News Reports on The Human Condition

Marcy’s Books Read An EBook Week March 3-9

News Reports on The Human Condition

Solitary confinement (Photo credit: Chris.Gray

What people do to one another in this world is so distressing I can hardly stand it. To name just a few items aired in this morning’s news reports:

• Big celebration today as an ex-Panther was released from prison. Good news, right? Except his release came after two decades in solitary confinement. I can’t bear to hear these stories about people in solitary for so long, and it seems like recently they’re all coming to light. Why wasn’t I aware of this, if it’s been going on for 20 and 30 years? And I only just learned they throw children into the hole also! Do the powers-that-be really believe that a kid who spends any amount of time all alone in a cell is going to come out improved? Or unharmed, ready to live a full and responsible life? WTF is wrong with these people?!

• Old news but they were talking about it again this morning on Democracy Now: One of Obama‘s drones attacked a group of Yemenis on their way to a wedding, killing something like a dozen people, turning what was to be a joyous day into one of grief. Apparently they believed some big terrorist was “hiding” among the wedding party, but survivors say they never heard of the guy. Even if they had—do you realize we no longer believe in or practice the justice system of trying criminals? No more innocent until proven guilty. And that includes YOU : Uncle Sam is also gunning down his own. No more trials, America. The word out there is Kill Baby Kill! And our liberal president looooves his drones.

• Another kid was killed by a cop because he had the misfortune to be holding something in his hand. Must be a gun! This happened on the kid’s turf, in his own living room—cops came around looking for the dad who violated parole, and burst in on a teenage boy playing an electronic game. Startled, he raised his hand with the game’s remote in it, and one of the cops blew the kid away. Oh well, shit happens. Lately shit happens a lot.

• Some chemical, atrazine, that’s used as a pesticide on corn is turning little boys into girls, apparently flooding their bodies with estrogen so they develop not only secondary sex characteristics but primary ones as well, like ovaries and reproductive capability. The company that’s doing it says the chemical is harmless, and then promptly fired and threatened the whistleblower. Good for him: he’s still talking.

I know, I know: I haven’t included names, dates, links, and other details to back up any of the above, or direct readers who might want to follow up on all this joyful news. If I wait until I can do the research and put all my ducks in a row I won’t get to it for a long time, if ever. Besides, I ‘m just ranting. I did, however, fire off a few protest letters to governors and others in power saying we ought to end solitary torture, since I can’t even think about it without feeling sick. I must have too strong an empathic gene or something. Considering what goes on in this world of ours, someone’s gotta have it.