It's What Lights Us Up That Gets Us Moving!

I saw a witty political meme this morning where Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is emphatically asking where all the Women's Protest supporters were on election day. I'm sure many people are asking this very same question in light of the crowds that event drew. What sticks out in my mind is not so much the women's rights aspect of things but the anti-Trump sentiment what was pervasive in the atmosphere--especially in many of the highly publicized speeches. The simple fact of the matter is this: Hillary Clinton is not a candidate people get passionate about. Donald Trump, on the other hand, definitely inspires passion, be that positive or negative.

I don't believe Donald Trump is our savior. I don't believe Donald Trump is a demon. What I do believe is that he is here to inspire us and kick us into high gear. It is the very fact that the Donald lives an extremely colorful life that has put him into the spotlight in the first place. He is larger than life. His flaws are all on display of the public and he holds nothing back. He is definitely not a politician (or like any politician we have seen before). That said, I believe it is his bold uniqueness that has propelled him into the ultimate spotlight. The people who voted for him did so because they are looking for monumental change. The people who didn't are fighting mad because they are looking to keep the establishment identity intact. Either way, people are energized in powerful ways--and that's the point!

We are at a time and place in our history where change is required if we are to free ourselves from the bonds that have enslaved us for centuries. Most of us are guilty of sleeping while the psychopaths in charge manipulate our money, resources and power for their own personal gain. We the People have not been a part of that process for a long time. (We ironically believe that voting is what gives us power, all the while that has been manipulated as well!) In this time of worldwide suffering and pain, it is necessary that We the People shake off our apathy and begin to reclaim our own power.

Donald Trump has inspired us to do that. His supporters are looking forward to radical changes in the way the President does things. His opposition looks on in abhorrence at the fact he is not following the normal playbook. Either way, Donald Trump is making people stand up and take notice. He is energizing people in ways that no one saw coming just a few short years ago. It's pretty much love or hate. There is no in between with the Donald.

Donald Trump might be the best thing that has happened to the United States of America and the world. He might be the worst thing that has happened to the United States of America and the world. Ultimately, Donald Trump's place in history depends on what We the People choose to BE in this moment and in the future. If he inspires us to BE the change we wish to see in the world, it is my belief he has fulfilled his mission.

It will be interesting to see how many people attack me today because they read this and assume I am a Trump supporter! Are you one? Let's get this party started! Comment below!!!

Our Culture Of Rape And Abuse

I was sixteen years old the first summer I volunteered at a camp for abused and neglected children. One of the campers I befriended that week was a mere two years younger than me. As we spent time hanging out, she began to open up to me and share her story. Part of that story involved being raped at the hands of her father. So many emotions went through me. Love and concern and sadness for her. Anger that her father--a person who was supposed to protect her--could do such a thing. There was absolutely nothing I could do for her except listen and let her know I valued her and that what had happened to her was not her fault. I still don't know why she chose to share, but I do know that my response to her made a difference. We continued to be friends even outside of camp for the next few years until I went out of state to college.

We want to believe such circumstances are the exceptions and not the rule. The simple truth is, they are not the exceptions. Our culture of rape and abuse is so prevalent that the little evidences we see of it every day get glossed over and accepted as though they are just a normal part of life. Let me be clear: rape and abuse are not normal or healthy! Denying it is present in almost every facet of our lives only keeps us in darkness. Healing cannot take place under such conditions.

You believe I am being too hard on society? I beg to differ. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), an American is sexually assaulted every two minutes. The majority of victims are under thirty years of age. One out of every six women is a victim of rape or attempted rape during her lifetime. One in thirty-three men have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetimes. Personally, I believe the statistics are much higher. These are the ones that get reported and prosecuted.

It is amazing to me how much this discussion has opened up because of the Donald Trump recording that has recently become the center of political debate. I do not want to make it sound as though I am excusing his behavior. I am not. I do want to point out it is part of our culture of rape and abuse that, up to this point, we have largely overlooked. Although Trump's arrogance and moxie make him an easy target, this sort of behavior within politics and power is nothing new. Everyone is throwing Bill's misdeeds back and even Hillary's past successful defense of a child rapist in order to justify the behavior (and their personal candidates). The simple truth is, this is all wrong! Two, or four, or a million wrongs can never make verbal or physical rape and abuse okay. If you don't want it in politics, it is time to stand up and throw it ALL out!!! The rape and abuse culture within politics is pervasive on both sides of the aisle.

More importantly, it is time to begin to recognize where we have made rape and abuse acceptable in our society. Look no farther than popular culture. The Fifty Shades of Grey book series, about an S&M sexual relationship, has sold over 125 million worldwide. Guilty pleasure or programmed response? A quick glance at TV and movie offerings show a lot more sexual encounters, many of them rough or violent in nature. The vast majority of us in the US have witnessed rape scenarios in something we have watched. Even simple "locker room talk" is thought to bring accolades to the person speaking of their sexual prowess--which is why it happens in the first place. It is this sort of "acceptable" behavior in our society we need to take a serious look at and question. This is how proven rapists end up getting sentenced to two month in jail!

When rape and abuse occur, many of us try to ignore it and sweep it under the rug. We are told things like "he was drunk", "you were drunk", "it is not a good thing to talk about in public", "you are going to ruin his/her whole life because of one little mistake", "boys don't get raped". Often, we try to forget, but the damage is done. We are left broken and scarred. We feel afraid and alone. The sad part is, we are not alone. More of us have been touched by this violence than we care to admit.

Until we are willing to shine a light on this darkness, the darkness will persist. Until we are willing to open up the discussion acknowledging this is a problem, rape and abuse will be part of our everyday culture.

I can no longer personally stomach sitting back and watching this illness take hold of more and more people. I am more than ready for this discussion! Join me?

~CSE

On The Way To The Election

An interesting thing has happened on the way to the US Presidential election. It was not something I anticipated although I did receive some indication that change was afoot. The signs of discontent are obvious in the world around me.

For those of you who know me, I have been a "conspiracy theorist" for a while now. I have spent the last few years raging against the machine that has enslaved us. I've done a pretty good job keeping up with the latest information and doing my part to educate the public on what is going on behind-the-scenes. Still, something is missing.

I have been a conspiracy theorist for around five years. I know people who have been on to this information for twenty or thirty years. When you read alternative news stories, you come to feel that big things are being done behind-the-scenes to overcome the oppression and that a major breakthrough will occur any day. There is an expression conspiracy theorists (who have at least a little time under their belt) like to use to describe such "breakthroughs". Hurry up and wait! As I mentioned, there are people out there who have been waiting thirty years for change to occur. We are still waiting.

Why is that? We are still waiting because we have been conditioned to wait for a hero! We listen to fairy tales where the white knight rides up on his gallant steed to save the beautiful princess from the terrible dragon. We study religions that tell us that, when the world has fallen into ultimate evil, a savior will appear to gather up the righteous. Here in the US, we believe a new President will solve all our problems (even though it hasn't happened yet).

What we fail to recognize is that we need to be our own heroes! When we look to someone or something other than ourselves to save us, we have given up our own power and placed it in the hands of another. Nothing happens because the power is now in the hands of someone who just desires control, and he likes things the way they are!

I have known for a while that I personally needed to step up and do something to change my world. Ironically, when this latest presidential contest came up, I once again began looking at candidates to see what they have to offer. I like Bernie Sanders because his platform is the most human and actually takes the little guy into consideration. Also, he walks his talk. Even though Trump is an insider in many ways, I don't believe he is a terrible choice because I can see the current powers that be don't want him in office. That is obvious to me from the facts that Republican leadership has not backed him (aka the Bush cabal) and that the mainstream media is going overboard in terms of twisting everything he says to make him look like a terrible monster. Hillary...I'm not even going to go there.

For a while, I found myself drawn up into all the rhetoric. That's when it hit me. Not only were we decimating the platforms and characters of the candidates themselves, but we were also ascribing extremely negative attributes to anyone who was "stupid" enough to vote for those candidates. For example, anyone who chose Bernie was automatically labeled a socialist, which brings to mind a society of lazy misfits who give up all constitutional rights because of their apathy. Trump supporters are bigoted monsters who will end up killing minorities just like the WWII era Germans did under Hitler. (Does anyone else see how extreme these views are? We are ascribing these traits to people we know and love!)

We have allowed ourselves to be drawn into the same old "us" vs. "them" arguments that are the backbone of the Divide and Conquer strategy of control the supposed elite have used to dominate us for centuries! As long as we see our family, our friends and our neighbors as the enemy, we will be so occupied fighting that our leaders can do any darn thing they want behind the scenes and make it stick!

On the way to the election, I discovered that I have changed. I can finally see the many ways I personally have been drawn into the struggles. I understand how I am part of the fight that leads to giving up my own personal power and control. I now hurt when I see all the negative attributes being placed on my fellow humans in order to keep us all embroiled in the fight.

I am done playing their game. It is time to stand in my own power and listen to the guidance of my heart. Our world will not be saved as long as we seek something outside ourselves. WE are the ones we've been waiting for! Join me!!!

~CSE

Standing Up In The Face Of Evil

We live in the Dark Ages. Although there are many ways we seem to be making great progress, there is still a lot of evil around us. In fact, our shadow selves have been allowed to run amok to the point where our world is seriously out of balance--almost to the precipice of total destruction. The thing is, denying evil does not make it go away. We have to acknowledge that it is in our midst and deal with it so it no longer has the power to destroy us.

I believe humanity is on the verge of waking up to this because of how blatant the corruption has become. Constant wars, terrible environmental destruction, poverty, disease and a host of other worldwide problems are starting to be identified for what they are--problems placed on us by those who would consider themselves "elite" (aka those with all the power and wealth). Deep down, we understand we cannot survive this destructive path.

For the first time in a long time, I see people waking up to the evil and taking back their innate power. If the US presidential elections are anything to go by, people are waking up in droves. In the Republican party, the chosen candidate (Trump) was fought against by party establishment tooth and nail until it was apparent he was too popular to deny the nomination to. This is why, for all intents and purposes, the Bush family and their underlings have refused to support this nomination and would not even attend the convention. It's also why they have at least all hinted at their support for Hillary Clinton. I recently saw a quote from George W. Bush saying he was afraid he would be the last Republican president! The party is definitely changing, and I believe it is because people finally understand our country cannot survive if we continue down our present path.

In the Democratic party, people are also beginning to wake up and stand up. While I understand the annointed candidate, Hillary Clinton, does have some legitimate support, she does not have the support the media would lead people to believe. Besides co-opting pretty much all of the super delegates from the beginning, there have been numerous reports of voter fraud and other problems all over the country. When Bernie can fill stadiums and Hillary has trouble filling a high school gymnasium, you cannot tell me Hillary has a legitimate claim to the throne. The media may fluff it over, but anyone with eyes that wants to see truth can see it.

The thing is, until we are willing to stand up in our power and claim the victory, evil will continue to rule. The Republican Party has been reclaimed. No it is not perfect by any means. Yes, things still need to change. Democrats need to do the same thing at the convention and stand up to party leaders and force them to accept Bernie as the nominee. Otherwise, the current powers that be have won and nothing will change.

Until we are willing to recognize our shadow selves and acknowledge them, the darkness will continue to be much more powerful. Until we are willing to stand in the face of evil and intentionally reclaim our own power, we cannot expect the outside world to change. It is up to each and every one of us to make that difference.

~CSE

  

Beyond Politics

Here in the US, presidential politics are as ugly as I have ever seen them. Everyone (myself included) has been trying to argue why the other candidates are unworthy to hold office. The worst part is, our politics have gotten so bad we are now attributing terrible evils to not only the candidates themselves but also to the people who would vote for those candidates. It is time to take a good, hard look at this practice. We are allowing the powers that be to divide us even farther by seeing our fellow humans as evil because they would vote a certain way. This needs to stop!

Let's take a look at Donald Trump. He's egotistical. His morals are lacking. He's harsh and gruff and often has a case of foot-in-mouth disease. He promotes separation by his talk of building a wall along the Mexican border and his scrutiny of Islamic immigrants to the US. The memes I've seen on Facebook about him are terrible. People equate him to Hitler. They believe those who want to vote for him are mindless, brainwashed sheeple who themselves will go along with acts of separation and evil in the name of safety. One question: is this true?

Let's take a look at Hillary Clinton. She flip flops on the issues over time. She's deceptive and will say anything to anyone if it will get her elected. Her handling of Benghazi leaves many more questions than answers. Her personal email server problem at best makes her look incompetent. At worst, it makes her look criminal. Many people believe she thirsts for war. We're perhaps easiest on her supporters, seeing them as easily fooled and naive.

Let's take a look at Bernie Sanders. He's considered a socialist whose ideas for change would bankrupt the country with all his freebie handouts. (Newsflash: the US is already bankrupt!) He is considered clueless with ideas that would never work by his opposition and his supporters are seen as lazy kids and welfare recipients who are already living on taxpayer dollars.

Let me pose this question: what would actually happen when one of these three get in? Will the world stop spinning? Will we begin to lock up our Moslem brothers and sisters because of their religion? We will go to war with Syria or Iran and watch our children be sacrificed? Will our country become so bankrupt that we have to fight each other in the streets for scraps of food because our economy has totally collapsed?

The answers to these questions lie within each one of us. Who are we inside and how will we choose to deal with the problems that will inevitably show up? The outcomes of our lives are not determined by who becomes president. What shows up will be the result of who we are as people.

Can a president force us into war? No. We can stand up against it. Can a president round people up into concentration camps based on race or religion or political affiliation? No. We have the power to join together and stand up for our own rights and the rights of others. Will our country's bankruptcy force us to fight for survival? No. We still have the ability to distribute necessary food and supplies if there is a problem with money. The point is, a president can lead us in a certain direction, but it is our choice to actually go there.

We need to begin to search inside for who we truly are. Are we love? Are we peace? Are we joy? If something outside ourselves is not congruent with this, it is up to us to fix it. The only way to change the world is to BE the change!

Allow yourself to see beyond politics! Know yourself. See your neighbors for who they truly are--beautiful beings of light and love who also desire to live in peace and abundance. If we choose to do this, our world will change for the better.

~CSE

     

It Is Not About Building A Wall

An open letter to Donald Trump

Dear Mr. Trump,

You've gained a lot of popularity with your talk about building a wall to keep people from illegally crossing the border into the United States. I understand the desire to address safety concerns regarding criminals and terrorists being allowed free access to our country. I also understand wanting to limit the number of people who come here illegally and tap into what are now the country's very limited resources. We have a hard enough time providing for our own needy people. That said, let me be very clear. These problems will never be solved by building a wall.

Addressing the real issues involves asking better questions. Instead of asking, "How do we keep undesirable elements out of the country?" we need to ask questions like, "Why are people trying to enter the country illegally in the first place?" The difference in these two questions will determine whether Americans can come together to fix their own problems or continue to be mired down in the muck, the root of our problems untouched and growing.

I know why people desire to come to the United States. Many people hold the belief that the United States is the land of freedom and opportunity. On certain levels this is still true (although the past thirty+ years have brought more limitations to freedom and opportunity than I would have thought possible).

This brings to mind another even more important question: why are conditions so bad in other countries that they risk leaving their homes to try to find better lives for themselves and their families? This is the issue at the root of our problems. This is the issue that needs to be addressed.

Mr. Trump, you may not see this as the US's problem, but let me assure you it is our problem. Why, you ask? It is our problem because the United States has caused conditions to be bad in countries around the world.

Let's take a quick look at Iraq and Afghanistan. US military intervention in Iraq goes back to George Bush Sr. and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. At the time, Iraq was accusing Kuwait of drilling sideways/at an angle to tap in to Iraqi oil reserves. I don't know that this is true. I don't know that it is not true. Considering the techniques they have perfected in more recent years to obtain shale oil, Kuwait might have been guilty as charged. US intervention in Afghanistan goes back even farther to when the USSR was trying to invade it to plunder its vast natural gas resources. Both instances were justified because America is all about policing the world and making sure democracy and freedom reign supreme. (At least that's what the citizenry are told in order to make sure they support whatever actions our military takes overseas.)

Are either of these countries better off today than they were back then after literal decades of US military intervention? The answer is a resounding "No!" They are still at war. People struggle to survive everyday life. Poppy fields and the heroin drug trade still thrive. The region is a breeding ground for terrorism as the people attempt to reclaim control of themselves and their resources.

Who has benefited from these police actions? Multinational corporations who profit from war--weapons manufacturers, food and supply companies, etc. Corporations who seek to control natural resources (oil, natural gas, minerals, etc.). Banks, who plunge countries into fake debt by promising much needed infrastructure that is really only put in place to provide for ease of military action and export of the country's resources and does absolutely nothing to help the people who actually live there. The debt does, however, make those people debt slaves.

The Middle East is not the only area of the world our multinational corporations control. Most of Africa, large portions of Asia, and pretty much all of Central and South America are included in such takeovers. Natural resources are controlled by corporations who subjugate the people in their quest for never-ending money and power. Life for these people is difficult at best. Under such circumstances, who wouldn't want a shot at an easier life?

Our military should not be used so that multinational corporations profit. Our military should be defensive only and not for our allies either. Our allies need to develop and/or rely on their own defenses and not expect us to go fight their battles. If they want our help, they need to be willing to bear the cost of the action and pay for our services. The bottom line is, the United States of America needs to stop interfering in other countries around the world. We have created worldwide problems that people want to escape from.

Mr. Trump, it is not about building a wall. It is about enabling people all over the world to control their own destinies. It is about allowing them the space they need to create abundance and prosperity. When they have what they need to lead healthy and productive lives in their own countries, they will have no reason to raid ours.

Sincerely,
Cindy Shippy Evans

 

       

Observations On Donald Trump

At risk of alienating a good many people, I am going to share what I see about the presidential campaign of businessman Donald Trump. This has nothing to do with how I perceive him personally. This has everything to do with how the media is portraying him and what that says to me.

I don't believe the media when they tell me something. All media, including what we consider entertainment, is owned and controlled by six corporations. When you place control of such technology in the hands of very few people, you can expect everything to come out sounding the same (and it does). What you end up with is propaganda. Don't believe me? Watch this!

Although these are amusing examples of the lengths media moguls go to in order to sanitize and control the news, it really does happen.

Look at the headlines regarding Donald Trump. A quick look at the headlines just this morning. On MSNBC: The Lid: Why #NeverTrump May Never Win, Elizabeth Warren Unleashes on 'Loser' Donald Trump, Trump Warns Against Republican Split, and Trump Keeps Lead But Divisions Exist Among Evangelicals. On CNN: Trump tries to prove his Israel bona fides, Trump breaks his own rules, uses teleprompter, Trump on Warren: Who's that Indian?, Trump defends his hands--Again, and Trump's anti-Washington campaign hits Washington. On ABC: Donald Trump Calls Disparaging Comments About Women 'Show Business', Trump Refers to Elizabeth Warren as 'the Indian', Kasich Jabs Trump Over Israel-Palestinian Conflict, and Trump Says He Stands With Israel, Daughter Having 'Beautiful Jewish Baby'. Even on conservative FOX: Trump, Clinton battle for Israel vote, vow support in major Washington speeches, Trump meets with GOP lawmakers in DC, urges party to 'embrace' him, Montana GOP officials fit to 'close' primary in complication for Trump, Romney makes robocalls for Cruz in Arizona, Utah, and Clinton Brings 2016 fight to AIPAC stage, takes shots at Trump on Israel. A brief look at these headlines tells me two things: the press is spending an inordinate amount of time disparaging Donald Trump and the establishment (the GOP in particular) is doing everything in their power to see that he does not become their party's presidential nominee. These two facts alone tell me the powers that be are very scared of Donald Trump.

Why would that be? On appearance, the Donald seems to be the typical insider. He was born rich. He hobnobs with the rich, famous and connected. He is a billionaire who makes multimillion dollar deals frequently. In so many ways he comes across as the arrogant showman. His sounds bytes are consistantly turned into incriminating statements.

I also see a few things he has said and done that make me believe he knows a lot of truth about the establishment. He knows 9/11 was an inside job, although he hasn't exactly come out and said it. I know this because of statements he has made regarding friends in the towers who died that day as well as his statements about celebrating Muslims. My research into 9/11 has lead me to similar information. Trump knows he can only reveal so much information on topics like 9/11 as the American people are not ready to face a good deal of it yet.

I really don't believe any presidential candidate can solve our problems. While certain ideas sound good, getting them implemented is a whole other problem because of the great divisions within We the People. To me, this presidential race is not about good/bad or right/wrong. It's about upsetting the apple cart and who is best suited to do it. Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has the potential to be that man. Just my two cents.

~CSE