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Capitalism over ethical democratic ideals.
DEMOCRATS ARE BEING SABOTAGED! Capitalism is allowed to “trump” ethical Democratic ideals! Loyal Democrats, deluged with unethical fund raising techniques, are subjected to insults created by questionable “professionals!” Of course, money’s needed for campaigns: wages for The Team; for travel; renting venues; printing, postage, etc. all are necessary! But, obtaining that money MUST NOT be harmfully exploitative! But the timing could not be worse, with Midterms coming up, it will cause a screamingly pivotal role in preserving Democracy! Thousands of passionate and dedicated Democrats, concerned with prevailing vital issues, and anxious to voice their opinions, by e-mail questionnaire, receive, instead, a “smack-in-the-face!” that says: “We don’t care what you think! You are totally worth nothing to this cause, if you are not willing to make a Donation!” Basic Psychology indicates this method is counter-productive! At the bottom of every fund raising appeal, you’ll find the, now traditional, 4 boxes that delineate a dollar amount to Donate! How about a 5th box for an ethical option for those of us who are struggling for survival, and still givadam! It could say; “I’m with this Cause, but cannot Donate now. Maybe later!” Just imagine! HELP! Jaime Harrison, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren! And All Democratic Candidates, running for Office! Your NAMES are being tarnished with this technique! PLEASE APOLOGIZE, AND PLEDGE TO CENSOR THOSE INSULTS! WE DEMS MUST HOLD OUR HEADS HIGH GOING TO THE POLLS!
A View of the World Situation by Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders (Bernie logo) A View of the World Situation by Bernie Sanders There must be no ambiguity in acknowledging that what the whole world is seeing from Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is nothing less than a blatant violation of international law and human decency. This war, in which a large powerful nation invades a smaller neighbor, has already killed thousands of innocent people, including many children. A large number of cities throughout the country are being leveled by long-range Russian missiles while others are under siege as people are running low on food, water and much-needed medical supplies. In the first week of the war alone, more than a million refugees crossed borders into neighboring countries. Some estimates now put the number of refugees at more than 3 million while many more have been displaced from their homes within Ukraine. This has been a humanitarian disaster for the people of Ukraine, but it is much more than that. The Russian invasion threatens global energy and food supplies, is contributing to greater economic instability and the rising prices we see everywhere. And oh, by the way, this is all happening at a time when the world is already struggling with a global pandemic that has killed millions and the devastating impacts of climate change which threaten the very existence of the planet. That is the bad news. And it cannot be sugar-coated. It is very bad. But, in the midst of all this horror, there is some reason for optimism. All across the world, people are waking up to the fact that there is a global struggle taking place between autocracy and democracy, between oligarchy and an economy that works for all, between authoritarianism and the right of people to freely express their views. There is also the beginnings of a new progressive global order that recognizes every person on this planet shares a common humanity and that all of us, no matter where we live or the language we speak, want our children to grow up healthy, have a good education, and live in peace. We not only see this vision from people in the allied countries who are defending Ukraine and are speaking out against Putin’s war, but from people within Russia as well. It is extraordinary that in the autocracy that is Russia today, many thousands of incredibly courageous people have been out on the streets demanding an end to the war and speaking out against Vladimir Putin, knowing that it’s illegal to do so and that they will likely be arrested and punished. Putin recently referred to them as “traitors,” a frightening term coming from a dictator. Here in America, rising gas prices are waking people up to something we have long known, and that is that moving quickly to renewable energy is not just an environmental issue. It is a matter of national security. Yes. Our reliance on fossil fuels will continue to mean more drought, more crop failures, scarcer drinking water, rising seas, extreme weather events, climate refugees, and more disease. In fact, climate change threatens the very wellbeing of the entire planet. But equally important, we must break our dependence on fossil fuel not only to save the planet, but to end the hold that billionaire dictators like Putin and the autocrats in the Middle East have over the entire global economy. This is a profound national security issue. Sisters and brothers, we have long said that we are in the midst of a global struggle with nothing less than the future of the planet at stake. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made that more clear than ever. It is a global struggle between those who believe in democracy and the rule of law versus those who believe government exists to rob the people they purport to serve in order to make the billionaire rulers even richer. It is a struggle between those who believe information should be open and accessible to all versus those who believe the flow of information should be controlled by the government and a small number of oligarchs. It is a struggle between those who believe we should choose peace and international cooperation versus those who support xenophobia and massive amounts of military spending. It is a struggle between a progressive movement that mobilizes behind a shared vision of prosperity, security and dignity for all people, against one that defends massive global income and wealth inequality. And, in the midst of these difficult times, our job going forward is to build upon this global awakening and do everything we can to oppose all of the forces, whether unaccountable government power or unaccountable corporate power, who try to divide us up and set us against each other in order to advance their own power and financial gain. We know that those forces have long worked together across borders. We must do the same! In solidarity, Bernie Sanders
An Appeal for Creating Additional C-SPAN Channels
Promotion of additional television C-SPAN Channels.
Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN logo) An Appeal for Creating Additional C-SPAN Channels C-SPAN, a brilliant creation of the Cable TV Industry, gave us in 1979, our first glimpse into the inner workings of our very own Government! From the beginning of Congress, centuries ago, and before this wonderful innovation, we could only learn about what was going on in our seat of democracy AFTER it happened, when we citizens read about it in the newspaper, or in later years, with “newly developing technology”, we could hear about it, announced and discussed on the RADIO! But, today, with newest technology, C-SPAN 1 gives us TV live access to our own House of Representatives. C-SPAN 2 gives us TV access to our Senate. C-SPAN 3 is for books, etc. This is truly amazing to see our Democracy in action! BUT! What do you think of initiating a request for newer access in the form of C-SPANs 4, 5 and 6? These new C-SPAN TV channels can provide us with perhaps federally subsidized, and non-commercial, public access for the explicit purpose of political campaigns. A grievous paradox, counter to the ideals of a true Peoples’ Democracy, wherein our own voices should be given respect and listened to, is the ironic, often quoted saying that: “WE HAVE THE BEST DEMOCRACY THAT MONEY CAN BUY!” Shameful! By adding 3 new C-SPAN channels, it could be: Democrats on C-SPAN 4; Republicans on C-SPAN 5; and Independents on C-SPAN 6. And every word of the campaigns, and discourse for each of the political parties, can be spoken directly to C-SPAN watchers, bypassing expensive advertising. As a matter of ethical “cleanliness”, we’d need to require that monetary input be forbidden, and perhaps donations to C-SPAN, itself, can be the mechanism by which this more democratic innovation might be funded. A sad detriment to the ideal of democracy, is the way the two-party system has developed, that almost assures that they will be adversarial and highly competitive, rather than cooperative. Big money funders gain power in this manner, and power does not easily relinquish itself! I love the idea of a more Parliamentary System, wherein those who prefer a Green Party, or a Working People’s Party, etc. can have equal access to promoting their point of view. Unfortunately, at this time, if you vote for a third party, you are diminishing the total number of votes for what might be your preferred second choice of a major party, in our present fiercely adversarial two-party system, actually giving a numeric advantage to the OTHER party, instead.
Beth Lamont sings her song "Hibernating Heart".
Hibernating Heart Here’s a new feature for the Human Values Weblog. Beth Lamont, the hither to unrecognized Poet, has her opportunity to perform with the Rimes of The Ancient Mariner Silver Tongued Devil (she prefers ANGELS!) Anthology Book Launch and sing one of her songs called “Hibernating Heart” on Zoom on Saturday, January 23, 2021. Running time: 4 minutes 0 seconds Download this video in MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC H.264 480×270p/AAC-LC format (right-click and “Save As…” to download): Hibernating_Heart_by_Beth_Lamont.mp4 (MPEG-4 AVC/AAC — 41,605,988 bytes)
AN OPEN LETTER OF APPEAL TO BERNIE SANDERS FOR ACTION! Hello Dear Jane and Bernie, I’m including Jane in this greeting because I DO believe that Your powerful Partner is a precious part of the Team! I applaud every one of your TV presentations and your point-of-view in ALL matters. Please, speak to the people […]
AN OPEN LETTER OF APPEAL TO BERNIE SANDERS FOR ACTION! Hello Dear Jane and Bernie, I’m including Jane in this greeting because I DO believe that Your powerful Partner is a precious part of the Team! I applaud every one of your TV presentations and your point-of-view in ALL matters. Please, speak to the people by TV at every opportunity. Please, your power with the people is so very important! PLEASE CREATE opportunities! YES! Wearing a mask shows leadership, but not when you’re only facing a microphone, please? We need to SEE your Face! I’m so worried about the extremes to which trump, himself, might resort in his erratic and insane behavior. How I wish that Congress could intervene and rescind his Executive Powers. I fear his finger on the Nuclear Button. Studying the rise of fascism in Hitler’s Germany is instructive, and with all the hateful trump rowdies that are destined to “Be in the Streets”, continuing to protest the alleged fraudulent voting, I fear BLOODSHED! We Dems and Lefties might have an advantage that the Good Germans did not. This is a scheduled democratic process when on January 20th the Inauguration of a New Administration will occur. If the protestors haven’t caused an effective “capitulation” by then, they may give up! Because your Voice is rational and listened to, it would be an ethical consideration to caution our Democratic Patriotic Americans, who truly believe in Democracy, to aloofly IGNORE the promised impending craziness! We must absolutely RISE ABOVE this insanity, and adamantly refuse to even acknowledge the trumpites. I mean literally, do not STOOP to acknowledge their ILLOGICAL AND ILLEGAL protests. They are WRONG! If all of the good and ethical Americans STAY OUT OF THE STREETS, when chaos is threatened, and absolutely REFUSE to have any confrontations with these crazies, this will be the necessary and needed REBUTTAL to their lies and demands. They will be INSULTED to be IGNORED! We all know enough about basic psychology to recognize this fact! If there are NO defending Democrats in the streets, for the trump supporters to denounce and berate, even for them to brutalize, to attack and assault, how can they properly “RIOT?” They might just have to resort to property destruction? It will be good to have their shameful behavior on TV, but I’d even fear for a Journalist’s safety. This will be an interesting moment in history, when the local police are confronted with demonstrators who are not harming others, but merely being destructful in their attempt to get attention. What a switcheroni! Who will call out the National Guard? The Military? Wow! This should be interesting. Please Dear Bernie, will you consider this ETHICAL approach to squelch the ugly repuglicans who plan to overturn the Electoral College vote? And who MUST NOT succeed in destroying our still to be improved Democracy! We have COVID legitimate reasons to stay at home, BUT this is even a better reason. Who will they fight if WE don’t show up? Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Chaplain, and widow of your old friend Philosopher/Activist Corliss Lamont. Please read my updated version of Corliss Lamont’s 1939 explanatory Book: You Might Like Socialism. I think you’ll like my new title: Lefties Are In Their Right Minds Thank you for reading this! Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant, @ImAHumanist
Beth Lamont called in to the live broadcast of the We Only Want the World show hosted by Sunsara Taylor on WBAI-FM Pacifica Radio in New York City on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. Topics covered include fascism, the Nuremberg principles, the Electoral College, and unethical political fundraising techniques. These were her comments. Running time: 4 […]
Beth Lamont called in to the live broadcast of the We Only Want the World show hosted by Sunsara Taylor on WBAI-FM Pacifica Radio in New York City on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. Topics covered include fascism, the Nuremberg principles, the Electoral College, and unethical political fundraising techniques. These were her comments. Running time: 4 minutes 40 seconds Download this audio file in MPEG-4 AAC-LC format (right-click and “Save As…” to download): We_Only_Want_the_World.m4a (MPEG-4 AAC-LC — 6,776,970 bytes)
Introduction to newest printing of Lefties Are In Their Right Minds July 2020
A new Introduction to my book, Lefties Are In Their Right Minds (ISBN 978-0-578-00782-3), originally published in May 2009 and available from Amazon, was written in July 2020 and is presented below. Hello Dear Folks who are Passionately Immersed in The Long overdue Revolution! We Lefties have been right all along! We know, of course, […]
A new Introduction to my book, Lefties Are In Their Right Minds (ISBN 978-0-578-00782-3), originally published in May 2009 and available from Amazon, was written in July 2020 and is presented below. Hello Dear Folks who are Passionately Immersed in The Long overdue Revolution! We Lefties have been right all along! We know, of course, that Left is where the Heart is! We care for and protect each other! May each of us be safe and well! Dear Jane and Bernie Sanders, Dear Elizabeth Warren, and all of the many precious and ethical persons of courage, who aspire to lead this Country in the correct, ideal direction, we know that the word SOCIAL is not a word to fear, but is the essence of our togetherness. You’ve inspired us all, to help make necessary changes that will enhance our still-developing democracy. In joining with the others, whom we hope will be of like mind, we will determine that our firm principles of respect and of sharing and caring are firmly welded into the Democratic Platform, and will not be tampered with! We are bringing with us not just hope, but wisdom and experience. The looming threat of fascism, and the very elements of control, that we’ve been propagandized to fear, are upon us, but wrapped in Nazi-like patriotism! Securing an ethical Voting system, whereby ALL voices can be heard, is the only way we can achieve People Power. And making those necessary changes, without having GAINED that power, is one of life’s perplexing ironies that we must still deal with. Passionate demonstrations in the streets…demanding justice and equality, needing protection from abuse, and reminding that Black Lives Matter, must be honored! These courageous Leaders tell it like it is! And YES! We can’t BREATHE, when we’re sprayed with teargas! How DARE federal forces come to stop the alleged rioting in a surprising show of national leadership after having completely abandoned us, and worsened the ravages of this devastating Corona Pandemic. I was shocked to see a hot-spot map of what I thought to be virus depiction, but learned it represented US MILITARY BASES around the world! What-the-hell! We, the PEOPLE, did not request or approve this world domination! Little Pogo was absolutely right; he told the Swamp People I have seen the enemy, and it is US! Here’s to Bernie and to all the believers in a TRUE DEMOCRACY, in which the Voices of all the people will be recognized, and we will make a lasting Peace! We have a Wall of Mothers and Fathers interlinking arms to protect us! Roll up your sleeves, Folks! We’ve got WORK TO DO. Rosie, the Riveter, her Sisters and Brothers, are all pitched-in, helping with the urgent life-saving task at hand! Sending LOVE! Introduction to newest printing of Lefties Are In Their Right Minds: July 2020 Download a PDF version of this blog post (one page – 58,147 bytes): Intro_for_Newest_Lefties_July_2020.pdf
Come witness a “Grannyrant” (Beth is 91!) that, in these scary times of multiple disasters: Covid; Voting Rights; Military-type non-solutions; and Mother Earth’s anger that’s causing Climate Change; might inform you Young Folks of a few things you might never have even known! GO..GRANNY! Running time: 9 minutes 40 seconds Download this video in MPEG-4 […]
Come witness a “Grannyrant” (Beth is 91!) that, in these scary times of multiple disasters: Covid; Voting Rights; Military-type non-solutions; and Mother Earth’s anger that’s causing Climate Change; might inform you Young Folks of a few things you might never have even known! GO..GRANNY! Running time: 9 minutes 40 seconds Download this video in MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC H.264 480×270p/AAC-LC format (right-click and “Save As…” to download): We_Need_Ethical_People_Power.mp4 (MPEG-4 AVC/AAC — 118,890,198 bytes)
BERNIE, hang in there, and keep all the young and devoted advocates of Social Justice and the ideals of a real Democracy, all continuing to believe that we have the power to make change.
Lefties Have Been Right, All Along! BERNIE, hang in there, and keep all the young and devoted advocates of Social Justice and the ideals of a real Democracy, all continuing to believe that we have the power to make change. We know you haven’t given up, but the screaming need to get rid of trump has compelled you to withdraw. The middle-of-the-road Democrats actually believe that dumping those “too far Left Socialist ideas” is the way to go! No! No! No! Millions of us are being betrayed…there is no middle ground. We must promote the truth more than ever: WE WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG! We who stand for the Rights of the Workers…even screamingly more important than ever…and equal access to the precious privilege of voting in fair elections that do not thwart the voices of the People. And the mercenary interests of the unethical capitalist economic system have shown themselves to be destructive to the best interest of the caring, sharing, concerned, loving human beings of planet Earth. The Corona Pandemic has proved that People are precious, not profits. We desperately need your continued Leadership. Democrats will benefit if OUR PRINCIPLES are embedded into the revised Democratic PLATFORM! Let’s DO IT! Please download Lefties Are Right by Beth K. Lamont (PDF, 10 MB): Beth_K_Lamont_-_Lefties_Are_Right.pdf
We can create an ideal direct democracy.
GRADUATING FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE When faced with a ballot that offers two choices, neither of which are meeting your own expectations for ethical and democratic Leadership, oftentimes you must choose “the lesser of two evils,” as the old saying goes. But, in this age of enlightenment wherein information is readily available at our fingertips, and electronic amazement is happening all around us, there is a way that this problem might be solved. We each come to our philosophic and political persuasions through our life experiences, and perhaps with the influence of those teacher-leaders whom we admire and respect, as well as the information that permeates our world and is almost blasted at us through the corporate media. Since the invention of the radio, then television, we are literally being inundated with information, or in some cases, mis-information. We’d really have to make a conscious effort to avoid these media, which, of course, is almost impossible to do. The volume is even increased when advertising comes on, because, you the viewer/listener may be going to the kitchen or the bathroom during the break, and the advertiser doesn’t want you to miss a word. This is so contrary to little more than a hundred years ago, when all of the information that came to your attention had to be researched…there was your local newspaper that you had to make the effort to read in order to glean any information…or go to the library, etc., but the responsibility was yours…to actively search out information; a far cry from being the passive receivers that we are presently, wherein we’re inundated with “TMI”..too much information! This very availability puts us in touch with round-the-country and round-the-world matters, some of which we had no knowledge previously, and once we KNOW, we cannot UN-KNOW. Therefore we have multifaceted concerns…with war, with the ecology, human rights issues, with discrimination, with labor issues, with worrisome religious extremism, for instance. These concerns that become part of your wish to make productive changes have no REAL effective outlet on the political scene. You can campaign! Pass out flyers! Join a protest! You can speak at a city council meeting, but in a two Party Political system you have little voice! If my concern with the ecology, for instance, prompts me to work with the Green Party, and we are even able to get our candidate onto the Ballot, we’re not at all likely numerically to win but we hope to make a good showing and make a point! BUT, meanwhile, if we vote for a 3rd party candidate, in this two party system, we HAVE ACTUALLY ERODED the cumulative power of the party most favorable to our concerns. And this helps the opposing party to win! An easy solution to this exasperating problem can be found in establishing, nation-wide, a TWO-PART VOTE..wherein we can still vote Green to make a point, but the vote would feed INTO the party most amenable to our concerns. Like: Green/Democrat. If there would ever BE enough Green votes, then, it could prevail, but meanwhile it will NOT ERODE the Dems. This will work “across the aisle,” and Republicans might favor this change, as well. One could vote their wishes also, such as: Right To Life/Republican or Right To Bear Arms/Republican! So, WHO will be creative and patriotic enough to place such a Bill in Congress? Would it get any proponents? If not…then, maybe we could ask for a Presidential Decree? Let’s give it a try anyway! Short of the almost impossibility of changing the system, we can tamper with it! Download a PDF poster version, with graphic, of this blog post (one page – 205,960 bytes): Graduating_from_the_Electoral_College.pdf
Excerpt: Lady Liberty, being repaired, is today's symbol of our endangered democracy!
LADY LIBERTY, BEING REPAIRED, IS TODAY’S SYMBOL OF OUR ENDANGERED DEMOCRACY! Statue repair work being conducted in 1984. WITH OUR NEW 2020 VISION, RECOGNIZING THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY, PROTECTING THE PEOPLE AND THE PLANET, WE’LL WORK HARD TO RESTORE OUR LADY’S INSPIRING LIGHT OF LIBERTY! Re: Necessary People Power For more info please contact beth@humanvalues.net Download a PDF file of this blog post (one page – 433,149 bytes): Lady_Liberty.pdf
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BARE ARMS! WE ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND GET TO WORK Thanks for the Reminder, ROSIE! Poster produced by J. Howard Miller in 1943 for Westinghouse Electric. Wikipedia references: We Can Do It! Rosie the Riveter
LET’S CELEBRATE OUR NEW 2020 VISION! IT ENABLES US TO RECOGNIZE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS PLANET, RESCUING ALL OF IT’S ENDANGERED PRECIOUS LIFE! OUR PLANET EARTH IS A GIFT TO US! APPRECIATE AND LOVE THIS GIFT! RECOGNIZING WE’RE EARTHLINGS ALL, WE’VE PROGRESSED BEYOND OUR TRIBAL BEGINNINGS, AND CAN, AT LAST, LIVE UNMOLESTED, IN […]
LET’S CELEBRATE OUR NEW 2020 VISION! IT ENABLES US TO RECOGNIZE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS PLANET, RESCUING ALL OF IT’S ENDANGERED PRECIOUS LIFE! OUR PLANET EARTH IS A GIFT TO US! APPRECIATE AND LOVE THIS GIFT! RECOGNIZING WE’RE EARTHLINGS ALL, WE’VE PROGRESSED BEYOND OUR TRIBAL BEGINNINGS, AND CAN, AT LAST, LIVE UNMOLESTED, IN A WORLD OF PEACE AND HARMONY! A Humanist Message: For more info please contact beth@humanvalues.net Download PDF (one page – 219,861 bytes): Let’s_Celebrate_Our_New_2020_Vision.pdf
Sanitizing Socialism and Needing to Create a New Kind of Capitalism With a Conscience!
This post is sticky. Scroll down for more recent posts. Beth Lamont and Corliss Lamont Note: This post was updated June 25, 2019 to reflect recent events. $15. Minimum Wage? Free Health Care for all of us? Free Education for all of us? Equitable Taxation on giant Incomes? No longer allowing the US Capitalist […]
This post is sticky. Scroll down for more recent posts. Beth Lamont and Corliss Lamont Note: This post was updated June 25, 2019 to reflect recent events. $15. Minimum Wage? Free Health Care for all of us? Free Education for all of us? Equitable Taxation on giant Incomes? No longer allowing the US Capitalist Economic System to Dominate the People? The largest part of our money going to support the Military! Reform the Inequitable Voting Systems? WOW! Bernie! Bless Your Heart! You have the attention of the distressed American Public! We are Listening! YES! We, the People, may at last have a say in the governance of our lives! We now have People Power! And Bernie is articulating its details! Bernie is feeling our frustration and responding in a marvelously affirmative way! I’d also love to see our first Woman President, and be proud to vote for Elizabeth Warren, if chosen for the Democrat ticket. What a team they would make! There are so many young hopefuls that have jumped into the Arena, articulating the need for change, and promoting respect and proper wages for the workers, for health care, for education,, for all the right things! It’s almost a new focus on, Omygod! Social Programs? What? Bernie, championing People’s Rights, has inherited the fearful “Evil Empire” stigma! Omygod! Not Socialism! Even prefacing the word with Democratic, hardly lessens the kneejerk impact response by much of the public! We have truly been propagandized to fear Socialism, without knowing its values! Come sit by my side and listen to this wise old granny (I’m left-over at 89 because there’s work to be done!) I have a story to tell, and, here’s an innovation of which we could never avail ourselves in The Olden Days! I wish for each of you good children to check every detail with Google. Likely, you’ve never heard this story before I’ll take you way back to a Christmas time in the last century, more than 100 years ago; it was 1917..I’m about to describe a pivotal moment in the history of Humankind, and the likelihood of your being unaware of its importance, is in itself, part of the problem! You see, at this time, an Earthshaking decision was being made, and Humankind has been the worse-off ever since, because of it! In 2019, we are still agonizing over ideals and ethics and asserted enemies, when we need peace in this war-weary world! Corliss Lamont, a child of privilege and of Wall Street, can tell you in his own words, the story of a Cable announcing his Father’s unexpected return from Europe, by steamship. (No planes in those days, dearies!) This Gentleman, Thomas William Lamont, was a man of humble upbringing, who put himself through Harvard, and at that time, as a Senior Partner of J. Pierpont Morgan and Company, was representing Wall Street in the Paris Talks dealing with the still-raging war situation, along with a Colonel House, representing the US. Tom Lamont was not coming home for Christmas, but, on an urgent errand to see, and to appeal to, US President Woodrow Wilson. Tattered, freezing Russians were still defending their borders from German assault, and The Red Cross had been bringing life-saving supplies. Tom’s Harvard Classmate, William Boyce Thompson, was a deliverer of supplies, and became quite aware of the Russian People’s movement taking place. It became known as the Bolshevik Revolution. He reasoned that more help to them to sustain their defense against German assault would keep German forces divided between Russia and France, thereby weakening the German war machine. Britain’s Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, agreed that this would be a good move, and asked for these Gentlemen to secure the pledge of President Woodrow Wilson, who was already promoting a League of Nations, to be allies in a United front effort to aid the Russians! But, Winston Churchill thought differently In spite of Winston Churchill’s admonition that we should “strangle the menacing infant of Socialism in its cradle,” Tom intended to persuade US President Woodrow Wilson that the US should come to the aide of the Bolsheviks. But! Tom was not allowed to speak with Wilson, however. He apparently was thwarted by Colonel Edward M. House, the Aide to Wilson, (who hated those goddam atheist Commies) and behold! Wilson was persuaded INSTEAD to make enemies of the Bolsheviks, and to send American Troops to thwart them, and to keep the Trans-Siberian Railway from getting into their hands. You can even read about our 1918 invasion of Archangel and Vladivostok in a history of the event that is written by General William Graves, entitled “Our Siberian Adventure!” Alas, we made a wrong choice! And, the grievous fact that our US Foreign Policy chose at that time to make Enemies of the Russians, rather than becoming Allies, has reverberated ever since, in Earth shaking decisions from which we may not recover. It is still in the balance, and questionable: NATO was created as a bulwark against the USSR. Why was Ukraine invited? The US practically went ballistic over such an incursion on our Cuban doorstep! Talk about illogic! Promoting American Soviet Friendship Corliss’s Father, Thomas W. Lamont, remained adamant in his support of the Russians, and in 1945 both gentlemen, father and son, appeared on the same Madison Square podium, promoting American Soviet Friendship! Their courageous stands, advocating Friendship with what had begun to be called “The Evil Empire,” was truly heroic. Corliss Lamont, ever the optimist, published, in 1939, his book entitled: “You Might Like Socialism.” He truly believed that a straight forward explanation would be very helpful to understanding the ideals and benefits of Socialism. You know, of course, that the powerful DIDN’T like it then, went all-out to thwart it, and the general populace, and the VOTERS, alas, hardly understand it NOW! On this Spring Day of 2019, amid the televised angry exhortations as to who should lead this land, I’m so painfully aware of the great dichotomy of political opinion regarding the strengths and weaknesses of this country. We have certainly confused the concepts of Democracy and of Capitalism! Recognizing that one is a political ideal and the other is simply an economic system, we must consider that Democracy and Capitalism are totally incompatible! Indeed, this incompatibility gave rise to the sad fact that we now have “the best democracy that money can buy!” How shameful! Even a Supreme Court decision has allowed unlimited campaign funding for “Citizens United!” Political candidates are screaming: “Help! Help!” “Send Money!” And, of great concern right now, where on Earth does Socialism fit in? Regardless of our heartfelt passions, even anger, feeling betrayed by present systems, we might all assert to be “Patriotic Americans!” Of course! The Male and Military Role of Protector and Defender of the US Some will point to the “undisputed fact” that “We’re The Good Guys!” Didn’t we defeat the Nazis, and come to the rescue of the world? My own loving Son believes that I’m too critical of US Foreign policies. I respect and fully understand his point of view, in that he believes in US economic and military power on the World stage, and with his assigned Male role as Protector, and that role’s perceived extension as defender and protector of the US, he would naturally wish to champion and exercise that power…politically and militarily. But, from my own assigned alternate Female role as Nurturer and as a Mother, my focus is more on the wellbeing of the whole Human Family, not just a few sub-segments of it. After all, the United States of America is just one Member of this global Human Family. We assert to be the most powerful, because we hold, and will not relinquish, the power to respond militarily to any “asserted threat” that our most militarily minded leaders may perceive. John Bolton literally scares the hell outta me! Whose finger can we trust on the button? Certainly not his! And, what was a US Drone doing anywhere near Iran? And why? Why are negotiation and seeking non-military solutions considered wimpish and subject to criticism? I am so concerned that, in the absence of, or the ineffective presentation of a coherent model of World Power that is non-military, we Americans will fall prey (let-us-prey?) to the “Military Industrial Complex” of which Dwight Eisenhower warned us, and in the din of electoral politics, in this “best democracy that money can buy,” might choose to confront adversity, as-in: “the Christians against the Muslims” with insanity! I’m hearing screams of: “GO Kill ISIS!” with stabbing upraised fists! This totally denies the fact that Isis is certainly a “blowback” product of our “Shock and Awe” intrusion into Iraq, a premeditated planned war based on outrageous Gulf of Tonkin lies. And now, our sights are on Iran? Journalists do your research! Military “Solutions” with Dr. Strangelove in charge? Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, I fear that Dr. Strangelove might be convincingly more powerful. At this writing John Bolton, perhaps the most blatant warmonger on Earth, has Trump’s tone-deaf ear. The basic primitive response to perceived aggression is “us against them,” wholly disregarding the truths of our thousands of years of Human history and of the sadly-earned, but ignored, wisdom gained thereby. Corliss Lamont, a Patriotic Champion of Civil Liberties, wrote in 1952, pamphlets discussing US Foreign Policies, and titled one pamphlet: “Are We Being Talked Into War?” This man saw, way back then, the dangers of commitment to military “solutions” in response to perceived or imagined threats, as insanity! Here’s a bit of history that is not often discussed for the general public. Perhaps in academic circles it may be clinically diagnosed, but any findings produced thereby, haven’t yet filtered into general knowledge by our populace, especially potential voters. This is my biggest scare! This history needs to be known! I fear that passionate Nationalism with all of its fearful implications has become the official US stance on the world scene, if not properly grounded in some scholarly (and motherly) concerned attention to history. Let it begin with technology. Human creativity and ingenuity have brought us to an amazing, never before moment in our human evolution. We now have the power to cause the extinction of this whole human experience! Poof! In a series of nuclear blasts, you know, we all know, the “Mushroom shaped cloud” bit! Nothing left but, maybe the cockroaches? They are alleged to be survivors; we Humans should be so lucky! ON THE OTHER HAND…..ta da, we now have, thanks to technology, PEOPLE POWER! We human beings can actually communicate with EACH OTHER! Maybe, considering truths unknown in tribal days, that we’re Earthlings-all, we can get-it-together, in the best interest of human survival? “Make LOVE not war!” This echoes in mind! Wouldn’t this be the beautiful and ironic People Power solution to hatred and militarism! Workers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains! Come sit by my knee, and let me tell you a story. It began, way back in the late 1800s, when the inquisitive, compassionate scholarship of some important whistle-blowers of the time, saw that the powerful industrial revolution that was going-on, didn’t filter down to the workers! The great potential for human betterment was being short-stopped at the paycheck, and was overflowing the coffers of the investors! WOW! What a shocking assertion! We, who are struggling to survive and to feed our children are being exploited. Karl Marx had determined that WORK accomplished by us human beings was the greatest Value, that should and must be recognized and acknowledged. Tell that to the slaves picking cotton! How about the Russian soldiers, wondering why they were protecting the abusive Czar against the invading Germans? This was the moment, with rifles in hand to overthrow a tyrannical regime, championing the People themselves! Thus began the Bolchevik Revolution, and promoting the ideals of People Power. Corliss Lamont, a Harvard man, championed the writings of John Reed, who went to Russia as a Journalist and became a participant in the earthshaking events. He wrote, and you may have read: “Ten Days That Shook The World.” And, indeed those events DID shake the world. Nothing has been the same ever since. The “coulda-shoulda” remains to be fully implemented! The Nordic countries have done a great job of creating people oriented laws. Unfortunately, this truth still remains! Those Persons with the money have the Power! So, of course, this exploitation accusation didn’t sit well with all of the investors, the bankers, and the corporations that promoted the industrial revolution. They felt justified that they were doing good things that should eventually benefit all of humankind, even the workers. Why Unionize? To be accused this way, it literally scared the helloutta-them! Unionizing must be thwarted at all costs! Call the National Guard! The whole point of their investment was to build and create progress, but in the end, it had to…guess what? It had to make profit for THEM! If there were possibly any altruistic aspects of their investment, these were most always sacrificed upon the alter of profit-making, unfortunately, with those decisions being made by the most powerful corporations, and not yet by any regulatory government considerations. So, naturally, in their own best interests, and those of the entire Capitalist enterprise, these entrepreneurs must oppose this mistaken “conspiracy” that they are neglecting and abusing the Workers, at all costs! And indeed, Capitalism has done this, for a century and more, at horrendous cost to Humankind…in pain and blood. Ever since, in one form or another, the attempt to vilify, thwart, deride, propagandize, oppose, all efforts by the Workers to organize, even to ensure their safety, and to gain a more equitable share of the profit, has succeeded! Industry needs cheap labor to make a profit, even outsourcing overseas. The RED SCARE Terror Tactics of J. Edgar Hoover and Joe McCarthy You may be old enough to have experienced the Red Scare right here in the good ‘ol US of A? No? You’ve not heard of the Ludlow Massacre? The Palmer Raids? How about the Socialists who were elected-into office by New York Voters, and who were refused acceptance by the NY Legislature, because of their “foreign” beliefs? Do you know of Joe Hill? He was executed by Firing Squad for supporting Strikers with his Music! Insane! How about tales of the “Evil Empire” and fearsome Socialism? Totalitarianism? What about the House Un-American Activities Committee dedicated to rooting out the cancer of communism in our communities, then even worse, Joseph McCarthy, on his rabid rampage, who saw a “commie” in every office and under every bed? Who sneeringly demanded of Corliss Lamont, and other patriots: “Are you now, or have you ever been a communist?” Lives and careers were lost because of the accusation. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, sacrificial lambs, to make clear that sharing “secrets” with the “enemy” was treason. The fear that Socialism would overtake “our continent,” caused US to provoke, undermine, and attempt to overthrow regimes of Central and South American countries, and Mexico. Corliss Lamont grieved about his connection to Salvadore Allende of Chile. Corliss went on a “ski trip” to the Andes, for the real purpose of personally congratulating Allende for having WON his Socialist Presidency in a fair un-tampered-with election! Shortly afterward Allende was “suicided” in a palace coup. Corliss, already on the FBI’s watch list, accused of being a Communist, may have brought Allende the “kiss-of-death.” Corliss regretted his visit. I’ll tell you, the powers that be, have really done a number on the concept of equitable treatment of workers and of human beings in general, even respect for planet Earth, in convincing us that we Earthlings are not worthy of better treatment and humane considerations for our own health and wellbeing, or for the safety and happiness of our families, or for fair treatment of all of us Humans, regardless of our origin or heritage. Tribal ignorance is obsolete. We’ve seen photos of our Planet Earth. We are Earthlings ALL! A total Knee Jerk Response to the (Omygod) “S” word! Many workers, to this day, might automatically respond negatively to the word “Socialism” This is almost an unconscious kneejerk reaction, with head shaking, disapproving of any thought of those foreign ideas. Alas, the Workers of the World are still in desperate need of the best protection of the Socialist economic ideals. Workers of the World Unite! That was the battle cry in 1917! We weren’t able to unite then! The battle still rages! Particularly because of the misunderstanding of its origin, its ideals, and its truer un-propagandized meaning. Socialism does NOT automatically mean totalitarianism! This is part of the propaganda against it! There are parallel concepts, those of, on the one hand: Freedom, but, Responsibility, and its extended counterpart in the form of Control are essential. Your right to swing your arm freely…better stop at my nose! Protection is essential! Always, a governing dilemma. There are essential distinctions between the concepts of responsibility and control. A little picture of this could be seen as maybe taking a child’s hand to help her or him to cross the street safely. Clearly, this is taking logical and compassionate responsibility for the child’s protection. But, if instead, a person would angrily snatch a kid around, smack and drag her or him across the street, all the while berating the child for non-obedience, this then, would clearly have become, instead, a horrible matter of hurtful control. Brutal enforcement of the law! Our prisons are full of minority people! Sometimes because they can’t pay a fine! I always quip about “No stop and frisk on Wall Street!” Taking responsibility to promote one’s best interests and prevent a danger, is an ethical concept that is both humanitarian and of benefit to the People. On the other hand, we can readily recognize the similarity to police brutality, inequitable incarceration, thwarting of protestors, and even the inhumane withholding of health and educational facilities, and even the badmouthing of those who object to this control. This can even be extended conceptually to include inequitable taxation at home, and promotion of economic and military domination all around the World. An absurdity! Promoting democracy in the world at gunpoint? People’s Right To Know VS Government Secrecy Secrecy and democracy are totally incompatible! It is only when a government is fierce and controlling in protecting ITSELF, and its SECRET information, rather than Protecting the Rights of its own People, that it actually BECOMES totalitarian! How ironic that we in the US suffer the very totalitarian suppression that we accused the Russians of! To maintain even a “would-be democracy” is a struggle! FASCISM is total control! Because the average American voter, who may not be aware of our own history, or is steeped in the alluring lore of our own oft-touted promotion of equality and justice, may therefore not identify with the actual history of the people’s attempt to have a stronger voice in decisions made in this country, we might be vulnerable to a strong backlash surge of militaristic nationalism in an upcoming election, in which the ideals of “America First” might prevail. I keep hearing: “Make America Great, Again!” How about: America will become great when it protects its populace and all other Earthlings. “No More War!” “Make Peace!” Instead, this “Strangelovian” surge could usher us into a world of fascism that could make the Nazi’s look like Boy Scouts in comparison. Never mind dominating Europe; some war profit fanatics in this country, envision Global domination. There was a US Web site that was so shocking and embarrassing that it was eventually removed It was called: “US Space Command.gov.” (Google it! Or find it on the “Way Back Machine?”) It purported to Dominate Space; protect the US interests and it’s investments, and..(get this!)..Zap Naughty Nations!” I fear that Congress is allocating funding now for this specific purpose. Hooray for the courageous Journalists and Whistle Blowers who are risking their lives! We now have the potential for sharing information all around the world. What, though, can we trust to be the truth? How, I admire those truth-tellers, who are determined to expose the secrecies that are counter-productive to the ideals of a democracy in which the People’s voices are supposed to be heard, and the people’s wishes, hopefully, at least the ethical ones, are to be enacted. “The Pentagon Papers” published by Daniel Ellsberg, was a pivotal point in history. Now, we worry for the fate of new Whistle Blowers, Edward Snowden and Julian Assange. Will we ever learn what information Cashoggi was pursuing when murdered? Over the years so very many courageous people have risked their lives to tell the truth that needs to be known! Oftentimes, they are scorned and reviled, rather than being seen as heroes. What a pitiful reward. What about the Nuremberg Principles? Another historical phenomenon that seems to fall under the radar, is the Nuremberg principles. Oftentimes, when on a demonstration or protest and we all are guarded by police, I will approach a police person to thank them for protecting us, and then slyly question them about the Nuremberg principles. Usually, I’ll get a shrug, or a mention that it’s in Germany, maybe? .But, I’m sorry to report that not ONE of my provocative inquiries has produced a knowledge of the idea that an official should not just OBEY, but should, even at risk to self, refuse to carry out unethical and inhumane orders to willfully harm other human beings. This is a very sad commentary on our education system, and on the ethics of “officialdom.” Official DUMB? ICE is dealing with this ethical principle every day doing irreparable harm to those whose lives they touch. How is it that the US believes itself to be the World’s Policeman? Why does the US have a military finger in every pie on the face of this Earth? Maybe, more truthfully, it’s a finger in the EYE of almost every Human! This is truly a fearful prospect. We need a peaceful Planet Earth; promoting Peace should be our most patriotic survival aim. Environmental concerns should become a higher priority: saving Planet Earth! More History: In the 1930s, in Germany, the ideals of Socialism and of Communism were in opposition, with adherents of each party competing fiercely, rather than successfully articulating and presenting a coherent and comprehensive vision to appeal to the workers and the voters of Germany. They both were pretty much rejected as a source of wisdom and power, almost like “You trouble making foreigners go home to the USSR!” It was into this absence of a coherent articulation of the ideals of a Socialist society, that such a powerful surge of German Nationalism arose: “Germany Uber Alles!” This led to the promotion and exercise of Nazi power. Hatred of other! When I hear those shouted words: “Make America Great Again!,” I cringe! Maybe the French People will demand to take their Statue back! What is all the propagandized fear of Immigrants about? Trump’s lies that they are murders and rapist is perhaps the most egregious lie that he has told. This is total insanity! Especially, since many are fleeing conditions that punitive US Foreign Policy has caused to their country. Fort Sill, Oklahoma is notorious for its hideous history in first tormenting Native Americans, then continuing to be a place of incarceration for others who are considered by the powers to be, dangerous. Now, hundreds of years later, it had become a “concentration camp” to segregate migrant children from their parents, probably, if for no other reason, than to punish the parents for fleeing the dangers and the hunger of their homeland. Need we remind ourselves, that we’re all descendants of immigrants…except the Native Americans? Even you, Trump! Who are our “loving and protecting” ancestors? A mother’s constant concern: I worry about all the kids on the face of this Earth who are in constant danger! If not bombed and terrorized, then homeless and hungry! Children of Earth would benefit from a Socialistic and Humanistic approach to the complex problems on this Planet. Military power will never bring safety, respect, equality, civil liberties, health care, education, food and shelter. We Humans are naturally social beings; and we’ve evolved from the most protective, compassionate and social of ancestors: MOTHERS! Our Human concerns for survival and wellbeing are closely aligned with the respectful societal aspects of the all-embracing and Universal Humanist Philosophy promoted by Corliss Lamont, in his book: “The Philosophy Of Humanism.” This concept, translated into political terms, is actually pronounced: Socialist Democracy! It must not be feared! If the whole concept of Social is a GOOD, as in Social Security, then adding those 3 little letters…I-S-M…should not be a frightening spectacle to be feared. Therefore Socialist Democracy can be nurtured and developed into just exactly what we concerned citizens wish for it to become, by exercising our People Power! Perfecting and protecting voting integrity is essential! Hooray for Bernie Sanders! He is a most courageous man these days! His vision and that of Elizabeth Warren with their rousing passion for the plight of the People is the greatest remedy for the Woes of the World…for the painful ills of Humankind that one can imagine! May their messages prevail and catch fire in the hearts of the American voters! Both have inspired a hopeful vision, in this flawed un-democratic electoral system! Ranked Voting gives “other” parties an option to have their voices heard! A worry is that principled persons, dismayed by major Party choices, and who express their TRUE preference by voting for a Third Party in this un-democratic system, will cause a distortion by nibbling away the totals. If the Electoral system would actually allow us to vote our conscience and our true preference, we must create a Multi-Part Ballot, rather than this prohibitive Two Party system! I should be able to express my preference by voting for a first and second choice…that would FEED INTO a major party, rather than DETRACT FROM it. In this way, by expressing alternate choices, begin to approach some beginnings of a REAL democracy. Perhaps this multi-faceted approach would be considered a Parliamentary System.And, now that Bernie Sanders has helped to “Sanitize” Socialism by explaining its concepts, and by inspiring adherents, especially young Folks, maybe we can begin to Humanize the capitalist economy, requiring that it consider the Human Values of protecting the People and the Planet, rather than the commercial values of merely making a profit for Stock Market investors? With Elizabeth Warren, what a team they’ll make! A worrisome majority of the Voting Public may still remain “propagandized!” During the ongoing debates, bringing up that bit of history engaged in “fearing and hating” the socialist inspired development of People Power in the form of Unions will be of help in the urgent need for the Education of the Public! The old stigma of “EVIL EMPIRE” still permeates the political atmosphere, and has been cause to voice haughty contempt! MAJOR EFFORTS AT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC REGARDING SOCIALIST HISTORY AND ITS BENEFITS must take place immediately! Democrats MUST make a LEFT turn! Screamingly important issues pertaining to the Campaign MUST BE ADDRESSED! I fear that the general public’s highly propagandized misunderstandings will cause the “other-dems” to “throw Bernie Under the bus!” There MUST BE an explanation and a clear DISAVOWAL OF ALL EVIL EMPIRE CONTAMINATION! Here are some INFORMATIVE STATEMENTS THAT MUST BE HEARD! First of all, SOCIAL is a perfectly good word, meaning Family and co-workers, etc., even Social Security, but adding those 3 little letters: I-S-M, people freak-out! Then, ABOUT PEOPLE POWER! Way back in the 1800s, Marx determined and promoted the principle that OUR WORK (picture slaves picking cotton) is what establishes TRUE VALUE! “Workers of the World Unite! We have nothing to lose but our chains!” This scared the helloutta the capitalists! AND! In 1918, US sent troops to Russia (google it!) to thwart the development of socialism, and the fearful greedy capitalist economic system continues to thwart it today! Humanistic Democratic Socialism is the remedy. Democracy is supposed to promote the Voice of the People…to give us PEOPLE POWER! But, under this money-driven profit-making Casino, we will have endless profitable wars until the Mushroom shaped cloud ends it all! We need our united efforts especially at this moment to protect the People and the Planet. CORLISS LAMONT, wrote in 1939 “You Might Like Socialism,” believing that a non-academic easy-to-read treatise would be helpful. Alas, it was not! Beth has updated this work. It is now called: “Lefties Are In Their Right Minds!” This work can be found right on the Web site: https://www.humanvalues.net/. Please check out even more information on that Web site. Especially, there you’ll find her cartoon of a bearded ol’ fellow with a Mortarboard cap, at last… “Graduating from the Electoral College!” After how many years? Beth’s “claim to fame” is that she was arrested, handcuffed and jailed for protesting Bush’s lies at the United Nations. Even nearing ninety, Beth delights in tormenting that symbolic Wall St. Bull, and laments the sad removal of the little girl who confronted and defied it, with hands on hips and chin thrust out! You’ll find her poster about this confrontation also on the Web site: https://www.humanvalues.net/ I consider this to be an absolutely perfect “play-on-words” Protest to take place, down at that symbolic Bull: “In 1917, People created the Bolchevik Revolution! In 2017-18-now 19, we need to have the “Bull Shape Up Revolution!” And if Capitalism won’t yield to the screaming needs of the People and the Planet, then, with equal parts inspiration and desperation and People Power, we’ll have the “Bull-Shove-Off Revolution!” Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Chaplain and widow of Corliss Lamont. Note: This essay is a revised and updated version of Post 61, published February 28, 2016.
The End of Mankind This pronouncement sounds scary and forbidding, but actually it’s an accounting of a win-win moment for “Humanist” progress, and a symbolic evolutionary triumph for half of us humans. So, don’t worry. This is a very happy story! The telling of this story is even a bit funny, as well, you’ll see, […]
The End of Mankind This pronouncement sounds scary and forbidding, but actually it’s an accounting of a win-win moment for “Humanist” progress, and a symbolic evolutionary triumph for half of us humans. So, don’t worry. This is a very happy story! The telling of this story is even a bit funny, as well, you’ll see, after I describe a few moments of worrisome anxiety! But, first, let me preface the main theme of this story with a little preamble…that of my own experiencing increasing annoyance, over my growing-up years, to find insistence, in spite of continuing inquiries and doubts, that a creator of all the universe and life as we know it, is a man-god. I grieved, picturing him as probably bearded with a booming authoritative voice. But, what about Mother Nature?… I would plead. Mothers are the nurturers, the beings that give birth! And a source of love and protection! It’s through this rejection route, that I had become a NON-believer, resenting all traditional religion as being tribal, contrary to science, and based upon illusion. I hadn’t yet learned that I’m a Humanist. And, what an amazing revelation to accidentally happen-upon the great researched works of Corliss Lamont! And, even more amazing to be eventually welcomed into the physical presence of this great researcher, philosopher, author of The Philosophy of Humanism, Corliss Lamont, himself! His works had been based upon extensive historical written evidence, and his own inspired conjecture, but necessarily written in the traditional academic style for accreditation. Upon reading the 7th Edition of The Philosophy of Humanism, I was both inspired and dismayed by the almost obligatory use of that same word that crowds-out a vision of newly empowered womanhood. Sheesh! We’re hardly recognized, and didn’t even get to vote until 1920! Sister Humanist, Beverly Earles and I converged upon an amiable Corliss Lamont, with our sort-of giggly conspiratorial, but inspirational plot, to point out the book’s currant error. We took turns reading to Corliss from his own work, paragraph after paragraph, and inserting, instead of the traditional mankind, we used the word, very pointedly and with emphasis: WOMANKIND! This went on, without comment from Corliss, for part of a chapter. We cast worried glances at him. He was sitting with elbows on knees and head in hands, not giving any clue for us to gauge. Are we insulting him? Is this approach un-humanistic? Stop! Trying to sound brave and cheerful, I asked cautiously: “Well, Corliss, what do you think?” He looked-up brightly and surprised us both with his nodding approval and his reassuring response: “You know, you’ve got a good point there! This should be changed to Humankind! And so it was! The 8th Edition of The Philosophy of Humanism celebrates Humankind! And our devoted Editor carefully inserted ALL US humans into the new Edition. https://www.corliss-lamont.org/philos8.htm Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant, and author of Lefties Are In Their Right Minds
Beware the ISM Schizim! Three little letters of the alphabet, harmless in appearance, are still creating havoc in this bewildered “would be” Democracy! How on Earth can it be, that these three little letters cause such harm? Does this sound impossible? But, here’s the case in point: CAPITAL, FOR INSTANCE: Without expenditure or investment of […]
Beware the ISM Schizim! Three little letters of the alphabet, harmless in appearance, are still creating havoc in this bewildered “would be” Democracy! How on Earth can it be, that these three little letters cause such harm? Does this sound impossible? But, here’s the case in point: CAPITAL, FOR INSTANCE: Without expenditure or investment of Capital, there can be NO creation of alternative energies for the purpose of countering the impending climate change danger! Investment in science and technology, is essential, and in food production and businesses, all work… that creates paychecks! CAPITAL IS IMPORTANT! ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR LIVING! We’re in complete agreement at this point as to definition. OK? Another truth, regards a beautiful, Human-connectedness word: SOCIAL! This concept is also essential, and necessary for living! Let’s start with the meaning of Social. We ARE social beings…our Family, our Friends, our co-workers, our community! And what about all the pluses? SOCIAL SECURITY! Yea! Also, hooray for Franklin D! Our human connectedness, and now, Social Media. We have new tools in our hands that now give us People Power! Are we all still on the same page? We’re agreeing Social is good! Capital is good! There you have it! Two important concepts! Two GOOD words! We’re in complete agreement at this point. OK? Now, add those three scary little letters, creating havoc: “ISM”. And, now what do we get? Omygod! No! Never! Not Socialism!!! Some Folks get the knee-jerk reaction: “No, not the Evil Empire!” And a tumult of Red Scare accusations, and a century of fear and propaganda against the ideals of Karl Marx comes pouring out! The hope of the Russians for Workers of the World to Unite, and to thereby benefit Human conditions, has been thwarted, and now we face even greater danger: a Mushroom-shaped Cloud. The same switcharooney occurs when you add those same three scary little letters “ISM” to the good word Capital, and now, how shocking, but inevitable, you get a whole different thing! It’s no longer just investment for development, but this word describes the Economic System that’s called Capitalism, a virtual CASINO, the whole point of which is to MAKE PROFIT! This is a market in which there are absolutely no ethical or moral considerations. A sad fact, that president Eisenhower warned us about, is that WAR is profitable, and unfortunately, for some investors, the making of profit is more important than the well-being of the People and the Planet. This system empowers the wealthy, who might operate without conscience, and dominate politically. An Essay entitled Code of Ethics for a Corporation follows. But, the point made here is that these three little letters of the alphabet, and their hapless application to some perfectly good words, turn TRUTH and HUMAN SURVIVAL around completely! These are my words of caution! Beware the “ISM” SCHIZIM! Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant, and author of Lefties Are In Their Right Minds
Holiday greetings from Beth, who hopes for peace in the world in the New Year. Thought you might enjoy this short but cute holiday “moosical” animation video clip (running time: 2 minutes 17 seconds). May the coming New Year be happier! From Beth and the Webmaster. Download this video in MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC/AAC-LC 244×248 format (right-click and […]
Holiday greetings from Beth, who hopes for peace in the world in the New Year. Thought you might enjoy this short but cute holiday “moosical” animation video clip (running time: 2 minutes 17 seconds). May the coming New Year be happier! From Beth and the Webmaster. Download this video in MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC/AAC-LC 244×248 format (right-click and “Save As…” to download): moosical.mp4 (MPEG-4 AVC/AAC — 3,567,773 bytes)
DEMOCRACY! NOT HYPOCRISY! A screaming problem with our long-hoped-for Democracy is the unlimited Campaign contributions that gives us the “best democracy that money can buy!” This amounts to, instead, an hypocrisy, that needs to be amended! Just think of that! What we have is an hypocrisy! Not a democracy! And wealthy donors have more power […]
DEMOCRACY! NOT HYPOCRISY! A screaming problem with our long-hoped-for Democracy is the unlimited Campaign contributions that gives us the “best democracy that money can buy!” This amounts to, instead, an hypocrisy, that needs to be amended! Just think of that! What we have is an hypocrisy! Not a democracy! And wealthy donors have more power to do their bidding than the rest of us! Please create a Law that limits political spending, and especially verifiable “receiving” by candidates of any campaign money over a certain fixed, maximum amount. This is most important to a Democracy! Also, please seriously consider this suggested important change! There is a GIANT FLAW in the traditional 2-Party System that limits the participation of ALL people to bring their concerns to nation wide attention in the Congress. The 2-Party format is a rigged system! When, out of our values and our ethical concerns, we Vote for a 3rd party that better represents us, our Vote then detracts from a Major Party. In my case, and with many others, this means having to make a painful choice. It means I may NOT VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, because they don’t YET represent my Cause. I’m actually “wasting” my Vote, thereby, to SATISFY MY CONSCIENCE, still hoping to make a point. Or, instead, I can grit my teeth, and cast my vote for a candidate and party that doesn’t yet represent my CONCERN OR CAUSE. OI! What a choice! Parliamentary systems may have a better chance of representing this need for diversity, whereby the various parties will have the right to enter the ring and to duke-it-out, persuasively, hoping to make their point. Back to my problem…I wish to Vote for a Democratic Socialist like Bernie Sanders! In the 2016 election, he was respectful, and didn’t run on a 3rd party, because of this detrimental detraction factor. He saw that this was problem. He was ethical, but THEY didn’t support HIM! So, logically, by Voting my conscience for a 3rd Party, and thereby withholding my Vote from the Democrats, this gives a numerical advantage to the opposition! My vote would actually help the Republicans! That’s how they will always benefit from any 3rd party Vote! We, logical and ethical Voters are automatically TRUMPED by this strange illogical “either-or” (TweedleDum or TweedleDummer) arrangement! Rather than diminishing the Democrat’s total, our Democratic Socialist Vote can, and must, feed into the Democrat’s total to give them a numerical advantage. This will necessitate a change to a 2-PART VOTING SYSTEM, so that we would be able to Vote our first and second choices. I could vote: Social Democrat/(slash) Democrat! This 2-PART VOTE will sure beat the hell out of the counter-productive 2-Party system! Hopefully, there will come a time when this “feed-into” movement becomes so powerful and overwhelming, that it will have to be recognized and be acknowledged by all, and will eventually STAND ALONE! The Democrats will have become the minority, IF THEY DO NOT MAKE A LEFT TURN! The Social Democrats, with THEIR CONCERNS will then represent the prevailing Party! Republicans may even favor this new system as well, and approve it, because their own minority voters will wish to have their own causes represented, such as Right to Life/(slash) Republican, for instance. Who do you think might wish to introduce a bill to initiate this change? I favor Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren! Thanks for your good work! Best wishes from Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant, and author of Lefties Are In Their Right Minds
Great article on The American Prospect about Pete Seeger and his controversial performance of Waist Deep in the Big Muddy on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” television show some 50 years ago on February 25, 1968. Title: Recalling Pete Seeger’s Controversial Performance on the Smothers Brothers Show 50 Years Ago Author: Peter Dreier Date: February […]
Great article on The American Prospect about Pete Seeger and his controversial performance of Waist Deep in the Big Muddy on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” television show some 50 years ago on February 25, 1968. Title: Recalling Pete Seeger’s Controversial Performance on the Smothers Brothers Show 50 Years Ago Author: Peter Dreier Date: February 28, 2018 Synopsis: Seeger had been blacklisted as a communist and this gutsy defiance of a corporate media giant marked his return to the mainstream cultural scene. Link: https://prospect.org/culture/recalling-pete-seeger-s-controversial-performance-smothers-brothers-show-50-years-ago/ Pete Seeger-Waist Deep In The Big Muddy & War Songs Medleys (1968) This article was re-published on Portside.
Beth Recommends This… Harper’s Magazine Presents: An Evening with Senator Bernie Sanders Monday, August 28, 2017 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT – Doors open at 6:00 PM The Riverside Church 490 Riverside Drive New York, NY 10027 (212) 870-6700 Tickets are available at Eventbrite and are $25 for General Admission and $20 for Students. […]
Beth Recommends This… Harper’s Magazine Presents: An Evening with Senator Bernie Sanders Monday, August 28, 2017 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT – Doors open at 6:00 PM The Riverside Church 490 Riverside Drive New York, NY 10027 (212) 870-6700 Tickets are available at Eventbrite and are $25 for General Admission and $20 for Students. Ticket includes admission, a copy of Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution, and a one-year subscription to Harper’s Magazine (current subscribers will receive a one-year extension). I encourage everyone in the New York City area to attend this event!
Beth Recommends This… Resistance Manual Tuesday, January 17, 2017: Today, we launch the Resistance Manual — an open-source platform to collect information/resources to resist Trump’s agenda and to continue making progress towards equity and justice in America. [Link is to an archived copy of the webpage as it existed on June 8, 2019.] Explore the […]
Beth Recommends This… Resistance Manual Tuesday, January 17, 2017: Today, we launch the Resistance Manual — an open-source platform to collect information/resources to resist Trump’s agenda and to continue making progress towards equity and justice in America. [Link is to an archived copy of the webpage as it existed on June 8, 2019.] Explore the manual to learn about the policies the incoming administration plans to pursue, how they’ll impact our communities, and what you can do to stop them through federal, state, and local advocacy. The manual will grow over time as more and more people contribute updates, facts and resources to it. As such, we encourage you to contribute important information for others to read. Get educated. Get organized. Take Action.
Why I am NOT an ATHEIST by Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant I respect Atheists for their good intentions in attempting to free Folks from their superstitions and in helping to create laws that prevent religious domination from continuing to erode our Civil Liberties and our Right to Free Thought and the right of children […]
Why I am NOT an ATHEIST by Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant I respect Atheists for their good intentions in attempting to free Folks from their superstitions and in helping to create laws that prevent religious domination from continuing to erode our Civil Liberties and our Right to Free Thought and the right of children to not suffer the indignities of coercion, fear and illogic. I respect the adherents of religion who engage in GOOD WORKS for Humans, Here and Now, doing their best to improve Earthly conditions that are contrary to their own best beliefs in loving, compassionate, forgiving behavior. I do not begrudge them their “interior motives” of a heavenly reward. “Theism” is not the big problem. Resultant power, hypocrisy and greed are the REAL problems. Because I am naturally optimistically inclined, and my life’s experiences have taught me that “change-for-the-better” can actually be achieved, my cup stays “half full” rather than half empty, and emphasizing the positive is my style. Therefore, I do not PRESENT myself with a name announcing what I DO NOT BELIEVE! Why should I assume a title describing what I’m AGAINST? This is nonsense! To my way of thinking, it’s a negative and counter-productive stance. To use the ancient term “A” meaning “absence of” to describe what I do NOT believe, or anything about me, is not helpful. Here’s how I see it! For instance, I believe with all my life experiences and the wisdom that I have amassed in all of these years, that the Capitalist Economic System, under which we suffer, does more harm to more people in this world, presently, than does any theistic belief. Even more, it exacerbates religious divides and causes more blaming. Shall I then bill myself as an Acapitalist? This is nuts! Why should I focus who I AM, on what I DO NOT believe? My efforts are devoted to doing all I can, same as Atheists are, working toward changing things in the best interest of Humans. I claim allegiance to the positive belief that guides my lifestance. I’m NOT an A-capitalist! I’m not an A-theist! I AM a HUMANIST! I believe with all of my heart and mind that we must treat our precious Planet Earth, all Earthlings and other living things with respect; that we must take responsibility to do all that we can to make beneficial changes; to make Peace and live in harmony and promote the opportunities for all to live the Good Life! In agreement with the Humanist Philosophy espoused by Corliss Lamont in all of his lifetime efforts, I believe that dismantling the war mind-set and its machinery, and protecting our would-be democracy from moneyed special interests is the proper focus for the work of helping to Humanize this war-weary World! Perhaps you agree?
The Long, Slow Death of Religion Guest Post by James A. Haught By now, it’s clear that religion is fading in America, as it has done in most advanced Western democracies. Dozens of surveys find identical evidence: Fewer American adults, especially those under 30, attend church — or even belong to a church. They tell […]
The Long, Slow Death of Religion Guest Post by James A. Haught By now, it’s clear that religion is fading in America, as it has done in most advanced Western democracies. Dozens of surveys find identical evidence: Fewer American adults, especially those under 30, attend church — or even belong to a church. They tell interviewers their religion is “none.” They ignore faith. Since 1990, the “nones” have exploded rapidly as a sociological phenomenon — from 10 percent of U.S. adults, to 15 percent, to 20 percent. Now they’ve climbed to 25 percent, according to a 2016 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. That makes them the nation’s largest faith category, outstripping Catholics (21 percent) and white evangelicals (16 percent). They seem on a trajectory to become an outright majority. America is following the secular path of Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and other modern places. The Secular Age is snowballing. Various explanations for the social transformation are postulated: That the Internet exposes young people to a wide array of ideas and practices that undercut old-time beliefs. That family breakdown severs traditional participation in congregations. That the young have grown cynical about authority of all types. That fundamentalist hostility to gays and abortion has soured tolerant-minded Americans. That clergy child-molesting scandals have scuttled church claims to moral superiority. That faith-based suicide bombings and other religious murders horrify normal folks. All those factors undoubtedly play a role. But I want to offer a simpler explanation: In the scientific 21st century, it’s less plausible to believe in invisible gods, devils, heavens, hells, angels, demons — plus virgin births, resurrections, miracles, messiahs, prophecies, faith-healings, visions, incarnations, divine visitations and other supernatural claims. Magical thinking is suspect, ludicrous. It’s not for intelligent, educated people. Significantly, the PRRI study found that the foremost reason young people gave for leaving religion is this clincher: They stopped believing miraculous church dogmas. For decades, tall-steeple mainline Protestant denominations with university-educated ministers tried to downplay supernaturalism — to preach just the compassion of Jesus and the social gospel. It was a noble effort, but disastrous. The mainline collapsed so badly it is dubbed “flatline Protestantism.” It has faded to small fringe of American life. Now Catholicism and evangelicalism are in the same death spiral. One-tenth of U.S. adults today are ex-Catholics. The Southern Baptist Convention lost 200,000 members in 2014 and 200,000 more in 2015. I’m a longtime newspaperman in Appalachia’s Bible Belt. I’ve watched the retreat of religion for six decades. Back in the 1950s, church-based laws were powerful: It was a crime for stores to open on the Sabbath. All public school classes began with mandatory prayer. It was a crime to buy a cocktail, or look at nude photos in magazines, or buy a lottery ticket. It was a crime for an unwed couple to share a bedroom. If a single girl became pregnant, both she and her family were disgraced. Birth control was unmentionable. Evolution was unmentionable. It was a felony to terminate a pregnancy. It was a felony to be gay. One homosexual in our town killed himself after police filed charges. Even writing about sex was illegal. In 1956, our Republican mayor sent police to raid bookstores selling “Peyton Place.” Gradually, all those faith-based taboos vanished from society. Religion lost its power — even before the upsurge of “nones.” Perhaps honesty is a factor in the disappearance of religion. Maybe young people discern that it’s dishonest to claim to know supernatural things that are unknowable. When I was a cub reporter, my city editor was an H.L. Mencken clone who laughed at Bible-thumping hillbilly preachers. One day, as a young truth-seeker, I asked him: You’re correct that their explanations are fairy tales — but what answer can an honest person give about the deep questions: Why are we here? Why is the universe here? Why do we die? Is there any purpose to life? He eyed me and replied: “You can say: I don’t know.” That rang a bell in my head that still echoes. It’s honest to admit that you cannot explain the unexplainable. The church explanation — that Planet Earth is a testing place to screen humans for a future heaven or hell — is a silly conjecture with no evidence of any sort, except ancient scriptures. No wonder that today’s Americans, raised in a scientific-minded era, cannot swallow it. Occam’s Razor says the simplest explanation is most accurate. Why is religion dying? Because thinking people finally see that it’s untrue, false, dishonest. White evangelicals tipped the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump, giving an astounding 81 percent of their votes to the crass vulgarian who contradicts church values. But white evangelicals, like most religious groups, face a shrinking future. Their power will dwindle. It took humanity several millennia to reach the Secular Age. Now it’s blossoming spectacularly. James Haught, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is editor emeritus of West Virginia’s largest newspaper, The Charleston Gazette-Mail. The Long, Slow Death of Religion was first published on CounterPunch December 29, 2016.
Code of Ethics for a Corporation by Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant and Advocate We, the undersigned individuals, and as Members of the below designated Corporation, do ascribe to the following considerations in the daily practice of our Business: We agree with, and strive to uphold, the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, […]
Code of Ethics for a Corporation by Beth K. Lamont, Humanist Celebrant and Advocate We, the undersigned individuals, and as Members of the below designated Corporation, do ascribe to the following considerations in the daily practice of our Business: We agree with, and strive to uphold, the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as described by the United Nations. Respect and Ethical treatment for All of Humankind on Planet Earth is of greatest importance in our business practices. Respect and protection for our precious gift, Planet Earth, as our one and only Human Habitat, and the home to be inhabited by our own Grand Children and our own offspring for centuries to come, is vitally important! We must be cognizant of the relationship between the activities of our Corporate work and its effect upon the atmosphere and other conditions that had, before industrialization, remained fairly stable and hospitable to life on Earth for many centuries. Climate change must be acknowledged! Scarcity of clean water will be a threat to our lives, and the rising of the Oceans, an immediate concern. Wherever we do business, in whatever country or community, we promise to respect and uphold all local law. When we have entered into a contract to do business, and those with whom we have made such arrangement find fault or disagreement with the way we are proceeding, their complaints must be considered, and perhaps some compromise or agreement must be found. Local concerns and governments must never be found, by the World Trade Court, of being in “violation of profit making.” We honor local concerns! We will pay proper local or national taxes in each country where we do business, and never claim that our headquarters is located in a place where no taxes are required. We will honor local labor needs and prevailing wages in every country where we do business. If we do business in the USA, for instance, we will always hire locally available workers rather than “outsourcing” to another country where the labor is cheaper. We acknowledge that the “Value” of our Stock on the Market is of great importance to the stability of our corporation, BUT, we also recognize that profit for “investors” is of lesser importance than the survival of our corporation, the good work that it does, and the continuity of its Board of Directors and its Staff. When we avow and prove compliance with all of the above considerations, we then demand that the “Value” of our Stock be enhanced by crediting appropriate points, as to “Compliant Ethical Corporations.” These credit points will be established by a Consumer Corporation Accreditation Committee headed by People’s Advocate Elizabeth Warren in Congress, and will always henceforth be reported to the Public on the “nightly news” as a celebratory acknowledgment of our Corporation’s respect for the People and the Planet, as well as the profit-making. Undersigned below: _______________________________________________
Flowerchild Because I’m a wilted Flowerchild from Haight-Ashbury, I advocate making love, not war! Are we making any progress? “Open Mic Gypsy” Beth Lamont for Rimes of The Ancient Mariner September 28, 2016 @ Three of Cups Lounge. Published on YouTube on October 9, 2016 under a Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) by Phillip […]
Flowerchild Because I’m a wilted Flowerchild from Haight-Ashbury, I advocate making love, not war! Are we making any progress? “Open Mic Gypsy” Beth Lamont for Rimes of The Ancient Mariner September 28, 2016 @ Three of Cups Lounge. Published on YouTube on October 9, 2016 under a Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) by Phillip Giambri aka “The Ancient Mariner” who is a writer, storyteller, poet, and spoken word performer. Running time: 2 minutes 8 seconds Download this video in MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC/AAC-LC 640×360 format (right-click and “Save As…” to download): Beth_Lamont_for_Rimes_of_The_Ancient_Mariner_at_Three_of_Cups_Lounge_2016-09-28.mp4 (MPEG-4 AVC/AAC — 7,515,757 bytes)