Examples of Parallax Views

Republicans and the Religious Right want to impose their theocracy upon the U.S.

April 30, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment PROTECTS our right to practice — or NOT practice — any religion with freedom from any governmental support or opposition.  The “separation of church and state” is clearly required. For 75 years an excellent organization — Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, www.au.org — has been protecting us from abuse by people who want to impose their religion upon us, and it has been protecting religion from governmental interference too.  It works both ways. But some people want to tear down the “wall of separation” and use our tax dollars to fund […]

Rich people and profitable big businesses escape taxes. We must TAX RICH PEOPLE + BIG BUSINESSES!

April 30, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Since the 1970s extreme conservatives — including those in big business — have become very aggressive in building political power.  The Powell Memo (if you don’t know what it is, a web search will quickly tell you) and extremely rich people led to the creation of very conservative and right-wing “think tanks” and media and organizing within the Republican Party. Now they have taken over the Republican Party and the U.S. government:  Congress, the Executive Branch (including cabinet members and agency heads), and the Supreme Court. Part of their agenda has been to slash taxes for rich people and big […]

Several reasons why the right wing has built its power at the expense of liberals and the Left

April 30, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The article at this link provides insights into the effectiveness of RIGHT-WING MEMES — and why the Left falls short in that:  https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/right-wing-groups-are-training-young-conservatives-to-win-the-next-meme-war/?utm_source=mj-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=econundrums-2019-04-08   The Left had raised the issue of “globalization,” but the Right stole the issue and converted it into right-wing nationalism, racism, and anti-immigrant hysteria.  This allowed Trump and right-wing extremists to gain power in various countries that used to be “liberal democracies.”  This article provides insights:  https://fpif.org/sieg-heil-deja-vu-understanding-the-global-rise-of-the-extreme-right/   In the U.S and elsewhere, the dominant economic and political systems are not working, so mainstream (“white”) people feel victimized.  The right wing has promoted the current conservative […]

U.S. gov’t makes nuclear weapons crisis worse. Instead, take these positive steps.

April 30, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Information in this blog post came from a page 8-9 article in the April 2019 issue of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action (www.gzcenter.org), the 4 decades-old peace group located immediately next to the Trident nuclear weapons base in Kitsap County WA.  The article was written by Elizabeth Murray based on information provided by Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space (www.space4peace.org), an amazingly informative non-profit organization and website. First I lay out THE PROBLEM.  Then I lay out SOME REMEDIES:   THE PROBLEM: Elizabeth Murray reported that at a recent […]

Articles + videos: Greta Thunberg, Swedish teenager, speaks boldly to world leaders about climate crisis

April 29, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

An amazing 16-year-old from Sweden has spoken many times to groups of powerful leaders in many countries, including international gatherings.  Greta Thunberg has impressed people with her bold critique of the problems that led to the climate crisis — and her bold critique of powerful people and bodies that fail to take necessary actions. Her speeches have been videotaped and can be watched.  Some copies of her texts are also available.  Here are some links.   Greta Thunberg continues speaking boldly to world leaders. In April 2019 she spoke to some members of the UK’s House of Commons. The text […]

U.S.’s “regime change” efforts have been disastrous.

April 26, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The U.S. has OVERTHROWN many governments — including many democracies. Sometimes the U.S. claims we are protecting “human rights” or restoring “democracy.” But the truth is almost always the opposite. See examples at the “Peace” and “International Affairs” parts of this blog, www.parallaxperspectives.org   An April 22, 2019, article on www.commondreams.org exposed the U.S.’s horrible track record in the context of the Trump regime’s attempt to overthrow Venezuela’s elected president.  READ THE ARTICLE AT THIS LINK. In the article see this photo of a poster attached to Venezuela’s embassy in Washington DC:            

Several insights into NONVIOLENCE are inspirational and practical.

April 25, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

“Nonviolence offers many ways to create permanent, long-term positive changes that would enable us to rebuild social institutions on a more humane and sustainable basis. . . . Each of us, whatever our station in life or relation to activism, can carry out his grand ‘experiment with truth’ according to our own capacities and the situation we confront.”  Michael Nagler wrote this.  He writes a lot of good materials about nonviolence.  Although Amazon lists many of his books, I encourage people to buy them from locally owned bookstores:  https://www.amazon.com/Michael-N.-Nagler/e/B001JS2SXE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1548914216&sr=1-1&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=c837e75d-37a4-4438-9de5-33bd77f131eb&pldnSite=1   “Revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment (beware […]

June 17-21, 2019: Learn how to mediate disputes.

April 25, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County (the DRC at 360-956-1155 www.mediatethurston.org) offers TRAINING IN HOW TO MEDIATE DISPUTES. I highly recommend this 40-hour Professional Mediation Training during one week in June (17th through 21st), 2019.  It runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  It can help you strengthen your relationships at home, at work, and beyond.  The insights are practical in our daily lives.  I encourage people to take this training even if you do not think you’d want to be one of the DRC’s volunteer mediators. This fun and highly interactive 40-hour training will acquaint […]

Do not let assumptions about “human nature” interfere with the bold social and political reforms we are working toward.

April 25, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Sometimes when we work to significantly improve our society or our politics, people will try to inhibit our efforts by saying, “You can’t change human nature.” They assume that “human nature” is fixed and impervious to improvement. Actually, history has proven otherwise. People have indeed made radical progressive changes, and we can accomplish more. We do not need to “change human nature.” If we change our society so it will function better, people will change for the better too. So, for example, instead of assuming that “human nature” causes people to be greedy, let’s change our economic system and our […]

Washington State’s tax regressive system is grossly unjust. The poor pay too much. The rich pay too little.

April 25, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

For decades Washington State has had THE VERY WORST tax system in the U.S.  It is horribly REGRESSIVE.  This means that poor people pay a high percentage of their income and rich people pay a low percentage. About 50 years ago I read a historian’s book chapter explaining how it was that Washington State has always opposed an income tax and supported a sales tax, while Oregon (our neighbor to the south) had a history of the exact opposite.  I don’t remember the historical reasons now, but the legacy continues to hurt Washington State and especially our poor and working […]

We need an “Animal Society for the Humane Treatment of People.”

April 23, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Various non-profit organizations bring people together to urge the humane treatment of animals. We also need to REVERSE that.   We need an “Animal Society for the Humane Treatment of People.”   Animals don’t discriminate. A dog will sniff any dog’s butt, regardless of what color the dog’s fur, whether it’s short-haired or fluffy, etc. Dogs and other animals should teach people how to treat other people humanely.      

Powerfully inspiring video (only 7 1/2 minutes) about the Green New Deal — by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

April 23, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Many of my friends urged me to watch this powerfully inspiring short video. Finally I watched it. Now I’m sharing it with you and hope it will “go viral.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/17/we-can-be-whatever-we-have-courage-see-new-video-aoc-envisions-greennewdeal-future The Green New Deal would protect our nation far more effectively than militarism does.  The Green New Deal is a proactive way to deal realistically with the serious threats of climate disruption, unemployment, deteriorating infrastructure, depressed local communities, etc.  We should slash the Pentagon budget and generously fund the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal has great power to inspire, educate, motivate, and employ many young people along with […]

Replace the Electoral College with nationwide Popular Vote

April 23, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Trump is President even though more people voted for his opponent. This has happened several times in U.S. history because the Electoral College — not the total number of votes cast — decides who will be President. When the U.S. Constitution was framed, many compromises were allowed in order to get the various states to adopt it.  One of the compromises is the Electoral College.  It is very UNDEMOCRATIC because it gives states with small populations much more relative power than populous states.  The Electoral College gives each state the number of votes that is the total of its U.S. […]