“A Tale of Two Labels”
Let us consider
two works of classic literature:
the first – Plato’s “Republic”
and the second – Marx’s
“Communist Manifesto.”
The former: a master plan
for the intersectionality
of fascism, elitism,
and totalitarianism
and the latter:
their antidotes.
One of the very great ironies
that we see at play
in North Korea,
and Red China,
as well as the former
Soviet union;
are fascist, elitist,
and totalitarian states
misapplying the nomenclature
of communism:
deliberately,
and deceptively,
and destructively
and utterly unsustainably.
Imagine that one evening
you and I were practicing
walking meditation
together, side by side,
through my neighborhood.
Picture that as we strolled
merrily along
we happened upon
a steaming pile of doggie doo
in the middle of the side walk
like a great,
biological land mine.
Nearly stepping into it,
yet avoiding doing so
at the last moment
we might thank
our lucky stars.
If I were to reach inside
my Buddhist robes,
produce both a three by five card
as well as a pen,
write the word “chocolate”
upon the index card
and gingerly place it upon
the steaming mound of doggie doo;
would that actually transform it
on a molecular level?
No, of course not!
Label or not,
doggie doo,
remains doggie doo.
Likewise neither applying
Marxist labels to totalitarianism
nor democratic terminology
to the duopoly of oligarchy
could ever make chocolate
out of canine crap.
This is an easy idea
that could be grasped
by any school child
who has read
George Orwell’s “1984,”
with its ministries of
propaganda, torture, and war
labeled as those of
truth, and love, and peace.
But this simple concept
has been deliberately obfuscated
by moneyed interests.
For the disinformation
of state propaganda
is as old as state-craft;
like elitism,
and its diversionary-tactics,
of scapegoat-ism,
and sexism,
and racism,
and classism,
and speciesism,
and jingoism,
and tribalism
and exceptionalism.
Let us conclude
with a simple
call to action
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