Introduction

An open letter addressed to your heart.

A few years ago, there was quite a controversy regarding whether ABC’s Nightline TV show, with Ted Koppel, should feature an entire newscast devoted to recognizing the dead service persons in the “War on Terror” to date.

In general, the Bush administration, and conservatives were against the idea.

To this day, the Government will not allow pictures to be taken of the body bags or coffins of the dead soldiers returning to the USA.

I pondered the question; Who are these people dying so far away? Thus the song “So many Names”. I like to think the words tell the story.


Words and music by Richard Arthur
Copyright 2006
Revolution USA Music
richardarthur.org


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So Many Names ~the lyrics

I don’t even know the names of those that fall
In the sand they took their final curtain call
True and fighting on for us
So misguided by their trust
Now some day their names will find another wall

I don’t even know their names now that they’re gone
And it doesn’t matter much which side they’re on
Part of a power blind machine
So unconsciously unclean
And the next in line is just another pawn

When will we ever
Stop being led
By people who don’t even care
Who’s alive and who is dead

But their suffering has made their voices strong
And a chorus of 3000 sings this song
A manufactured false pretense
Not at all for our defense
And the old men smiling say they’re never wrong

Picture this; A world where God loves everyone
Not just millionaires who hand a child a gun
No bottom line to underwrite
Government by truth not might
Where the innocent no longer have to run

When will we ever
Stop being led
By people who don’t even care
Who’s alive and who is dead


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Let Me Explain

But, I submit to you, the recipient of this package, much more is awry in our system then some censorship over a touchy political situation. Our beautiful country, founded on lofty aspirations, has become a clogged mass of clandestine perversions. The Government’s functions have devolved into a carefully constructed corporately funded methodology for the most corrupt and greedy to exercise control. See; Lobbying in any form.

I blame the Republicans, and the Democrats, and us.

Let me explain;

Firstly, it is my sincere belief that most people and families ( not governments, the military, or mega corporations ) in the world, just wish to have a safe place to work, play, and raise their children. We are all equal in this regard.

Secondly, to those in my age bracket; Shame on you. We, so called “baby Boomers” stood by and watched this debacle develop. Endowed with purposeful principles, and handed the keys to the kingdom from the WW II generation, we simply relaxed into self fulfillment mode for the last 30 years.

We have prioritized dollars, and objects above principles.

In a very broad sense we are using up everything that can be used, and courtesy of our “manifest destiny” international policy militarily, alienating almost every other Country in the world.

This ego centric devaluation of cultures different than American will ultimately be our undoing. Attempting to control, and manipulate the rest of the world by either threats, whether economic or invasive, will certainly lead home. You can’t live immorally forever without repercussions.

Rather than write a list of the literally dozens of very specific changes that I believe must be installed to return truth and decency to America instead of the manipulative hidden agenda of the people who embarrassingly we call “our leaders”, I suggest three simple steps;


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Examples

1) Take the money out of the elections. This will be extremely challenging. The politicians give lip service to the concept, but have zero intention of changing, ever. Fairness will have to be forced upon their doorstep. Everyone jokes we have the best Government money can buy, and then nothing ever happens. This is a critical issue. Private and corporate interests control who represents us. Remember Government of, and by the people? I don’t want bigger Government, but elections must be open, unbiased, transparent, and publicly funded.

2) A free media. Notice I didn’t say a free press. When the architects of the Constitution wrote of a “free press” it referred to the “printing press”. There was one in every Hamlet, village and town. Each with it’s own editor espousing his or her unvarnished opinion. Our forefathers could have never envisioned TV, or International Corporations that exert very specific intentions. The media vehicles are functioning currently to serve only the billion dollar companies that underwrite them financially. Manipulating your opinion is right now the number one agenda of every political organization and corporation. The chances that Rupurt Murdock or Clear Channel seek the same out of life as you or I, is very unlikely.

3) There can never be profit for a business from war. The complexities of political situations must never be commingled with motives other than;
a) The safety of Americans and their property
b) The safe return of those in the military
Once the bottom line interests of the large corporations are factored into a war, the decisions during a conflict will be separate from the two aforementioned priorities. To fully understand the evolution of the military industrial complex, and learn of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s ( General and Republican President ) dire warnings regarding his foreboding of what was initially created through WW II, please watch the DVD “Why We Fight”. It’s available at Blockbuster, or you can order it online at whywefight.com

Although, the American Constitution represents exceptional brilliance, and for it’s time, presented the most forwardly liberating piece of thought ever instituted into a doctrine designed to serve a nation, times, and technology have changed. You wouldn’t travel today the same way people did 230 years ago. We must update, or the founding father’s dreams will perish.

All of this can be achieved easily. We still have the representative mechanism in place, kind of. But, you, we, need to truly care. If everybody wrote their Senator and/or Congressperson, action would follow. But if our representatives can get away with the old system, they will. To stay in power.

Just to give an example of how the government puts their best effort into carefully manipulating your thoughts;

1) In 2003, 19,082 people died in the U.S. from Septicemia. Check it out, it’s listed as the 20th leading cause of death in our country, and you’ve never heard of it. If you multiplied that by 5 ( 5 years since 9/11 ) you have 95,410 people, almost a hundred thousand deaths. Shall will build a pro active aggressive military international policy, have endless TV debates, base our entire presidential election, have daily updates regarding the imminent danger, and invade sovereign nations because of fear of Septicemia?

2) We are told that Al Qaeda is a well funded, diabolic covert machine of radical fundamentalists with one, and only one agenda. Terror and destruction of the United States. We are warned that they have cells/operatives functioning at this very moment throughout our homeland, and we are all horribly vulnerable due to our porous borders where the maniacs arrive daily. Yet, since September 11th, 2001, these fanatical evildoers haven’t even been able to rob a 7/11. Why has nothing happened? Remember Virginia Tech? I submit to you if someone wished to perpetrate damage on the US, it could be done easily, tomorrow. Every shopping center, grade, middle, high school and College is unsecured. 20 armed persons, walking into 20 major shopping malls, at precisely 12 noon on the day after Thanksgiving, with an automatic weapon under their raincoat. Well, you can guess the rest. If these so called terrorists wanted to do us harm. It would have happened by now.

So, where is the disconnect? What purpose is the misinformation? You must ask, and expect real answers. Quit being seduced by fear and anger. That’s how they gain your precious vote through imagined threats, and intimidation.

Are you going to continue to believe the lies when the press secretary tells you water runs uphill?

* Please examine the facts.
* Please take the time to care.
* Please use your voice.

Thanks for reading this.


My best,

Richard the reasonable radical

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