Dear Readers,
I am so happy this holiday season is OVER. As wonderful and as busy as it was, the fact is that the holidays are challenging for me. That's why I fizzled out a bit after my Xmas post....
In all of my relationships, I have a tendency to be really present for awhile, and then to disappear and hide out when life gets too busy. This is true in my blog relationship as well ;) Now that the busy season is over, I will soon be writing a new post catching all of you up on my music and service activities. It was a busy season, and I have so many positive and optimistic visions for the new decade.
We made it through the first decade of the 21st century, and what a challenging decade it was. Bush's stolen election, 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, Tsunamis, Wars..... the list goes on and on. What a sad decade this was. Exactly why I am THRILLED for 2011. This is our chance to make a difference.
Generations X and Y: we are now old enough to be taken seriously. On 9-11-01, I was only 21!
Too young to feel brave enough to speak out against what was going on. Yes, I am embarrassed to write that. I always had a dream that when injustice was happening, I would be brave enough to speak out. At the time, I did a little...I performed Bob Dylan's anti-war anthem, "With God on Our Side" at a Michael Moore Rally.... but mostly I just watched the news in horror as I saw all of the established adults in my life going along with what was happening in my country. I couldn't believe it, and I felt totally helpless. Now that I am 30, I guess I feel like I have the "right" to be outspoken, but the truth is that we all have the "right" to disagree. I hope that we can be a good example to our younger Milennial Generation brothers and sisters. I hang out with these kids every single day, and they are smart, cool, AND brave. We must show them that this country that they were born into, is actually full of peaceful, open-minded, intelligent, and courageous individuals. WE must be those courageous individuals.
When America invaded Iraq, Hollywood blacklisted any actor who spoke out against the war. The Dixie Chicks' public shaming was enough to scare any musician out of writing an anti-war song. The FCC even issued a list of 166 songs that Clear Channel owned radio stations across the country (um... all of them) were told to censor. It was completely Un-American the way dissenters were persecuted. NOW is a different time. It's time to let go of the past and begin doing what we should have done before. It's time to speak up and educate ourselves! Do not cover your eyes to what is happening in this world. Become the smartest, most talented, most beautiful, and bravest person you can be.
My favorite quote os all time is "Be the change you wish to see in the world" by Gandhi. The first time I heard that, I was still for a few minutes as I let that sink in. As a very young activist at the time, I thought that activism involved changing OTHER people. No. Real change happens when we all take responsibility for ourselves. When we can all find peace within ourselves, that is when peace will take over the Earth. One step at a time...
This is a new era we are stepping into, and I can't think of a better song to share with you than The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." I think most thinking Americans will be able to see that it is up to us to stop getting suckered into believing what these lousy politicians and cable "news" networks keep telling us.
Don't get fooled again.
We'll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
And I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
Change it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fall that's all
But the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
And I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie
Do ya?
There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
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