Women’s Rights: Two Steps Away from Salem

When I was a young girl, I was never told I couldn’t accomplish my goals due to my gender. My grandmother was a “classical feminist”, she didn’t metaphorically burn bras or seek vengeance on behalf of her gender.  She was simply a female who sought independence (i.e.- economically, educationally and socially) from the societal expectations of her generation. I had two major female roles models in life and one strong male model, all of which formulated my characteristics, morals and ethics.

Gender was never directly associated with failing, nor was my hereditary background. Feminism was not a popular cocktail word as it has become now. Women’s rights are about equality, yet equality in a society that caters to males can be difficult. In more ways that women of any age, gender or ethnicity wish to confess. It’s trivialized, after women are often characterized as “Nuts or Sluts” in the public forum. We tread lightly already, more than we sense at times.

 After all, who wants to be that crazy bitch? She must be unattractive, man-hating and hold everyone to double standards. She must want to be treated better than men!  We gave you the right to own property, a bank account, and even vote! You must be a liberal, you must be a democrat, you must be…another label we can issue you. Because after all, these women should just be grateful we permit them to work in standards to their education, be grateful.

The double standard of my own childhood is although I was never taught that as a female I couldn’t achieve the highest standards, I was taught I was female in a man’s world and therefore I was an inevitable target.

Love's Baby Soft Fragrance Ad, Circa 1975.

Target for what, you may ask?  Harassment, sexual predators, the faceless fears that is cultivated with violence against women. All forms, that are ignored as simply crazy degenerates, gang violence to random mass shootings (all disregarded as generalized violence to domestic acts of terrorism), but is it addressed as a gender related crime?  It’s common sense in our world to teach all of our children to be safe, yet when I was young I felt this immense pressure to be cautious and be invisible around strangers.

The reality, this made me all the more a target. Make yourself small, quiet and untouchable (in some way) and the offenders will avoid you. The old joke about women traveling in packs to the bathroom? We are told from a young age that if we travel in groups we are less likely to be harassed, targeted, and/or kidnapped in numbers. So when you see girls carrying off to the restrooms, it's not because of you necessarily. It's not a get away to gossip or apply another layer of makeup, it's a mechanism that is taught to females from a young age to stick together for safety.

As I grew up, I discovered the warnings were unfortunately accurate. One was a family “friend” who attempted to get me into their RV one evening with the promises of a board game and candy. Something struck me off about this guy from the beginning, the way he kept looking at me and trying to hug me too much. The large red flag of attempting to isolate me from the other adults. This man paid way too much attention to my clothing, my hair and commented too much about how “beautiful of a little girl” I was.  But thank GOD I had my defenses up and avoided a horrific situation. I did not see ten-year-old me as beautiful or anything to that nature, I was a tomboy. I was quiet, imaginative and polite. Yet I was that girl that had short hair, climbed trees and played with Hot Wheels. I had no interest in boys or sex at that age. So when this older man began showing me attention like this in such an uncomfortable way. I was paying attention to the warnings provided with my gender.

I never did see that cool board game because it never existed. I told my grandmother immediately. She was keen to listen to my concerns, and kept him at a far distance from me during this family’s short visit.  That same evening, my grandmother asked him about the board game he promised. In surprised response, the man sputtered and admitted there was no board game in the RV- he had forgotten it wasn’t in there. She glared at him while he excused himself to his parked RV outside. Meanwhile, his wife made excuses for him and changed the subject. My grandmother looked over to me with a wink. Later I would find out my grandparents requested they leave immediately.

Even more enlightening to add to this story is, much later into my teens, it was found that this family friend molested his own grandchildren and friend’s children. People know when there is a child molester in the family, there are victims and clues which are OFTEN ignored. Even in our modern society.

As my childhood progressed there were other incidents of misconduct that arose. Whether through peers or adults. In these situations, I avoided telling anyone. In the end I knew it would be my word against theirs’ and there is a fabric of victim shaming I was well aware of. I despise the phrase “shaming”, it’s more than an internet Social Justice Warrior pundit. It is a dumbed down phrase to capitalize on the insecurity it stems from. It’s an identifiable characteristic of a that “sixteen-year-old drunk” we call societal acceptance.

I realized the empowerment of saying no and standing my ground, I didn’t need a space to do it. I made that space. Maybe I asked for it, putting myself there. I hardly believe a ten-year-old understood what a sexual predator’s objective was until it is blatantly obvious. What was I wearing someone may ask? I was a tomboy, you tell me. Here is the secret to the assholes who say women ask for it. Just having a pair of tits and a vagina is enough of an invitation for horrible things to befall you. Especially when your culture’s consciousness is that of unaccountability laced with embraced ignorance, it’s easy to blame. Clothing is HARDLY the reason for rape, ask the nation about its drunken state of entitlement and stop asking me about what I was wearing.

Just as notable: All females should know that we are under the reign of a drunken sixteen-year-old culture, that will blame everyone except itself. Therefore we have to take our own advocacy and that of our children into our own hands. Be responsible but be honest. Don't blame every man on the planet for entitlement, build bridges. Equality is more than social media, blogs and the entertainment industry wooing us with female leads in their feminist shit. Think outside the box, not within the parameters provided. Don't be an asshole, use common sense. We have enough assholes to fill Donald Trump's ego. 

Finally, into young adulthood, I was met with the reality. Gender was an underlining issue in workplaces, educational institutions, churches and life generally. I never had another rape scenario, yet I saw the harassment. Commentary that was passing, but exceptionally derogatory. The commentary was insulting at times in a workplace environment, these came from coworkers (not friends) or upper management- these were males in that context. Not women, although they too are just as unnecessarily vicious at times. Keep in mind I was single, a parent at the time. Now I am married, the comments have barely dwindled.

“You would look better in shorter skirts than those longer ones.” (Married with children, coworker)

“Smoking is really unattractive in women.” (Medical advice from the happy hour crowd)

“It’s easier to get laid as a woman, isn’t it?”  (Single, coworker)

“Wow, you are in a mood. Must be that time of the month, am I right?” (Single, coworker)

“Why are you single? Is it the whole you having a kid thing?” (Married with children, coworker)

“You know; this job isn’t cut out for single mothers. Maybe you should lower your standards.” (Management)

“______ is more of a team player. She knows how to network.” (Co-worker who sleeps around in the work place is promoted, Management.)

“Truthfully, most women are just meant to stay at this level. Otherwise it would be nothing but drama in the corporate offices. Better as a secretary.”  (Management)

“Why can’t you stay late? It’s not like you have a boyfriend to please.” (Management)

Yes, there were often the “smile more” comments. I really don’t want to quote those, because I’ve read it enough already. As if that is the worst of it.

Needless to say I was pretty surprised at the comments, but at the same time I rolled my eyes and responded with a corresponding zinger. None of which meant much due to the harassment source to begin with. I have always said things very directly. (So that there would be no mistaken approvals, God forbid.) Despite any deplorable comments, I would always smirk and respond accordingly. Except I did it with arsenic in my words and a tempered smile. You may not taste it right now, but give it time. There would be some hateful responses and even threats to my job at times, depending on the situation. I was supposed to smile, nod and keep going. Pretending that gender prejudice was of the past where it’s acknowledged more compellingly by our country as ancient practice.

The Invisible War: New Film Exposes Rape, Sexual Assault Epidemic in U.S. Military

I heard the recent news of how the U.S. Marines are permitting more women into combat roles, even going as far to make boot camp ranks/titles gender neutral. Although there are individuals arguing that this is plausibly a bad idea, they are marching forward in the sake of gender equality (arguably cosmetic in appearance). I wish I could support this decision at 100% face value as success, but I am just not there yet. The mere fact that sexual assaults and/or harassment had been historically covered up by the U.S. Military, should be a huge red flag that this isn’t a logical move. Promises are disposal, just as the statistics reflect below from 2014. (I am still waiting on 2015 statistics)

·         “160,500 service members (1 in 4 women, 1 in 14 men) faced severe and persistent sexual harassment or gender discrimination in 2014. For most, the harassment persisted for at least several months.”

·         “90% of assaults were in a military setting, mostly by a higher-ranking service member who knew the victim.”

·         “62% of women who reported a sexual assault faced retaliation. The majority of these women faced reprisal from superiors and commanders.”

·         “Harassment was often mishandled by the chain of command: 44% of victims were encouraged to drop the issue and 41% said the person to whom they reported took no action.”

·         “1,027,810 outpatient visits took place at the VA for Military Sexual Trauma (MST)-related care in 2013.”

·         “1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men veterans who used the VA in 2013 screened positive for MST.”

Statistics Retrieved from:  "Facts On United States Military Sexual Violence." Protect Our Defenders. 2015. Accessed January 26, 2016. http://protectourdefenders.com/downloads/Military_Sexual_Violence_Fact_Sheet_Final_150710.pdf.

Although this is a rough example of how gender is cosmetically approached it is not addressing the source of this underlining illusion. It’s that “drunken sixteen-year old mentality” that rages on the media, internet and cultural consciousness. As more men become fathers, I ask that you consider your own daughter’s well being. How is this world going to treat her? Will she ever be equal to a male counterpart? Answer to this is: she will be treated according to the directive of society.

"Target is in damage-control mode after receiving a series of complaints on social media about a "Trophy Wife" T-shirt that users are calling demeaning and sexist. (Target)" Washington Post, 2015.

How about work, will she work in a safe and reputable atmosphere, where her work ethic and merits flourish? If she is attractive she may get more interviews, if she is unattractive she may be overlooked often. Her appearance will judge the quality of her treatment, for better or for worse. Will she be able to work and care for her family without feeling like a failure? Can she balance her priorities to please her family, her employer and herself? Only time will tell, only economic changes will tell us…in the meantime there are challenges ahead.

Will she be subjected to harassment, assault or worse?

Survey says:

“91% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and 9% are male.”

“One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.”

“Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police. Only 12% of child sexual abuse is reported to the authorities.”

Statistics Retrieved from: "Statistics About Sexual Violence." National Sexual Violence Resource Center. 2015. Accessed January 27, 2016. http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications_nsvrc_factsheet_media-packet_statistics-about-sexual-violence_0.pdf.

It’s frightening to think of your daughter, sister, mother or friend being a victim. A silent victim which is objectified under the magnifying glass of social media, armchair detectives and spurious media stooges. The drunken society where we humiliate so many for speaking up, for asking for help or for seeking justice. Are there those women who have cried wolf before and misled our culture? I have no personal doubts of this. Absolutely true, as I have aforementioned in other articles... narcissism is the raging plague within our culture. Hell, this article is narcissistic to some degree as well. But that is another article, another time. I digress.

If we read the majority of remarks from media: some women are just crazy bitches, slutty whores and uneducated cunts. Cunt is such an ugly word, isn’t it? But bitch, whore, slut, princess, fat, skinny, ugly, useless, easy, loose- are just fine. It’s like the Wal-Mart of quality, bring your carts- everything is on sale. These words will be spouted the first time your daughter refuses the attentions of an overzealous boy, these words will be thrown into her face when she stands her ground and these same words are strewn across social media pages in an attempt to shut down men just as much as women. 

Bridget Bishop hanged as a witch at Salem in 1692. Briggs. Co. / George Eastman House / Getty Images

I am reminded of the hanging trees of Salem during the witch trials of 1692-1693. Modern women are still but a few steps from these metaphorical hanging trees, they never really escaped us. The Salem Witch trials ended only to a point, in longevity it continues. Under the surface where people disregard its’ existence. Yes, women can’t be flogged, stoned to death (in the U.S.) or even hung, nor can they be legally assaulted. But we can be tortured by attacking us in reputation, bullying – it is the new witch hunting.

She asked for it, she just wanted money, she put herself in that position, she shouldn’t had been alone.

What was she wearing when they raped her?

 I wonder if they asked that  question to the U.S. military members of sexual assault? Would it matter more or less?

The Confederate Flag – Ending the Debate, An Alternate View

Union Jack flying over bangor, Uk / Posted here for irony -- photo credit iker merodio 6/23/2009 Creative commons share license - no changes were made to this image
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ikermerodio/4673992149

 There’s been a lot of talk about the Confederate Flag following the shooting at the historical Emanuel AME church in South Carolina. Following the murders of 9 innocent Americans by Dylann Roof and the subsequent burning of nearly a dozen other black churches in the state, the country has begun to ask a long overdue question: What place, if any does the Confederate Flag and all it represents have in 21st Century America.

     The topics of racism and slavery have been covered widely across the Internet and traditional media, but forget about that for a moment. Because in the long run, it doesn't matter as much as this does.

     The Confederate Flag is a symbol representing The Confederate States of America, which was an entirely different country.  Flying an enemy country’s flag above a government building of its enemy represents one of two possibilities. The first is that the area flying the flag has been conquered by the enemy.  The second is that those flying the enemy’s flag on US territory are showing support for a foreign government. That second one, that is treason.

     How would people react after winning the Revolutionary War to flying the Union Jack above a United States government building? How would people feel if the flag of the USSR was flown above a US state house during the 80’s? Both are foreign countries. The USSR (and present day Russia) have been the enemy of the United States several times in the past.

     Why are they seen differently? Why do we continue to accept displaying and honoring the flag of a foreign enemy nation on our soil especially after that enemy country was defeated? There is no other conclusion to be drawn other than this is, at least in regard to government property, unacceptable.

     The time has come to retire the Confederate Flag to the halls of history and museums where it belongs. We should not be proud of this dark time in our history. We should study it and remember it, but we should stop honoring it. Yes, the Civil War is part of this country's history, but that doesn't mean it's a part that is to be honored.

     The Confederate flag is the symbol of an entirely different country. One that was a declared enemy of and was at war with the United States. Flying the flag of a country that wanted to overthrow this country's government is treason. Simple as that, no valid argument to be made otherwise. Now, that being said, if you want to wear this flag or display it on your property, by all means. First Amendment, free speech. Just don't for a second think that that same protection means you are free from criticism for your actions.

The Modern Civil War: This Isn’t the Flag You’re Looking For

I am sure many readers have heard about the South Carolina Church shooting. The perpetrating individual shot nine African American church members, after attending a group bible study with his victims. This has been presented (in his own words even) as an exceptionally unstable, young, fascist, white supremacist.

{PHOTOGRAPH} AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton

Which obviously he is, thus far it has been proven that this young 21 year old man has a personal vendetta with minorities. More specifically, the African American communities of the United States.  Jews, Hispanics and Asians are just a few of his most tolerated things; keeping in mind he believed they should be dehumanized to the fantasy like standards of what he believed was “acceptable”.

Recently the argument of removal of the Confederate Flag from use in South Carolina (in addition to other states such as Virginia, etc.) has been stirred. This modern icon of hatred and bigoted history should be shunned and thrown into a museum, according to the societal/cultural consensus and the age of technology.

Interestingly I have read several severely misconstrued interpretations as to where this flag came from and why. Keep in mind, this flag has blood ingrained into its seams. It has been declared the symbolism of the defeated South, those anti-abolitionists. Anti-establishment through and through.

{PHOTOGRAPH} This Confederate flag, which was captured at the Battle of Mine Creek, Kans., Oct. 24, 1864, sold at auction June 25, 2011, for $26,290. Heritage Auction Galleries (Dallas) sold the 35-by-50-inch wool flag accompanied by documentation and historical analysis. Photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries/ANTIQUE TRADER

It’s highly offensive to many because of its historical precedence. Many generations are educated to believe that ONLY the South had slaves and fought against the Union to preserve the horrific practice of slavery. This flag represents death, slavery and moral evils that only a Civil War could remedy.

Just as the Confederate flag has been painted as villainous, the American flag has been soaked in the blood of innumerable generations. There is always an ultimate reason for war; the wars of the greatest generation down to their parents/grandparent’s wars were considered admirable. We won, right?

When the Vietnam era came into fruition this flag saw the sense of anger and blood shed that didn’t even see the casualty numbers of the Great War’s (World War I: 320,710, not including MIA---Vietnam: 211,147). Arguably, the U.S. involvement in WWI only lasted two years, whereas with Vietnam it was from 1964 until 1975. The Vietnam War was a new form of war.

{illustrative} World War 1, PROPAGANDA Poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1917.

With the WWI, the process of soldier selection was on a volunteer basis. Men well into their 40s joined, which I found interesting. With Vietnam, a draft was instituted to gain the numbers necessary for the war. A war which would be seen as both a grave miscalculation by the U.S. and a travesty against the soldiers placed in harm’s way.

WWII causalities surpassed both WWI and Vietnam in causalities at 1,078,162. However, this war lasted from 1939 to 1945. The United States only became formally involved in WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. This led to a huge wave of Nationalism across the United States, thus drafting was unnecessary.

I believe with the loss of time, memory is often muddled. The glory of the “greatest generation” swept the country, thus when it was deemed necessary for the sons (and daughters) to defend the world against communism…we gladly accepted. Until it became clear this war would not be won, this wasn’t their parent’s war nor would it be a successful endeavor no matter how it is projected into a history book.

There was an already established campaign in Vietnam with the Soviet forces leading the way, China in tow.

“Fifty percent of all Soviet foreign aid went to North Vietnam between 1965 and 1968. Soviet anti-aircraft teams in North Vietnam brought down dozens of U.S. planes. According to former Soviet colonel Alexei Vinogradov, ‘The Americans knew only too well that Vietnamese planes of Soviet design were often flown by Soviet pilots.’”[1]

In addition, China was also heavily involved in North Vietnam.

“According to Beijing, between 1965 and 1973, there were 320,000 Chinese troops assigned to North Vietnam, with a maximum of 170,000 – roughly a third of the maximum number of U.S. forces – in the south at their peak.”[2]

This was a much weightier support system than the United States had full appreciated. But

{Photograph} The sun breaks through dense jungle foliage as South Vietnamese troops, joined by U.S. advisers, rest after a cold, damp and tense night of waiting in an ambush position for a Viet Cong attack that didn’t come, January 1965. (Horst Faas/AP).

Many young adults began to fight the system, angrily lashing out at a corrupted system. However, the outrage of being unheard by their government permitted a country to rebel on a much different level than it had ever done before.

The 60s were a time of great instability in the U.S. National consciousness. Our U.S. flag felt tainted and exploited by our own government who sent young, inexperienced men to die for the cause of stopping communism. Was this true? Doubtful that was EVER a reason. (See modern U.S. and China relations, modern U.S. and Russian Cold War)

When we focus on flags, we are basing it on a general consensus of opinion. Not necessarily on transparent history. A deepened sense of nationalism can be blinding and at best, politically manipulated.

Was Pearl Harbor an utterly surprise attack? NO.

Was 9/11 an utterly surprise attack? NO.

{illustrative} The cover of the 9/11 commission report

The bottom line is the sense of manipulation that cultivates itself within a fervid emotion of nationalism. People will kill, torture and justify all in the same breath. Thus history can portray it as necessary or even villainize those who question it.

What is the deal with the Civil War then?

So this argument is fundamentally layered in debatable content, none of which is worthy of this posting to begin with. But I feel it’s necessary to some extent. When you have one 21 year old piece of shit who deems himself the Messiah that can tear down a flag that so many men died under. It’s necessary in that meaning.

I'd like to make it clear, I'm not a Southern sympathizer. Both sides of my family tree fought for the Union and the Confederate (I would be interested to overhear those heavenly conversations).

Keep in mind that these same generations had previously fought in the Revolutionary war. Later these same surviving generations, fought in WWI, WWII, Korea and in some rare instances Vietnam. These men (and eventually fighting women) fought for our country. They had the right to fight to preserve it. Whether or not I agree with a war, I honor them for their service and courage to take on such a weight. Many were young men and women, doing what they believed was expected of them. Not necessarily always ethical nor moral. But it was expected of them under the duress of a sense of inescapable nationalism.

The Civil War casualties were staggering, this being the first step of introduction. “Roughly 2% of the population, an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty.”[3]

The reason for the Civil War (North vs South) was actually regarding “state sovereignty and the interpretation of the Tenth Amendment (ratified in 1791)”. 

A summary of the Tenth Amendment, for reference, is as follows:

“The Tenth Amendment helps to define the concept of federalism, the relationship between Federal and state governments. As Federal activity has increased, so too has the problem of reconciling state and national interests as they apply to the Federal powers to tax, to police, and to regulations such as wage and hour laws, disclosure of personal information in recordkeeping systems, and laws related to strip-mining.”[4]

{Photograph} President abraham Lincoln visiting Antietam.

The South desired less federal government involvement in their state affairs.

“The perceived threat to state autonomy became an existential one through the specific dispute over slavery. The issue was not slavery per se, but who decided whether slavery was acceptable, local institutions or a distant central government power. That distinction is not one of semantics: this question of local or federal control to permit or prohibit slavery as the country expanded west became increasingly acute in new states, eventually leading to that fateful artillery volley at Fort Sumter.”[5]

Now keep in mind, former President Abraham Lincoln had never had the intention of freeing slaves. We were well into the Civil War before it was even considered it (1862). After all, the North also had their slaves and forced indentured servants to consider.[6] But the overall argument of the Northern slave owners was of their humanitarian approach to how their slaves were treated versus that of the Southern states.

So basically their stance: Yes of course we are slave owners; he treat our slaves like bound family members. We eat dinner together after they were in the fields all day by our command! Therefore we are better people.

It’s still slavery; Human beings should be treated as human beings. In the end, slavery’s blood laid upon the hands of all slave holding white men. NO matter what part of the country they lived; North or South. NO matter their justifications; we are good people!

“It was not Abraham Lincoln who first pressed the US Congress to pass an amendment to the US Constitution outlawing slavery and involuntary servitude. It was abolitionists like the former slave Frederick Douglass and white feminists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, who fought both for freedom for blacks and, as leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, fought for the right to vote for white women.

{photograph} Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, ca. 1870s Copyprint. Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (112)

While Lincoln dithered and prevaricated, Stanton and Anthony sent women onto the streets of America to gather names for a petition to present to the Congress that would show that Americans wanted an amendment included in the Constitution ending slavery.

The petition read: ‘TO THE WOMEN OF THE REPUBLIC: We ask you to sign and circulate this petition for the ENTIRE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY… Go to the rich, the poor, the high, the low, the soldier, the civilian, the white, the black, gather up the names of all who hate slavery, all who love LIBERTY, and would have it the LAW of the land and lay them at the feet of Congress.’

Presented to Congress before the 13th amendment legislation was voted on, the petition played an important part in the law’s passing.”[7]

The critical piece to this puzzle is in Lincoln’s final issuance of the “Emancipation Proclamation”, which took effect on January 1, 1863.

Lincoln knew very well the South depended on the economic benefits of slavery, without slaves to their use, the confederacy would surely meet its demise.

In our school time textbooks the advantages of abolishing slavery would be summarized in this political correct order:

“First, there was the moral advantage. A proclamation would galvanize support for the war among Northern abolitionists.

The second advantage was economic.  The South’s economy was based on slavery. If enslaved people were freed and left their masters, it would deliver a severe blow to the South’s economy and ability to wage war.

{photograph} African American solider and family, circa 1863-65

Third, the freed slaves could be recruited into the Union army, to address the army’s need for more soldiers.”[8]

This move by Lincoln was a political one and a strategic maneuver. As much as we adore Lincoln historically and the good he did by issuing this proclamation, the final call was purely to end the Civil War’s reign.

Now speeding up to 2015, we have an outcry to remove the Confederate flag from state capitals across the Southern states. This symbolism of racial hate and injustice. I understand their exceptional pain at viewing the flag as a symbol of malicious and villainous hate. Never mind the idiocy of white supremacy groups and uneducated fucks who believe this flag represents Nazi-like traits of fascism.

I wanted to personally thank these groups for stomping on the blood and souls of our own country’s men, women and children who died during the South’s darkest days. Your ignorance is not unexpected, it is just pathetic. For exploiting the blood of those lost in the greatest loss of human life on American soil, I hope you answer for it at some point in your emptied lives.

All of it disgusts me, beyond words. This flag WAS NOT created by the Klu Klux Klan. The Confederate flag was used as a navy jack at sea from 1863 onward during the Civil War.

 To be more specific:

“This flag was first used in battle in December 1861. Being a new flag, different from the United States flag, it gained widespread acceptance and allegiance among the Confederate soldiers, and population in general. The flag is referred to as the Confederate battle flag, and as the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia.”[9]

{illustrative} Southern Lithograph Co., New York - the United States Library of Congress Prints and Photographs division,  digital ID cph.3a19879.

There is an array of disinformation running rampant across social media and main stream as to the history of this historic flag. This being said, I wanted to point out the history for the reader.

A sense of nationalism has been the reasoning for most of our wars. The young men of the Civil war left many without heirs, fathers, sons and husbands. The blood of these fallen soldiers is still entrenched within the society, cultures and heritages of many Americans to this day.

I can honestly say I do support removing the Confederate flags from the capitals. I believe that the time has come to remove this flag from the statehouses; Now that society is moving onward into a new chapter, we need to "reset" the societal consciousness. 

Yet I am quite aware of how painful this could be for Southerners. Not because these individuals are racists, but because they see this as their personal and state history. Just as I feel it is my history, my family’s history and of the nation’s history. The fight for state’s rights began with the Civil War at a horrific price. But apart from the deadly losses of the war, the first legislation to eliminate a horrific sin against African Americans began within it's wrath. 

 Despite the time that has passed, removal of the flag will not remove racism from the country. You cannot erase history and you would be a fool to have such an expectation. Removing this flag will not deter it’s usage but it will make a statement among the states that the symbol of perceived hate has been eliminated and it will not be endorsed. This does not eliminate prejudice, hate or violence.

It will not stop shootings of unarmed minorities, senseless murders and/or monopolized caste systems within the United States.

It will not stop white supremacists from manipulating it to their advantage. This will change very little in the end.

To the 21 year old Charleston shooter, you have exploited, murdered and stomped upon the innocent. Innocent, unarmed church goers. In a childish and misconceived attempt to be a man of ill-conceived honor, you have proven nothing.

However what this shooting has done, is that it has proven that our country has misguided attempts at eliminating symbols of perceived hate rather than addressing the legitimate sources of hate -legislatively or directly. 

On an additional notation of consideration, the withdrawal of the Confederate flag from retailers (such as Amazon, Ebay, Walmart, etc) will do nothing. This has escalated from a position of common sense legislation to a position of corruptible stupidity.  The flag has been labeled a symbol of hate, there are Federal laws that then eliminate it from purchase.

As this situation continues, Civil War monuments have been defaced in addition to demonstrators (AKA Protesters) calling for the removal of Thomas Jefferson's memorial. Really? Because if we remove a memorial it will eradicate or change the brutal history of the United States?

How about we focus on cultivating our own historical precedence? Learn from the horrors, understand the history that accompanies it and blaze some new trails. Teach those who dwell in the darkness that we are bigger than their concepts of what education and influence is. Nope, we are going to go online and bitch about how unfair our country's history is. Go ahead! Share disinformation across social media. In turn we will blame each other's race, gender, ethnicity and culture. Comment debates thereafter will spring into life. Demand that someone else fixes it and makes the world better on our behalf. That's easier, right?

Meanwhile, the shootings of unarmed African Americans will continue. The passive aggressive prejudices will run rampant. The outcry from the communities will also continue. Then with a sparkle in their eye, the politicians will focus on the easy venues of societal resolution. Like a flag. It's so much easier to divide and conquer people when they hate each other.

Sometimes I really hate politics.

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[1] Lind, Michael. "Why We Went to War in Vietnam." The American Legion. 2013. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://www.legion.org/magazine/213233/why-we-went-war-vietnam.

[2] Lind, Michael. "Why We Went to War in Vietnam." The American Legion. 2013. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://www.legion.org/magazine/213233/why-we-went-war-vietnam.

[3] "Civil War Casualties The Cost of War: Killed, Wounded, Captured, and Missing." Civil War Trust. 2014. Accessed June 22, 2015. http://www.civilwar.org/education/civil-war-casualties.html.

[4] "Tenth Amendment." Cornell University Law School. 2015. Accessed June 24, 2015. https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/tenth_amendment.

[5] Schweitzer, Jeff. "Slavery and the Civil War: Not What You Think." The Huffington Post. April 4, 2011. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-schweitzer/slavery-and-the-civil-war_b_849066.html.

[6] Harper, Douglas. "Slavery Denial." Slavery in the North. 2003. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://slavenorth.com/denial.htm.

[7] Goffe, Leslie. "Diaspora: Lincoln Did Not Free the Slaves." New African Magazine. March 19, 2013. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://newafricanmagazine.com/diaspora-lincoln-did-not-free-the-slaves/.

[8] Applestein Esq., Donald. "Did Lincoln Free the Slaves?" Constitution Daily. The National Constitution Center. September 22, 2011. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2011/09/did-lincoln-free-the-slaves/.

[9] "Confederate Flag." Son of the South. 2003-2014. Accessed June 24, 2015. http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/Confederate_Flag.htm.

Reliving Rome: The Desire for Control

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“A functioning police state needs no police.”

- William S. Burroughs, from his novel Naked Lunch (1959)

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Since the horrific events of September 11th, our lives have never been the same. The Patriot Act, The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) are two prime examples of what can happen with fear as a instigator. Fear can manipulate people into war, death and discrimination without much mind paid to the victims nor to the ramifications.

We have all heard of the horrors of the Patriot Act, the secret watch lists (No Fly Lists, wiretapping, etc.) by our own United States government or perhaps the detention and undue processing of potential terrorists (citizens or foreigners alike). Since the implementation and continuation of the Patriot Act and now the NDAA, the concerns of American citizens have been raised numerous times due to the speculative verbiage or generalized authorization these pieces of legislation have been granted.

The Patriot Act, one of the more publicly intrusive pieces of legislation instituted under the United States government, is pending expiration June 1, 2015.  Basically the NDAA, usually an unassuming piece of legislation, took what the Patriot Act yielded under the guise of safety and added further authorizations to silence the civil liberties groups/organizations and gather more control for their agenda.

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Figure 1: Carlson, Stuart. "Editorial Cartoon." GoComics. June 7, 2013. 

Taking a walk through history, I will try to break it down in brief as to how we have arrived at our current destination.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) had been a commonly used bill prior by the presidency and administration for simple defense spending measures, nothing out of context. However, the NDAA we see today was a collaboration of legislation, sections of executive orders acts and even outdated authorizations...neatly tidied into the hybrid we view today.

 However, The NDAA arose from subtle yet suspicious times in the United States. The Cold War.
The first relic from our legislative journey is the National Security Act of 1947, signed by former President Harry Truman. With the air of Cold War fear briskly sweeping the country, the legislation was willingly accepted as necessity for protect American interests. “The National Security Act of 1947 mandated a major reorganization of the foreign policy and military establishments of the U.S. Government. The act created many of the institutions that Presidents found useful when formulating and implementing foreign policy, including the National Security Council (NSC).”

In 1950, The Internal Security Act "(Also known as the McCarran Act or the Subversive Activities Control Act)...strengthened laws against espionage, allowed investigation and deportation of immigrants who were suspected of subversive activities or of promoting communism or fascism, and allowed the limitation of free speech for national security reasons" . Congress passed this legislation despite the veto of President Harry Truman. President Truman opposed this legislation due to its infringement on the Bill of Rights.  Later in 1996, portions of the Internal Security Act were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Now fast forward a bit and we find ourselves in 1981, under the Presidency of Ronald Reagan.

{photograph} Doug Mills, The New York Times, October 26, 2001. 

On December 4, 1981 Ronald Reagan signed into existence Executive Order 12333 (EO 12333). This bill was the official introduction of the United States spying apparatus, it’s reach-immeasurable and the consequences unimaginable. “It established broad new surveillance authorities for the intelligence community, outside the scope of public law.”

Let’s break down the metamorphosis of Executive Order 12333 and the amendments, additions that followed.
December 4, 1981- Ronald Reagan signs EO 12333. 
 Executive Order 12333: United States Intelligence Activities, “…the executive order authorizes collection of the content of communications, not just metadata, even for U.S. persons. Such persons cannot be individually targeted under 12333 without a court order. However, if the contents of a U.S. person’s communications are “incidentally” collected (an NSA term of art) in the course of a lawful overseas foreign intelligence investigation, then Section 2.3(c) of the executive order explicitly authorizes their retention. It does not require that the affected U.S. persons be suspected of wrongdoing and places no limits on the volume of communications by U.S. persons that may be collected and retained.”

January 23, 2003- EO 12333 is amended via Executive Order 13284 by former President George H.W. Bush.
“…in Part 3.4(f) by:
(a) striking ``and'' at the end of subpart 3.4(f)(6);
(b) striking the period and inserting ``; and'' at the end of subpart 3.4(f)(7); and
(c) adding a new subpart 3.4(f)(8) to read as follows: ``(8) Those elements of the Department of Homeland Security that are supervised by the Department's Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection through the Department's Assistant Secretary for Information Analysis, with the exception of those functions that involve no analysis of foreign intelligence information.''

August 27, 2004- EO I2333 is amended via Executive Order 13355 by former President George H.W. Bush.

Amended to "Strengthened Management of the Intelligence Community",  this amendment "...reflected the fact that the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) now existed as the head of the intelligence community, rather than the CIA which had previously served as the titular head of the IC. EO 13555 partially supplemented and superseded EO 12333."

July 30, 2008- EO 12333 is amended via Executive Order 13470 by former President George H.W. Bush.

Amended to supplement and supersede "...EO 12333 to strengthen the role of the Director of National Intelligence.” And also issued the United States government, intelligence and security unprecedented power over foreign and biasedly focused-domestic surveillance. Working hand in hand with executive orders, the U.S. Patriot Act and National Security...it was just the beginning.

With the strengthening of the surveillance apparatus, there was hardly a need for the "U.S. Patriot Act". No warrants required, not even the illusion of such. However, with the collaboration of the previous legislative processes, the birth of the new found NDAA took these orders into a new horizon.

In 2012, the NDAA took an aggressive and more elaborate turn thus gaining the glaring attention of civil rights organizations and groups.

The wording of these additions matches closely to that of the Patriot Act, formal Cold War legislations and the tailored executive orders of the past.  NDAA will not only continue but will be updated accordingly to silence any of the potential government deemed undesirables, protesters, or domestic terrorists out there.

Examples from the NDAA are below:

“Brings Indefinite Detention to the U.S. Itself: The bill now says that detainees may be brought to the United States for "detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force" (AUMF). In plain English, that means the policy of indefinite detention by the military, without charge or trial, could be carried out here at home. Right now, the number of people in the U.S. in military indefinite detention is zero. If the bill is enacted, that number could immediately jump to 100 or more.

Bolsters Claims of NDAA and AUMF Indefinite Detention Authority: The AUMF is the basis for the indefinite detention authority included in the NDAA that Congress passed nearly three years ago. Indefinite detention is wrong today and certainly cannot be sustained past the end of U.S. combat in the Afghan war. But passing a new Senate NDAA that relies on detention authority based on the AUMF, just as the U.S. combat role in the war is winding down, could be used by the government to bolster its claim that indefinite detention can just keep on going. Even when any actual U.S. combat is over.

Requires Report on Even More NDAA and AUMF Indefinite Detention Authority: As if the government didn't already have enough claims of indefinite detention authority, the Senate NDAA asks the administration to let Congress know what more indefinite detention authority it wants.

Tries to Strip Federal Courts of Ability to Decide Challenges to Harmful Conditions: In a stunning provision, the Senate NDAA tries to strip federal courts of their ability to "hear or consider" any challenge related to harmful treatment or conditions by detainees brought to the United States. This provision tries to gut our system of checks and balances by cutting out the courts.

Violates Supreme Court Decision by Stripping Habeas Rights from Detainees Left at Guantánamo: In a classic example of why it is never a good idea for a committee to legislate behind closed doors, the Senate NDAA includes language inadvertently stripping habeas rights from any Guantánamo detainee who is not moved to the United States. Habeas is the very fundamental protection of being able to have a judge decide whether it is legal or illegal to hold someone in prison. While this is almost certainly the product of sloppy drafting, the result squarely contradicts the Supreme Court's decision in Boumediene v. Bush, in which the Court said Guantanamo detainees have a constitutional right to habeas.

Blocks Most Cleared Detainees from Going Home: The Senate NDAA would block the transfer home of the vast majority of cleared detainees by imposing a blanket ban on transfers to Yemen, instead of continuing to allow the secretary of defense to make decisions on an individual basis. That would mean dozens of detainees cleared for transfer would remain trapped in limbo.”[1]

Figure 2: Anderson, Nick. "Nick Anderson's Editorial Cartoons." The Domestic Espionage Comics and Cartoons. May 14, 2006. Accessed April 17, 2015. http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/subject/The-Domestic Espionage-Comics-and-Cartoons.php

As we begin this journey into what a police state is and how is it that our beautiful country has fallen to the quickening of a plagued nation of fear, we will understand ourselves and that of our own future. It will upset people, it may even anger people. Often I hear the callous words of ill-informed people, cloaked in optimistic ignorance or perhaps it’s more of an embraced ignorance of living in fantasy.

“Well, if you aren't guilty you have nothing to worry about!”

“You’re just paranoid!”

These bills have allowed our government to override our constitutional rights, no trial and the assumption of guilt without need for any hearing. You can be incarnated without any due process, and you can be cut off from the world without any rights what so ever. And guess what, John Doe?

You don’t have to be a Middle Eastern evil do-er! You can be an American citizen, you can be an immigrant…you can be anyone and there would be nothing your lawyer could do for you.

There is so much disinformation out there on the internet, but a few years back I ran across a FEMA training video. Without much follow up as to the actual source I considered it alarming at the time but variable as to its legitimate source.

However recently more and more information has been leaked out through the media validating this footage (taken in 2001) but for now the evil is of course being used in the attacking of President Obama, this is an oversight and a political game. This bull has been going on slowly and progressively and it is not necessarily completely tied to ONE administration. In the above linked video, the comment of interest is regarding our founding fathers, in which the trainer empathizes that our founding fathers would be considered and are considered domestic terrorists. That comment really chills the blood. Never mind their ambitions, or why…they are a threat.

Now focusing on the training manual that continually is brought up in the media today:

{Illustration} Royalty free image

“A Department of Defense training manual obtained by a conservative watchdog group pointed to the original American colonists as examples of an extremist movement, comments that have sparked fear of a broader crackdown on dissent in America. The training manual provides information that describes, among other things, ‘common themes in extremist ideologies.’

The first paragraph of the section entitled ‘Extremist Ideologies’ opens with a statement that has drawn heated criticism: “In US history, there are many examples of extremist ideologies and movements. The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule and the Confederate states who sought to secede from the Northern states are just two examples.”[2]

With their definition of what a domestic terrorist is, it displays a truthful view on how patriots are portrayed in a manual. Those who resist government tyranny are the threat, and this was well before the events of September 11th.

Numerous whistle blowers have attempted to warn the American people of the abuse in power and of the exploitation of American civil liberties, all of which has fallen on deaf or manipulated ears. Snowden was simply the most criticized voice, there were many before him all of which have paid dearly for their sacrifices.

Imagine this: You could simply say something out of context online or over the phone and automatically you could be seen as a domestic terrorist. Calls tapped, internet monitored and flights delayed if not cancelled. The definition of such has been blurred by the media, the government and the state of tyrannical fear we allow ourselves to nourish on. 

It’s time to wake up, study and listen to one another. Few will listen, but at the very least it can be objectively discussed and researched by those willing and open enough to hear the voices of our past and present.

Reflecting back to the quote from Mr. William S. Burroughs, fore mentioned at the beginning of this article. “A functioning police state needs no police.” What does he mean? The disturbing truth is, with fear and forms of societal manipulation, there is no need for the police because the citizens begin to police one another. This is what a police states’ goal is, a society with no need for legitimate threats just the propaganda of fear and the formulated fuel of hatred. I am not the only person who has taken notice, just as recently Author Stephen King reflected, “Our world is starting to look like Orwell’s 1984”.

The audience remained unsettled, yet the band played on…

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Recomended Viewing Material, Regarding The National Security Agency

PBS Frontline: United States of Secrets- Part One (2014)

PBS Frontline: United States of Secrets- Part Two (2014)

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[1] "Blog of Rights: NDAA." American Civil Liberties Union. 2012. Accessed April 11, 2015. https://www.aclu.org/blog/tag/ndaa.

[2] Bridge, Robert. "DoD Training Manual Suggests Founding Fathers Followed 'extremist Ideology'" RT USA. August 25, 2013. Accessed April 10, 2015. http://rt.com/usa/us-military-extremism-terrorism-right-963/.

Why I Do This - Meet the Editor

    Flash back to the second Clinton Administration, around mid-1997.  I was what many today would call a Libertarian. I watched FOX News. I believed in "getting the government out of the way". Taxes were theft and regulation an unnecessary and expensive burden on private enterprise.  Companies could do anything better than the government without a doubt. Clinton was a terrible President and Reagan had been a great one. Naiveté was my forte.

    That all changed during the first George W Bush Administration.  My eyes were opened to the amount of misinformation that is out there. Half-truths and outright lies being used to keep the average person voting against their better interest. Watching our leaders lie us into a budget-busting and wholly unnecessary war to complete an agenda was a stomach turning mind opening experience.

    I was complicit in this charade because I bought into the lies. I voted for George W Bush both times. In 2000 it was because I felt that Al Gore could be trusted less.  In 2004 it was because it felt like "Better the devil you know" was the best option.  John Kerry seemed like a weak candidate with no backbone and no principles.  Looking back I realize that this viewpoint, at least in the 2000 election was potentially colored by my flawed perceptions.

    During this time I learned that one of the biggest and probably one of the most dangerous issues facing our great nation is the false information campaign that has been carried out for far too long. One that was kicked into high gear in the past 35 years with the goal of undoing the greatest accomplishments of the 20th Century and almost every single step of progress we have made as a country in our history.

    Government has been painted as the enemy by the very people we're electing to serve in it.  We continue to repeat the cycle of electing leaders who only serve to enrich themselves and erode the protections the government is meant to provide and the programs that have been built to serve the common good, interest and general welfare of the average citizen.  We have come to accept that the government is an amorphous entity to be feared rather than the truth.

    That truth is that the government as it was built by our Founding Fathers (men far smarter than many many of us, myself included) is not a disembodied phantom that is out to oppress us.  No, in fact WE are the government. Each and every one of us. Each citizen. Each voter. Politicians are tools that are meant to serve our will, not their own and not that of the few.

{image of painting} Trumbull, John, "Declaration of Independence", 1818, oil on canvas, U.S. Capital, United States of America. 

     I've had no formal education in journalism, or government, or Constitutional law. I am but an ordinary citizen as many of you who will read this are.  However, that both doesn't matter and is entirely the point.  The Internet presents an unprecedented chance to learn if you open your eyes. To engage, lead and inspire if you make an effort.

    So with this site, I have gathered a handful of like minded individuals to present not a blog but an Internet magazine of sorts.  To present fact-based journalistic writings to help do our part to overcome the mountain of lies that exists out there. It is a personal mission to help as many as I can see that we can be better and do better for ourselves and for each other when it comes to our government and our politics.

    We no longer need to be divided, we never needed to be.  The divisions are false, manufactured and intended to keep us distracted so that those that convince us to elect them can continue to make money off of our ignorance and disinterest.  I know many will remain blind and not accept the facts. Realizing you have been snowed, admitting you have been wrong is a most difficult task. Yet we must. For ourselves, for each other, for our future. Hopefully the ones that we do reach will be able to pay it forward, to go and do their part to help spread the message. The truth is powerful. The truth is freedom. The truth will overcome.

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Image References

"Image of Secretary of State John Kerry" United States Department of State, Public Domain, http://www.state.gov/secretary/photo/index.htm

"Presidential Portraits, Presidents Ronald Reagan George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore",  Executive Office of the President of the United States, Public Domain, https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/Presidents

Trumbull, John, "Declaration of Independence" 1818; placed 1826, Rotunda, U.S. Capital, oil on canvas, Architect of the Capital: Explore Capital Hill, http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/historic-rotunda-paintings/declaration-independence

Fabricated Echolalia: Abuses of a broken system

In part one, I elaborated on my background and former (to current) experiences as a parent. I also feel it’s necessary to discuss the deceptive practices of some elected parents within the Autism communities. This is not a witch hunt, it is simply some observations from my experiences with narcissistic parents. Many parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children struggle with the societal ignorances and prejudices that make our lives a cluster frock of a nightmare. (I.E. Flying with your ASD child can be nerve-wracking for some parents, while with others it has been simply frustrating.)

There is a weight that every parent carries to begin with, you want what is best for your children and their development. If you’re an exceptional parent you want to provide every opportunity, come hell or high water. This is what ASD parents have in common with the neurotypical parent.

We all want what is best for our kids.

The difference between neurotypical vs non-neurotypical children is the necessity of services, therapies and assistance required for the success of a non-neurotypical child. There is an endless need in some cases. But just as this additional attention is necessary, there is also a need for honesty. The amount of positive or negative attention having a child with special needs may bring can be overwhelming. Thankfully, I am already a people person. Otherwise this process would be painful, however it has had its ups’ and downs’.

Carefully I yielded back from the autism community, only reading the occasional postings on social media, articles or events being held. I made note of a small handful of people, usually mothers, who consistently post “GoFundMe” requests, invitations to special paid events for autistic kids. This perked at the red flags often associated with snake oil salesmen. So I observed and read for many months. I still remained somewhat off the online social radar, I couldn't completely place it but something was…off.

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Tantrums Versus Meltdowns {Illustrative} Autism Daddy, 2015.

My form of parenting, even with my young son, is almost identical to my parenting of my oldest son. I conform to my son’s “mental age” as opposed to his physical age. (I.e. My son was five when he was diagnosed but his mental age was 2 years old- now two years later he is at a three year old mental level with interventions). I discipline as necessary, not excessively. We push him when we can, yield back when we need. This is called picking our battles.

Needless to say, we have read plenty of literature about autism and discipline. But in the end, you have to utilize common sense and not simply excuse ALL poor behavior as acceptable. They know when they are pushing the buck, all you need to do is give them the “mom look” and stay consistent on your follow up to poor behavior. (Such as lying or hitting their siblings). 

When ASD kids are in the middle of an actual meltdown or real moment of disconnection (whether from the fight or flight mode resulting from too much stimulation or simply a bad day) you must separate them from the situation and provide a quiet place for them to detox. Our son opts for his room, minus any visitors. He has his time with his straw collection, angry birds or Mario karts, and boom...after an hour or two he is back on track.

{Illustrative} Autism with a side of fries.

This seems simplistic, it can be sometimes. Keep in mind that what may work today, may not work tomorrow. That’s where - the crazy mornings, phone calls from the school midday and random acts of your kid streaking naked occur.  

I digress, there are some really wonderful resources in the online autism community that have been a God-send. However, it was what I was able to connect to the real world offline that upset me.

To take a moment here and step back. I acknowledge legitimately that many parents in the past (even now) have been accused of Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy (MSBP) when their children have Autism. The important aspect to this is the involvement of professional doctors, therapists and advocates. An accredited diagnosis by a University and additional screenings by specialists of said field. Keep in mind, these are the avenues of defense for assistance, referral and waivers for not just the children but for their families. That's the climate we live in. 

Historically the medical institutions blamed mothers for the lack of warmth their children displayed and any resulting behavioral issues were of her doing. Also referred to as "refrigerator mothers".  Women...the punching bag of pablum. Thanks, I appreciate the medical legacy of standards.

Recently an incident stirred such anger in me, all I could do was curse. Perhaps you are familiar with this form of rage induced anger. The form of intense anger where you create new curse words and flourishing expressions that would make even the most brutal dictator blush. However, I have elected NOT to share the full story but instead point out common sense flags of situations I've encountered from parents, administrators to underscored therapists. Please keep in mind I will be referencing parents who claim their children are autistic but seek no treatments, therapies or assistance. They just cling to the title to permit unwarranted allowances. Yeah, we all know someone. Moving on: We need a list outlining when there is a problem within the community. Common sense red flags that should be noted and reflected on. Rules of engagement, if you will.  I am tired, it's late and I am bitching on the internet...Let's do this.

COMMON SENSE RED FLAGS IN THE AUTISM COMMUNITY

Red Flag #1 : A parent's Inflated sense of entitlement, ego, judgement and/or importance (unmerited or merited). Be humble, I know it's not trendy but it's more genuinely respected. 

{illustrative]

Red Flag #2: Attention-Seeking for the petty sake of an audiences' sympathy. (Good or Bad-attention is still attention) 

Red Flag #3: Your child is special just like everyone else's child. Your child is not a special snowflake, nor are you. Their needs are unique, difficult at times but that does not institute a free pass in life. Life is cruel, life is real. Our jobs are to prepare our children for a difficult world. No matter how long it may take to get there. 

Red Flag #4: Autism does not cause a marriage to fall apart, having a fucked up marriage to begin with does. Calling that for what it is, Autism Speaks. You fucking idiots.

Red Flag #5: Showcasing your accomplishments through your child is self-serving. Go to therapy, for yourself. PLEASE.

Red Flag #6: Living vicariously through your children will lead them to health problems, behavioral problems or suicide. STOP IT.

Red Flag #7: Autism is not an excuse to be a victim, it is not an excuse for your child to harm others and it is not a crutch to avoiding moral consequences for poor decisions in parenting. Go to parenting classes, get some counseling or simply read a damn book. You apologize for the rough days your child has, you take accountability for the hurt feelings they may cause. Yes, they cannot always help it. However, you can work with your child to help them understand what hurts others. They are capable, but you have to remain consistent.

Red Flag #8: Every form of Autism is different, thus the word "Spectrum". As a parent you know your child best, however it does NOT make you an expert on every form of Autism. The title of "asshole" can be bestowed upon you at any given time.

Red Flag #9: You are not the voice of Autism, you are one of the voices. ("One of" references a group.) I did not elect a fucking president of Autism. 

Red Flag #10: Victimizing or Villainizing other ASD parents doesn't help the cause. It merely adds to the pablum in the community. We have enough to worry about, so move along. Nothing to see here.

Red Flag #11: If your child does not have Autism, no medically accredited diagnosis but instead a parental "self diagnosis",  STOP IT.

{ILLUSTRATIVE]

Red Flag #12:  Don't exploit your child for the purposes of money, fame or showboating.

Red Flag #13: I don't care if you are Republican or Democrat, I don't care who your professional or personal associations are. If you think I must choose a side politically to make a difference in the community, that's adorable.

Red Flag #14: Not all parents of Autistic children are bad parents, there are bad parents generally. However, the illusions are either exceptionally left- "Oh, you're a strong parent, a great parent...because you have a special needs child." or exceptionally right- "You don't know how to parent at all!" My answer- There are crappy parents and there are fantastic parents, that's just life. Sometimes we land in the middle and you know what? That's okay, there isn't a perfect rule book. But there is this thing called common sense.

Red Flag #15: Staying active in your child's educational career is vital to their success, which means parents go without if necessary to accommodate their child's needs. I'm pretty sure they call this parenting, I don't suffer for these sacrifices I suffer for the pain autism causes my child. There are the parents who have the illusion that they can have it all and everything will turn out fine. But there are sacrifices we must make as parents. Everyone has different abilities, options and supports. We cannot expect anyone to pick up what we fail to do. That's life. Snowflakes need not apply.

Red Flag #16: Hardships are common on the therapy road, don't tell me how medication has fixed all of your child's problems. Fixed is a variable term, it is also an illusion in ever changing climate. I have to say this, medication is not a cure it is a Band-Aid to a broken arm.

Red Flag #17: Articles, Journals, Publications are all great! However, what the hell are we doing? Yes, I have read that medical story about enzymes and autism. Yes, I have read that CNN expose on the rise of autism. Now that we are all educated about the crisis, what do we do now?

Oh... Well, I guess I will go bitch on the internet.

Red Flag #18:  STOP ASKING ASD PARENTS STUPID QUESTIONS.  

"No, I wouldn't change my mind about having my son if I knew he was going to be autistic."  Oh, God. Here we go.

"As a personal choice, I don't support abortion."  

"No, I am pro-choice." I said choice, right? Why can't I make my damn decision?

"Yes, I do love my son as I do my other children." This isn't 'Rain Man'.

"Of course they love their brother." What? 

"Yes, I believe we should find a cure or at least preventive measures." Because my son suffers. That's why.

"Yes,  Neuro Diversity is a wonderful thing, I accept my son for who he is. However, I believe in finding answers and solutions." Because I love my son.

Question of Rebuttal: Do you always ask asshole questions or is today special? 

Red Flag #19: We appreciate your concern for ASD children. However, do NOT pretend to be an accredited expert. Do NOT pretend to be a M.D. with a certificate from Doc McStuffins Academy. Accredited educational/medical support is always appreciated. The peanut gallery commentary, go to social media and dance all you want.

Red Flag #20: Life is complicated enough without assholes, try not to be one.

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Coming from the position of a parent, of a ASD child (see previous posting for that information), I am hurt often by this sense of ignorance. The good intentions of others are always appreciated, but often they are overshadowed by the those running around waving their little flags of idiocy . I often do say something to these individuals, only to hear a rebuttal of embracing neurodiversity. I could rant all day, but in the end I can only voice my opinions on it and move on. Hoping that it broadens the minds of those who simply accept what they are hearing as truth. When it is far from it. Not everything is black and white, I wish it were in some ways but realistically that's not how the world works.

There are plenty of parents who work to better their ASD children, but unfortunately due to poor publicity and highly funded groups...parents are either villainized or victimized. So, as a brief overview here. 

{ILLUSTRATIVE]

THERE IS NO EXCUSE to harm yourself or your children.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE to blame the parents every time.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE to ignore real parents of ASD from the asshole ones.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE that money solves everything.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE that autism continues to be downplayed in it's level of crisis.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE that resources are unavailable, limited  or cut from funding in the United States.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE that there is no cure. And only money to be made.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE to dismiss the threat of autism to you or your family.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE that parents feel they must silently suffer while others take advantage of an already BROKEN SYSTEM.

I am sick of the excuses, the politics and the propaganda of Autism awareness and societal standards lying in welcomed ignorance. Sure, I could wear a little ribbon and spend the rest of my life (and my son's life) advocating. But in the end, I demand it and I will change it. One person at a time. When it comes to those authentically seeking to gain unwarranted attention for their parental "self diagnosed" autistic child, you assholes make the rest of us pay a heavy price. Parent your children and try some self help books. 

Is that politically correct? 

No?

Good, and if you don't like it- fuck yourselves twice.

Fabricated Echolalia: An Autism Perspective

{illustrative} Clip Art

The story of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be disorientating and strenuous in a society where the rapid rates of diagnosis have sky rocketed in the last ten years alone. Currently the U.S. Centers for Disease Control “…estimates that about 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).”[1] (Please consider these are based on studies conducted in 2010) This neurological disorder is unbiased to “…racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is almost five times more common among boys than among girls”[2]

For the reader unfamiliar with ASD, here is a more unique breakdown of Autism. “…autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is driven by ‘Autism Plus’. Autism Plus refers to autism with comorbidities (including intellectual developmental disorder, language disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), and this is what is now being diagnosed by clinicians as ASD.”[3]

The key here is of these comorbidities, or the additional disorders.. Where these disabilities can be diagnosed separately without autism necessarily being the driving factor. As an example, Attention Deficit Disorder can diagnosed without a child being autistic. “Autism affects more male than female individuals, and comorbidity is common (>70% have concurrent conditions).”[4]

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As a parent of an ASD child, I have heard the validated argument that Autism Spectrum Disorder is simply overly diagnosed. However, I would argue that even if autism is being overly diagnosed, the underlining conditions (such as a language disorder, intellectual developmental disorder, etc.) are more of the concern.

Specifically because these underlining conditions are the reason for the parental red flags resulting in a doctor's appointment. (i.e. Timmy cannot verbalize pain, he only points occasionally to objects. Or Annie won't make eye contact or play with other children.) The timing of these observations (red flags) also have an impact.

From older readings, It became clear that both autism and autism spectrum disorder are blanket terms but are the same. Varying in the past ONLY by when the child was officially diagnosed. As an example, a child over the age of 3 was termed ASD. While a child diagnosed before the age of 3 was termed autistic. (Old school medically journal observations here) But in all seriousness, ASD and Autism are the same with only varied conditions.

Also to address a recent change to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition-2012), which directly effects the Asperger classification. In 2012, the DSM was updated compiling autism and  Asperger disorder together under the identifying label of "Autism Spectrum Disorder". This is both a generalization and a removal of sensitivity to the disorders. (In my humble, non-PhD opinion) "Merging Asperger disorder (and PDD-NOS) into autism spectrum disorder results in loss of identity and ignores uniqueness of Asperger dx." Arguably I should suggest this is also why the diagnosis of autism has significantly risen with this change in diagnostic language, but again without a complete picture of these findings it is merely an educated guess.

But for now, allow me to set aside these statistics and medical entries to the the meat of the topic.

{illustrative} yale news, © 2015, Yale University

As the reader, I am sure you know of someone who loves attention. Negative or positive, it is still attention. There is an addiction to “showboating”. Well, when a child is diagnosed with ASD (or any disability) there is a supportive flood of friends, family, strangers, therapists, administrators and/or organizations who are made available to you. You can post “Autism Awareness” images all over social media, tweet motivational quotes with hash-tags (i.e.- #ourchildrenareprecious #yourchild'snamehere), gain sympathy/empathy in many avenues merely by the comment that your child is autistic. Without argument, I avoid posting much of this at all. Not because I am ashamed of my special needs child, but because I am too damn overwhelmed with helping my child to spend my free time blasting bullshit all over social media.

Being the parent of an autistic child it can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is how much I adore my son and that deep seeded ambition I have as a mother to pillage the enemy without remorse. (It's a good time.) The curse, well we will address that shortly. I am closely active in my son’s school and therapies. However, there is always a part of me that feels inadequate and incapable. (But this could be applied to any interactive parent, right?)

I love our supporters, but I can still feel isolated at times. I am constantly hearing comments such as, “Well, he looks so normal.”, “But he is so cute!” It takes everything within me not to scream “DID YOU EXPECT HORNS AND A TAIL?”

At other times, I hear comments about his erratic behavior or anti-social traits. My son lacks social qualms such as saying goodbye to a friend or recognizing when he hurts someone's feelings. My son has few close friends, with a detachment policy that causes hurt feelings unintentionally. I have dried more than a few tears and put out more than a few social fires. My brain sighs with relief when I can help curb the rougher days. At night, I find myself writing and avoiding the social media circuit of opinions.  The truth is: our family lives this every day.

For context, I also wanted to provide my experience of what it was like to hear the words “Your son has Autism Spectrum Disorder” and the events thereafter that changed my family's perspective on this disorder.

Before my son was diagnosed, several proceeding events took place that horrified me and kept me up at night. The first incident was my son wandered from our home during the day, while I was using the bathroom. My son (age 4 at the time) and daughter (age 3 at the time) were playing in the living room, safe enough. The doors were locked and they were heavily engaged in playtime. So I went to the bathroom, as I usually do. When I came back into the living room, he was missing. I searched the house casually at first, assuming my son was hiding in play mode. But inevitably it turned into frantic fear. No response from my son. I checked the door, it was locked. I still went outside and began calling for him, 15 minutes of bare-footed walking around our property in borderline hysteria.

Thoughts flew through my head, I am terrible mother, I’m so stupid. This is all my fault, what do I tell C.S.I.?

Finally after calling my husband at work, employing the help of my landlord- we spotted my nearly naked son frolicking in the nearby arroyo. My son was within ear shot of me, he simply did not respond to his name. He was completely unaware of self-preservation (see the photos of an arroyo) and uncertain as to why I was upset. There was a clear detachment in his demeanor.

I cried, my guilt was endless and the burden of this guilt translated into isolation. I am horrible parent, how could I not known he snuck outside? How did he get out there?

From this day on, our home was Fort Knox. And to this day, it continues to be.

Within a month we met with his primary care physician, who referred us to a behaviorist for mental health screening. The suspicion was autism. The behaviorist then referred us to a specialized psychologist for more intensive screening, she felt he had some classic symptoms.

The months that followed he began his first year in elementary school, we immediately met with his Kindergarten teacher. We asked that he be screened for IEP (Individual Educational Plan) intervention. Our concerns at this point were his language delay (he could barely construct sentences), his behavior (wandering, detachment to his name, relationships with other children, meltdowns, etc.) and the general concern that something was wrong.

As we waited for the appointment with his psychologist (screening for autism), two months passed into October. The school was familiar with my son’s issues and had advised their attending teachers and additional staff that he is to be kept an eye on. Well, unfortunately on this particular day things went terribly wrong.

"7 Tracking Devices to Find a Lost Child with Autism" {illustrative} friendship circle, 2014

After the dismissal of lunch recess, my son was told by assistant teachers to follow the students back into the classroom. Being of the mindset of a wanderer, he followed the other children only half way. It is assumed he exited out a side door of the school, where he walked from the elementary school to the two lane highway tucked not too far from the property. My son began to walk, oblivious to his safety, along the semi-busy highway.

I will testify that God was there for my son in this instance, because two hikers walking along this rural highway spotted my son trekking along the roadside. They escorted him back to the school, unaware my son has no concept of self-preservation. Staff searching in the parking lot spotted the two hikers bringing my son back to the school.

The time I was told he was “missing” was 15 minutes, I will argue that he was missing 25 minutes based on the distance trekked and his age at the time of the incident. Needless to say as his parents, we were both absolutely horrified but we were reassured it would be handled properly and seriously by the school.

ABA Therapy {illustrative} Autism Speaks, 2015.

By the end of the year, on the day of my birthday, we finally received the official diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder for our son. Truth be told, I mourned. I mourned because I couldn't keep him safe from this disorder. My son stood before me, kind hearted and animated. A young mind so innocent, yet so complex.

We protect our children from danger at all times, but with this experience I couldn't take away the anxiety and fears he felt. There was no magic pill or remedy. This is a neurological disorder and I began to recall the horrors of my grandfather's trials with Alzheimer's disease. The wandering  so similar to my son's and sadness he underwent well into his final years of life. Both being so different yet so similar in it's behaviors. I mourned, in a isolation I cannot verbalize as a mother.

The quest for therapy began shortly after the official diagnosis, with waiting lists as far out as two to five years (depending on the resource). Applied Behavior Analysis (or ABA) was not provided to children over the age of 5. (And as of 2015, is still not available in our state) My son unfortunately was not eligible because his birthday was too close to start this therapy. As a reference to the reader, “ABA is the only FDA approved treatment for autism.  ABA encourages positive behaviors and discourages negative behaviors. In addition, ABA teaches new skills and applies those skills to new situations.”

As an additional narrative to ABA, although there has been a push to allow ABA for children over the age of 5 with the proper funding (because Autism doesn't go away at 5 years old) many states have elected not to support these necessary programs. Thus cutting mental, behavioral health programs exceedingly. The message this sends to those with disabilities reliant on these services is black and white: you do not matter. Or better yet, when it comes to our children and mental health:

No child left behind only applies to the neurotypical child.

It would be a year later before we would acquire a formal university panel review for our son,  he would be again diagnosed as a classic autistic, severe. With a language disorder as an added bonus to our combo meal. The necessity of acquiring this full panel assessment for our son was to secure services and resources in any state we moved to. Because a university diagnosis holds more water than a private psychologist or specialist.

 Appending these assessments and necessary therapies, we also had our son screened (by referral) a neurologist. Our son had developed a common issue with headaches from as early as four years old, however they grew in intensity after the age of five. Commonly these headaches escalated into full blow migraines (dark room, no noise, painful kinds). A little understood fact here is that epilepsy and Landau-Kleffner Syndrome may be a concern for some children with autism. Just as the fore-mentioned comorbidities. these illnesses can be identified with or without the presence of autism.

Treating Anxiety and Obsessions: Nothing to Fear but Fear itself? {illustrative} autism center of pittsburgh, 2015.

Interestingly, "Studies suggest that 15 to 30 percent of individuals with autism also have epilepsy" So, understandably, we are still concerned. Because there is no promise that your ASD child won't develop epilepsy, it's a 50/50 situation. What you are reading in journals and studies are literally what the doctors know at this point in time. All you can do is continually follow up with your neurologist yearly for screenings, this is nerve wracking when your child suffers with chronic headaches.

Our son was moved forward into first grade on the context of "staying with his friends", despite his lack of readiness. The university who screened our son the following school year was disgusted at this logic. But as fore-mentioned, no child left behind only applies to the neurotypical child and even under that context fails poorly.

“When a school cares more about it’s rating than it’s students, all I can say is welcome to the United States public school system.”

We have experienced the hardships of getting therapies, battles with the public school district, compulsory schedules, meltdowns, social isolation and parental guilt. The question of “If there was a cure for autism, would you take it?” is answered with a honest yes. Not because of the hardships for us, but the hardships our son copes with. He has meltdowns where he begins to pace and inevitably it becomes fight or flight. He has difficulty with change, car rides, going out in public for extended periods of time. He lives in a state of fear more often than not in these situations. I refuse to argue with the activists who feel that neurodiversity should be accepted. I agree, but I also support finding a cure for this disorder.

I am not disowning my son or shaming him for his condition. My child suffers, he is not yet aware he is autistic. Just as I have dealt with my own difficulties (Dyscalculia and ADD), I know he will too. I remember how embarrassed I felt for years for my lack of ability in the simplest of mathematics, in the inability to read numbers (even now it lingers).  I was teased by classmates, bullied by teachers (You're just lazy!) and occasionally a counselor (You will probably not make it to college. Try a trade instead.) So as an adult, I had to learn how to function in a mathematical based world. It's still crappy day to day, but I am graduating college this year. Thank you, public school system.

 The resilience my son will develop from his obstacles will then sprout the tools necessary for his success. With loving support from his family, these hardships will be complimentary to his character and development. My son is not a special little snowflake, he is a little boy trying to adapt. He has had times of bullying, loss of friends, confusion and sadness. I only hope that children not yet born will have every opportunity that non-neurotypical children do not necessarily have yet. I still support finding the cause and ultimately the cure for neurological disorders. In Layman's terms, it's called common sense.

covert narcissism {illustrative}  wisegeek.org

 Since my introduction into the world of autism, I have become familiar with an underlining trend within the autism community. Keeping into consideration I saw it well before I even knocked on the front door. This trend is that of the “self-diagnosed” autistic. I will only focus on the children’s portion of this issue and the “diagnosing” parents. I also reinforce that these children have no formal, clinical diagnosis but instead have the opinion of the care giver as to their parental imposed "disorder". 

I could relate that this phenomenon is caused by a societal obsession with attention  and forms of narcissism. However, I will argue, that often this is more related to Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS) when it is applied to the creation of false diagnoses and illusionary illnesses.

Or even plausibly, parents who live vicariously through their children’s lives to compensate for their own short-comings. Whatever the reason, I find it disturbing and disgusting in its lack of moral or ethical values. To a point, I want to slap a copy of Mommy Dearest across their faces.

This has become a societal trend, one I cannot ignore and has led me to have a deep disdain for the contributors of these dysfunctions. In part two of this series, I will provide an informed and educational perspective to this shameless cycle of “narcissistic-parenting”. I will not discuss people such as Jenny McCarthy because she is not relevant. Hollywood should stay in their little world and fuck themselves. We already have enough problems ongoing in the communities of autism without the pablum. The more clear the unveiled malpractice of these parents, the more insightful it is to the audience here. Please join me in part two of this editorial as we pursue the dirty laundry often concealed.

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[1] "Facts About ASD." Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Centers for Disease Control. February 24, 2015. Accessed April 29, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html.

[2] "Facts About ASD." Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Centers for Disease Control. February 24, 2015. Accessed April 29, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html.

[3] Gillberg, Christopher, and Elisabeth Fernell. "Autism Plus Versus Autism Pure." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 44, no. 11 (2014): 3274-276. Accessed April 28, 2015.

[4] Lai, Meng-Chuan, Michael V. Lombardo, and Simon Baron-Cohen. "Autism." The Lancet 383, no. 9920 (Mar 08, 2014): 896-910, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1508931440?accountid=12085.

Reliving Rome: The Societal Gambit

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“Divide and rule, the politician cries;
Unite and lead, is watchword of the wise.”

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), Gedichte (1886)

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With the recent battle cries from African Americans for justice, it seemed more than appropriate to discuss the growing threat against all races, genders and ethnicities in the United States.  However, as a politician would desire: divide to rule.  Certainly prejudice is a living entity in the United States, and as long as there are humans ruling this planet we will forever cope with the ignorance of this plague.

{image} Video Footage of Officer Michael Slager planting evidence at the shooting of walter scott (2015)

First, to address my own opinions on the current turmoil across the country of unarmed black men being killed without conscious, this is a dangerous time of volatile actions. It serves no purpose in killing police officers in retribution for lives already tragically lost. Blood only leads to further blood and little can be mended thereafter. The lessons of the great American Civil War have been clearly lost in our educational systems and the only lingering memories of this Great War are found in the bitter hatred kept quietly in the slumbering American consciousness.

Just because African American slavery ended, woman got the right to vote or own property and Native Americans can open casinos and facilitate their own governing bodies; does not institute automatic societal tolerance. If only it worked that way, but for so many of the arrogant if it’s ignored it’s not an issue. Similar to public school textbooks on the subject of Vietnam, good luck finding transparency.

Secondly, I do not buy into either political party because they are both equally irresponsible in their words, actions and causes. Meaning I listen to individuals not groups or larger entities, there are simply too many flies in the political soup. Often we lump all these stooges together, where there may be a voice or two of reason. But I do not buy into the religion of politics, they can sell their backbiting elsewhere. The need the opposition is vital to the political machine, otherwise they wouldn’t hold so much influence over our country and lives as they have for so many decades.  Dividing us is valuable for many reasons.

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Figure 1:  Pastis, Stephan. "Pearls Before Swine." GoComics. January 9, 2015. Accessed January 20, 2015. http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2015/01/09.

Moving forward let’s address the topic question, what is a police state exactly?

 Is it the images of heavily armored and armed local police, standing menacingly over unarmed civilians? Or is it perhaps the militarized police tanks or military grade weaponry? Not entirely, although it is a product of a deeper and more sinister agenda.

Reading from Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary there are two running definitions of a police state. They are as follows:

Police State

: a country in which the activities of the people are strictly controlled by the government with the help of a police force

: a political unit characterized by repressive governmental control of political, economic, and social life usually by an arbitrary exercise of power by police and especially secret police in place of regular operation of administrative and judicial organs of the government according to publicly known legal procedures[1]

 The reach of a police state is far beyond simple men in armored vehicles or trained professional killers, it is in the laws and in the fine print of our governing bodies. The secret lists, suspicion of guilt without due process and the wiretapping of American citizen communications. It is in the sections of legislation that deny citizens the right to choose their paths, something as juvenile as attempting to ban extra-large cups of soda to the seriousness of safely parenting our children as we desire without state infringing upon us. How about a government who can step in and force your child, despite their age or personal wishes, into Chemotherapy for their health care?

These are only a few examples of what the power a government can yield when it becomes corrupted, given too much power. The fear is no longer of the people by the government but of the governing body by the people.

In the beginning the “…American constitutions and federal constitution of 1787 incorporated what elite Federalists such as John Adams and the authors of the Federalist Papers considered to be the features that gave the Roman constitution a stability missing from the faction-ridden city-states of ancient Greece and medieval Italy: a strong chief magistrate and a bicameral legislature with a powerful senate.”[2]

However, as time went on the constitution took on traits of the “Ancient Saxon Constitution” of England, such as limiting terms of men in office. With the oversight of populists and radicals of the time, the U.S. constitution took on a hybrid of traits soaked in the Roman views of senate and constitutional values. Borrowing from the Roman Empire’s earlier beginnings, prior to the transference to a democracy, the United States was then born as a republic. “The very name republic was a version of the Latin res publica.”[3] Other countries also borrowed from the Roman Empire, such as France focusing on similar aspects of the legendary fallen empire.

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Figure 2: "Gold Aureus Commemorating the Consecration of the Emperor Hadrian. Rome, Italy. AD 138."[4]

The interesting part of this historical insight is also of Rome’s notorious police state they acquired over the course of their reign. During Emperor Publius Aelius Hadrianus (AD 76 - AD 138), the empire flourished for a short time. Hadrian was considered an enlightened leader, graciously forgiving national debt and temporarily halting the previous economic crisis brought forth by former leaders. However, things turned rapidly sour for the reign of Hadrian.

“Under Hadrian we also see the development of a system of secret police and informers. This system functioned in much the same way as the Gestapo and kept going until it was changed by Diocletian. The fact that an emperor as enlightened as Hadrian introduced this system speaks volumes about the state of the empire at this stage and the inevitability of the system coming about.”[5] The militarization of local police forces also established themselves under Hadrian’s reign and the growing control of the people took precedence over the Roman society. The further deteriorating empire had just begun to fall, and little could be done to stop it.

“The over-consumption and pampering of the Roman citizens during the imperial period also created other problems. It has often been suggested that the increasingly materialistic and greedy lifestyles that many Romans lead began to affect them ‘spiritually’ and intellectually. A sense of futility seemed to be permeating society. The Roman ‘spirit’ which had conquered the world was becoming increasingly lethargic. During the “pax romana” it seemed that peace, comfort and security took priority above political freedom and trying to solve the problems which were blighting their civilisation.”[6] 

 Closely it can be compared to our current state of mind here in the United States, of a sleeping giant awaiting the final straw to break. The continuing disillusionment of our people and the blind eye that has been turned to the recklessness of our government is both ignorant and dangerous. As we continue into this series regarding the growing police state in the United States, will review and study the warning signs of a dying civilization.

Whether or not it’s popular or leaves the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling, neither matter. History is necessary: to know where we have been, where we are headed and where we desire to be.

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[1] "Police State." Merriam-Webster. January 1, 2015. Accessed January 19, 2015. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/police state.

[2] Lind, Michael. "The Second Fall of Rome." The Wilson Quarterly 24, no. 1 (Winter, 2000): 46-59, http://search.proquest.com/docview/197237060?accountid=12085.

[3] Lind, Michael. "The Second Fall of Rome." The Wilson Quarterly 24, no. 1 (Winter, 2000): 50, http://search.proquest.com/docview/197237060?accountid=12085.

[4] "Gold Aureus Commemorating the Consecration of the Emperor Hadrian. Rome, Italy. AD 138." British Museum. 2015. Accessed January 20, 2015. http://www.britishmuseum.org/learning/schools_and_teachers/resources/all_resources/resource_roman_empire.aspx.

[5] Fenner, Julian. "To What Extent Were Economic Factors to Blame for the Deterioration of the Roman Empire in the Third Century A.D?" Economic Deterioration of Rome in the Third Century AD. 2015. Accessed January 20, 2015. http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-018.html.

[6] Fenner, Julian. "To What Extent Were Economic Factors to Blame for the Deterioration of the Roman Empire in the Third Century A.D?" Economic Deterioration of Rome in the Third Century AD. 2015. Accessed January 20, 2015. http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-018.html.