Occupy Harvard

The other evening, Wednesday November 9th, I accidentally witnessed the inception of Occupy Harvard. It started with the gates being on lock down, and a Harvard ID being required to enter the yard at all. Then when I walked into the yard there was a crowd of people in front of the John Harvard Statue. From what they were saying I understood that they were Occupy Harvard, that they would parade around Harvard Yard, and then meet other protesters who were not allowed in the yard (because they did not have ID's) in front of a building outside of the gated in part of campus. I captured this on film then headed off to my Harvard Extension class. Turns out there were hundreds of people gathered that night.

Before deciding whether I was in support or not of this movement I wanted to find out more. So, the next evening, Thursday, I went in the cold rain to see what their intentions are. In the yard in front of the John Harvard statue this time there were tents pitched in addition to a group of people gathering. It turns out I showed up at the exact right time again, right as their General Assembly was beginning, and they were going to talk and come up with exact intentions for their Occupy Harvard movement.

Before having a large group discussion, we broke into smaller groups and discussed specific reasons for the movement. Some people said it was to support the Occupy movement that has spread throughout the country and globe. Another intention was for the Harvard Corporation to have more transparency. Another intention was to bring awareness of the Occupy movement to the Harvard campus. That these are the best and brightest, and are the people to make the changes needed. At this point I had to leave and get to class. I missed them getting back into a large group discussion and deciding collectively what the set intentions would be.

Everyone in my group did agree on this being a peaceful and relatively non-disruptive movement (any protest can not be totally non-disruptive). Mainly, violence and disruption would turn people off to the movement before even hearing what it is all about.

Talking with other people from school, classmates and policemen who are guarding the gates, I have heard mixed opinions about Occupy Harvard. What I have heard is "they don't have any purpose, any goal," or that "they are hypocrites, that they are the 1%". I have also also heard other opinions that this is great, people gathering to make a change on the Harvard campus.

Personally, I would like more clarity when it comes to their specific intentions, and will find out more about this in the days ahead. Though, with that said, it is refreshing to see a group of people gathering together in order to make a change. They see something is wrong in the system in this country, and want to DO something about it. There seems to be way too much apathy going around in this nation. Its about time for people to start marching in the streets (and pitching tents on campus). Maybe people get upset when they see this, and want them to go away, because they want to continue in their apathetic daze. They don't want to take a look at and question the way our country is run.

Its a lot easier to just believe what the media is saying about this Occupy Wall street movement. It is being painted in a very ugly light. They are saying that these are a bunch of dirty, trouble making hippies, who have no set intentions. They they are fragmented, disheveled and won't last long. They are showing only the unsightly images and reporting on unsightly moments.

Its a lot easier to just write them off and pretend their not there and have no purpose, than to open our eyes and realize that their must be something going on here. This movement has spread from Wall Street in New York City, across the country, and across the world. It has literally landed on my path to school. Maybe its time to pay attention and listen up.

Its a lot easier to keep things the way they've always been, rather than take responsibility and do our part in bringing about change. People hate change, even when it's for the better.

To read the official Occupy Harvard Press release click the link below:

Occupy Harvard Press Release

To learn more about the Occupy Wall Street movement click on the link to my blog post below:

"Occupy Wall Street"-First Amendment in Action

Don't Eat the Corn

Genetically Modified Foods (GMO's) have become a growing, mostly undetected, problem in the the American food supply. In almost any processed food that a person pulls off of the shelf there is pretty much a guarantee that some ingredient is genetically modified. What types of ingredients can be found in most foods? Soy and Corn (ie: high fructose corn syrup). What are two of the most common genetically modified foods? Soy and Corn.

Most people consume them blindly because they have no idea what they are eating. There is no law or regulation that makes companies label genetically modified food. The reason for this is because if the food was labeled, people would not eat them.

There are no genetically modified foods in Europe. There is only one reason for this, people took to the street and fiercely protested for GMO foods to be labeled. As a result of the food having to be labeled, nobody ate the and GMO foods are not there.

The problem with GMO foods is that we are playing the role of guinea pigs. Instead of a product being tested on animals, it is being tested on us. In fact, when independent scientists tested the effects of GMO foods on rats, every single rat developed cancer. That scientist was silenced.

To read more about GMO foods read my blog post:

GMO's- what are we eating?

So now, Monsanto, the big GMO company, is taking things a step further. So far people have not been supplied with GMO foods directly. They have consumed them either in processed foods or from eating animals that have eaten GMO corn.

This season GMO sweet corn is being sold right in your local food store. Monsanto came out with the corn and food stores, even Whole Foods, is buying it right up. So, unless it is certified organic, don't eat the corn.

"Occupy Wall Street"- First Amendment in Action

The movement called "Occupy Wall Street" is spreading from New York City to different cities around the country. People are gathering together and exercising their right that was set down by our forefathers.

The First Amendment in the US Constitution reads:

"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"


Peaceably assembling they are. This Amendment was not made so people could indulge in idle gossip, it was set down so that when the people of this country see an imbalance of power they have the protected right to peacefully assemble and petition for a change.

The foundation of this movement is the imbalance of wealth in this country. They refer to the "ninety nine percent" and how most of us are on this team. Meaning, that the wealth in this county is held by one percent of the population; and they hold it through a system of greed and corruption. They want changes to be made so that there is a greater possibility of equality.

It seems that right now the movement is in a phase of spreading information. What they need is a plan to put into place a system that will encourage equality.

There needs to be a solid, clear, logical plan to get behind.

This is a perfect case to debate these people's rights under the First Amendment. Protesters ( a group of women who were not acting violently) have been filmed being maced by police officers. Protesters have been arrested. They have been barred off from certain areas. It brings up many questions of what they are able to do. Should they be allowed to march down Wall Street? Should they be arrested for the things they are saying?

Should this movement be stifled and quieted or should it be allowed to grow? (I hope the Constitutional answer to this question is clear)

So far the movement has provoked people to at least question the financial imbalance in this country, and question if there is any possibility to bring about a change. Ideas are being spread and minds are being opened. This is why the First Amendment was created.

Below is a link to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement where you can see how it is progressing and/or would like to contribute to the cause:

https://occupywallst.org/

HLS Event: John Allison on the Financial Crisis: Causes and Consequences

This last Wednesday, September 14th, Harvard Law School hosted an event in which John Allison gave his talk on the U.S. Financial Crisis: Causes and Consequences. He is a retired Chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation, the 10th largest financial services holding company headquartered in the U.S. To read more about his credentials view the following link:

John Allison

He talked about many issues, here are some of the highlights.


The bailouts during the past few years have done nothing to help this crisis. It is a myth that if Goldman Sacks fails then there would be a ripple effect and all other banks would fail.

Allison talked about how the market should have been allowed to correct itself. That bailouts lead to future problems, and they keep companies from going under that SHOULD be going under.

For example, if Chrysler has been allowed to fail, plants would not have been shut down. They would have been taken over by Ford and other car companies. Not only that, other companies would then have learned from Chrysler's mistakes, and become even better. Instead, companies learn that they can pretty much do what they want and the government will bail them out.

He talked about making it a better economy for people to create new jobs and businesses. He said that lowering taxes would be an incentive for people to create jobs and plan for the future. He also talked about how ObamaCare has hurt businesses because it has created ambiguity. Companies are not hiring like they would have before because they are unsure of future health care costs.

Not only is ObamaCare bad for business, it is essentially the opposite of American ideals. Who is paying for this health care? America was built on Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Everyone has the right to work for their own good. The idea behind this is that we will then be naturally kind to other people, without resentment.

John Allison's bottom line is that the "free lunch" (free health care, free housing...etc) mentality we are living in now is leading this country to certain economical disaster. We need to implement changes in order to stop this from happening.

It seems now we are in a vicious cycle. Right now 60% of the country is below the poverty line (this is without counting government financial help). This is greatly due to the failed education system. Many people graduate high school and are not even able to read or write correctly. This country is left with a shortage of highly skilled persons and an abundance of unskilled workers. These unskilled workers are competing with people in other countries who are willing to work harder for less money. One of the things keeping unskilled workers from getting jobs is the regulations. During a recession, minimum wage was raised 40%. So companies who are cuttings costs are going to hire other workers who do not have this restriction. Which in turn leads to more people living below the poverty line.

Allison believes that government needs to take a big step backwards. That 75% of regulations need to be eliminated in the next 6 months (65,000 pages have been added in the last five years alone). We have a massive over regulatory system.

The role of government should get back to three things. A military to protect (as defensive, not out in three wars). Policemen (to get the "bad guys"). An effective Court System ( to enforce contracts). Other regulations should be gotten rid of.

He also spoke about integrity and how we have to do the best we can. Allison said, "when businesses forget their purpose is to make a better place to live, bad things happen."

These are just some points from his talk. It was very thought provoking and has left me with a new perspective, and also with some questions.

Such as, if we no longer have a "free lunch" system, what happens to the people who are getting a free lunch? What would be the steps needed to transfer to a system with less government involvement?

Below is a link to his talk, given at Virginia School of Law this past February

John Allison: The U.S. Financial Crisis: Causes and Consequences

Why "End the FED"?

I dont know how many times I have read and heard this statement, "End the Fed", and never really understood why. I didnt even know exactly what the Fed was. So, I started doing a bit of homework and this is what I have found out.

The Fed, or the Federal Reserve, is the central bank of the United States of America. A central bank produces the single currency for an entire nation. They are able to control interest rates and inflation because they control the money supply. They loan the government money, with interest. They regulate the value of the currency. This is a system that produces one thing, which is debt.

Our central bank is a private corporation, makes its own policies and, like other central banks, loans its money at interest. Some issues with this system are starting to become visible.

In 1933 the gold standard for our currency was abolished and money then became "legal tender" This means that for every dollar printed its equal value in gold was no longer stored away. "Legal tender" is backed by nothing, it is worthless paper. Its value is only in how much is in circulation. This puts a lot of power in the hands of the Federal Reserves. They then had the power to regulate the circulation of money, which then regulates the value of it.

The Federal Income Tax, from what I have been reading, is unconstitutional. It is unconstitutional because the Federal Income Tax is unaportioned; the constitution says that all direct Federal taxes have to be aportioned (apportioned tax= every citizen pays the same lump sum amount). It was also never ratified, which means that not enough states approved it before it was passed.

There is no law that says a person needs to pay this tax. This is no small fee, 35% of the average workers income is taken in this tax; which is about four months of work out of a year. This could be justified if this money was going into our school systems or healthcare systems, but its not. Its goes to pay the interest that the government owes to the Federal Reserve Banks.

There is a lot evidence of corruption behind this central banking system. Congressman Louis McFadded said the following in 1932,

"When the Federal Reserve Act was passed, the people of these United States did not perceive that a world banking system was being set up here. A super-state controlled by international bankers and industrialists acting together to enslave the world for their own pleasure. Every effort has been made by the Fed to conceal its powers but the truth is—the Fed has usurped the government.”

He was then poisoned before he was able to start a movement to end the Fed.

I recommend each of us educating ourselves. Below is the link to Wikipedia, which explains the basic history of the Fed. This is where I started my research

Federal Reserve System

Below is a link that I recommend profusely. This is a documentary that uncovers the hidden truth behind the Fed. I took notes on the information they were saying, and when I googled each piece of info I discovered that it was accurate.

Zeitgeist Part III: Don't Mind the Men Behind the Curtain

After learning all of this, now I understand why I keep hearing people say, "End the Fed."

The Debt Ceiling Crisis in Plain English

So there has been a lot of upheaval over the debt ceiling crisis in the United States. The only thing is, most people don't actually understand what the crisis is all about. So, here it is, broken down into plain English.

In 1913 when the Federal Reserves (the central bank of the United States) was created, a debt ceiling was created. This debt ceiling was the highest amount of money the United States was able to borrow. Since then it has been raised 63 times by Congress. This past week the United States has reached its limit yet again, so the question has been on the table in Congress whether or not to raise it again.

Right now 40% of the money needed to fund the United States and all of its expenses (including war, medicare, Medicaid, federal jobs, etc.) is borrowed. This means that the United States cannot continue functioning as it is now. Either we need to raise the debt ceiling and go into more debt, or spending needs to be cut. Pretty simple.

So where is the crisis?

The crisis itself doesn't actually come from this issue. The crisis comes from Congress stalling and not solving it. The crisis comes from The President, the representative of the United States of America, announcing to the world that we will default (not be able to pay the interest on our loans) if the debt ceiling is not raised, which is bad in two ways. The first being that this is a lie, we do have the funds to keep us from defaulting. The second being that foreign countries are not going to risk loaning money to a country that announces it can't make its payments.

Economist Peter Schiff, who predicted the economic crisis years before it happened (even though other economists insisted he was wrong) has said that the government should cut spending. He says that, "the real cost of government isn't what it taxes, it's what it spends."

I have heard it said the past few days that raising the debt ceiling or not raising the debt ceiling are both like re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic. Either way, its going down. This crisis is just a symptom of an economic system that is not working.

We need to get to the real source of the problem.

Super Congress Unconstitutional- What Can We Do?

A new Super Congress has been passed that is a violation of the Constitution and the Political System of the United States of America. Thirteen people, six from the Senate, six from the House of Representatives and the President will be deciding the solution to this debt crisis. It is set up so that the Congress and Senate will have no choice but to accept the plan this Super Congress comes up with.

The Political System has been changed and no citizen has cast a vote and no great debate took place in either the Senate or House of Representatives.

So what can we do?

First of all, spread the information, as Samuel Adams said, "If Virtue & Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslav'd. This will be their great Security." Many people don't even know this Super Congress has been created, and even those who have heard of it do not realize that its creation is the death of liberty.

Alex Jones: talking about Unconstitutional Super Congress

Fox News Report: Super Congress Unconstitutional

So what can we do to change this?

Contact our Representatives. If we say nothing we are giving our consent, sending the message that we think this is okay. If an overwhelming volume of complaints are sent in then we can not by ignored.

Email Your State Senators
(select your state, follow the links to contact your two Senators)

Email Your Representative from the House of Representatives

(enter your state and zip code to be taken to your Representatives page)

Below is the email I sent to all three of my representatives (two from the senate and one from the House of Representatives). If you feel the same way as I do please feel free even copy and paste what I wrote, or write whatever feels right to you:

"Dear Congressperson,
The newly created Super Congress is unconstitutional and a violation of the political system of this country. It is your job, as an elected representative of the people, to speak up and stop this. It does not matter what crisis may be going on, there always will be one, the political foundation of this nation must remain intact.

"[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them." -Candidus, Boston Gazette, January 20, 1772

Sincerely,
Kelly Morrow"

Follow this link to sign a petition to

Tell Congress to Permanently Disband the Dangerous, Undemocratic "Super Congress" NOW

Liberty can not exist without our active participation.

"Super Congress" -The Death of Liberty

Since news of the "Debt Ceiling Crisis" emerged I have read about it with suspicion. Every news article I read, every radio show I have listened to, has been vague. The numbers are so high that the average person cant possible grasp the repercussions of it. The possible "solutions" are ever changing and shifting. But one thing has emerged from all of this confusion and chaos that is ALARMING. This magic solution of the Super Congress.

The details of this Super Congress are not yet clear. I have read several articles and listened to multiple videos and radio stations and a clear outline of their powers is never fully revealed. The only details that are clear is that six members of Congress, and six members of the Senate (three Republicans and three Democrats from each) will meet with the President and essentially decide on the solution to this "crisis" amongst themselves.

These people have not been voted for. The legal process of the United States has been changed and no vote has been cast. Not only has no vote been cast, there hasn't even been a great debate in the Senate or House of Representatives. They both passed this Super Congress yesterday.

This is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It does not matter what supposed threat is on the horizon, there will always be one, our basic rights and political system that was set up to protect these rights, should not be changed.

Please, tell a friend, spread this information. Our basic liberties, as put down in the Constitution and foundation of our political process, are being taken away in order to "protect" us from this vague "crisis."

As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety"

Our democracy is looking more and more like an oligarchy (a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people.), a wolf in sheep's cloths. The only way to keep this from progressing is to speak up NOW.

Ron Paul: Debt Ceiling Warning

Recently there has been a lot of debate over whether or not the debt ceiling should be raised. President Obama originally said that the debt ceiling should not be raised, but as of lately he seems to be thinking differently. This is not unusual for Obama to say one thing, and later act in a completely opposing manner. Consistency is not one of Obama's strong point.

On the other hand, Ron Paul has demonstrated his consistency for over three decades. He has been concerned about Government spending since the 1970's. He warned that if spending continued at the rate it was going this country would end up in a financial crisis. Here we are. The national debt has increased over the past 30 years from $1 trillion dollars to $14 trillion dollars.

Ron Paul does not think the debt ceiling should be raised, but he thinks that it will be. The reason why he is opposed to raising the debt ceiling is that the problem will not be solved and it would encourage more spending. He says there are two things that will permit the Congress to continue spending money. They are raising the debt limit and not addressing that if there is too much debt the FED can monetize it.

Four years ago, in 2008, Ron Paul's ideas and views seemed radical. Many things have changed in these past years; the financial crisis he warned about is here, issues with the Federal Reserves and Foreign Policy have gotten people to open up their ears and agree with what he is talking about.

Below is a link to watch Ron Paul's Debt Ceiling warning, which was posted on May 26, 2011

Ron Paul's Debt Ceiling Warning

Brown v. Board Ineffective in Integrating Schools

I just finished reading an article in the Harvard Gazette which has me viewing the pinnacle case of Brown vs. Board of Education in a new light.

The Supreme Court Case came about in the early 1960's. Mr Brown was a black man who had to walk a ridiculous distance every day to get his child to school. Meanwhile, there was a school close to home that his child could not attend because it was an all white school. So, he brought his case to court, the made it all the way to the Supreme Court. He won, and school segregation became illegal.

There are more details to the case, but those are the highlights. I have learned about it multiple times in school, and have only learned about it in a good manner. Learned how so many changes have come about.

I am intrigued because Martha Minnow, the dean of Harvard Law School, recently released a new book titled In Brown's Wake: Legacies of America's Educational Landmark. Though she gives the case its due credit (it did make some changes and was a step towards opening the doors of education for women, disabled, and English as a second language students), she also notes its in-effectiveness.

Schools are still greatly segregated in the United States. Its a very complex thing that cannot simply be changed with a law. Minnow says it is unlikely that courts alone can “produce social change around something as fundamental as how people view one another.” The law is “more like a fence than a spur for interchange,” she said, making a bridge between law and the humanities all the more critical.

I am interested in reading her book, she is asking questions and looking at the Supreme Court Case for a view I have never seen it from.

It seems that there is only so much laws can do. Standards can be set, regulations made, but if people's minds stay exactly the same then no real change can occur. It seems that until people can see each other as themselves, in spite of race, gender, ethnicity, etc., segregation will find a way.

What role can law play in this? How much can it do to bring about this change?

To read the full article from the Harvard Gazette click the link below:

Ripples of Brown v. Board

Below is a link to purchase Martha Minow's book:

In Brown's Wake: Legacies of America's Educational Landmark by Marth Minow

Ron Paul for President 2012

Ron Paul is a very rare Congressman. He actually wants the people to be informed and have power in their own hands.

It is not often that a Presidential Candidate captures, and holds, my attention. There are those, like Obama, who make high promises of hope, peace and economic improvements. Then, after time passes, it is revealed that what they really have to offer is more war, a worse economy and very little hope.

The more I learn about Ron Paul, the more I like him. He has been consistent for over three decades in his views, especially on Foreign Policy. The United States empire has troops in different countries throughout the world. Ron Paul wants to get all of them out. It is an enormous expenditure and it does nothing but cause hostility with the countries these soldiers are stationed in.

He also wants to end the War in Iraq, and has said that the official reasons for going to war are almost always false. When the USA declared war on Iraq the reason given was that there were members of AlQuida there, and weapons of mass destruction. Ron Paul said that now we know AlQuida members were not in Iraq (they were in Saudi Arabia) and there were no weapons of mass destruction. He wants us to stop throwing away our money, sinking our economy and sending our men off to die in a war that shouldn't even be happening.

He is also the only Congressman who stood up to defend Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. He is the only one to point out how there was a much bigger fuss over Assange publishing the documents, rather than the startling content of the documents. Ron Paul said that no person working for the USA has been harmed as a result of the information that has been published via WikiLeaks, but there is a lot of embarrassment for the government who has had their gaping flaws revealed.


Below are two links of Ron Paul addressing Congress.

The link below is the first I ever saw or heard of Ron Paul. He caught my attention when he said, "what if the American people woke up and understood that the official reasons for going to war are almost ALWAYS based on lies and promoted by war propaganda in order to serve special interests"

Ron Paul's What If? Speech

The link below is Ron Paul defending WikiLeaks and Julian Assange; he is essentially defending our First Amendment Right- Freedom Of Speech.

Ron Paul defending WikiLeaks

Ron Paul wants to legalize freedom in the United States of America. He wants people to keep their Constitutional Rights. He has shown repeatedly that he is not afraid to go against popular opinion in order to be a voice of truth and reason.

When a person starts listening to Ron Paul it becomes clear that he is the best candidate to win the 2012 Presidential Election.

John F Kennedy And The Formula For Freedom

John F Kennedy was a unique President and individual. He, unlike many heads of State, encouraged people to question the government, to get themselves informed and have their own ideas and opinions. He empowered American people to be aware and make sure that their Constitutional Rights were in no way compromised. He understood that people have to be actively involved in keeping their freedom, and encouraged an entire nation to do this.

It is very interesting to read some of the things that he said fifty years ago. It is interesting how applicable these ideas are to today's world.

On April 16, 1959, John F Kennedy said the following passage:

"The Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our Liberty. Let us not be afraid of debate or dissent- let us encourage it. For if we should ever abandon these basic American traditions in the name of fighting Communism, what would it profit to win the whole world when we have lost our soul?"

What really caught me about in this quote is that the world "Communism" could just as easily be "Terrorism." It seems that there is always some boogy-man movement that is threatening to come in and destroy our nation. There is always some reason to give up our rights for a bit of "security" from these terrible, elusive movements.

We have come, as a Nation, from having a President who wanted a truly empowered and free people to having a President who is annoyed when asked to simply present his birth certificate. We are a nation who's headline news revolves around celebrity lives and scandals rather than the slow disappearance of our fundamental Constitutional Rights.

John F Kennedy knew that freedom is not a given. Total power corrupts totally. People have to be active participants in order to maintain what is rightfully theirs. He said repeatedly what we need to do to hold onto our rights, he gave us the formula. He said there needs to be debate, meanwhile the new Patriot Act is passed with very little debate. Right now there is a new Bill presented in Congress that that will allow any person who is a threat to "national security" to be arrested without a trial. A direct violation of the 6th Amendment. Not only is it not being intensely debated, the media is not even informing the nation that this is happening.

We are a nation that is losing its soul. The essence of freedom and liberty is dissolving, being replaced with a mixture of fear and apathy. It is time, as a nation, for us to wake up and claim what is rightfully ours. To insist on no less than what our forefathers intended for us to have.

"Thomas Jefferson once said that if you expect a people to be ignorant and free you expect what never was and never will be" -John F Kennedy

Wake up America! When a sex scandal becomes bigger news than losing our Constitutional Rights

A few days ago a new Bill was discretely introduced by Congress. This Bill permits the US government to arrest and detain terrorist suspects indefinitely with no charge or trial. This Bill makes no distinction between US citizens and non US citizens.

This Bill goes against our Constitutional Rights. A direct violation of Amendment VI, which states, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State..."

So naturally this is being greatly debated and people are talking about it across the nation, or that is what would be expected.

Instead, turn on any political television or radio station and Rep. Anthony Weiner sending pictures of his weiner on the Internet is what is being spoken about, ad nauseum.

Type into google search "anti terrorist bill June 2011" and it is difficult to find any information on the Bill. Type in "Rep. Anthony Weiner" and his full drama is right there.

This is a joke, right?

This Bill gives the US military the right to detain American Citizens in the name of "National Security." If the person is detained in error there is nothing in the Bill about correcting this error. To view a five minute interview talking about what this Bill could potentially mean to the American people, watch the link below.

Terrorist Bill Interview

This Bill needs to be a hot topic on the debate table. This is no light matter. Many people post explicit things on the internet, no it is not appropriate, but that will not effect every citizen of this country. This Bill has the potential to take away what our for-fathers intended us to have. What this country was based on, freedom.

As Benjamin Franklin said over two hundred years ago, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

As a country we need to wake up and hold on to what belongs to us. Demand the Constitutional Rights that are rightfully ours.

Why go Vegan? Animal Cruelty, Health and the Environment

Four months ago I became a vegan. I thought eating animal products was perfectly fine, I just gave them up in order to start eating a plant based whole foods diet. My motivation was simply to clear my skin and improve my energy and clarity of mind for school.

Since then, I have learned so much about the poison Americans are being fed through the food system in general. There are so many things that are not spoken about. For the purpose of writing this post I will focus on meat, eggs and dairy products alone.

My mind about the consumption of meat started to change when I learned of the cruel, brutal, torturous conditions in the meat factories (they are not farms like they advertise in all the commercials and food packages - these are NOT happy cows). The fact that shook me up was learning that in many factories they use a tazer that is supposed to kill the cow before being processed, but only 30% of the cows are actually killed. The rest have been caught on the security tapes being skinned alive and kicking desperately for their lives while having their legs chopped off.

Treatment of dairy cows, chickens, pigs and the likes is not any better. These are truly torture chambers.

For anyone who has ever loved an animal, who has ever had a pet, it's heart breaking to think the question, "why is it okay to do this to these animals and not this one that I love?"

Scientists have known for years that meat, eggs and dairy products, contrary to what is advertised everywhere, are not good for our health and actually cause many sicknesses. Some of them being obesity, cancer and heart disease. Part of this is a result of the pharmaceuticals and hormones that the animals consume, and we consume when we eat the animal products. Scientists have showed that it is not the drugs alone that are making us sick. The animal products themselves are not good for us. The meat protein harms our bodies.

To hear two prominent scientists clearly show the relationship between animal product consumption and disease, I would highly recommend watching the movie "Forks Over Knives".

To find movie times near you click the link below:

"Forks Over Knives" Showtimes

Not only are animal products detrimental to the health of our bodies, but also to the health of our planet. One-third of the worlds land mass has been bulldozed for pastures and factory farming. This has had a terrible impact on global warming. Not only are all of those tree's missing that are not absorbing CO2, the cattle are emitting toxins into the air; from the eight million of tons of CO2 they exhale into the atmosphere to the the nitrous oxide and methane gas emitted from their manure and the animals themselves.

Meat and dairy farming is destroying our planet, while it is known that organic plant based farming uses far less energy and feeds many more people. If just a portion of the grain that goes to feeding the cattle was given to people, world hunger would no longer exist.

Below is a link to Lisa Bloom, a prominent attorney and life long vegetarian, speaking about the brutal treatment of animals in the meat factories and the impact of these factories on our planet.

Lisa Bloom: How to be Vegan in a Dumbed Down World (8 mins)

My mind has been totally changed when it comes to the consumption of animal products, and it has been changed on so many levels. The cruel treatment of the animals, the diseases that come hand in hand with meat consumption, and the destroying of this planet.

When I first started on this path of being vegan I had no idea that the consumption of meat had such a wide range of negative side effects.

Though it is shocking to start learning about, it is actually good news. It is good news because these things are happening whether we know about it or not. Once we know what is going on, and the terrible impact of the meat, egg and dairy industry, we can spread the information and take steps towards change

Every time we shop, every time we sit down for a meal, we are voting for what things will be sold in the stores, we are voting for what industries will thrive. It is in our hands to make changes: to vote for a healthy organic plant based way of eating that only benefits everyone from the producers to the consumers rather than an animal based way of eating that tortures innocent beings and harms the consumer.

For those who are not moved by learning the information above, they might be interested for the same reason I originally was. Over the past four months my skin has become increasingly clear, and my energy level and clarity of mind have increased ten fold. Those two things alone would have been motivation enough for me to continue living a vegan lifestyle.

God Bless you and yours

"Forks Over Knives" -movie review

I just watched this excellently made documentary on the correlation between health and what we eat. Specifically how eating a meat based diet is bad for our health and makes us sick; while a plant based whole foods diet not only stops us from getting more sick, but can reverse illnesses.

It is impossible to put all of the valuable information from the film into one short review. There is so much to learn, I want to watch it again with a pen and paper to take notes.

At the heart of the film are two doctors who didn't even know each other when they started their research decades ago, but have met up and work closely for the same purpose; that of spreading the information that eating a plant based diet is the key to health and vitality.

One doctor, who started research from a clinical point of view, became interested in this while performing one surgery after another. Doing bypass heart surgery, removing cancerous tumors, but never being able to help anyone other than that person under the knife. Even then, he realized that many of these people became sick again. After extensive research, going against everything he had learned and believed, he started to learn that he was just treating the symptom not the cause; that the cause was in the meat, dairy and eggs these people were eating.

The other doctor came at this same topic from a different viewpoint. He studied population, diet and disease statistics around the world, and repeatedly came to the same conclusion that societies that consume a large amount of meat, dairy and egg products also have high statistics for disease (including cancer and heart disease) while populations that consume plant base foods have a more healthy and vital society.

They talk about the myths that have been perpetuated in our society, that meat is necessary for us to have enough protein, and that calcium is good for our bones. Instead they talk about the fact that both of these things are actually detrimental to our health.

It is so interesting to see the research that shows how simple of a solution there is to heal so many ailments that are plaguing the people of the world. They even touch upon how a plant based diet is not only better for health, but is better for the environment and could be the solution to solving world hunger. Something as simple as changing to a plant based whole foods diet.

Some people think that is extreme. One of the doctors said that heart bypass surgery is a very common procedure to be performed in this country. That ripping open someone's chest, cutting open their leg, taking an artery from their leg and attaching it to their heart, well, this seems a bit extreme.

The solution is so simple,

That we eat to live, rather than live to eat.

For more information on the movie, and showtimes near you, please click the link below

www.ForksOverKnives.com

I would recommend bringing a pen and paper, just in case you want to take notes.

~peace to you~

GMO's - what are we eating?

What is GMO? GMO literally translates to Genetically Modified Organism. Scientists are able to isolate specific genes, then they can insert those genes into organisms, especially food crops, to produce "desirable" traits. Some of these desirable traits are that they can make the crops resistant to pests, weeds, and add nutrients to them. All great in theory.

One of the abilities they have is to put vaccines into these seeds, and thus vaccinate consumers through their food. The article I found this information in is posted below. The author endorses this as if it is a good thing. This ability to manipulate food concerns me because if they have the ability to put pharmaceuticals in the genes of a plant, how do I know I am not consuming them?

I found this article helpful for gathering basic information, but definitely maintain my own point of view on the matter:

Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful of Helpful?

I watched a documentary "Scientists Under Attack" (a documentary on well respected scientists who lost it all when they did not endorse GMO food), in part of the documentary an independent researcher from another country tested the effects of GMO potato on rats. All the rats he tested on developed cancer. He said he would not eat these foods and would not recommend that anyone else eat these foods. Big company shut him down and stopped him from giving this as his official results.

Effects of Feeding GMO potato to rats (about 5 mins)
"remember all these studies are done before you can do any experiments with humans. Now in this thing of course the whole thing has been changed around because you are being used as the guinea pig, they are doing the experiments on you. What is even more is that you do not know whether they are doing it or not..."

Scientist Under Attack

Growing and eating truly organic food is becoming increasingly impossible. Monsanto, the company that owns GMO seed, has made it nearly impossible for organic farming to continue to exist. They have passed laws so only GMO seeds can be purchased and used; Even farmers who do manage to have organic seeds, their crops are being contaminated via pollination from neighboring GMO farms. The organic farmers are fighting back and have filed a law suit against the big company. To read on the case open the link below:

Organic Farmers v. Monsanto

This is a lot of information to pack into one post. And all of the information that is here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the matter of GMO's.

So, what do we do with this knowledge?

One step is to avoid commonly genetically modified foods,
Some major genetically modified foods to look out for are:
-corn
-soy
-milk
-canola oil
-salmon
-meat (animals are fed GMO corn, we eat the animals, we eat GMOs)

I know that I am just beginning to learn about what is happening with GMO foods, and how it has penetrated the United States food system with little to no acknowledgement. Just beginning to learn about all of the negative effects of these foods on both our health and environment. I do know that it is time to take action to change this. As I learn more myself I will be sharing.

This is exactly why freedom of speech was made as the first amendment. To protect people's abilities to speak about and uncover the truth, and to decide for ourselves whether or not we want to participate in this large scale science experiment.

Run From the Cure

This might sound shocking, but the pharmaceutical companies do not want to find a cure for cancer. Cancer is big business, and there is a LOT of money to be made.

Over the past few years I have watched several documentaries and read several articles that all attest to this.

Below is a great documentary I watched last night titled "Run From the Cure." It is about a man in Canada who discovered that hemp oil cures cancer, and the Canadian government quickly shut him down.

Run From the Cure

So many people are making money off of sickness; for cancer specifically there is a long list from the pharmaceutical companies themselves who make the drugs, the hospitals, the doctors, each "walk for a cure" that takes place lines the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies, the people who make wigs for the balding patients, etc.

The startling thing of it all is that in many cases the drugs make the patient more sick and die quicker than they would have had they had no treatment at all.

Now, I am not saying all doctors and hospital workers don't want their patients to get better. I believe many of them have the best intentions in mind. But the pharmaceutical companies who fund their medical schools and textbooks have them brainwashed to believe only their way is correct, and everything else is witchcraft.

This discovery of hemp oil's healing abilities is not the only means to cure cancer. There have been people who have been cured through diet (one of them I have read about is macrobiotics), there are people who have used homeopathy, there are psychic healers who are able to make people well, and more.

Now, many people don't want to hear that the pharmaceutical companies don't have their best interest in mind. Quite frankly, it is a scary thing to hear at first.

But if somebody has ears to hear, this is actually good and great news. There ARE WAYS TO BE CURED! We do not have to blindly follow the dictates of a few wealthy people. We have the resources we need. It is very empowering.

When I was little girl, about 8 years old, my grandmother died of cancer. She tried everything the doctor said, would get a little better, then her cancer would come back. Towards the end it was a very sad thing to behold, how deteriorated this beautiful light filled woman had become.

I can't help but wonder, if she was still alive and was diagnosed now (now that I am a young woman and have some knowledge of these things) would she be alive and thriving ten years from now? I have a very strong suspicion that she would be.

God bless you and yours

TSA- losing our Fourth Amendment Right in the name of "National Security"

The most bizarre thing is taking place in the airports of this country. It has been developing for years now. When a person travels they are given one of two choices:

1. Allow a total stranger to see a picture of you naked. Also, expose yourself to dangerous radiation.

2. Be sexually assaulted. A complete stranger will fondle your genitels.

This is a clear violation of our Fourth Amendment Right, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure.


The most interesting thing is that this is all done in the name of "National Security."
Our personal freedom is being handed over to keep us "safe"

Below is a link to Miss USA Susie Castillo. This a video of her moments after being sexually assaulted by the TSA. You can see she is really shaken by the whole thing. Having her body and rights violated. She is just one example of many. Fortunately, she is famous and can get the word out.

Miss USA Susie Castillo Sexually Assaulted TSA

A great, and horrifying, point in this clip is when the lady who works at the airport tells her,
"well honey, I'd rather get a pat down and go through the scanner than be blown up"

Its shocking how quickly people are willing to give over their freedom. We get scared into giving up our liberties.

I heard on politics radio that these workers who look at the naked body scanner images are the equivalent of having the garbage man looking at the naked pictures. Not only are adults subject to this, there are reports of workers fondling young children.

Susie Castillo is gathering TSA stories, and signing a petition to Congress. She is working to get TSA techniques changed, and restore people's right under the fourth amendment

Below is a link to sign the petition to Congress :

Susie's Petition to Congress

When we are passive our rights get slowly take away from us.

The United States of America was made to be "the land of the free and the home of the brave"

Maybe this is because a person has to be brave and make a stand in order to live in a land that is truly free.

God Bless You.

A Republic for the people, by the people

To begin, this country, the United States of America, was intended to be a country for the people by the people. Looking at the government, even through main stream media, it can be seen that we are clear off the mark. Many many people are losing jobs, losing their homes, going hungry, the public school system is deteriorating more and more. Meanwhile, trillions of dollars (trillions of dollars that is driving us deeper into debt) is being put into wars. Not just one, three. Instead of investing that money into making this country strong, it is being invested into murdering people in a far away place.

We are following the pattern of the Romans in more way than one. We all know how the Romans ended up, well, they aren't around anymore. They started out as a Republic where they functioned under the law and the people in their country were able to thrive. Slowly it deteriorated to a Democracy where people were forced to hand over their power and rights under the name of "freedom," and then came the oligarchy with the Caesars (you could say that it was a monarchy, but really, it was a small group of the elite running things not just one man).

As they slowly deteriorated they also started focusing on conquering other lands. Instead of maintaining quality of life at home, they went to fight people in far away places. While energy was invested in this life on the home front deteriorated. (sound a little familiar?)

Many Americans don't realize that this country was never meant to be a Democracy. It was intended to be a Republic where "the law" (as republic means) set a standard for everyone. In a Democracy mass opinion can be swayed and manipulated.

When Benjamin Franklin was leaving the constitutional convention a woman asked him, "what did you give us?" and he responded, "a Republic ma'am, if you can keep it."

There is a fascinating video on this I have watched over and over. I recommend anyone who is interested in this to take a look. It is not too long, just ten minutes, it is right here:

Republic vs. Democracy

It is our job, our duty, to keep the Republic and the foundation of a free nation that the Founding Fathers intended for us. To bring us back to being a nation that is both for the people and by the people.