Is There A Safe Middle Ground - Thoughts on Bad Corporate Citizens

This afternoon a Facebook post I shared, which was commented on by someone else, got me thinking.  I feel as if there are two schools of thought where corporations like BP, Monsanto or Walmart are concerned. The first says they must be stopped, or made to change their behaviors.  The second school of thought says we can't rock the boat because it's "bad for the economy."

In each case, there is significant evidence to show that these corporations are not....let's go with the corporate euphemism.....they are not "good corporate citizens."  This is all the more ironic since they are considered a "person" under certain statutes of the law.

Another oil spill a few days ago by a BP refinery into Lake Michigan is just the latest in a series of consistent problems from this corporation, despite their lovely commercials. Some people I know haven't even heard of this latest spill.  I guess if it's not coming up on the beaches where you live, it doesn't matter, right?  We certainly found our voices when it came to some windmills on Cape Cod....but since this is Michigan and most of us don't live there....

Monsanto's GMO crops are banned in over 60 countries and here in the United States, they are spending inordinate amounts of money to avoid simply LABELING FOOD AS GMO.   They are also the creators and distributors of herbicides on the market currently linked by scientists to recent problems with severely declining populations of both Monarch Butterflies and bees.  Maybe you aren't worried about Monarch Butterflies, although I am.  You OUGHT TO BE worried about bees.  They pollinate your food supply. Last I heard, Monsanto wanted to sue the entire state of Vermont over labeling.

Walmart seems to be the place to go if you want to save money on your grocery bill, right?  No matter that once again, they have a consistent, ongoing record of problems with how employees are treated and not providing what many of us would consider a decent living wage.

I believe that we have a responsibility to demand that corporations balance profit and being good corporate citizens. This should be a symbiotic relationship.  You are providing jobs and needed services to the community, and conducting business in a responsible, competitive manner that allows for a profit. This provides growth and security to your employees and if applicable, your shareholders.

We have every right as citizens to expect and demand that corporations operate in our communities in a manner that takes into account the decent treatment of each human being, basic health and safety, and environmental concerns.  If they are not, we must demand change.  If our elected officials cannot or will not help us to make this happen, then we do not re-elect them.  We ask questions. We find out who is financing what and for whom?  Who is donating to what campaigns?

What corporations have former government officials worked for, officials who are now making decisions that benefit their former place of employment?  This isn't paranoia, it's a matter of public record. Do what I've done. Look it up, check sources. Care.

I am tired of hearing that we can't do anything about this.  I'm sick of everyone saying the economy will come crashing down if we stop subsidizing big oil, put controls on big oil's day to day operations, raise the minimum wage, or put limitations on Monsanto simply because we want to know what we are eating.

Let me get this straight.  We can put people in space, manipulate the workings inside a single human cell and map DNA.  But it's COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE to expect that changes be made requiring corporations to be good corporate citizens and stop them from doing things that are detrimental to our health, our environment and in violation of basic human decency?

That's bullshit, pure and simple.

And I feel that we are being willing little sheep if we are not taking it upon ourselves to be informed, to not get stuck on party lines and demand change.  We can vote, we can peacefully protest, we can help inform people, we can write letters, we can make calls.  AND WE CAN STOP SUPPORTING THESE CORPORATIONS AND THEIR PRODUCTS if they refuse to change.  Without the people supporting them, they'd all be done.  Maybe a few of us can't do anything. But millions of ONES can.

If I got you angry with this, good.  I meant to. Call me unrealistic.  Tell me I don't have all the facts. But if you're thinking about it at least, it's a start.

I WILL

I am learning that life is an act of will, followed by getting off your ass and moving.  Thus, I will:

Sit on the beach with little kids and make a sandcastle

Walk slowly through a warm green morning, enjoying the beauty of the day, sipping coffee

Spend an entire Sunday lying around naked, listening to music

Wander through museums for hours, taking all the unscheduled hours I wish, to really be with all that I see

Write even more stupid, lousy poetry because it feels good

Listen to more live music because it's good for the body and the soul

Keep my hair ridiculously long no matter what people think about what's proper for my "age group"

See art everywhere

Be awed at the truth that artists reveal, and all the ways they do it

Help artists whenever I can because they remind us why we're here

Be moved to tears and laughter by everyday interactions

Embrace my passionate nature instead of  hiding it

Laugh, laugh and laugh some more

Kiss as if my life depended on it

Continue to embrace change with my actions and not just my words

Be the queen of flip flops and a tank top

Be 49 and sexy.

Accept my past, even the colossal failures

Go where the flowers are. See them, smell them, take a million pictures, plant them, love them, grow them because they make my heart sing

Be completely "out" at all times about being a crazy, witchy, pagan, earth spirit, angel freak

Create something every day

Stop looking for validation from outside or upside.  If it's right, it's right and it doesn't matter what others think, or what the little fearful voice inside thinks. I am connected and I WILL make the decision. Regardless of the outcome, I am still connected. So I choose to live, and love.

Remember that the odds don't matter.

Never again give up something beautiful because of fear.

Literally hug trees

Go where my heart and soul lead me, no matter what

Forgive others

Forgive myself

Wander around in the woods even more than I already do

Do Reiki daily

Always do my morning and evening rituals

Sing as often as possible

Perform random acts of kindness every day

Be thankful for all of the people I am blessed to know

Remember my wings

Stand in my personal power

Call Michael if I am scared

Paint, color, sculpt, or any other art form I want to try. Not because I am especially talented. Just because creating feels good and frees up energy.

Discard and donate what is not needed

Be compassionate and loving but firm when change must occur, so that I may help others to adjust.

Stop with the white knuckled control deal

Make full eye contact even more

Have fun 

Skinny Dip

Go Zip lining!

Walk the beach

Enjoy classic movies

Sit by streams, rivers and lakes 

Believe

What are you going to do!?

The Sea Speaks

Yesterday

Standing by the ocean

Silenced by the beauty

And the power

I could only think

Regardless of what we do

The waves come

Relentless 

They cannot be stopped

And I knew in that moment

The lesson the Mother had for me

Was the same

Consistent

Relentless

True

Power in being that which you are 

And I knew then 

As never before 

All will be

There is no stopping the sea

Love In The Rain

Dark room
Rain on the roof
The sound, rhythmic
Closing my eyes
I can smell the rain
Walking in it, smiling
A warm spring day
All the growing things
Release their essence
Breathing in, you too are ecstasy
One with it all
The delicious music, plop! plop! plop!
Rain on the leaves
The flowers in the garden
Their faces, open in joy
As the rain falls on them
It is as if all of creation is love
Making love
As are we
 

Some Days are Red

Some days are red
Drenched in color
Rolling, naked across blank canvas
Burning like fire
Never extinguished
Each day
Another skin shed
Essence remains
Blessedly empty
But not hungry or in need
Eyes clear
Sight within
Oh yes
Some days are red 

Spring Ahead

When you insist that life is a battle
You never know the gift in surrendering yourself
Believe in your heart they will fail you
And they will, over and over
Keep applying the gas and the brakes at the same time
You'll keep moving in circles and burn out
Decide it's too big of a risk
And your losses will triple
Afraid of getting hurt?
You'll bleed worse than you could imagine
Convince yourself nothing is real
And suddenly, you're right. Nothing is.

No.

Life is messy.
We fall
We get hurt
We screw up stupendously
Setbacks
Roadblocks

I don't know much, aside from the fact that I know nothing

But experience has taught me this.

Life is for living
I don't want safety
I don't need guarantees, there aren't any
I'm jumping into the waves
Leaping off the cliff
My wings will grow on the way down
I'll get dirty
Act silly
Take risks
Laugh
Cry
Fall 
Bleed
Dance 
Sing
Make love
Listen to my heart
Do what feels right
Enjoy what feels good
Have FUN

Live

Bless each and every one of you reading this.  Every day is a miracle.  Be YOU.

Possible

Perhaps then
The gift I have given
Is that now you know
It is possible
And on the day
That it comes again
And you embrace it
May every joy be yours

At Last

When truth walks
When integrity has a voice
When passion is in every action
When strength is shown in belief, hard work and heart
There is love
There is home

Connection

When not rushing
No longer means hesitation
When you know, inside
It lives within you
Part of you
Like your cells
Or your own breath
There's a curious lack of panic and worry
It makes you smile, the sweet peace of it
Because
It is
No need to question
That which has existed
Over many lifetimes
Pure blissful fact
Intertwined
Giving life, one to the other
It can only grow and bless
In this lifetime
And the next

Purgatory

A place of uneasy comfort
Simple complexity
Empty fullness
Days like cotton blankets
Awakening too warm
A land of observation
Of steps taken
Gratitude for unseen blessings
On their way
Past lives cremated
New life waits to be born
Just slightly out of reach
But certain
Learned patience
The skin waits to sing its song
Steady heart's fire within
Purgatory
Longing for release
The soul within
Whispers
Peace....
Soon!