A lot is said of this old Quaker adage. It assumes, of course, that we have something to tell those in power that they don’t already know. Why then, are they so secretive, so indignant about any kind of transparency, so eager to clamp down on any/all dissent?
Do they jump through so many hoops because they don’t know anything’s wrong with the things they do or because they don’t fear we’ll find out?
I think it’s exactly the opposite. They more than know. Look at how extremely paranoid they are about all of the ruthless, undemocratic, repressive, elitist and globally genocidal policies they promote. Oh, they know. Maybe it’s the people that need to hear the truth. The people, inundated by American Idol and Desperate Housewives and all similar propaganda intended to convince us that EVERYTHING’S FIIIIIIINE! And that the revolution, if it is decided that one is needed, will be televised even without disturbing your normal programming. Is it the people or power that need to hear the truth?
- Bay of Pigs.
- Watergate.
- Iran-Contra.
- Savings & Loan
- Iraq 91.
- Enron.
- Iraq 03.
- Tapping phones.
- An elaborate, convoluted system of lobbying and campaign finance where unelected corporate representatives essentially run all branches of government.
- Endless self-congratulation about a self-described two party system that offers little choice. So little that 80 million registered voters sat home playing PS2 instead of voting for president in ’04.
- A so-called opposition party so racially stratified it can hardly win an election even though vast majorities of the country agree on what it is supposed to represent.
Does power try to keep this stuff under wraps because they think they’re right?
Do we need to speak the truth? Hell yes.
But to power? There seems to be every indication they already know!!.
We need to speak truth to where the actual power should lie, to each other, to the people!!
