Welcome to the world according to Cosmos. I am your host, John (Jake) Cosmos Aller, aka Cosmos. I have been blogging for about 10 years since I retired from the US Foreign Service back in 2016. During my service, I worked in 10 countries (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St. Lucia, St Vincent, South Korea, India, Spain) and DC, and visited 45 countries. I have been to all States, DC and PR. I have been living in South Korea with an annual visit to the States -Oregon, Northern California, and Washington, DC since then. I have lived in five different cities in the U.S. -Berkeley, Stockton, Seattle, Alexandria, and DC,
The purpose of this blog is to provide a place for me to show my fiction, poetry, and political rants. I have decided, though to forgo any hot political topics for now as I don’t want to get into trouble with the man or invite cyber bullying, which unfortunately is happening all too often in the blogosphere.
Politically, I lean left but distrust hard-core ideologues on the left and on the right. I am a never trumper democrat, and a Bernie bro, and a big supporter of the LGBTQ community as I have LGBTQ and trans friends. Religion-wise, I am an agnostic sort of a new age neo Buddhist or dudist. My favorite movie is “The Big Lebrowski”. I am a big K-drama fiend. I am a big blues and funk fanatic. My favorite band is Tower of Power. My poetry is outlaw poetry style, neo-beatnik flavor. My fiction tends to be sci-fi political thrillers.
I grew up in Berkeley in a political family. My father taught at Cal State SF. I have 18 nationalities swirling in my family background. From my father, I am part Basque, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Jewish, Laplander, Mongolian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, and Ukrainian. From my mother, English, Cherokee, Irish, Italian, Nigerian, Scottish, and Welsh. Because my mother was from the lost tribe of the Cherokee nation -descended from indians who ran away into the Ozarks to avoid the Trail of Tears, I may also be part Chowtah, Creek, and Seminole Indian as the lost tribe members intermarried with other fleeing Indians, white settlers, and escaped slaves. The DNA test only shows native ancestry, not broken down by tribe.
My pen name, Cosmos, comes from my middle name, Cosmos. The name Cosmos came about because my great-grandfather wanted an English translation of our German family name aller to use as a middle name for his son, my grandfather. He looked up Aller and found Cosmos or Universe. I am the third and last Cosmos Aller. The name has nothing to do with me being born in Berkeley, although no one believes that, as the name is so “Berkeley”. Universe would have been even more of a Berkeley vibe, I think.
I appreciate my readers and any comments you may have. Please keep your comments civil. It is important that we all get along and remember that, despite our differences, we are all God’s children. I am not your enemy, and you are not my enemy.
Thank you, and please enjoy my fiction, musings, rants, and poetry.
Jake Cosmos Aller aka Cosmos
About This Blog
Poems and Rants from the Cosmos
Welcome to The World According to Cosmos. I’m your host, John (Jake) Cosmos Aller — better known simply as Cosmos. I’ve been blogging for about ten years, ever since I retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2016. During my career, I served in ten countries (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, South Korea, India, and Spain) as well as Washington, D.C., and I’ve visited forty‑five countries. I’ve also traveled to every U.S. state, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Since retiring, I’ve been living in South Korea, with annual visits back to the States — usually Oregon, Northern California, and Washington, D.C. Over the years, I’ve lived in five U.S. cities: Berkeley, Stockton, Seattle, Alexandria, and Washington, D.C.
This blog is my space to share fiction, poetry, and the occasional political rant. For now, I’m steering clear of the hottest political topics. I have no desire to attract trouble from the powers that be or to invite cyberbullying, which has become far too common in the online world.
Politically, I lean left, but I distrust hard‑core ideologues on both sides. I’m a Never‑Trumper Democrat, a Bernie Bro, and a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community — many of my friends are LGBTQ or trans. Spiritually, I’m an agnostic with a New Age, neo‑Buddhist, “Dudist” streak. My favorite movie is The Big Lebowski. I’m a devoted K‑drama fan, a blues and funk enthusiast, and a lifelong admirer of Tower of Power. My poetry leans toward outlaw and neo‑Beatnik styles, while my fiction tends to be sci‑fi political thrillers.
I grew up in Berkeley in a very political family. My father taught at Cal State San Francisco. My ancestry is a swirl of eighteen nationalities. On my father’s side: Basque, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Jewish, Laplander, Mongolian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, and Ukrainian. On my mother’s side: English, Cherokee, Irish, Italian, Nigerian, Scottish, and Welsh. Because my mother descended from the “lost tribe” of the Cherokee Nation — families who fled into the Ozarks to avoid the Trail of Tears — I may also have Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole ancestry. DNA tests only show Native ancestry, not tribal breakdowns.
My pen name, Cosmos, comes from my middle name. My great‑grandfather wanted an English translation of our German family name, Aller, to use as a middle name for his son, my grandfather. He looked it up and found “Cosmos” or “Universe.” I am the third and last Cosmos Aller. The name has nothing to do with being born in Berkeley, though no one ever believes that — it sounds so quintessentially “Berkeley.” Honestly, “Universe” would have been even more so.
I appreciate every reader who stops by. Comments are welcome — just keep them civil. Despite our differences, we’re all God’s children. I am not your enemy, and you are not mine.
Thank you for being here. I hope you enjoy my fiction, musings, rants, and poetry. — Jake Cosmos Aller (aka Cosmos)
Welcome to the world according to Cosmos. I am your host, John (Jake) Cosmos Aller, aka Cosmos. I have been blogging for about 10 years since I retired from the US Foreign Service back in 2016. During my service, I worked in 10 countries (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St. Lucia, St Vincent, South Korea, India, Spain) and DC, and visited 45 countries. I have been to all States, DC and PR. I have been living in South Korea with an annual visit to the States -Oregon, Northern California, and Washington, DC since then. I have lived in five different cities in the U.S. -Berkeley, Stockton, Seattle, Alexandria, and DC,
The purpose of this blog is to provide a place for me to show my fiction, poetry, and political rants. I have decided, though to forgo any hot political topics for now as I don’t want to get into trouble with the man or invite cyber bullying, which unfortunately is happening all too often in the blogosphere.
Politically, I lean left but distrust hard-core ideologues on the left and on the right. I am a never trumper democrat, and a Bernie bro, and a big supporter of the LGBTQ community as I have LGBTQ and trans friends. Religion-wise, I am an agnostic sort of a new age neo Buddhist or dudist. My favorite movie is “The Big Lebrowski”. I am a big K-drama fiend. I am a big blues and funk fanatic. My favorite band is Tower of Power. My poetry is outlaw poetry style, neo-beatnik flavor. My fiction tends to be sci-fi political thrillers.
I grew up in Berkeley in a political family. My father taught at Cal State SF. I have 18 nationalities swirling in my family background. From my father, I am part Basque, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Jewish, Laplander, Mongolian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, and Ukrainian. From my mother, English, Cherokee, Irish, Italian, Nigerian, Scottish, and Welsh. Because my mother was from the lost tribe of the Cherokee nation -descended from indians who ran away into the Ozarks to avoid the Trail of Tears, I may also be part Chowtah, Creek, and Seminole Indian as the lost tribe members intermarried with other fleeing Indians, white settlers, and escaped slaves. The DNA test only shows native ancestry, not broken down by tribe.
My pen name, Cosmos, comes from my middle name, Cosmos. The name Cosmos came about because my great-grandfather wanted an English translation of our German family name aller to use as a middle name for his son, my grandfather. He looked up Aller and found Cosmos or Universe. I am the third and last Cosmos Aller. The name has nothing to do with me being born in Berkeley, although no one believes that, as the name is so “Berkeley”. Universe would have been even more of a Berkeley vibe, I think.
I appreciate my readers and any comments you may have. Please keep your comments civil. It is important that we all get along and remember that, despite our differences, we are all God’s children. I am not your enemy, and you are not my enemy.
Thank you, and please enjoy my fiction, musings, rants, and poetry.
Jake Cosmos Aller aka Cosmos
About This Blog
Poems and Rants from the Cosmos
Welcome to The World According to Cosmos. I’m your host, John (Jake) Cosmos Aller — better known simply as Cosmos. I’ve been blogging for about ten years, ever since I retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2016. During my career, I served in ten countries (Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, South Korea, India, and Spain) as well as Washington, D.C., and I’ve visited forty‑five countries. I’ve also traveled to every U.S. state, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Since retiring, I’ve been living in South Korea, with annual visits back to the States — usually Oregon, Northern California, and Washington, D.C. Over the years, I’ve lived in five U.S. cities: Berkeley, Stockton, Seattle, Alexandria, and Washington, D.C.
This blog is my space to share fiction, poetry, and the occasional political rant. For now, I’m steering clear of the hottest political topics. I have no desire to attract trouble from the powers that be or to invite cyberbullying, which has become far too common in the online world.
Politically, I lean left, but I distrust hard‑core ideologues on both sides. I’m a Never‑Trumper Democrat, a Bernie Bro, and a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community — many of my friends are LGBTQ or trans. Spiritually, I’m an agnostic with a New Age, neo‑Buddhist, “Dudist” streak. My favorite movie is The Big Lebowski. I’m a devoted K‑drama fan, a blues and funk enthusiast, and a lifelong admirer of Tower of Power. My poetry leans toward outlaw and neo‑Beatnik styles, while my fiction tends to be sci‑fi political thrillers.
I grew up in Berkeley in a very political family. My father taught at Cal State San Francisco. My ancestry is a swirl of eighteen nationalities. On my father’s side: Basque, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Jewish, Laplander, Mongolian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, and Ukrainian. On my mother’s side: English, Cherokee, Irish, Italian, Nigerian, Scottish, and Welsh. Because my mother descended from the “lost tribe” of the Cherokee Nation — families who fled into the Ozarks to avoid the Trail of Tears — I may also have Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole ancestry. DNA tests only show Native ancestry, not tribal breakdowns.
My pen name, Cosmos, comes from my middle name. My great‑grandfather wanted an English translation of our German family name, Aller, to use as a middle name for his son, my grandfather. He looked it up and found “Cosmos” or “Universe.” I am the third and last Cosmos Aller. The name has nothing to do with being born in Berkeley, though no one ever believes that — it sounds so quintessentially “Berkeley.” Honestly, “Universe” would have been even more so.
I appreciate every reader who stops by. Comments are welcome — just keep them civil. Despite our differences, we’re all God’s children. I am not your enemy, and you are not mine.
Thank you for being here. I hope you enjoy my fiction, musings, rants, and poetry. — Jake Cosmos Aller (aka Cosmos)
Outlaw Poetry
By
Jake Cosmos Aller
Outlaw Poetry is apparently a thing. I prefer “Neo-Beatnik” but what the hey, we are talking the same thing. Outlaw Poets is a term used in reference to writers of outlaw poetry, a type of marginal poetry with Beat sensibility often categorized as Spoken Word.
Works of several such poets is included in The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry and literary magazine like Zombie Logic Review.
Outlaw poets
“Outlaw poets” is a term of endearment used in reference to poets whose work is featured in the Outlaw Bible. The following (conspiracy) list of traits is characteristic of such poets as the! leader in russian start with the vol1 “demons contempt” of Carlos ac Libera :Out law poetry … does not mean to be disobedient, or an outlaw or criminal in poetic ethics; there is no direct sophism but there is no contradiction either;; Outlaw poetry”, is still taking its first steps as a vanguard of poetry but is a form of subversive expression, ‘which differs from all modes of poetry but is neither playful nor fiction; is a silent expression of crushing the system, the angry cry that is not made in the street, outlaw poetry is wild, natural, appears and has the effect it did not have for an invitation..
anti-authoritarian;
anti-Vietnam war activists known for their anti-war rhymes (many poets write about Vietnam who are by no means outlaw poets).
Elder poets that gained notoriety via unconventional forms
Poets deliberately not included in most academic curriculums[2]
Often inspirational to or inspired by the so-called “Beat” movement in American poetry during the mid-20th century[3]
The following 29 pages are in this category, out of 29 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
A
Kathy Acker
B
Richard Brautigan
Charles Bukowski
C
C. A. Conrad
Mitch Corber
D
Diane di Prima
F
Bob Flanagan
Rebecca Fransway
G
Allen Ginsberg
Hedwig Gorski
S.A. Griffin
H
Jack Hirschman
K
Alan Kaufman (writer)
Bob Kaufman
Tuli Kupferberg
L
David Lerner
D. A. Levy
M
Joyelle McSweeney
Jack Micheline
N
Harold Norse
O
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry
R
Steve Richmond (poet)
S
Sapphire (author)
Herschel Silverman
Patti Smith
T
Charles Taylor Jr.
David Trinidad
W
William Wantling
A. D. Winans
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, edited by Alan Kaufman, is an anthology of American underground poets spanning the post-war era to the present day. First published in 1999, the collection features work from several notable poets, including Jack Micheline, Patti Smith, Harold Norse, David Trinidad, Tuli Kupferberg, D.A. Levy, Bob Kaufman, Jim Chandler, Jim Brodey, Daniel Higgs, Jack Kerouac, Bonny Finberg, David Lerner, Richard Brautigan, Allen Ginsberg, Tom Waits, William S. Burroughs, Carlos ac Libera, Ken Kesey, Justin Chin, DianDi Prima, Charles Bukowski, and FrancEyE[1], among others. S.A. Griffin served as a contributing editor.
? S.A. Griffin, Neeli Cherkovski, and Al Martinez (n.d.). “Franceye | Call”. Outlaw Poet. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
? ? Kaufman, Alan (1999). The Outlaw Bible of American Poety. Emeryville: Thunder’s Mouth Press. p. xxv. ISBN 1560252367
Kaufman, Alan (1999). The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry. Emeryville CA: Thunder’s Mouth Press. p. vi-viii. ISBN 1560252367.
I am proud to be associated with such great writers. !
Here then are some of my outlaw poems, published in Outlaw Poetry. Enjoy and please comment on my blog, “hhtps://theworldaccordingtocosmos.com
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In Search of America 1975 – Hitchhiking Tales by Jake Cosmos Aller
Posted on April 26, 2018 by Monsieur K. — 1 Comment ?
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In Search of America 1975 – Hitchhiking Tales
When I was young
And foolish
Broke and stubborn
I hitchhiked across the USA
Started in Salt Lake City
Where my greyhound bus pass
Was stolen
The station manager
Could have helped me
But refused to do so
Threaten to call the cops
When I grabbed my bags
Without the stolen tags
I said
Go ahead
But I am so out of here
Wondered about Salt Lake City
Went to a bar
Found I had to buy my booze
Next door
And they would mix it for me
Had to order food too
After a bloody Mary
And a burger
I walked about town
Saw the Mormon Temple
Finally about 3 pm
It was time to hit the road
Did not look back
Ended up in Cody Wyoming
Got a room shower
Steak beer
Using my rapidly depleted cash
Spent 25 dollars
Money really went far
Back in those days
A band of professional
Communist agitators
Gave me a ride
To Des Moines
Lots of weed booze
And politics later
Got off the road
Slept outside
Next day
A beautiful woman
Drove me to near Chicago
In a red mustang
Might have been
The girl in the song
Took it easy
Digging her vibe
She invited home
But was not sure
If her estranged husband
Would welcome me
So I being foolish
And inexperienced with women
Did not go to her place
And always regretted
That I had lost
My chance that day
Then on to Chicago
Several rides later
Visited friends
Hit the road again
A series of uneventful rides
With truckers
And others
And a week later
I ended in New York City
Slept along the way
In cars
In truck stops
In high way rest stops
Always moving
Always going
None stop talking
And lots of free weed
And beer
And conversation
One more memorable ride
Occurred outside Albany
On my return to Chicago
A middle age creepy looking man
Picked me up
In a brand new Cadillac
He was he said a dynamite deliverer
For the Mafia
Went to various places
To blow up shit
He hated a lot of people
Particularly hippies from California
And Jewish people
Looking at me to confirm
That I was both
I told him that I lived in New York
And had never been to California
And although I might looked Jewish
As I what was called back in the day
A “Jewfro”
I was not Jewish
Many years later I discovered
That I am indeed part Jewish
But then I did not know
And I felt a bit of strategic information
Might keep me alive
Then I realized that he was just jiving with me
And we relaxed
And he pulled out some weed
And beer
And we mellowed out
But I believe that he really was with the mob
Perhaps not a dynamite dealer
A real made Italian made mafia member
By Chicago
I had enough
I called my Dad
Told him what had happened
Wanted a ticket home
And he sent me a ticket
And 500 dollars
And I went home
I told him I would tell him
My tales some day
But never did
I learned so much
About my fellow Americans
And the strange vibe
That was 1975
And now it is too late
But I wanted to finally
Tell the world
Of my hitchhiking tales
In search of America 1975
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Lost and Found
I was lost
And you found me
You walked out of my dreams
And into my life
And that made all the difference
In the world
As you entered my life
I was all alone in this cruel world
And you provided shelter
And comfort
I did not know what I wanted
And you gave me what I wanted
You gave me meaning
You gave me purpose
You gave me love
And understanding
peace and happiness
Joy, laughter and fun
You were endlessly fascinating
Could not keep my eyes off you
You were the most beautiful women
In the world to me
And you still are
So many years later
Like a fine bottle of wine
Gets better with age
And you gave me
Endless nights of wild love making
Which has gotten better
As well
And I fell under
your spell
from the day, I met you
I was lost
And you found me
And if you go first
I will be lost again
Can’t live without you
By my side
Thus, is has always been
Between us
We are so entangled
So interwoven
And that is the
way
It was meant to me
Note: based on a true story which you can read on my blog or in the book, “Dreams and the Unexplainable” published by the Chicken Soup for the Soul publishers in September, 2016.
My Mother’s History
One day many a year ago
My mother spoke to me
About her family’s tangled history
She spoke to me
Of lies, half-truths, and myths
Some of which may have been true
And over the course of the evening
Her history came alive
She was born in hills of North Little Rock
The 10th of 11 children
Of an ancient dying race
The Cherokees who had ran away
The lost tribe of the Cherokees
Homeless since the trail of tears
Refusniks
Refugees who fled in the hills
Rather than join the rest
In the promised land
Of Oklahoma
Her people disappeared
From history’s eyes
They did not exist
I did not exist
My history was over
As was hers
And so, I learned at last
The painful truth
That due to the crimes of politicians
So long ago
My mother’s people
Lost their land, their culture and their hope
And became downtrodden forgotten people
Hillbillies they were called
Living in the hills and mountain dales
Clinging to the dim fading memories
Of their once glorious past
As proud Cherokees
Now no one knew their name
The old ways were forgotten
And the new world never forgave them
And they never forgave the new world
As they lived on
In the margins of society
Forgotten people
And I vowed that if I lived
Their history would not die
As I knew the truth
And I would become a proud
Cherokee
And make my mother proud of me
And my accomplishments
And so, when I am down and out
I recall her stories and her warnings
And realize it is up to me
To live my life
To let the Cherokee in me
Live his life
And in so doing
My mother’s history does not die
It lives on in me
Until the day I die
Long live the Cherokee nation
Long live my mother
Conversation with Teddy Roosevelt
One morning I woke up in the White House
I had been summoned back in time
By a mysterious letter I had received
From my hero, Teddy Roosevelt
The letter
Asked me for my advice
And instructed me to go to the white house with the letter
And so, I went and presented the letter
And went through a back door and found myself
Back in 1904 being presented to the President
We spent the afternoon and evening talking about the future past
And the present in front of us
And we worked out the problems of the world
Then I told him of the future world to come
Of the world wars
Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan
Of presidents to come
And of the great events of the future
And he spoke of his fears
That the future would become a nightmare
Of great powerful corporations
Oppressing the little man
Turning everyone into slaves
To the powers that be
And that he was determined to fight
For the little man
And he hoped that it the end
Freedom would have a chance
To flourish in the world
I left
Not wanting to let him know
That he had failed
That the special interests ruled the world
And that soon the world he knew and love
Would become nothing but the dusty myths of history
And I wondered what had happened
Where we had gone so wrong
And whether we would find our way back
Watching Cats Hunt
Early morning
Watching two white cats
Hunting a white dove
The cats hunt in pairs
Tracking the bird
The bird flies away
Safe for now
And I think about the cats
And the hunt goes on
Such is life
And the fate of cats
And birds
Cats
I often wonder about Cats
What do they think of us
It seems at time
That cats think of humans
As their slaves
We exist to feed them
To comfort them
To save them from their enemies
And to worship them
Yes, cats are an alien species
Totally different from humanity
Detached, and almost evil
If we ever encounter an alien civilization
God help us if it’s a cat based civilization
We would then be engaged
In the epic mother of all wars
As cats and humans would not get along
The cats would think we were their slaves
And we would resent and fear them
And secretly worship their alien ways
Outlaw_Poetry_html_1dd86224.jpg
It is a Gun Situation, Mr. President
Mr. President
You are wrong once again
You said that the tragic events in Texas
And Las Vegas were not “gun situations”
But rather were mental health problems
And that in Texas if there had been gun controls
Perhaps fewer people would have died
Mr. President
I know you a smart man
The smartest man in the world
According to you
So please contemplate this fact
According to the latest findings
It is a gun situation
In fact, the reason the U.S.
Has so many gun deaths
Is because we have so many guns
45% of the worlds guns in fact
And 33 percent of the world’s shooters
Are Americans killing other Americans
And most of them
Are White People
killing other white people
Not Islamic terrorists
Most are in fact
Self-proclaimed Christians
So Mr. President
When will you come to your senses
And do what 90 percent of the public wants
Enact nationwide effective gun controls?
And tell the NRA
they can take their blood money elsewhere
When Mr. President
When will you act
When will you take charge
And become a President of the people
Instead of the President of the NRA?
Prayer Works
Dear Speaker Ryan
I want to tell you something
The dead don’t want your prayers
The dead don’t care that you pray for them
They are dead after all
And you and your so-called Christians
Are to blame
You refuse to do anything
Anything at all to stop the carnage
In our streets
The U.S. is flooded with guns
And more are sold every day
Millions of people don’t have health coverage
Millions are barely surviving
And your answer
Our dear great compassionate Speaker
Your answer
Is Prayer works
Government action does not
You act as if the gun violence
Plaguing our country
Was like the weather
Beyond our control
So here’s my prayer for you
And your colleagues
When you die
I pray that God
Will send you
And your friends
Straight to hell
Where Satan and his demons
Will use you for target practice
That’s my prayer to you
And as you know
Prayer works
I don’t Get It
Mr. Speaker
I admit I don’t get it
How does prayer
Stop gun violence?
Prayer did not work in Texas.
26 people were murdered
while praying.
God if he exists
Obviously does not care
About the poor people
Who died in his church
Because a mad man
Got a gun
And no they were not praying
To be delivered from death
No one deserves to die like this
So my prayer to you
Is simply this
Get off your rear end
Rally the country
And do something
About gun violence
That’s a prayer
I hope works
Add House Speaker Paul Ryan to the list of Republicans offering only thoughts and prayers in the wake of Sunday’s mass shooting in a Texas church, because taking meaningful action is always off the table with him and his party.
Speaking with Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham last night, Ryan reiterated that the victims and their families need more prayers because “prayer works.”
Prayer doesn’t work.
26 people were murdered while praying. Even Christians ought to admit that prayer doesn’t make a damn bit of difference and their God will do whatever their God wants to do, even if it means letting people die in church because a domestic abuser got his hands on a semi-automatic weapon.
Not that Ryan would ever say that.
Instead, he just blamed the “far secular Left” for not getting it.
Paul Ryan to “Far Secular Left”: After Mass Shootings, “Prayer Works”
NOVEMBER 7, 2017 BY HEMANT MEHTA
253 COMMENTS
Add House Speaker Paul Ryan to the list of Republicans offering only thoughts and prayers in the wake of Sunday’s mass shooting in a Texas church, because taking meaningful action is always off the table with him and his party.
Speaking with Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham last night, Ryan reiterated that the victims and their families need more prayers because “prayer works.”
Prayer doesn’t work.
26 people were murdered while praying. Even Christians ought to admit that prayer doesn’t make a damn bit of difference and their God will do whatever their God wants to do, even if it means letting people die in church because a domestic abuser got his hands on a semi-automatic weapon.
Not that Ryan would ever say that.
Instead, he just blamed the “far secular Left” for not getting it.
It’s disappointing. It’s sad, and this is what you’ll get from the far secular Left. People who do not have faith, don’t understand faith, I guess I’d have to say. And it is the right thing to do, is to pray in moments like this, because you know what? Prayer works. And I know you believe that and I believe that. And when you hear the secular left doing this thing, no wonder you’ve got so much polarization and disunity in this country when people think like that.
That’s Republican thinking for you right there: The people who hear the facts, examine the evidence, and demand action are to blame for polarizing the country… while the people in charge, the ones who sit on their asses doing absolutely nothing (at least when they’re not voting to make the problems worse), should get credit for being the vanguards of everything right with America.
The people who don’t have faith understand it perfectly well. That’s why we chucked it a long time ago. We know prayer is the only thing most politicians want to offer in times of distress because meaningful action would alienate their core supporters and donors. Democrats get it. Other countries get it. The only ones who don’t come from the same party that routinely rejects science, facts, and experts.
There are, of course, Christians who believe prayer is meaningless unless it’s followed up with action. We can argue that they’re wasting their time with that first step, but these aren’t the people we’re complaining about.
We’re specifically criticizing those who have the ability to pass gun reform legislation and mental health reforms… but choose to do nothing.
That’s what Paul Ryan has to offer the nation: A giant, steaming bowl of jack shit. And he wants credit for that meal because he says grace before gulping it down.
Dear Governor Abbot
You say that you are a Christian
Yet you have the gall
to say that the proper response
To the evil acts of the deranged gun man
Who shot up a church
Is to work closer with God
And that evil people will find ways
To commit evil acts
And that there is nothing the government
Can do to stop this madness
It is the price of our freedom
Why can’t you wake up
And see that you can lead
The way out of this madness?
Thousands of people die
Each year from guns in this country
Turning everyone into prisoners
Into their own homes
Afraid to walk outside
For fear that a nut job
With a gun
Will blow them away
In Church, at the store
In traffic
And you and your NRA buddies
Think the answer
Is to arm everyone to the teeth
And I wonder how Jesus
Would react to how
You have so misunderstood his message?
You Sir are not a Christian
And you Sir are going to not like
What God has to say to you
On Judgement day
“We have evil that occurs in this world, whether it be a terrorist who uses a truck to mow down bikers in New York City, whether it be a terrorist who uses bombs or knives to stab people, or other terrorist who use vehicles, whether it be in Nice, France, or any other place in the entire world, who mow down people.
And I’m going to use the words of the citizens of Sutherland Springs themselves, and that is, they want to work together for love to overcome evil, and you do that by working with God.”
Texas Governor: Fight Gun Massacres By ‘Working With God’
NOVEMBER 6, 2017 BY MICHAEL STONE
48 COMMENTS
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott claims prayer and “working with God” is the only way to prevent mass shooting events like the recent church massacre in rural Texas.
In a deplorable bit of pandering Abbott said that the proper response to Sunday’s shooting is to confront evil through prayer and forge “a stronger connection to God.”
Governor Abbott said:
We have evil that occurs in this world, whether it be a terrorist who uses a truck to mow down bikers in New York City, whether it be a terrorist who uses bombs or knives to stab people, or other terrorist who use vehicles, whether it be in Nice, France, or any other place in the entire world, who mow down people.
And I’m going to use the words of the citizens of Sutherland Springs themselves, and that is, they want to work together for love to overcome evil, and you do that by working with God.
Most reasonable people reject Abbott’s impotent call to prayer and a “stronger connection to God.” In a statement concerning the recent Texas church massacre, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that action was rquired:
We have a solemn obligation to the victims of Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, Orlando, Newtown and the many tragic shootings that occur each day to respond not only with prayer and unwavering love, but with action.
As for Governor Abbott, his position as a dangerous religious extremist is well established.
Last June Abbott signed into law legislation allowing publicly funded agencies to deny non-Christians the ability to adopt a child in need.
In addition, in a move meant to shame women who have abortions, the Republican governor of Texas ordered state health officials to add new abortion regulations that would require the burial or cremation of post abortion fetal tissue.
Bottom line: Texas Governor Gregg Abbott is a dangerous religious extremist who believes the proper response to Sunday’s church massacre is prayer and other efforts to forge “a stronger connection to God.”
Outlaw_Poetry_html_5aebfd37.pngTexas Governor Gregg Abbott (Image via Wikimedia)
When will this Madness end – short version
Yet again we turn on the TV
And witness horrible scenes
Of unparalleled violence, hatred and despair
An old man consumed by his own demons
Opens fire from a hotel room
Killing 60 people injuring hundreds
In Las Vegas, Sin City
And the cry goes out throughout the land
Why yet again this tragedy
The usual suspects are rounded up
It’s the culture, stupid cry the conservative voices
And there is nothing we can do
It is like the weather
Bad shit happens
Guns are the price of our freedom
Guns Don’t Kill People
The only solution is more guns for everyone
The only solution for a bad guy with a gun
Is a gun guy with a gun
An armed society is a polite society
No, it’s the guns, cry the liberal pundits
We must confiscate the guns
Ban Assault weapons
And join the rest of the world
Where such carnage does not occur
And we sit around and argue
Knowing that there will be a next time
And another time and time and time again
Until the end of time
What is the sickness in our souls
That allows for this hatred to fester so
Deep within the minds of our killers
We are all responsible here
The negligent parents
The overworked schools
The soulless corporate world
That treats everyone like disposable commodities
The lack of human connection
The TV and movie purveyors
Of pornographic violence
Nothing will change
Until we conflict the evil
That lurks deep within each of us
There will be another Las Vegas
Soon enough
Two weeks later the greatest mass shooting in a Church occurred in Texas
Sadly nothing has changed
Published also in Poetry24
For additional poems from the cosmos check out my blog
Https://theworldaccordingtocosmos.com
