Don't Unconsciously React: Consciously Respond

Something I learned the other day.


I've always been an impulsive person. I'm the type to just pick up and move to a new town I've never been before when things aren't going my way. Some people might think this takes a lot of daring, but really it's just another form of avoidance. Most people avoid issues by refusing to look at them. I tend to avoid issues by impulsively reacting to them, thus forcing a new but most likely worse situation to deal with.

I've always been struck by the contradiction of two time-worn proverbs: "Look before you leap," and "He who hesitates is lost." We need to find a balance there, and it finally crystalized for me when I read this essay from Paul Levy, which basicaclly says we have to consciously respond, instead of unconsciously react.

Homeland Insecurity
http://www.awakeninthedream.com/html/

I guess I already knew this, because I said as much in the first few lines of my "Sergeant Benderman" http://jpaulson.blogspot.com/2007/05/sgt-kevin-benderman.html ].

After 9-11 happened, I was one of the first people to take an intellectually honest assessment of the situation and conclude, "My God! The official story can't possibly be true! But ... the press seems to be willfulling ignoring the questions that cry out to be answered (like ... why did a 50-storey building fall down in its own footprint in 6.5 seconds without being hit by a plane? [ http://wtc7.net ])."

So I did what I imagine most people would think to be a brave response -- I did almost everything I could think of to get those questions out there. And I strongly believe I got slapped down for it [ http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/09/296845.shtml ].

But a lot of my problems were caused by myself, because I consequently became so paranoid and distrustful that I sabatoged myself by being constantly on edge: "Another 9-11 is coming right around the corner!" I'd think, and unwittingly contributed to a lot of the fearmongering on the Internet by repeating every story that hinted at such a disaster.

Meanwhile, most of the general population remains in total ignorance as to what really happened that day. The fact of the matter is, most of our troops still think Iraq had something to do with 9-11.

So anyway, I'd just like to encourage everyone to read Paul Levy's essay, and remember the fact that the so-called "Powers that Be" operate like vampires: They feed off of fear and can't stand the light. We need to balance shedding light on their misdeeds, being realistic about their intentions; but we can't allow fear of the future to drive us to ill-considered options. Again, we have to consciously respond, instead of unconsciously react.

That having been said, it's pretty clear after the Democrats cravenly approved the war spending bill that something really nefarious has a hold over our entire government. The threat of Martial Law is very real. We have to do something. But whatever we do, we have to do it intelligently, and not go off half-######. Suggestions, anyone?