Perceptions

Until when shall the people remain asleep?

Until when shall they continue to glorify those

Who attained greatness by moments of advantage?

How long shall they ignore those who enable

Them to see the beauty of their spirit,

Symbol of peace and love?

Until when shall human beings honor the dead

And forget the living, who spend their lives

Encircled in misery, and who consume themselves

Like burning candles to illuminate the way

For the ignorant and lead them into the path of light?

These are words from the last page of “The Treasured Writings of Kahlil (not a typo, just a different spelling) Gibran,” a book that I read and continue to refer to for it offers all of Gibran’s incredible philosophy of life. And isn’t it a shame that world leaders, whether they are politicians, military commanders, corporate executives or media lapdogs do not listen to such philosophies anymore? That instead of lighting the path of humanity, they seem to be leading us slowly, surely and surreptitiously into a dismal abyss?

Here is just one startling illustration that was recently and fleetingly announced by the mainstream media: It seems that the Military Commanders at CENTCOM (US Central Command) “cooked their books” and painted a rosier picture of the US progress in Iraq. Seriously? My question is why? To make themselves look better? To continue to drag this war out? To enable the arms manufacturers to sell more weapons thus ensuring for themselves a lucrative post-military career in one of these companies, and more “collateral damage” of innocents? To impress upon Obama that he was correct in listening to them and continuing this senseless bloodbath? I don’t know the answer. I just know that this should be classified as criminal.

However, what I do know is what I have been continuously shouting from the rooftops: There is no Truth anymore. There are just personal and institutional objectives that are predominantly corrupt, greedy and selfish, that twist and mangle the Truth to their advantage. It cannot get more depressing than this! And, it seems, that Perceptions have become much more important than the Factual Truth. Also, for those who tell me: It has always been so, my answer is: Yes, it has, however, we did not have such a massive amount of nuclear weapons, drones, chemical weapons and all kinds and sorts of very lethal military hardware! So, while yes, we have throughout history been at one war or the other, it has never, ever been as dangerous! Wake up, Sheeple!

The most flagrant Perceptions are, of course, on your mainstream media in all of its aspects: television, print etc. etc. You might believe that you are seeing, listening to, or reading facts when those items are simply touching the surface of facts. The actual, real news that concerns our life and other lives is hardly ever mentioned lest it enlighten us and turn us into informed citizens rather than the “Sheeple” that the political and corporate leadership wants us to be, and wants us so to remain.

This reminds me of my grandson when he was around eight years old. He asked a classmate to come home with him. The classmate said that he couldn’t because they had a lot of homework. “Don’t worry,” says my grandson confidently, “my grandmother will help us. She knows everything!”

Sweetheart! That was his Perception of me at the time. I hope he still thinks so now that he is an adult! In any case, of course, I don’t know everything. But that was his Perception of me.

Which brings me to another lighthearted illustration that was posted on Facebook. So this couple move into their new home and every morning while they’re having breakfast, the wife looks out of the window at her neighbor’s wash drying on the line. She comments to her husband that their neighbor does not know how to wash as her sheets and towels did not look clean enough. A week later, she looks out of the window and comments that the neighbor must have bought a new detergent, or washing machine, or something, as her linens looked very clean that morning. “It’s because I woke up very early and washed our windows,” the husband answers cryptically. Perceptions! The woman had obviously jumped to the wrong conclusion, blaming the supposedly sloppy neighbor while not seeing the dirt on her own windows!

Recently talked about also was the scandal enveloping Fox News and Roger Ailes whom many female employees at that television station had named as a sexual predator who had abused many women. That scandal rocked and shocked Washington, DC (Just for a few hours, as attention spans are miniscule)! The main reason, of course, was that Fox News had been passing itself off as the conservative, traditional, “holier than thou” entity that was the only principled voice of truth and decency out there. Perceptions! They were totally shattered at that moment! The Emperor had no clothes! The Emperor has no clothes in Most of our Institutions, and amongst many in our political, corporate and media worlds! Fox News is not an exception. They were only outed!

And, just in case you might think that we don’t All fall for Perceptions, let me tell you that this is a myth! We do. At this age, I still do! And looking back, here are a few perfect examples of my Perceptions:

I thought the Oslo Agreement at the time was going to bring on the liberation of Palestine. Oh, and wasn’t that a totally naïve, idealistic Perception!

I thought General Eisenhower was a great political leader. So did many Middle Eastern people. It turns out that he was the one (not the only one) who laid the foundations for much of the bloodbath occurring today in the Middle East by designating the region as being of “strategic importance” to the United States. Look where that got us!

Jimmy Carter wasn’t any better either, in that regard. He, too, believed that our oil resources were not to be messed with, and here we are all those decades later! Did he (or Eisenhower) foresee where his assessment and policy would lead us to, I wonder, or are these merely unintended consequences?

And let me not get into Obama and his disasters! What a disappointing choice that was! He traded his integrity for a white-washed legacy!

Experience and facts have proven to me, and to millions of Middle Easterners, that our Perceptions regarding any US political leaders are mostly wrong, irrelevant of what they say, the a la Obama speeches that they make, the rosy picture that they like to paint. The Perceptions they want us to see and believe are only a façade hiding the reality of their sordid intentions, such as: when they say Jobs, they mean more of the lucrative business of Wars. So we can analyze and parse as much as we like, pundits can spout off from inside their stuffed shirts, and the so-called journalists can voice their hypocritical words. At the end of the day, the reality seems to indicate that the US would prefer an annihilated Middle East rather than enforce Justice, Freedom and Equality. This is in direct contradiction to the advertised peace-promoting propaganda that the US advocates. In this instance, nothing could be farther from the Reality on the ground, and the bloodbath that is enveloping the region. And it’s not over yet! In fact, it looks to many that the trajectory is leaning towards a “newer, better” Sykes-Picot conspiracy taking place with the ultimate goal of, once again, redrawing the map of all the countries around Israel. Is that the original intent, or did matters just get out of hand? Is it a conspiracy, or ineptness? Whatever it is, it has created a human tragedy of untold consequences. Very tragic!

My only consolation these days is that I am not as naïve anymore (most of the time), and I know that Perceptions are not the Reality. Alas, what a small and very sad consolation that is! Nevertheless, there is more and more awakening happening every day. And, that awareness would have, could have, been more rapid if we had a political, corporate and mainstream media that was honest, not corrupt. So please enjoy watching this video. One of my favorites! (And just because it is on RT – Russian Television – does not make me a Communist! Since Bernie ran for office, throwing this McCarthy-ist description around has become just another idiotic Washington slur! In any case, should it turn out that RT is Putin’s Station, I’ll have to choose whether to believe Putin’s Propaganda, or Obama’s? Frankly, not a hard choice anymore!)