I took this photo back in 2010. To me it is an important symbol – a statement of philosophy.
Statements and philosophies are extremely important. They are symbols of intent and dictate what happens next.
They guide minds down pathways.
It was given to the American people by France (maybe partly as a snub to Britain) as a symbol of freedom. It depicts a Roman Goddess breaking free of chains. It is symbolic of the USA’s breaking away from Britain and also the emancipation of slavery.
It is situated on Liberty Island and is a powerful symbol of liberty and freedom.
It is adorned with a powerful poem written by Emma Lazarus:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
The line that is best remembered is the one starting with ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’
It was a statement of intent. Here was a welcoming land of freedom and space who would welcome all manner of poor immigrants and afford them the opportunity to make a new prosperous life.
How times change.
I’m not sure that the Native Americans, as the endemic population, quite shared that sentiment.
These days liberty has come to mean something different – something involving guns, selfishness and intolerance.
I’m not so sure that I like that ‘new American’ version of freedom. It seems to value the liberty of one person above that of others and the environment.
To me liberty is finding space to be yourself with harming others or the planet. Within a crowded environment and threatened ecosystem there is a compromise. I value tolerance.
If you want true liberty you need to live on your own.
So there is much to discuss about the symbols and philosophy tied up within that statue – and whether that poem still has relevance today.
Is America a symbol of freedom and justice? I think many would view it as the opposite – an unwelcoming place, full of indoctrination, fanaticism, superstition and division – a nation that seeks to dominate, control, subjugate and interfere.
Symbols are important.
America – We need to talk!
America you need to listen to me!
I do not think you are being honest!
You are meant to be leading the free world!
What on earth is going wrong?
America, you are making me feel sick.
I worry about you.
You’ve become fake news.
You’ve lost all belief
Except in superstition and guns.
What is all this Deep State nonsense anyway?
America, you need to get your act together!
You are making a mess of things
And pissing off your friends.
America, do you really believe a billionaire
Cares about the poor.
Isn’t it obvious that he is using you?
America, I despair.
The beauty of your country is tainted.
You have become mean-minded, squalid
Violent, ugly and divided.
Whatever happened to your dream?
America, you were born out of ugliness,
Out of genocide and slavery,
But do you teach that in your schools?
Do you tell the real story of the Native Americans
And Africans?
Will you ever make amends?
America, why do you put butchers, warmongers
And slave owners on pedestals?
Why not artists and poets?
America, does this reflect your values?
America, I want you to listen.
Are you really the land of the free?
Is there freedom in the ghettos?
In working all hours to scratch a living?
In having no rights?
In being abused and used?
America, you have a strange idea of freedom.
Or is freedom something just for the wealthy minority?
America, where is your sense of fun?
Where’s the Jazz and Blues?
The Rock ‘n’ Roll?
The Black and White fusion?
America, are you heading back to the bad old days
Of lynching, of racism and slaves?
Do you really want walls?
Can you be happy with such gross inequality?
America, are you really letting the wealthy and powerful
Call all the shots?
America, I think it’s time you took your head out of the sand
And decided what sort of country you want to build;
An inclusive place or one built on division and hate.
America, I despair.
You are not being fair.
You’ve lost your direction.
America, you need to take a long hard look at yourself!
Are your schools educating
Or are you running on blind faith?
Are you all getting health-care
Or is it the survival of the richest?
Are you a country of opportunity?
Or a country of privilege?
Where did things go wrong America?
America, I am your friend, but you worry me.
Opher – 31.7.2020
I look at the political division being actively promoted and used by Trump and it is sickening.
Those divisions were always there – exacerbated by the North/South divide, by ignorance, religious superstition, poor education and the John Wayne mentality.
At times it feels as if America is permanently stuck in the Wild West where everything is solved with a gun, the bible is read daily (and used when needed but basically ignored), the good guys wear white, the bad guys wear black, injuns are savages and blacks are slaves.
But this is the 21st century and we know that things are a million miles away from that. There is no black and white, just shades of grey. The Native America culture was superior in many ways – particularly when it came to the environment, and black people are as important as anybody else.
It’s time the Wild West was put to bed. It wasn’t a very nice period of time.
Trumpville – where only one life matters
Welcome to Trumpville
Where a black man’s life counts for little.
Welcome to the land
Where police dispense justice
With a trigger.
Welcome to the leader’s policy:
Sow fear,
Pour blame,
Stoke division
And soak up the power.
Opher – 2.9.2020
The arrogance and effrontery of Trump’s posturing – the sheer nerve of it.
He swears black is white. The lies pour forth and he just brushes it off when caught out, either ignoring the facts altogether or insisting he is right despite all the evidence to the contrary.
And the stupid thing is that so many people believe him.
We are in the age of fact melt-down.
Facts, statistics and the evidence of our own eyes count for nothing!
The propaganda machine pumping fake news through the internet is the only truth in the eyes of the sheep.
The billionaire Trump, master of the business deal, is fighting the Deep State on behalf of poor people.
Not the bankrupt, failed businessman, propped up by his Dad, in debt to his ears, a man of corrupt deals, tax evasion and illegal activities, is busy squirrelling away as much cash as he can get his paws on while using office to avoid the law.
Talk about crooked Hilary!
It’ll all come out in the wash!
There is a big selfish movement around – centred around this populist movement.
It is evil.
It is fanatical.
It is extreme.
It is selfish.
It is egocentric.
It is aggressive and violent.
It wishes to impose it’s own view on others.
You shall all think like me, believe in what I believe and act how I want you to act.
I want my freedom.
I don’t care how that impacts on you.
I want my guns.
I want to intimidate.
I want rid of abortion.
I believe in Jesus so you must.
I am pro-life – against abortion – but I reserve the right to kill you with my gun.
You have no rights if you don’t think like me.
Who are they?
They’re carving up the world
For economic gain.
Creating war and havoc
Bribing those who reign.
Putting in their puppets
Who give them all the cash
Bolstering their power
With crops and burn and slash.
Opher 28.10.2018
There’s a game being played. They create countries out of lines on maps and put in leaders who will toe the line.
All that matters is money and power.
They are carving up the world.
There’s Enough
There’s enough
For me and you
To share
If we are fair.
There’s no need
To grab too much –
To snare
More than our share
For if we truly care
And help our fellow men
And nature too
They’ll be more than enough
For me and you.
11.2.2017
There’s Enough
I yearn for fairness and equality, an end to arrogance and selfishness.
I crave a better world where a tiny minority are not exploiting everyone to cream off more than they can ever be worth.
I want a world built on sanity where nature is protected, where everything is not up for grabs and run for profit.
I want a happy world.
There’s enough for us all and nature if we only learn to do it better.
There’s nowhere near enough if we continue to destroy it all with impunity. We will destroy ourselves.
