have also lived and worked in that city over my tenure here. My children spent several of their formative years amongst her residents, and particularly youths who were represented in the chaos of last night. I am both heart-broken and hopeful tonight.

The children who broke into the CVS, the check-cashing store, and the liquor stores.. those who raided the mall and set buildings on fire were not people peacefully protesting the death of Freddie Gray. They were, at worst, opportunists; at best, symbols of the truth that underlies the questions we want answered about his death, and those who share his skin color.

They are not thugs. They are children who live in desperate poverty- over 50% of the people of West Baltimore are unemployed. The majority of their fathers are either dead or in jail. They have no help and little hope for the future. Gangs are prevalent there- they fill the gap of the non-existent family life that we whites see as crucial to proper child development. My children and I knew many of those gang members in our time living there. These children adored mine. They were the most loyal, kind and respectful young people I've met. They wanted to be loved, respected, and heard. They wanted to matter. When those needs were met, they blossomed. I was always safe on the streets, because I was their surrogate mom. Their moms were there, but working 2, sometimes 3 jobs just to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

My coworker today (who is an older white woman) was aghast at last night's events. She said, "We're in the national news! Just think what this will do to tourism- we make a LOT of money from tourism in Baltimore!" To be fair, she has no understanding whatsoever of what she is saying. I replied, "Just think of what these children are living and dying with every day. They are being systematically killed by the people who have sworn to defend and protect them." She is indicative of what's wrong with our national picture.

We whites, as a rule, do not grow up this way. We don't live in an area where our people are targeted by law enforcement for arrests. We don't experience "rough rides"* to the police station. We don't tell our boys how to behave if they are stopped by police on the way to the convenience store so they will make it home alive. We don't see people whose skin color resembles our own being tortured and killed because they live in poverty or in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Our children don't see police cars and immediately begin to run out of fear of what will happen if the police get a hold of them.

When I see/hear people who look like me saying that these children are destroying their own neighborhood, I am filled with deep sadness. They don't understand at all. No, last night wasn't about protesting Freddie Gray. This was about opportunity, and the lack thereof.

Opportunity, because there are 8 schools that feed into that mall (bus stops), and at a time when the parents who are at work, are trying to make just enough money to barely care for these kids. Opportunity, because the police received bad intelligence that gangs were uniting to target killing them and left these targets unprotected. Opportunity because the CVS, the check-cashing place, the liquor stores, et al.. are all in impoverished neighborhoods, and the police were protecting the money-spots. The police were nowhere near these areas, and even when they saw what was happening, they didn't respond. Sure, they are saying that these were 14/15 year olds and they didn't want to shoot them. Why is shooting them the go-to strategy?

Lack of opportunity, because these children are living in abject poverty. Many of you have seen the footage now of their neighborhoods. Row homes where one house in five on a row is actually occupied- the rest are falling apart and boarded up. There are no youth centers, after-school programs or places for them to go. They see their peers, fathers, mothers, etc... being killed every day, They don't have enough- to eat, to wear, to do.. this is why there is a sense of anger and despair. Freddie Gray's death was the match to a long-smoldering, gasoline-soaked pile of disappointments. The spark became a bonfire (both figuratively and literally) because human beings are easily frenzied, and teenagers are no exception.

I saw hope last night. Strong, black men from a variety of faiths, coming together and out in droves, dressed in business suits and measured words, stopped many of these young people by simply asking them to stop.They are well-known by these children and respected in the community, because they involve themselves in it. Rival gangs that had come together on Saturday to try to stop the looting showed up at the Shiloh meeting and asked to be heard by the clergy (who were more than willing to listen). They all joined together to bring peace where law enforcement could not.

I saw hope this morning. The people of Baltimore got up early to clean up the mess left behind. Peaceful protests with chants of "Hands up- Don't shoot!" were seen throughout the city. Nearly 250 arrests were made from last night's incident, but only 2 were made today.

Yes, there are nearly 2,000 National Guard personnel, and police support from neighboring counties and states present. But, before they were in place, these hopeful things occurred.

What we all, no matter our skin color, need to do is to see these children as ours. They are the future of our cities, our states, our country, our world. Their lives matter. The quality of their lives matter. These are our people, and we need to do better by them.

Freddie Gray's death must, I repeat MUST be addressed. The Baltimore police department needs to be overhauled. They must be made  accountable for what happened to him, and to others who have died needlessly in their custody.

In the bigger picture, we need to care for our people. We must work to improve the quality of life for all of us, because we are ALL connected. When our children are hurting to this degree and lashing out, we must pay attention. We must give them a voice, and we must give them hope. Blaming them for what happened only attacks the real victims and does nothing to solve the mounting, but not yet insurmountable problem.

Let us love one another, immediately. Whatever action you can take to ameliorate this situation, whether it's listening, standing with your neighbors, writing blogs, calling politicians, mentoring children, etc... do it now, and for the love of your community.



*a “rough ride,” is a term for a situation in which police officers deliberately drive erratically to injure unbuckled and handcuffed passengers.

Monday Meditation: The Quickening, by Ly De Angeles (Book Club invitation)

I have a strong connection to crows. One of them keeps following on my walks every day. He reminds me of Ly De Angele's book, The Quickening". In that book, crows guard the main character. I am about to start up a book club on this book next month, so if you're interested, be sure you let me know via email. A purchase of the book will be required, as well as a Facebook account.

Below is a 'reprint' of an article I wrote about it during my "Love of Ly" week.


Many of us fell in love with the characters she introduced in her book, "When I See the Wild God"- Hunter, Brighid, Willlie, Rowan, Puck, etc... and when this book came out, a squeal of delight was heard throughout the Lyverse of fandom. She takes the characters on an amazing adventure, and we get to come along too! Each of us found ourselves in at least one of the folks described, and wondered if we didn't also get a glimpse of Ly as well in here. When I need to reconnect, this is one of my go-to books. The great news is that she's updated and expanded this edition!

Copyright note: The excerpt below is copyrighted to the author and shared here with her permission. To protect her rights, all copy/paste has been disabled  on this blog. I'm sure you understand.

The Quickening

Description from Amazon.com: The Quickening (Magical realism): Most people see the Irish Travellers as a ragged bunch of musicians, artists, and fortune-tellers crossing the country in an old double-decker bus in the new land, in the twenty first century, but these people are a secret. They are a race older than time, the Sídhe, the Fair Folk, almost immortal. On an unforgettable night of murder and mayhem, Kathryn Shilton meets the Travellers and her life changes forever. She and her witch friend Merrin help the Sídhe find the ones responsible for the bombs, fires, and terror wrought on the Southside of New Rathmore. When Hunter’s son, a child of immense magical power, is kidnapped by members of Michael Blacker's Fundamentalist Christian cult all hell breaks loose. But no one knows what’s really going on and who or what are the powers behind both sides in a struggle against bigotry and hate. Except, perhaps, a conspiracy of ravens.

Prologue

Hunter climbed the steep sides of the ancient hill fort, deserted now except fo the ring of low standing stones and the barrow to which the king stone pointed. He sat down with his back against the tallest of the menhir as the twilight lengthened shadows into mysteries.

He'd said all this before, but it helped him get his grounding in the magic.

"Lady?" he called to the dusk. "You here yet?" No answer. He would wait. She'd show up-she usually did when he reminded her of his travels and just how tired he was. In the meantime he'd just talk.

"It's me again," he said softly," and I’ve wandered the great forests of oak and rowan and birch, oh yes I have, knee deep in stone and bracken. And none have taken me down. I was heedless of fear, because the forest was everywhere, and we were so much a part of it all. Do you remember, my Lady?"

The air became a listening thing- still and tense as he reminded it of smells it used to know.

"Now it all hides- what's left of it-and fear is very real amongst the survivors. You know? Proud? Silent? Desperate? Through their blood they can't forget; through our blood, Lady! Through the Mysteries!"
His boot slid out and rustled the loose stones.

"Sorry. Sometimes I get maudlin, yeah? Sorry about that. It's just that people seem so blind, you know? So blind to the repercussions of their needs for comfort and safety that they mostly don't realize the devastating effects that their not-knowing is having on the habitats of others who are not quite so voracious."

There was a shifting of the air as if a piece of night was manifesting from the twilight in just one part of the ring. Hunter pretended to ignore it, knowing what it was, but he talked to her anyway.

"Hey, you know? Willie and Matt and Jack and I have just come back from spending time with a couple hundred of the true people. You know what they do? They stay, day in and day out, defiant before the machine giants sent to take down 'set percentage' of old growth forest. The media was there, too, on and off, for the show, depicting the tale of the joke of the unwashed chaining themselves to the graters and each other as they attempted to stop the devastation-fair enough- who would be clean under the conditions they had to put up with?"

"But of course, you and I both know how it works. Balanced journalism and all that."

"Are you there, Lady?"

"I'm here Hunter." And the darkness gathered itself into form.

Autumn Equinox, the previous year- It's very late. The sky is huge and black and moonless and glittering with a million, billion stars accentuated in their brilliance by the late autumn frost.

We're all out around the remnants of the Feast of the Fire. Brighid lays the offering of food out over at the tree-line for the creatures of the forest as Hunter and Puck share out the last of the mead with the rest of us and pour some to the earth as a blessing to the land.

Everyone is quietly excited as Hunter raises the ancient horn to his lips…

There are two versions of this book. The one our book club will be reading is the up to date version from 2012.

You can purchase this treasure from Amazon right here. It's also available in Kindle format :)

Please do visit Ly at her website: LyDeAngeles.com

To Play "Plutocracy" or Not to Play, that IS the Question (yep, it's a rant)

The election season has come upon us, here in America. I hate that every year, it gets earlier and earlier. We won't even be voting on our President until November of 2016. That's 19 months away!

Already, the typical, corporate-owned candidates have declared their foray into the Presidential race, and already the rhetoric is flying between the far left and far right supporters. Those of us who don't want this crappy system are already being caught in the fray. What we need is a unified voice as a people, rather than tearing each other apart  (aka doing what the politicians want).

I was vocal last year about not voting. I am tired of my vote counting for nothing, and it did count for nothing, regardless of what anyone says. The districts have been gerrymandered since the Bush Administration. We couldn't have voted the current Congress out if we all wanted to. Point in fact: more democrats voted in the 2008 congressional election than republicans, but because of the gerrymandering of districts, the republicans won. That's a fact. Look it up. The insults are now hurling their way toward those of us who saw the truth of the corrupted voting process, and chose to refrain from exercising our right to vote. Now, we're being told we have no right to complain because we didn't vote.

1. I am not complaining. I was complaining when I saw the corruption in the voting process. I didn't drink the "your vote counts" koolaid this time. Sorry if you did, but that isn't going to stop me from speaking my mind.

2. I am a United States Navy veteran. I swore an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. No one ever dismissed me from that oath, and it stands today. I served this country and in that vein...

3. The First Amendment to the Constitution that I served to protect allows me the RIGHT to SPEAK OUT, COMPLAIN, TELL IT LIKE I SEE IT, etc... If you think that insulting me and trying to tell me what my rights are by YOUR book, then you should probably just shut up and sit down. You have no idea what the hell you're talking about.

4. Now, those of you spouting off those insults, did me railing back against you feel good??? No??? Wonder why. Let's get to work instead, and I'll educate you a bit on the history of U.S. Politics and Presidential elections. Maybe then, we can stop playing the same old bullshit tapes and do something, together.

Marianne Williamson, famous author-turned-politician, wrote an open letter to Hillary Clinton last year. I cannot recommend reading it highly enough. It speaks to what so many of us are feeling, right now:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marianne-williamson/an-open-letter-to-hillary_b_5606437.html


BOTH parties are corporate-owned. Corporations run the political system of the United States. This is a plutocracy*, not a democratic republic. Unless and until We the People stand up as a consolidated force to make changes, this plutocracy will continue to grow until there is nothing left of its original structure. Now, I say that with some hesitation, because as a History major, I know that the founding fathers were never too keen on the people having the power to vote for senators or the President. The founders actually wanted the people to choose their house of representatives. The House would then choose the Senate, who would then choose the President.

Article Two of the United States Constitution was instituted as a compromise between the factions who wanted the aforementioned voting process, and those who wanted a straight-out popular vote. Under the original article, electors could cast two separate votes for two different people, and whomever received the second highest vote would become Vice President. (For an interesting story, read up on the Thomas Jefferson/Alexander Hamilton vote. They tied). In response to what happened between Jefferson and Hamilton, the 12th Amendment was passed, requiring electors to cast two distinct votes: one for President and another for Vice President. The amendment also established rules when no candidate wins a majority vote in the Electoral College.

In the presidential election of 1824, Andrew Jackson received a large number of popular, but not enough electoral votes cast. The election was thrown to the House of Representatives, and John Quincy Adams was elected to the presidency. Why? Because Adams made promises to Henry Clay, Speaker of the House (and also a presidential candidate), who made an impassioned speech throwing his support behind Adams. Once Adams was elected, Clay became Secretary of State.

In reality, this never was an incorrupt system, nor were our beloved founders all that keen on the people having the power. My point is that our votes never really have counted for much to begin with, and it's always been somewhat of a plutocracy. That said, our rights have eroded drastically while the wealth disparity has bloomed under this toxic mix of money and power.

It's up to us to determine whether we're going to continue to allow this to fester, or if we're going to take our country in a different direction. Should we choose the latter, we need to stand together. We need to give up this idea that we're liberal, conservative, moderate, independent, etc... all of those terms are simply masks for corporation-run politicians. Insulting one another will get us nowhere. We have to stand together and against corporate politics. Instead of letting them choose the candidates in which we will 'vote' for the lesser of two evils.. how about we decide to find another solution?

If we keep regurgitating their platitudes ("if you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain"), let's think outside the box. There are 300 million of us.. there are a handful of them. The strength lies in our numbers and unity, and we CAN make a difference, if we try.


*Plutocracy (from Greek πλοῦτος, ploutos, meaning "wealth", and κράτος, kratos, meaning "power, dominion, rule") or plutarchy, defines a society or a system ruled and dominated by the small minority of the wealthiest citizens. -wikipedia