An American Versailles

It has been a while since I wrote a blog. I have been somewhat busy dealing with end of semester projects and grading students work.The summer looms long and unknown adventures await no doubt.It is Sunday morning and am drinking coffee.

America is beginning to remind me more of 18th century France rather then a modern democratic country. I think of Versailles as a palatial corporate office, run by plutocrats, not aristocrats, who rule government and make laws that effect only those who do not belong to their class. It is with dismay I read of a woman being imprisoned for 25 years for being caught shoplifting three times.Yes, I read this the other day. This is not a violent crime. The woman has children and a family is broken for life. It is similar to a peasant being jailed in the Bastille for stealing bread. In contrast, the 'aristocratic' Ceo of JPMorgan can loose $2/3 billion from illegal business transactions and receive $23 million as a bonus.

Louis 15th housed all of France's aristocrats within Versailles to control them. It was an absolute monarchy, there was no dissent. They were summoned to attend court. The scale of the palace was practical when you consider its purpose. I find organizations like ALEC, K street, Super pacs, The Political Christian Right to be in tandem with each other.They are like soldiers marching with every step synchronized to perfection. There is no individual voice, rather a chorus reading from the same script. One could say the Koch Brothers have notions of grandeur like The Sun King, Louis of France. Power is very seductive and addictive.

I was talking to my Chinese students and they remarked that in China there is a huge divide between those with great wealth and those with nothing. There is no middle class. Does that sound familiar?.They claimed that if you were poor there was no way you could alter that.The wealthy remained at the top. They can buy Chanel , Gucci and live a great life without struggle. Their wealth does not trickle down either.

What amused me was that the fear of Socialism and Communism in America seems absurd when the wealth disparity is becoming exactly the same as China. Plutocracy, rather like Aristocracy, produces the same social structure. The police monitor the 'threat', which is the poor, and minorities to protect the wealthy. The gates of Versailles are well protected as we witnessed with the violent clamp down on Occupy Wall Streets's peaceful protests.

It is important to throw the underclass some bread,  in the form of hope to keep them passive and in order. It is hoped the underclass will loathe each other to grab at those crumbs and claim that they are rightfully their crumbs because of whatever entitles them to feel that way historically. This squabbling is perfect for those that rule. It worked beautifully for the British Empire in the 19th century that followed the demise of the dominance of France. We see those attempting to stir divisions today. History rather like bad fashion tends to repeat itself.

Marie Antoinette became a symbol of the decadence and arrogance of the ruling elite. We have plenty of women, like Kim Kardashian, who are celebrated for profound mediocrity, and wearing clothes. To be fair there are plenty of guys who are celebrated for the same thing. History reveals that all empires collapse and there is is always pride before a fall. Time will tell.

Peace

The Brief Encounter...closure

It is Wednesday 2nd May and I have had my second cup of coffee as usual. The sun is out and it will be a good day. Today is a day of chapters ending and new ones beginning. I was reading this letter to my self this morning. Time has passed since these words were written, but over a year later they have meaning today. I wrote:

"About Love:

The more time that passes the more I know I loved deeply and most rare of all...unconditionally. The more time that passes the more I gain strength from this realization. I accept now that I was not loved deeply, if at all, based on what was revealed in time. A mirage, perhaps.

I have an ability to accept another souls imperfections, not just the pretty picture presented and stand by them. It is easy to stand by a pretty picture. I accept that was not returned to me in love.

Even when a person jumped 'ship' and punched a hole in the 'boat' to make sure they sunk it in vindictive rage, this 'boat' did not sink, it floats. It floats because that is what love does. It sees light in the dark. I know this from experience. I embrace the pain because it is a sign that I loved sincerely. It also allows me to love again. You cannot have one without the other and my heart remains an open vessel, not bitter, but forgiving and without anger. All that remains is love, just love and that knowledge was hard won. It was not something that was learned through joy but rather from a betrayal.

I will never say what exactly created this out of respect. But, I own my self, my truth and I have the right to and will share this insight.It is good to Love . So love some one well today.....life is short!!."

Looking back at these words I can finally see the self loathing in the soul of this person who caused me to write the above. He lived out his story like a broken record. It never changed. The abusive father, the victim child. I was unknowingly cast his 'father' and all the men in his life whom he blamed for everything. He was never responsible for anything. He hated his father. A Christian, bigoted, homophobic man who beat him, or so he claimed. And, yet it was this same man who he forced to support him after all he said about him and did so without shame.

He once said, "if I can conquer you I will gain your strength". I remembered this sentence, it disturbed me then and I understand it now. The reality is this morning he did not conquer me, nor did he gain my strength. No man can do that. That is his delusion. I am whole and complete and own my truth. His lies and hate are his. I do not live with them. He is addicted to his role as 'victim' for it allows him to manipulate and gain sympathy in order to control life and those around him. A passive aggressor. He lives in fear, like many right wing Christians. He never left the family dynamic, despite his best efforts.

What set me free was gaining the wisdom to understand I was merely a player in his script. I was not important. I never mattered. That does not hurt me. I cannot see where his truth begins or ends. The stories change as he needs them to, to serve his purpose. I learned that I lost nothing, the was no 'there' there. That set me free.

My heart was never hurt, there is no scar, only love. After trail by fire he left no mark. I can see the script in his head and I understand it better then most, but it is and will remain his. It is not wise to live with stories for they blind us to the beauty of life. They are illusions. I am at peace but, this is the power of Faith and the love that it brings. I wish him well and hope he finds peace within his own soul. It is funny how things turn to dust and a gentle breeze blows them away. As I said, it is a sunny morning and there is a soft breeze blowing. Life is good.

peace.