An Active Week

Sorry to you folks who have been following, I have had an amazingly busy week of interesting events to post but the crash of my computer made it difficult to post. Our friend kindly installed Linux and got me up and running so I am able to fill you in.
Monday I picked up my car, previously disabled during a cross state trip and $400 later, I was heading towards Westbrook to see Noam Chomsky. I originally became familiar with Mr Chomsky in the early 2000s while finishing my BA at Vermont College. His ability to speak in a language that was easily understood about subjects that were hard to understand won me over quickly. I was very interested in his film Manufacturing Consent which showed, among other things, how the mainstream media buried the details about arms spending on the back pages of newspapers. The film is worth watching and I especially liked the way a visual was used to demonstrate the inequality of news coverage by actual physical cutting out of news articles and laying them end to end. At the time I was amazed to learn how much money was being spent by America in Israel. I found John Schoeffels book Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky, a collection of his work, writing and lectures and I was riveted. This man is a linguist by profession and uses his understanding of language to point out how easily humans can be manipulated when it comes to absorbing information. I have watched him on Free Speech TV and Democracy Now and he always makes me think. I was thrilled when Troy spotted a Face book post stating that he would be speaking in Westbrook. Thankfully, my car was operational and I was able to make it. I invited my Goddess daughter, a woman I have grown to love not only for her calm loving nature, but also for her insight into many of the same interests I have. She brought her son and nephew, 15 and 16 years old and I was excited to have some new minds listening to my hero, Mr. Chomsky.
Then we ventured down to yet another Ron Paul event, the grand opening of the campaign headquarters in Falmouth. There were over a hundred people crammed into a small space, by my estimates. Lots of signs to take and post on your lawn, lots of literature to hand out. The same two young gentlemen who had headed up the event in Augusta previously were present on this night in their suits and ties. There was a variety of people attending and to pigeon hole anyone in this crowd would be difficult. The number of young people was encouraging. While I was stuffing my face with delicious artichoke dip inside, a young man approached Troy and asked “ Aren’t you Troy from We are Change?" He called a friend on his cell phone and said “Hey I am here with that guy Troy from We Are Change!", and asked someone to take his picture with Troy. Proof that all of the hard work that has gone into the effort has had an effect and is worth the time and trouble to spread the word. We ran into other supporters we had seen previously, and made some new friends. We heard some good information and tips for those who want to make a serious effort to get this guy elected. He is the only candidate that wants to end the Federal Reserve, a private, for profit corporation that few people know about, an illegal institution that has stolen billions of dollars from American tax payers with the blessings of just about every elected politician that is in anyway connected with it.
A couple of days later we headed to Augusta on what had been a nice sunny fall day, to do what is called a sign wave. By the time we got there the sun was setting and the temperature had dropped. I wish I had just found Troys gloves and put them in my bag when he insisted he would be fine without them. A group of about 5 people greeted us on the edge of the roundabout, already having been there for a while with their signs. I had a nice hand painted sign left over from another sign wave that Troy had attended earlier, that read “Honk 4 Peace". Thankfully hot coffee helped with the brisk temperature we endured. While he was taking photos, who should appear but the same young man who had approached Troy the night before. He had seen us while driving by and stopped to join us! Wearing only a thick wool shirt for a jacket and bare hands, he stood for the duration while people waved and honked and tried to avoid an accident on the roundabout. If a few more people know that someone is willing to get out and spread the word, perhaps they will look into this candidate, perhaps they will look into any of the other candidates and do some research and decision making on their own. We have good reasons for backing Dr. Paul. I don't expect anyone to vote for him just because they saw me waving a sign, or because I endorse him. What I would love to see is more people taking an active role in what is going on by paying attention and knowing how these things spin. I was confused about his stand on several issues but by attending events and functions, talking to people and familiarizing myself with the available literature and online information, I feel like I can use my critical thinking to make a good decision. If I can do it, anyone can.