opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
LIFE'S ANALYSIS
Reference: Oxford Dictionary Analysis: Detailed examination of the elements or structure of something. Astute: Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.
Lois M GrimesPublished 4 years ago in The SwampThe (dis)United States of Europe
A fast paced entrance of a huge number of immigrants is not something to take lightly or appeal to tolerance as the only way to cope. Yes, tolerance is good. But the issue here is why have so many people decided suddenly to come to Europe? To me, there's something there that we don't know about. And it is dangerous for both the immigrants and the countries that they come to.
Maritsa SolaresPublished 4 years ago in The SwampMy response to a Facebook meme
My comments interspersed within, will be identified by an asterisk: I'm not posting this for debate. I don’t need any comments. Unfriend me if you must. Just please consider this...
Mark FowlerPublished 4 years ago in The SwampWhat’s This All About
Let me first introduce myself, Tamara Robinson, I’m a single parent, writer, truck driver, mechanic, computer and cellphone geek, entrepreneur, African American, bisexual, spiritual, crazy ass, democratic, liberal, amongst other things. In my writings, this being my first here on Vocal, I will cover many topics and we will have many discussions on pressing topics and as well as touch on things of a more relaxed nature. I am both a poet and storyteller. I can entertain and inform you. Please visit often and even if you don’t read my work, read someone’s. Everyone has a story that relates to the life of someone else’s. We as a people must revisit the teachings, places, and things that made us who we are today, as we can’t always revisit the people.
Tamara RobinsonPublished 4 years ago in The SwampOld vs. New: Where We've Been and Where We're Going
In order to understand the movements and ideas of our age (such as they are), it is vital to not only consider where we stand today. Though it is necessary to grasp that "the world" is now different from that of a hundred years ago, we should also examine the currents of thought which preceded our own. While many flawed ideas existed in the past, let's not deny that some decidedly "new" ideas may be flawed as well — or, of course, that we have flawed approaches to otherwise good ideas. After all, people have an amazing ability to make even a great idea look like the worst of all time. Thankfully, though, it is not necessary to be a "perfect" person or even to always sound rational, in order to be basically good. At a certain point, being good should also include being good enough.
Wade WainioPublished 4 years ago in The SwampThe Cusp of World War III
World War 3 can be prevented. Yes, I'm going to flat out say this. The future is something that can always be changed. Sure, the virus coming out of China forcing everybody on this planet into quarantine is something vile. World War 3 could turn into an explosive situation since the Chinese blame the US military for spreading the virus while America in its perpetual racism blames The Chinese. First of all how stupid is that? A virus will kill without hesitation. That is simply what viruses do. Viruses enjoy making people ill.
Iria Vasquez-PaezPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp'Covid' Ops: The Bayer-Monsanto dichotomy
I only have to see the name Bayer mentioned in an article about health-care, drugs, cancer or anything to do with medicine and the hackles on the back of my neck become raised… this company played a huge part in the Third Reich’s assault on mankind and its record on human-rights violations hasn’t improved greatly ever since.
Steve HarrisonPublished 4 years ago in The SwampWe’re All In This Together?
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” A proclamation by the pigs who control the government in the novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell.
Reuben SalsaPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp3rd May 2020 - World Press Freedom Day
Before reading any further just return to the graph at the header. It shows over 5 years where a country has been ranked by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in terms of press freedom against other countries A green bar shows improvement year on year and a red bar shows deterioration. Hold that image and read on.
Alan RussellPublished 4 years ago in The SwampWhat Good Has Come Out of Coronavirus?
Coronavirus has less pollution happening on this planet, since people are in stay home mode. The Bay Area traffic, which gets very bad, has thinned out. I'm happy I get to stay home rather than drag myself to therapy. I was doing really well getting out of the house daily when the virus hit with the stay at home order. Staying at home is a more humane way of dealing with it when the United States is coming undone, lacking the resources to do something worse to the population. I leave it up to you to decide what that is about. Businesses now let people work from home when they said that was not an option. They cannot fire people for being ill if they send them to work from home. I feel for essential workers though since they are exposing themselves to the virus. I want to interview people after the fact, over Skype if need be. I haven't used my Skype in months if not a year or two by now. Coronavirus did come from a lab at the very least, I believe it did anyway. What scares me is that they pretty much know this but aren't telling people this was the case. They are trying to see why this happened so that it can be prevented. Sure, but people need to work together on a vaccine. Countries with better health care systems ought to be working with the United States. But no, we are drifting further into xenophobia because of the travel bans. And now there are threats of not bailing out the postal service, when in fact billionaires could step up and fund them with their money. Who is willing to step up and do this? Not everybody wants to do that. Keeping the postal service functional is necessary because shutting it down is unconstitutional and cannot be done. Some people, if they have gotten sick from the virus, can now see that our country is being led by someone-with ill-will towards the people. His supporters are dwindling in number. That is an outlandish, and crazy suggestion coming from someone who is going to eventually have a full-blown crying fit nervous breakdown. Of that, we could only hope, if he's the unstable hot mess that some have thought he is. His followers lack objectivity because they think he's fine. But have faith normal people, they are becoming less in number. Much good can come from this virus though, like a better, closer to free, health care system. There are still insurance plans available. The stimulus check is coming tomorrow, I suppose, and I'm pretty much okay now since I got sent some extra income, seeing as extended family doesn't send me money at all. How does the Chilean currency exchange these days anyway? For the good of the planet, we all need to work together. And also, how does the Euro exchange? I do not know this. But anyway, the stimulus check is something I can save money with. Having class online is not so bad, staying home isn't so bad either. Not going to the office is also not so bad. Keeping yourself at home isn't that bad either, because there is no grocery shortage. You can order delivery but I'm holding off until my birthday. Keeping myself well right now is a full-time job. I'm trying to avoid the virus, and despite having anti-vaxxer friends, I have to say that I'm getting the vaccine. On my Facebook page, there is a general rule of do not criticize my health care choices. That makes you the same category as my family. By working together on this planet, we could work to improve our global health care system, in which the virus has exposed many flaws. We need to help each other fix things, we cannot stay lone wolves with that fact. It is self-destructive as a species not to ask for help. Fixing our broken health care system should be our top priority if only because so many people rely on it. The fact is that healthcare on this planet sucks. It needs work, it needs to be put back together or built into something that can be managed better. Health is everybody's human right except in the United States. So let's make our priority to fix it.
Iria Vasquez-PaezPublished 4 years ago in The SwampCurrent America
American politics is currently revolving around fear and hate. This is something that is not uncommon in American politics. We have seen it post 9/11, during the Civil Rights Era and during the Civil War, to name a few prominent examples. What is uncommon and the difference between those times and now, is our loss of hope. Our loss of common identity and our loss of political balance.
Amanda ClarkPublished 4 years ago in The SwampUniversal Basic Income could be the "social vaccine" against this crisis
Covid-19 is caused by a new type of coronavirus. We have been familiar with coronaviruses in humans since 1960 . Still, this coronavirus that we are facing right now is a new one, and does not respond to the old treatments we have identified as working until now. Therefore, we are facing a medical crisis of enormous magnitude because we lack the collective knowledge in dealing with such a virus. As a result, people suffer and some, unfortunately, die.
Anca StănescuPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp