opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
The Chosen Ones
History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books - books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, 'What is history, but a fable agreed upon? ― Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
By Fathima S Meer5 years ago in The Swamp
The 50 Year War That We Lost
Reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and oh, yeah, physical education. These are the things that we raise our kids telling them to focus on in between bouts of video games, movies, television, and our inability to figure out a way to have the energy to spend any real time with them. We depend on luck to raise our kids, luck that they'll do good in school, luck that they'll end up with a great teacher, and luck that we can help provide them with a good education as long as they had the goals in front of them. From the 1950s to today, raising children has become a much more complicated and I dare say, painstaking task, for those that want to keep their kids on a straight and narrow path. Enter in the years of the D.A.R.E. Program, and the colossal failure in the efforts to curb drug use in America.
By Jason Ray Morton 5 years ago in The Swamp
Unpopular Opinions
Let me be clear about something, I have opinions. Let's break that down a little bit because I feel like that word is lost on a lot of people these days. If you believe something, for instance that abortion is wrong or right, those are opinions. Now I know I'm going to get attacked by the Christian community here, but if someone doesn't believe in the Christian religion then how are they supposed to feel when you use that as an argument against abortion. Imagine moving to the middle east for example and their religion says you have to cover yourself if you're a woman. So if that's the primary religion of their country would you be ok with that? Honestly women in the middle east are treated much worse than that. I used this mild example just as a point of reference to show how religion does play a part in society. Here's the thing though, America has freedom of religion, for now at least, so we are a huge mix of different religions and agnostics. If we make a law that bans abortions it would open the door for religions like Islam to cover and subjugate women. If you don't believe me look up Sharia Law. Now I'm not saying I advocate for or condone abortion. I think it's quite barbaric and honestly I've met very few women, even that believe in abortion although the number is rising. Here's the thing though, it's my opinion. We've created a culture now that allows opinions to define realities. I know people who argue against my opinion and I listen and they do have valid points. One such point is the total failure that is America's foster care system. I can't lie I've legitimately never had much of a positive experience with kids in foster care or adults who grew up in foster care. This is not to say there aren't any, but it's just been my experience that these people are troubled and foster care doesn't really do much to help. Especially if you're fostering 12 kids or 10 kids theres no way you're giving 10 troubled children the individual care they deserve. Again though this is my opinion. Almost everything we want to hold on to as facts are opinions. Opinions drive politics, politicians know that publicly displaying contrasting opinions will, ultimately prevent any organized or unified opposition to government. We like to believe we are a free people in the United States but the definition of government is control. Govern means to rule. Theres a line that always makes me think in the 2000 film The Patriot Mel Gibsons character Benjamin Martin at a meeting in Charleston says to them "Why should I trade one tyrant 3000 miles away for 3000 tyrants one mile away?" This is literally what has happened. We are more heavily taxed and regulated now than under King George. Okay maybe that's a stretch, but it is my opinion. Think about this for a second, what if politicians on both sides have never cared about climate change? Or healthcare? Or immigration? Or the rights of black people? You get the idea. The reason I believe this is because my dad and grandma always had the news on growing up and the issues we arguing over today are the same ones we were arguing about when I was 5 years old. Nobody's solved any of it they've talked alot, they've made tons of empty promises but little to no action. Or even worse taking action that does more harm than good. We are actively being lied to every election and every day in between. I'm honestly having trouble differentiating between our news and communist propaganda. Now we are looking into whether or not the Covid 19 virus was natural or laboratory made. It may be my imagination but it seems like news media are all too quick to suggest that the lab theory is a "Conspiracy Theory". Now just based off of the fact that it's a virus optimized for human transmission traced back to within 1 mile of the of The Wuhan Institute of Virology is enough proof for me. Here's the thing though, it has not yet been proven, so for now it's just my opinion. Now let's talk climate change. This is a big one I remember first hearing about early in childhood. Now here is my perspective, or opinion, if you will. I believe the earth cycles, and we are in a super warming phase. If climate activists would say "Save us humans" it would be more accurate. I always hear "Save the planet!" but I believe the planet will be here long after mankind is erased. Or perhaps we will evolve? Nobody actually knows for sure. Humans are much more likely to die from something man made than from global warming. Now I know what you're thinking "But global warming is man made" that's partially true. The planet would be warming by some degree without humans. The argument in science is how much more do humans contribute? In all for reducing emissions but I don't think we should gamble the whole country's prosperity on it. Just a reminder these are my personal opinions, not attacks on others who disagree. These are opinions not facts. We must stop demonizing opposing opinions and debate them in a healthy manner instead. Thank you for listening to my opinion on opinions.
By Billy Rose5 years ago in The Swamp
50 Reasons We Are Still Slaves
American 2021 Declaration of Dependence: Renewing the Vows To all “black” citizen slaves, in order to maintain your life and citizenship on the “U.S. Plantation”, you are forced to submit to “whites” in every way, especially those whites in positions of authority and the white money establishment, and you are forced to adopt “white” culture, lifestyles and attitudes. Some ways this indoctrination is accomplished include:
By Rich “the Equalizer” Pellegrino 5 years ago in The Swamp
All is Fair in Love and Markets
"Fundamentally, there are only two ways of co-ordinating the economic activities of millions. One is central direction involving the use of coercion - the technique of the army and of the modern totalitarian state. The other is voluntary co-operation of individuals - the technique of the market place."
By Carmelo San Paolo5 years ago in The Swamp
The Links in The Chain 🔗
Through self-examination, I have aborted. I consider myself an abortionist. The New Oxford American Dictionary’s meaning of abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy: the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus. Under this meaning, I have never aborted! Nor have I done so according to the Biblical definition, and or religious meaning, and understanding of abortion, which is “Simple the killing of a baby inside a mother’s womb, and a violation of thou shall not murder.” However, I have aborted humans by my treatment of them. Some intentional, and some unintentional. Some knowing, some not knowing. In my dismissal of them, via my body language, facial expression, my disposition, and attitude, and yes, to sum it up, I have aborted by my thoughts, words, and deeds. I terminated many human beings and possible relationships after they came into this world. That is far more reaching than just the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus.
By Terraine Smith5 years ago in The Swamp
Patriotism or Disrespect
Living in the State of Oregon there is a significant mix of thought patterns on what is or is not patriotic. Much of the state is made up of small, rural agricultural towns, with a few cities laying along the Interstate Five corridor and a couple in the Eastern part of the state, near large tourism areas.
By Jessica L Jackson5 years ago in The Swamp
ALL HAIL THE “DEMOCRACY”
In case one has zeal to dig a tad deeper, one can unfold the layers of patch-work, strategically carved into the top-democracies of world. Extrinsically these nations may hail themselves to be structured on citizen-will and as governments, “of the people, by the people and for the people”, yet, in case some valiant-soul makes an endeavor to lift the veil of such authorities, harsh realities hit hard. The regulated manipulation, which commences from the inception of election process, culminates in a collaboration of such homogenous groups, aiming solely for their own alleviation and making the best out for their generations to come. Consequently, not only the elements of “for” and “of” “the people” are lost in time; rather, these government are no longer “by” the people. On the contrary, politics becomes a family run business, wherein wealth and resources are amassed to elevate individuals’ generations to come. This in turn, leads to an establishment of secreted monarchy under the garb of democracy. Common man is, seemingly left, unaware, wanting and struggling to build golden pyramids for these “un-chosen” monarchs, whilst his own family suffers under the weight of these structures.
By Abhishek Goyal5 years ago in The Swamp
Will This Be The Summer Of Blood Version 2021?
It's Saturday morning, June the 5th, 2021 and it feels like it's still 2020, or rather I'm realizing that there's no sign of an end to the horror show that could be aptly titled America. Over the past years, we have all had to bear witness to the horrors of life in America. Police have been at the center of these controversial times in America as the public outcry for justice reform carries on. I honestly feel for the men and women who put on the badge and try to do the job every day. As a former Law Enforcement officer, I have fears for the future of policing and for those that might want to be in the profession. There just simply doesn't appear to be an end to the horror show that is life in America.
By Jason Ray Morton 5 years ago in The Swamp
Priceless Peace
If the Right is somewhat wrong, the Extreme Right is extremely wrong. As for the Left, it is mostly dead, and the Extreme Left is extremely wrong as well. Almost everyone on the Left and a few on the Right are talking about shalom (peace), which is surely a halom (dream) when both sides — there is actually more than one side on each side — are refusing to play footsie, cooperating instead with their pricks. But a ménage à trois implicating two pricks, or even a single one, seldom ends with the satisfaction of all parties. The two-state solution has become a wet dream, and the one-state solution is a cul-de-sac. The relocation of one side may be the only way out of the swamp of violence. But which side?
By Patrick M. Ohana5 years ago in The Swamp
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Some of my peers are hugely dissatisfied. With everything, really. And if they aren't currently dissatisfied with something, you can be sure they will find something to be dissatisfied with. Like private businesses enforcing mask-wearing on their premises even though the governor has been bullied into saying it's okay now. Or the fact that healthcare and schools and public transit still require them. Or that we don't have in-building learning for as many hours a week as our neighboring districts. As though butts in seats in a school building is the only useful criterion for learning.
By Jenn Kirkland5 years ago in The Swamp
