musings { Am I a hippie?

Short answer, no.

Now for the long answer. I do not think that word means what you think it means. But I am totally all over the counterculture. Especially counter to one as corrupted and corporatized as this one. I believe in equality, equal means equal and I think the arguments over race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, and religion are all bullshit...until someone tries to legislate an ideology. Then I'm a race car in the red pissed. I write my members of congress. I vote. I pay taxes, and I pay them gladly if it means freely available public education (but I think it should be K-College), socialized disaster response (i.e. fire fighters, police, etc.). I would like to see socialized medicine (freely available proactive health care to all, period), enhanced and socialized public transit as well as communication (broadband cheaper and more available). I believe in a military, but one for defense, not offense, one that will intervene to help quash human rights violations, not commit them. I rail against a privatized government run by fuck-you-for-profit companies with only one rule...maximize profits. I think our food should be locally grown and farms should be part of the community. I think our government should be changed so we can enact votes of 'No Confidence' in our elected leaders and officials. I think there should be government oversight, especially of the 'Free Market' which, if deregulation has taught us anything means that 'Free' is a myth. I think CEOs should not make more than 5 times what their lowest paid employee is paid, and they should be required to have the same health benefits (see socialized medicine). I think art for art's sake should be embraced and that basic science research should be encouraged and enriched no matter how outlandish (see teflon...). I think marriage should be abolished in the eyes of the Law (civil unions for all, anyone, if you want to get 'married', that's between you and your religion and has nothing to do with the law or legal protections thereof). I believe Abortion is between a woman, her doctor, and if she chooses the father, everyone else get the fuck out. I believe the vagina is not a clown car, be responsible when having kids. Practice safe sex, always. I believe in being truthful. I think SUVs are a waste, of money, resources, and space. Same with McMansions. I like diversity in architecture. I like things that have both form and function. I like the sun on my face and the bite of a cold winter on my cheek. I love my cat (yes she is named Muffy, got a problem with that?). I take pride in my skills but often hate my job. I like the word Antidisestablishmentarianism, even if I lean towards Disestablishmentarianism (I like Church and State separate).

I believe in peace. Violence is only an option of the very last resort and it should never be embraced as glorious. Its horrors should never be censored lest we forget the consequences and idealize it as glamorous and heroic. During a war it should never be 'business as usual'. Sacrifices are always made. Denial is not a river in Egypt, its the predominant feeling here in this country.

I've posted this video before but I think it needs to be posted again: