We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Saturday, August 9, 2014

The West on the wrong path

Click here to access article by Gabor Steingart from Handelsblatt (a leading German financial newspaper).
As neighbors of Russia, as part of the European community bound in destiny, as recipient of energy and supplier of this and that, we Germans have a clearly more vital interest in stability and communication. We cannot afford to look at Russia through the eyes of the American Tea Party. 
While European officials are quick to support the US Empire's aggressive policies in support of their puppet government in Ukraine and in opposition to Russia, there may be cracks appearing in the German ruling capitalist class if this article is any indication. Germany, and Europe in general, have much to lose if US aggressive policies toward Russia continue. The separation of Russia from Europe is one of the prime considerations of Empire policies. Thus, Empire directors must be worried by opinions like this. (See also this, this, and this.)