Sanders-Clinton: America’s Moment Of Truth.

By Jerry Alatalo

he British politician and member of the Labor Party for 47 years, Tony Benn (1925-2014), once observed that corporate media owners used their powerful communication assets to produce apathy, hopelessness and resignation in the minds of those fighting for positive social change – such as the millions now supporting Senator Bernie Sanders for president.

If Tony Benn were alive today he would certainly have given a strong endorsement of Sanders for President of the United States, known full well the corporate media owners’ plans, and called them out beginning with Sanders’ announcement to run some 11 months ago in his home state of Vermont. Sadly, Tony Benn is no longer available to help the Sanders campaign as he passed away two years ago at the age of 88.

Perhaps the most astonishing and frustrating development in the 2016 election has been how efficiently media owners’ efforts have succeeded – producing the precise apathetic perceptions in citizens’ minds they sought when determining their course of action after Sanders’ announcement and subsequent growing popularity. Doubly astonishing and frustrating has been how men and women self-described progressives have also fallen for media manipulation of their perceptions into varying states of apathy.

When college student Bernie Sanders was arrested in Chicago protesting segregation during the 1960’s, Hillary Clinton was working for the presidential campaign of Republican Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was a leading opponent of landmark civil rights legislation. Thus far in the 2016 election, for whatever reasons, Clinton gained substantially more delegates in deep southern states, with those delegates accounting for her lead today.

Fortunately for the Sanders campaign and its supporters, voting in southern states for the 2016 election determining the Democratic nominee is history and over, and the second half of the Sanders-Clinton battle in all polls promises strong gains, renewed momentum for Sanders. Now the major question becomes whether or not progressive men and women across America will allow themselves to continue being manipulated by the media – succumbing to apathy, “inevitability” and defeat – or wake from their slumber, unite, and fight the good fight. This has been throughout history, and will remain for all time, the stuff – the reality – of accomplishing any peaceful, genuine, positive political revolution.

With all due respect for fellow progressives who support Green Party candidate Jill Stein (this writer supports both Mr. Sanders and Ms. Stein) and/or have criticized Sanders during election 2016, think deeply about what it means for America and the world if Hillary Clinton becomes the 45th President of the United States. Is it not of paramount and foremost importance to act forcefully using all options available and necessary, accelerate the greatest united effort in American political history, and finally put an end to that potentiality?

Whether Sanders or Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, Jill Stein will still be there. Do progressives want to see debates between Sanders, Trump and Stein or Clinton, Trump and Stein? Think deeply about the different consequences for humanity which will manifest on Earth from those choices – the most likely (2) remaining outcomes for the 2016 presidential race.

A realistic current assessment of the 2016 presidential election leaves one with no other conclusion: the American people – in particular, those in the progressive movement – are now facing an unprecedented, historic, profoundly vital moment of truth.

(Thank you to Bernie 2016 at YouTube)

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Sanders-Clinton: Chaplin’s Timeless Message.

The Great Dictator’s Speech

I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost….

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men – cries out for universal brotherhood – for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world – millions of despairing men, women, and little children – victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

To those who can hear me, I say – do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. …..

Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes – men who despise you – enslave you – who regiment your lives – tell you what to do – what to think and what to feel! Who drill you – diet you – treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate – the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world – a decent world that will give men a chance to work – that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!

Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world – to do away with national barriers – to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!