Unity Needed

[arthunter]

Our world is increasingly affected by a "divide and conquer" strategy ... these two videos will illustrate this point ... this is a time when unity is needed ... we are being divided by race, sex, political affiliation, religion, income, etc. etc. ... be aware of this tactic ...

Happy New Year ....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=5eInuuLp1Dw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGKogwbO240

[Shandi]

I haven't watched the videos yet. I wish we could be united as you suggest. But, the reality is that we are divided by beliefs, judgements, and values. It's just the nature of the reality we live in, as humans. And I believe that they are survival tactics on one level, and on another level they are passed down to us. If we never question our beliefs, judgements and values, we continue to pass them on.

There are predators out there, and even in this community, and being aware of potential destructive, threatening behaviors is important to survival. I barely survived one last year, and this person is now preying on others, with smiles and lies.

Unity isn't the answer, unless you're sure that you're in good company. Sometimes you don't know until it's too late.

Our world is increasingly affected by a "divide and conquer" strategy ... these two videos will illustrate this point ... this is a time when unity is needed ... we are being divided by race, sex, political affiliation, religion, income, etc. etc. ... be aware of this tactic ...

Happy New Year ....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=5eInuuLp1Dw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGKogwbO240

[arthunter]

My mother once told me "most of the people on earth are good but you have to watch out for the bad ones" ... yes, you bring up a good point Shandi and I would like to know more about your experiences when you have some time because I have also experienced this ...

We have to realize though that even these attacks might be engineered so that we lose trust in one another ... this is what has been done in all of the progressive political movements of our time ... I have lots of links to support this ....

I haven't watched the videos yet. I wish we could be united as you suggest. But, the reality is ...

[CSummer]

Shandi wrote: "But, the reality is that we are divided by beliefs, judgements, and values.
It's just the nature of the reality we live in, as humans."

What you are speaking of as "reality" is really our cultural paradigm or environment. And we are
co-creators of that environment. As humans, we have the unique capability of changing and
re-creating our environments, including our culture - at least on a small scale. If a group of people
choose to come together and create a culture that's beyond divisions of beliefs, judgments, prejudice,
projections and values, I see no reason why they couldn't do that. Once we take responsibility for what
we've created - and are creating - and become clear about what we want, we will realize we have
the power to create a radically different culture: one that reflects our valuing of mutual respect,
acceptance, caring, trust and support. And if one small group can do it, any number of such groups
can do it.

Shandi: "Unity isn't the answer, unless you're sure that you're in good company."

Coming together into communities for seeking and sharing truth, and for building relationships
of mutual caring and support is the only answer I can imagine to a society that's based on
falsehood and illusion and that seems destined for self-destruction. To say "unity isn't the answer"
is to speak from fear and powerlessness, from believing that we can't come to trust, care about
and support each other. Of course, there may be many people we'll never be able to include in
our community, especially those lacking in caring or compassion for their fellow humans and who
have no interest in truth or in a peaceful, humane and truly democratic society. But let's not point
to them as an excuse for not doing what is within our power: creating micro-societies that can offer
the world a new direction.

CSummer

[Shandi]

I think that every human has beliefs, judgements, and values, not just our culture. If a group of people could create a culture beyond these divisions, where is the evidence of these groups?

What passes for "truth" may be related to "perception", rather than scientific studies, and even then, look how many of those have been refuted.

And, how is trust of each other gained? There are superior manipulator/predators who can easily gain access to our trust before we discover the "truth" about them. I've always tried to see the positive aspects of people, but I've discovered that isn't wise. These need to be shown over an extended period of time. I maintain that judgement is a survival tool.

Have you tried to create a group like you describe? Are you part of such a group? Curious minds want to know.

[arthunter]

I think that the videos might clarify the point being made in this thread ... it isn't about unity with every living creature, in fact, the reason that we need unity is so that we can recognize our common enemies without the distraction of pointless divisions, ... our common enemy being the greedheads and their followers who feel that they have the right to play God, start wars, manipulate finances, pollute the earth, etc. etc. etc. ...

The unity that is spoken about here is the unity of "we the people" instead of Democrats, Republicans, men, women, blacks, whites, christians, muslims, etc ... these are the unnecessary divisions and they serve to distract us from the real enemies ... if the bankers act selfishly to line their pockets at the expense of everyone else or the corporations carelessly pollute the planet then your age, your sex, your race, your religion is not going to matter ... you will still suffer ...

In a community there will always be those who have a dishonest agenda and, of course, we must protect ourselves from them ... this is not really about that reality ...

[Shandi]

Would you consider the "Occupy" movement , mobilized against a common enemy, an example of the unity you're talking about? What's happening with that?

I think that the videos might clarify the point being made in this thread ...

[arthunter]

Yes Shandi, the Occupy movement would be an example of what I'm talking about, and this is what happened to it ...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/dec/29/fbi-coordinated-crackdown-occupy

This article might explain my deep concern for America and the loss of freedoms that we once enjoyed ... there really isn't any room for mindless bickering right now ...

Would you consider the "Occupy" movement , mobilized against a common enemy, an example of the unity you're talking about? What's happening with that?

[arthunter]

more about the infiltration of all political movements ... sorry, but we are NOT a free country ... the only way to stop this is through massive unity ...

https://www.globalresearch.ca/occupy...d-states/29750

[CSummer]

Yes, we do all have beliefs, judgments, etc., however, if we're conscious of them, they need not have
a divisive effect. If we realize that our being and working together is of the utmost importance, then we
can learn to see the truth of those superficial differences and move beyond them. We can realize that
on the level of our basic humanity we have much more in common than any of these differences.
Indeed, on the level of our true needs and feelings, we're all essentially the same (though we may
differ a lot in how conscious we are of what those needs and feelings are).

The fact that something hasn't yet - to our knowledge - been done is no reason to believe it can't
be done. I believe it was in the 19th century that some great person said that everything that could
be invented or discovered has already been. We know how wrong that was! We can create anything
we want - even a new social order, at least on a small scale. Many attempts have been made in the
form of intentional communities. True, most have not succeeded, but that doesn't at all indicate to me
that it can't be done. And other larger-scale cooperative efforts have been successful, such as resistance
movements during the 2nd World War.

I realize it's difficult to imagine a radically different society from within this one, but I've had a number
of experiences that indicate to me it is possible for us to create anything we want, once we become
clear about what that is and stop looking for reasons we can't. We also need to let go of the past and
stop focusing on the problems - on what's not working; we're all thoroughly familiar with these and
focusing on them will not enable us to move forward or change anything.

I think most of us - or at least the aware people - know truth when they hear it, at least when our
information sources are broadbased enough. In the dominant society, it's become rather easy to
not be duped by those who lie to manipulate and gain some advantage. If it's an "authoritative" source,
question it, and look to those who've actually studied the subject.

How do we build trust? It's part and parcel of building relationships with people. In 60 some years of
relating to others, I don't recall a single time when I've been "taken in" by someone I knew well.
The best way to get to know people really well is in a small group, where at least some of the
members are likely to have functioning and enabled BS-checkers turned on. As the saying goes,
you can fool some of the people some of the time . . . but if enough of us spend enough time together,
the con artists and manipulators will become known and either change their ways or be expelled
from the group.

And it is only such small groups that I believe (as did Margaret Mead and others) will be able to
create a peaceful, humane society: one that doesn't support those who gain power and wealth
through deception and violence.

You may wonder why I argue for a more optimistic viewpoint. The reason is because I don't like being
stuck in feeling powerless and hopeless. Nor do I see any reason we need to be stuck there. We have
the choice at all times to focus on what we want and to find others who want to do the same on a cultural
or societal level. And once we know what we want - where we want to go, we can start looking for the
first steps that will take us in that direction. And it's not all that complicated. The first question is:
What's a rational purpose for a human society? Once we have a clear answer to that, we can proceed
to design and build that society - right within our small group!

"Have you tried to create a group like you describe? Are you part of such a group?"

Yes, and it seems I still need to work on my presentation, as I haven't yet attracted significant numbers
of participants (except for 1 or 2 occasions when large numbers showed up, and I was ill-prepared!).
In fact, I've just put out a new announcement on meetup.com for a closely related group, one that might
be seen as a first baby step toward that culture of mutual respect, acceptance, caring, trust and support.
I've titled it: Exploring the Power of Presence. Being present with ourselves and others is, to me, the radical
alternative to the state of distraction that's so prevalent in the dominant culture - indeed, that this society
seems designed to support.

Thanks for asking. I'll let you know how it goes.

(Margaret Mead's quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.")

CSummer

I think that every human has beliefs, judgements, and values, not just our culture...

[intheflow88]

I think Unity is a super important conversation. Blue states vs. Red states, pro life vs. pro choice, Occupy vs. Tea Party, gay marriage, and many other heated and divisive political dichotomies, are socially engineered polarities, designed to keep us infighting so we never unite and succeed at overthrowing the elite. I personally refuse to polarize with anyone on any of these hot button issues and tell them why.

On the personal level I can illuminate where Shanti is coming from. Alison Armstrong of www.understandmen.com says women are not as able to discern predators or "bad people" as well as men are. Women are more likely to want to give everyone a chance, or see dysfunctional behavior as a project to help someone change. She says in discerning who is a wolf and who is a sheepdog (a good and protective man) who better knows who is a wolf than a sheepdog? And that women would do well to have trusted men in their lives check out potential relationships with other men before diving in. Men have better B.S. detectors than women.

[podfish]

Alison Armstrong of www.understandmen.com says women are not as able to discern predators or "bad people" as well as men are...

uh, you don't find this just a tad sexist??

as for unity, are you expecting others to come around to your point of view, change your own, or stop caring so much about the issues where people disagree??

[intheflow88]

uh, you don't find this just a tad sexist??...

Sexist? More like instinctual. Alison Armstrong's material at www.understandmen.com pretty much declares that the war of the sexes is over! Another dichotomy transformed into the higher values of appreciating the wonderful differences between the masculine and feminine that we all have. Viva la diference! Her students learn about how we emasculate each other and ourselves, and then are given a chance to take a vow to never emasculate again. She considers herself a femininist, and I do believe the tired old warlike feminism is finally beginning to be transformed.

Regarding what do I do when choosing not to engage in polarizations, I choose to find 3 or so things we have in common, like in politics, no war, separation of corporations and the state, and bring integrity back into our monetary system, and then rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. Imagine that! ;)

P.S. Consider giving those who take your opposite point of view gratitude on this board ;)

[arthunter]

This isn't about agreeing with everyone about everything ... that just trivializes the points brought out in the videos ... it's about keeping one's eye on the real problems in the world without adopting divisions between us which are unnecessary and counter-productive ... we are all just people trying to get through our lives, we are all in this together and all threatened by the same things ...

My differences of opinion with you will not keep me from living my life, but a corrupt government run by bankers will ... it's about focus and priorities and how to spend one's energy ... do you want to spend your energy arguing with your neighbor while your earth is dying or do you want to spend your energy trying to save it? ... do you want to fight with people on this forum or do you want to name the perpetrators of the death and destruction on our planet and come up with a plan to stop them?

Distraction rules and this is by design .... you are being played ...

[Shandi]

I can see how men may have an advantage in this area, due to more exposure to manipulators in their day to day interactions. As women seem to have an advantage with intuition, since they tend to rely on that more than men. Sometimes experience can be more reliable than intuition. Pointing out differences isn't necessarily sexist.

uh, you don't find this just a tad sexist??...

[arthunter]

Men and women are different and that's how it should be ... it was always meant to be a complimentary relationship with both parties bringing different skills to the table ...

Did you know that the Rockefellers funded feminism to increase the tax base? This is exactly the kind of manufactured division that I'm talking about ... I'm not putting down feminism, ... of course women should get equal pay for equal work, but once again you have the hidden hand of big money behind the scenes and this is actually influencing our relationships and dividing us ...

http://<a href="https://www.youtube....CpjmvaIgNA</a>

[Shandi]

Feminism means different things to people. So, in order to have unity on a topic, there would have to first be agreement on what the word means, which is the difficult part. Many times, our perspective of a word is colored by emotion. Those emotions may have been fueled by what we learned from early childhood experiences or guidance.

As for different skills, now that women have more access to learning things that they didn't before, they now have skills that were previously seen as "masculine". Men are now more exposed to caring for children, and may be seen as having "feminine or nurturing" skills. I like that traditional roles can be discarded if desired, and even the sex we are born with, can be changed.

Men and women are different and that's how it should be ...

[arthunter]

I agree Shandi, ... I'm not trying to say that feminism is good or bad, that's material for another thread ... what I am saying, regardless of how you define it, is that feminism was promoted by big money and that it has led to division ... we can now argue endlessly about the roles of men and women instead of unifying and focusing on the roles of big money and it's affects on individual freedoms ...

Feminism means different things to people...

[Shandi]

I didn't mean this as any kind of an argument. Just pointing out that to unify on a topic necessitates our agreement on the meaning. I think we're all aware at some level that big money influences our individual freedoms. I believe that the first step in gaining back some personal power is to stop buying unnecessary gadgets that are promoted as "must have" items. Unless we can "unify" behind this, nothing will change. If we support big money with our little money, we lose.

Even poor parents will sacrifice to buy their kid the latest tech gadget, so they can keep up with the status quo. I'm glad I'm not raising kids nowadays. When my kids were young, "logo" apparel and shoes were just coming out. I refused to buy them. I realized even then that I was paying to promote these companies.

I'd rather focus on actions I can realistically take than to focus on how big money affects our individual freedoms.

I agree Shandi, .... what I am saying, regardless of how you define it, is that feminism was promoted by big money and that it has led to division ...

[arthunter]

There's actually a huge movement which advocates exactly this kind of action. We vote with our money. We can choose to support whatever we choose to support. Actually, the financial elite need us more then we need them. They need our compliance.

Unity, in it's purest form, has to do with an awareness of our real problems and a determination to overcome them. It's not about Republicans and Democrats, it's about getting money out of politics. It's not about men and women, black and white, it's about removing manipulation in our lives, .... turning off the TV is an easy first step ... being mindful of exactly who owns our media is another step ...

There are stories circulating which state that George Soros funded the Ferguson protests ... if true, why? ... I'm still trying to verify this ...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-protests.html

I didn't mean this as any kind of an argument. Just pointing out that to unify on a topic necessitates our agreement on the meaning...

[kpage9]

There are stories circulating which state that George Soros funded the Ferguson protests ... if true, why? ... I'm still trying to verify this

REALLY????? Of COURSE THERE ARE STORIES CIRCULATING. There are truly paranoid nutjobs out there, and many of them have computers.

(How would you verify that George Soros funded the Ferguson protests anyway, besides naming 10 people that say it's true??)

exasperated,

kathy

[arthunter]

If you do a search for "George Soros Ferguson" you'll see that the story was picked up by at least 50 other publications ... probably more but I got tired of counting ... the information was taken from his tax returns ...

(How would you verify that George Soros funded the Ferguson protests anyway, besides naming 10 people that say it's true??)

[arthunter]

A powerful message of unity ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5R5...fAHCJ&index=32

[kpage9]

ok, i did google that...and here's what popped up practically first, from Snopes:

https://www.snopes.com/politics/busi...osferguson.asp

If you do a search for "George Soros Ferguson" you'll see that the story was picked up by at least 50 other publications ... probably more but I got tired of counting ... the information was taken from his tax returns ...

[arthunter]

well, I just did a similar search and I came up with this link claiming that Soros has a role in funding Snopes ... this is disputed elsewhere but who really knows ... snopes is just a couple in California who claim to verify information ... I would have to do a lot more research to verify the validity of snopes and I'm not really wanting to do that with my time, ... so, bottom line is, I don't care enough to argue about it ...

https://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...ftists-Fund-it

ok, i did google that...and here's what popped up practically first, from Snopes:

https://www.snopes.com/politics/busi...osferguson.asp...

[Shandi]

Beautifully expressed. I wish she had shared what actions she was taking in response to her heart breaking open. Feeling the pain and speaking are both important, but the rubber meets the road when we take action.

We have a large number of Wacco members in this community, and many of us speak and share information. One man recently expressed a feeling of hopelessness because he didn't know how to make a difference. I don't remember his name, or if he found a cause to give his energy to.

I'm curious about what our Wacco community members are actively engaged in to create the change we want. Please share what you're doing, and if you're working with others in a group. What is your purpose and goal? How long have you been involved? What changes have been made because of your efforts?

I think that as long as people are struggling for their daily bread, they will not be involved in change. So, it seems up to those conscious beings who've got that covered (in the present) to use their energy to create transformational action that will in some way bring the others up to a level of physical, mental, and emotional health. This is the only way I see the possibility of true unity.

If each of us were to truly allow our hearts to crack open, we would feel compelled to reach out as each opportunity presents itself in our lives. We would connect with the pain that so many suffer on a daily basis, and we would use the power that we have to really make a difference.

A powerful message of unity ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5R5...fAHCJ&index=32

[arthunter]

Good post Shandi ...

We can all do something, even if it's not earth shattering ... every little bit helps ...

This woman is actually doing something important, she is making a video and putting it on the internet ... how many of us have done that? What if the internet was saturated by such videos? ... do you think that it would get some attention?

So to answer your question ...

1. Spread information ... and keep doing it no matter what happens ... you will be insulted ... you will be attacked ... let it go ... the internet is the single most effective way to expose the BS going on in our world ... yes, there is a lot of disinfo and shills around, but that doesn't matter ... most the information out there is worth looking at and considering ... do the research ... keep an open mind ... things are changing so quickly politically and technologically that your information will be outdated rapidly ... STAY AWARE .. be aware of distraction and efforts to confuse and discredit ... we have an information war going on ...

2. Help people ... if I see a panhandler I give them a dollar, no questions asked ... this is because I know that those that are falling financially are most likely doing so because they are NOT playing the corruption games that are so prevalent in our society right now ... keep this in mind ...

3. Vote with your money ... do not support anything which abuses people whether it's workers, consumers, the planet, etc etc.

4. Get out there ... connect with like minded people ... make your presence known ... and keep the faith ...

5. Question, question. question authority ... look around ... America is changing and the people are suffering ... don't just blindly accept the status quo ... our constitution is being shredded and our activisists are being silenced... wake up!

That's it for now but I'll be thinking of more ...

Beautifully expressed. I wish she had shared what actions she was taking in response to her heart breaking open. Feeling the pain and speaking are both important, but the rubber meets the road when we take action...

[arthunter]

I'm sorry Shandi, I just realized that I really didn't answer your question …

What have I done to make a difference in the world?

In addition to all of the things that I mentioned, I've done a national radio interview, initiated two petitions and a class action lawsuit regarding covert targeting and non consensual experimentation.

I've traveled to the East Bay to meet with Amy Anderson, the woman who convinced the Richmond Police Department to look into the harassment of innocent citizens. I've traveled to Lafayette to meet with another target to explore solutions and activism. I've traveled to Los Angeles to meet with Miles Barasch, the man who is suing Dr. Phil.

I've written to lots of key journalists about these problems and I am in constant communication with constitutional lawyers, FBI and CIA whistle blowers, high ranking veterans, and hundreds of activists and authors from around the world. I've spoken on many conference calls and worked behind the scenes to produce an eight hour radio program about the dangers of modern technology which featured scientists and activists from around the world … and I've just been asked to work on a documentary …

I've been invited to Australia, New York City, Mexico, Equador, London and the Middle East because of my activism …

My purpose behind this is the restoration of justice ... I have succeeded in increasing awareness ....

Beautifully expressed....

[arthunter]

another call for unity, this time from a 21 year old ... amazing piece for such a young soul ...

The Calm Before The Storm

[Shandi]

Thank you for taking the time to respond in detail. I know you are a very engaged activist, and I'm sure that your sharing of information and experiences have helped enlighten those who were open to receiving it.

I'm not sure how much it would help if everyone made videos. There are a lot of videos out there. We would still need action to follow those.

Everyone can vote with their money, but when you have very little of it, you look for places it can buy the most, which is by far not the best, or even close to it. So those with little money are buying adulterated food, which is their source of energy for mind, body and spirit, so they get depleted rather than energized, which continues the cycle. So, those involved in providing healthy food are making a huge difference. I have a friend who is a "food runner", and before I met her I'd never heard the term.

All of us can make it a habit to keep a few dollars handy to share with those who are suffering in our community. When I make a few dollars besides my social security, I give more. So, as it comes to me, it goes out. I've never had to beg for food, but I have had to dig in bins behind grocery stores when I could no longer work because of physical disabilities. It can happen to anyone in this community.

Another friend lost his home to foreclosure, and was forced to live in his truck with his two cats. I gave him a daily meal, cat food, and a place to shower. The owner of the mobile home I live in also contributed by contacting his church who had a parking program for those living in their vehicles. A neighbor gave bread she got at the senior center. Another person did a lot of research for homeless resources and put together a packet, in addition to building shelves in my friend's truck. Another neighbor had an enclosed porch that could have been temporary sleeping quarters, but he was afraid of what might happen if he let a stranger invade his privacy. Fear keeps us separate from each other. Being aware is our best defense....

More and more people are questioning and sharing "difficult truths". Only yesterday I had the opportunity to do this about the upcoming July/August military training event.

When we share important information, we empower others to act in their best interests, and sometimes they may take it even further, and act in another's best interests, as activists. Speaking up for those whose voice can't be heard, or for those who have no voice is very powerful.

Good post Shandi ...We can all do something, even if it's not earth shattering ... every little bit helps ...