Tear Down This Wall!

Part One:
I saw a film today, END:CIV by Franklin Lopez. It talks about some of Derrick Jensen's ideas.

One part of the film mentioned the definition of fascism as the merger of state and corporate power.

What a relevant message in today's U.S.A., where state and corporate power have merged to a remarkably extreme degree.

Here's what I think: I think the wall of fascism, the merger of state and corporate power, ought to be torn down. That would be good for people and planet.

People and planet deserve to be liberated from policies and practices of dominance and conquest. Conquest of human populations and planetary minerals for profit does not serve life.

We need policies that reflect the best nature of humanity, the nature of lovingkindness, tolerance, and respect for life.

No war! No corporatism!

Yes to stability. Yes to sustainable life-serving society.

Part Two:

Practice democracy: abolish the C.I.A..

This is from the weekly Friday evening peace vigil at Percival Landing in Olympia, Washington.

Arbitary and Abusive Policing

Port of Tacoma, Washington
August 4, 2008
Port Militarization Resistance Protest

The officer in this unmarked vehicle made sure to tell everyone where not to park.

He was telling people that their cars were too close to driveways and had to be moved - or that their vehicles would be impounded.

When asked how far away from the driveway cars were allowed to park, he responded, "Didn't you pass the driver's test? If you don't know, then read the book."

If I remember correctly, when I took the test the distance was 10 feet.

Is that right? In this case the cars were more almost certainly more than 10 feet away; they certainly were not blocking anyone's access to driveways.

Really, it seemed to me that the officer was just being mean. He was abusing his authority and threatening people, people whose cars were not blocking driveways, with the impounding of their vehicles.

Arbitrary and discriminatory abuse of power. Why are people mean to each other? What causes people to behave like that?

Is it fear? Low self-esteem? I want to know!

The world would be a much better place if people were not mean to each other.

link to larger version: Unmarked Police Squad Car