The People THERE

I do not always listen to the radio any more. I seldom watch television any more. I find I have a tendency to listen closely to the words and become caught in questioning the spoken message in contrast to the intended meaning of the message; sometimes I find myself unable to cope with the realization that an hour or more of my life was spent staring at images and inane yuckiness that failed to improve me or the way in which I interact with or exist in my life; nearly always I cycle through the necessities and responsibilities on my mental list, feeling guilty that I am failing to accomplish something that might actually be significant. Regardless, the result is the same—I end up annoyed and upset and apathetic and empathetic and tolerant and intolerant, seemingly simultaneously.

This time I was swept into the eye of the verbal hurricane—twirling in circles over a comment...perhaps out of context...by Professor Brinkley, “The people there deserve better.” Over and over and over I thought, “What does 'there' mean, what does 'deserve' mean, and what does 'better' mean?”

( âr) adv. 1. At or in that place: sit over there. 2. To, into, or toward that place: wouldn't go there again. 3. At that stage, moment, or point: Stop there before you make any more mistakes. 4. In that matter: I can't agree with him there. n. That place or point: stopped and went on from there.

In my mind, “there means “just not here”

(d-zûrv) To be worthy of; merit.

Does this mean a good thing that one "earns”?

(btr) adj. Comparative of good. 1. Greater in excellence or higher in quality. 2. More useful, suitable, or desirable: found a better way to go; a suit with a better fit than that one. 3. More highly skilled or adept: I am better at math than English. 4. Greater or larger: argued for the better part of an hour. 5. More advantageous or favorable; improved: a better chance of success. 6. Healthier or more fit than before: “The patient is better today.”

In the continuum of “good-ness” it appears that it is a relative reference to, “it could be worse.”

I am sure that any effort to assist those less fortunate than myself is good--I believe in Karma. My difficulty lies in the relative definition of those three words; that is—my definition, as compared to your definition may not match.

Once the Americans finally freed themselves from the oppression of Great Britain, their interpretation of freedom and individual rights prevailed—well, maybe, while the transplanted Europeans, now Americans moved across the country to seek their fortune and conquer the untamed, the Native Americans were slaughtered, their lifestyle destroyed, their land stolen and their culture obliterated. Forced into the equivalent of refugee camps named 'reservations' their heathen children were taught to speak 'American' and stop practicing pagan ceremonies. The people there deserved better.

The descendants of the original Americans who fought for personal sovereignty “owned” other human beings and forced them to live and work in social, cultural and physical conditions I find appalling today. Under the pretense of disagreement about states' rights, Americans went to war against each other in one of the longest (until the Iraq conflict) and definitely one of the bloodiest battles on record. The people there deserved better. World War I and World War II were “good wars”. After those conflicts, most Americans believed that US intentions in the world were noble--the US was the punisher of aggression and a warrior for freedom. This image was, for generations of Americans, the measure by which they judged their individual social philosophy and their support of the American government in world affairs. The war in Vietnam ended the patriotic illusion, by a great number of Americans, that America was always on the right (meaning “correct” or “the good guys”) side. Today, America's image as a defender of democracy and justice has been further eroded by the School of the Americas (SOA), which trains Latin American and Caribbean military officers and soldiers to subvert democracy and kill hope in their own countries. The American financed School of the Americas (SOA), renamed the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation," is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers, located at Fort Benning, Georgia. The SOA was founded in 1946 as the Latin American Ground School (LAGS), intended to prevent communism from spreading throughout Central and South America. Initially LAGS was structured to teach nation-building skills such as bridge-building, well-digging, food preparation, and equipment maintenance and repair. During the 1970s and 1980s many right-wing military dictatorships came to power throughout Latin America; many of their leaders had attended the school. Controversy continues since the SAO remains at the center of allegations of state terrorism by the US military. Hundreds have been killed by their own government militias, trained in the United States by the United States Military. The people there deserve better.

So how did I get to the SOA from a radio talk show about the devastation in Louisiana and how the people there (meaning in Louisiana, as opposed to Central New York, or Central America, for that matter) deserve better? Don't get me wrong, I am feeling as helpless as many of you with respect to the situation and the lack of support from the local, state, and federal entities—to those who have suffered at a lack of action and the bureaucracy. I am sorry for the family members who mourn for their lost loves; but in the end, what does it matter if I do not make an effort to take action? What does it matter to anyone in the world who suffers needlessly if I do not have the energy or intent or action to make a difference somewhere? I am, after all, only one person.

The people “not here” “earned” “something not worse”.