power

The Way It Is, The Way It Should Be

Posted on August 5, 2017August 5, 2017 by sidraowens

Occasionally, when you read my blog posts and definitely, if you listen to discussions between Sedrik Cannady and myself on Comparative Reasoning, you hear many of the same themes repeated, over and over. Some might call it repetitious rhetoric or perfunctory propaganda, democratic and republican corporatists mainly, but it’s none of that. It’s all the truth. The country would be better, the world would be better, if the people would simply be better. The thought that improving the circumstances for the many will improve them for the few seems to be speedily getting lost. It’s as if, universally, selfish assholes are on running some unseen race and the first to destroy society globally wins. Maybe they think they’ll be rewarded in heaven… Shit, no matter what you believe whether it’s pearly gates opening for you, nirvana, re-incarnation or nothing at all, ill deeds will never reap positive rewards.

That’s particularly why I like writing fiction. Because the necessary justice required to make all the crookeds straight, is at my fingertips. My domain, the facebook page, my youtube page and the landscape that is my imagination, is not a realm of questionable ambiguity, of forced morals or rhetorical conversations about how to solve problems that no one really wants to solve.

In the wicked orchard, wrongs are punished, swiftly. And the haves may get over on the have nots, but they will not do it for long. And… judgement does not come via conversations, discussions, debates, elections or back room deals. Resolutions in the wicked orchard are far more direct, far more finite and always satisfying.

Take a listen to Comparative Reasoning (on Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe3xsp_I7DwrTP-MoBJaa9w/videos) to get a view of how things are; all the unfortunate truthes that assault us everyday.

And then, take a listen to The Wicked Orchard (on Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGP5RkKX2lVw9ggeO-r0MAA/videos) to get a dose of how it should be.

Comparative Reasoning Exposes Hard Truths.

Posted on November 20, 2016 by sidraowens

The 2016 Presidential Election has been going full speed for nearly 17 months, and finally it is over. It’s over and we are all dealing with the aftermath, the consequences, blow back. But now, a question arises. Is the election of Donald Trump and random freak occurrence? (Doubtful) Or is it the culmination of a system of subjugation spanning back hundreds of years? I suspect that in reading that last line, you are compelled to think of slavery, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, but I’m talking about more than that. Subjugation in our country affects the black, the brown, the disable, the poor and even the employed. People in this country consistently work hard to make themselves feel good by putting someone else under foot. And that is a grand injustice in this country.

There is a Youtube channel and WordPress blog called Comparative Reasoning that focuses on the many injustices bestowed upon the American people by the powers that be. Comparative Reasoning was born during this election cycle, and it has many blog post and videos devoted to it; but in between that election material are gems that reveal a few of the true problems in this country. Problems that have brought us, as a country, to this impasse.

It is important that we all understand that the problems of our country are not new. They have been here since its inception. Dormant, silent for some, but still ever present. I implore you to take a moment and listen to these videos and/or read the posts, so that you may fully understand a point of view that is different than your own. And to take it one step further, this is the opportunity to share your own opinion, or to form one. We need to start the conversation; a conversation of understanding the differences, recognizing the injustices and unifying for a peaceful resolution, where we can all prosper.

Keep in mind that these videos are raw and passionate; mostly unscripted revealing the thoughts and emotions of the everyday person about issues that affect us all day to day. And we want you to share with us. Talk with us. Leave comments here or on your youtube. Let’s connect. It’s truly the only and the best way to counter the systemic division that runs rampant in our country.

Burning Black Churches

Why Racism Persists

How Apathy & Empathy Shape the Nation

The Death of Informative TV

War on the Poor

Angry Rant for People Against Abusive Employers

-Please don’t forget to stop by Comparative Reasoning for even more thoughts and opinions.

A Vote for Conscience is a Vote that Counts.

Posted on November 11, 2016November 11, 2016 by sidraowens

The common talking point for the last half of the election, since the primaries ended, is that a third party vote is a wasted vote. I soundly disagree, and I’ll tell you why.

The right to vote is something that has never been guaranteed to anyone throughout the ages. When Aristocracy ruled most everything, no one voted. And no one would dare vocalize the desire to have a say in how governmental decisions are made. Democracies and republics have always had to be fought for. People bleed, sacrifice and die to be able to have open elections and be given a say in how their country, their governments and their lives are run.

Notoriously, the US is no different. Colonists rebelled and revolted against the aristocracy of Britain so that they could form a free nation. Simple farmers and craftsman battled the British, with some help of course, and won; and began forming the United States of America, where citizens could vote for their representatives.

Now this leads into a lot of details that were left out. Women could not vote. They weren’t men and no one gave a damn. Blacks couldn’t vote. For one, they weren’t even called blacks, they were slaves, and not viewed as citizens or people, they were property. Latinos were not even a consideration way back when.

So as time goes by, this eventually leads to other fights. Women had to fight, organize and protest to propel women’s suffrage to the forefront of American society and eventually gain the right to vote.

Fast forward fifty years, and blacks found themselves in the same position. They peacefully protested, suffered, fought, bled and died so that they would be able to take some sort of control over their lives and be able to legally vote for this country’s representatives, just like every other citizen.

That’s a lot of fighting, a lot of blood and a lot of death, just for someone to come along in 2016 and make you feel like it is your obligation to go with the status quo, and vote someone that you hate just because their opponent is that much worse.

It’s not fair to those who came before us; it’s not fair to us or to those who are coming behind us. We are obligated to vote for who we think represents our ideals and our hopes for our country and ourselves. If the two most dominant, prevailing candidates don’t fit the criteria, I am in no way required to vote for them and neither are any of you. We should always vote our conscience; vote for who we think will represent us and make our lives better. For me, this election, it was not Clinton and it was no Drumpf. I voted for Jill Stein and I feel just fine because her platform did not pander to the corporations or pretend the racial divides in this country do not exist, nor did she insult, or victimize anyone who wasn’t white with a phallus. She cares for issues that I support for the betterment of my life, the life of my family and the country as a whole, no matter their political affiliation.

By voting my conscience, I honored myself, my family and anyone in the past whether a vassal, a colonist, a woman or any person of color, who could not vote, who could not voice their choices and take some semblance of control over their own destinies.

-If you have enjoyed my commentary or my short stories, then please check out my youtube channel, The Wicked Orchard; where you can listen to me read my short stories