Laural's Dish

(OCCUPIED) LAURAL'S DISH

Laural is our dog, my dog. Everyone else heads off to school, "people like me and Laural" stay home. He's a fine companion, but you have to understand. If he's having a really good time he tries to bite you, me, anyone. Not hard, just…similarly, if you're scratching his belly real good, but then shift to his (apparently less preferable) ears, he'll growl at you. The irregular spelling of his name results from the time that Alexandra and I were mulling the possibilities, in a tunnel in Newton Abbot, when we came across the graffiti: Laura L is a dog.

Laural loves to eat more than any living being ever created, and he will eat absolutely anything. We've weaned him from rocks but he once tried to eat an unopened can of Carlsberg Export. surprise! So his dish frequently has unusual things in it, bits of this or that, absolute treasures that others might consider slightly unfit for human consumption, for whatever stupid reasons.

Beneath please find my literary reflection of Laural's Dish:

Laural's Dish comes out on Fridays, before lunch, usually.

LAURAL'S DISH IS ON SABBATICAL UNTIL NOVEMBER 12

7 October 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/from-jesus-socialism-to-capitalistic-christianity/2011/08/12/gIQAziaQBJ_blog.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews&fb_source=home_multiline

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that Jesus was a socialist. But he was certainly more of one than Obama! I'm quite willing to believe that Obama is a Christian, but as a president he's been a radical pro-Corporatist, just like every single one of his predecessors since at least 1980. And I, for one, believe very strongly that encouraging, promoting and even abiding the Corporate Oligarchy that increasingly calls every important shot in the United States of America (with the rest of the Western World following) is entirely at odds with Christian values.

Christianity-to me-is about Love, compassion, and helping those in need. It is NOT about Greed, manipulation, the kind of divisive politics that have allowed it to happen, or self-aggrandizement (mea culpa on that last one, but I'm working on it).

The historical Jesus was not a political man, though he did number several radicals amongst his disciples. He was not a status quo guy, faced with injustice.

It should also be emphasized that Jesus wasn't about politics, he was about values and the way that we relate to each other. I think that it would be disingenuous to point to the fact that the early Jesus movement was one of the most successful and long-lasting communities working along the lines of something approximating communism. But it's worth noting.

Jesus emphasized that His Kingdom was not of this world. Cornered by the contemporary version of our media hacks he simply suggested that we render unto Caesar whatever's his. He frustrated many of his most enthusiastic and loyal followers by showing no interest in throwing the Romans out of Jerusalem, though the Romans were certainly concerned enough about it.

Jesus was in His most exalted sense Spiritual Light. Politics (including the politics that led to Romans voting on what parts of spiritual writings comprised the "authentic" Bible) is a messier thing, very much of this world.

But social views are political, spiritual beliefs do have political implications. Let's start from the simple point that Jesus-in I think almost all of our views-wouldn't have approved of Hitler or Stalin. One need not to be overtly political in order to have profound political implications: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin were not overtly political in the sense of…say, MC5…but they more influenced us towards a more open, more free, society; one that could not be realized without profound social and political change.

Jesus' message is clearly more profound than all those bands put together, and it borders on schizophrenic delusion to pretend that it has no political implications. Our founding fathers-the major ones Deists rather than Christians-recognized this and emphasized the study and implementation of the great spiritual thinkers. Is America a Christian nation? Kind of. Would it benefit from greater attention to the ideals of Christ? I hope that's not a question.

(this is an endorsement of neither Mr. Colbert, nor his show, which I've never seen. But his statement happens to be directly on point)

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/07/politics/occupy-wall-street/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street

So the Question of the Week is whether Jesus would be occupying Wall Street. I doubt it, He had a more important mission. I don't know that any of the rest of us do. But I do believe that if he was currently living in New York he would make an appearance and bust out endless fishes and loaves for those who care about everyone, and He might even turn some water into wine if the weather gets cold.

To me the question has never been "What would Jesus do?" so much as "What would Jesus have me do?" Our roles are different: however self-centered and egomaniacal I have been/am (yes, I'm still working on this)…I never thought that I was the messiah, or had supernatural powers.

The messiah of the United States of America is, has to be-can only be-the American people. And I believe that the occupation of Wall Street is a move in the right direction; potentially a historic one.

Let's face it, it started out…not well. September 17 saw not the hundred thousand hoped for, but ten thousand or so. Not exactly enough to scare anyone, particularly in New York. Corporate news coverage mentioned the event, then showed comforting footage of corporate criminals sipping champagne from Wall Street balconies, looking down in disdain But the patriots weren't people who waved their signs and then went home. Like the Founding Fathers they understood that a minority can win (In 1776 American popular opinion was 33% for the Revolution, 33% for the occupying Brits and 33% who cares), and they stayed the course. Then the militant wing of Corporato (in this case the NYPD-though they are now offering ambiguous utterances-after all they're getting ripped off too-maced a of non-threatening group of already cordoned off women). And then someone had the brilliant idea of taking the Brooklyn Bridge, as Corporato's armed wing was doing such a good job defending the Stock Exchange. And hundreds were arrested, with the Mayor ordering city buses to haul them all off.

First major win! The bus drivers did it with the enthusiasm of slaves, and their union immediately sued the city, unequivocally declaring their support for the demonstrators. Suddenly, the unions are in! As of this morning supportive protests continue in New York, the nation's capital, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Portlands Oregon and Maine, Jersey City, Trenton, Seattle, Denver and Austin…Corporato mouthpiece FOX News has rather desperately taken to the air with the reassuring "news you can trust" that it's not spreading and it's all over (FOX News is Pravda, just that they don't think they can get away with as much). Hell, some of my friends are going to occupy Chimes Street, Baton Rouge this weekend (ok, all the cool people in Baton Rouge do anyway)…there's no banking institution but they're going to "occupy" the ATM machine!

The protesters are the 99% of Americans who have suffered in the Class War (1980-current). They are our true representatives; more than my congressman, more than my senators, and more than our president.

Every single presidential candidate should offer their support, and they fail to do so at great risk. Unfortunately most of the candidates are so beholden to Corporato (Romney, Perry…where'd they come from?), or scared of 'em (Obama, but considering his recent statements maybe not Biden…wouldn't that be something? The Vice-President challenging the President in the primaries…ain't gonna happen; Biden's just the designated guy to throw the dog a bone just in case).

If Ron Paul (who has issued statements supporting the Occupation) and Gary Johnson are serious about their political ideals-and I strongly believe that they both are-they have to support the occupations, and get down on the streets.

Hell, where's the fucking Tea Party when there's finally a point to them?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? Do they really believe that they've been ripped off by union representatives who live in their same neighborhoods, or are they gonna come clean….or sane anyway….and see that it's the guys and gals (overwhelmingly guys-glass ceiling is real, too) who leave their mansions to be flown to work by private helicopter where they take thousand dollar lunches whilst discussing the strongest spin/posture for their next bailout (the occupiers pay for this, I pay for this, you pay for this, the Tea Partyers pay for this)….before heading off to the club to laugh about it over a more expensive dinner, and then on to trophy wives or whores.*

*this is a character composite, but the reality includes facts that are worse

To date the Occupation of Wall Street has been brilliant, for its lack of any identifiable leader. But it can only succeed in being more than an early, failed revolution** if it gains critical mass. So far we've got Ron Paul, Bernie Sanders, Noam Chomsky, Willie Nelson, Russ Feingold, Cornel West, Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon and Naomi Klein. That's a lot of fucking brainpower. What we need…is you and me. I'm there.

**remember, even Fidel Castro failed to overthrow the capitalists the first time out his first try….he had to go find the 25 or so right guys to get it done. No, I don't believe that Jesus would endorse Castro's record on human rights

Ask not what Jesus is going to do for your country (while you sit on your ass). Get down there to the nearest occupation and offer what you got: moral support, veggie burgers, water or juice, hell I imagine a couple of 'em are persevering but wouldn't mind a shot of ten year old Scotch!

Peace!