Fwd: The Price We Pay For Conservative Scorn Of Amtrak

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carl Jarvis <carjar82@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 May 2015 07:53:39 -0700
Subject: The Price We Pay For Conservative Scorn Of Amtrak
To: Blind Democracy Discussion List <blind-democracy@octothorp.org>

Good Friday Morning Bob and All,
Marxist? Well, I believe that Karl Marx was a brilliant, inquisitive
man. He did what all of us could do, to some degree or another. He
examined the facts. He drew conclusions from those facts. Anyone who
cares at all about their own well being and that of their loved ones,
should study the writings of Karl Marx, and do so with an open mind.
Then read the writings of some of today's proponents of Capitalism,
and draw their own conclusions.
But to say I am a Marxist is to put a label on me that does not
belong. It would be like saying I'm a Christian because I find value
in the teachings assigned to Jesus. Such labels lock us in. Look
what has happened to the Christian Church. Unbending, rock solid
belief that they have the real Truth. No room to explore, modify and
re-examine again and again.
Too often we cling to our proclaimed faith because it seems to provide
answers for which we have no answers. The little Sunday School song
with the line, "How do I know? The Bible told me so." Comforting for
many. But it really provides no answers. But once the label is stuck
on our foreheads, we are seen by all that label currently represents.
I say, "currently" because labels do take on new meanings over the
years. When I've said that my dad was a Marxist, I misspoke. Dad was
a student of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, among others. He taught
me to always remember that these people were people. And as such,
they were products of their times. Much of what they taught us is
valid today, but we must learn and decide for ourselves what is and
what is not applicable. Even though I left my father's knee and went
looking for answers in religion, it was not long before I realized
that there were no answers there. Sure, there was the sense of
eternal love and peace and joy, but to experience it we have to deny
what is all around us. While I do maintain one label, that of
Agnosticism, I do so because I have no other word to express my
overview of our Universe. Some of my friends tell me it is because
I'm unable to commit myself. "Either say you accept a Creator or say
that you are an Atheist." But I believe that I am not so vain as to
believe I have answers. This universe is billions of our years old.
What is time once we are clear of Earth? Among these countless,
rushing stars may well be other odd forms of energy. But whether or
not, what we call Creation is based upon dog eat dog. Our world is a
violent one. Survival of the fittest. The living surviving by eating
those less able to defend themselves. And this carries into our Human
interaction. Is this the best a loving Creator can come up with?
Jesus pointed out that if we are to survive we must change human
nature. His followers came to see that as a Divine act. Just believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have life everlasting. And so
the words of Jesus were manipulated so that life could go on as usual.
Which gets me a long way from why I will never be a Marxist. I
maintain the right to agree or disagree with the writings of this very
human man. As I do with the writings of Jesus. Or anybody. Chris
Hedges, a man I greatly admire, comes to mind.

Carl Jarvis


On 5/15/15, Bob Hachey <bhachey@verizon.net> wrote:
> Hi Carl,
> Bravo!
> And what's really sad is that more and more of the nations of Europe and
> other places where we progressives think things are better are now being
> taken over by this rotten to the core corporatist mentality that seeks to
> handsomely reward the wealthiest at the expense of everyone else. Just look
> at austerity trends in Europe and Canada and break out the puke bags!
> All of this mess brings me closer and closer to Roger's point of view. IF
> ted were still with us I'd tell him that while I'm not a hard core Marxist
> now, recent actions in places like Europe and Canada tend to drive me
> closer
> and closer to that point of view.
> Bob Hachey
>
> _______________________________________________
> Blind-Democracy mailing list
> Blind-Democracy@octothorp.org
> https://www.octothorp.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-democracy
>