Wake up and get “Big Brother” off our backs | Letters

Happy to see the ad by the Sheriffs Dept. in the March 13 Weekly announcing a county anonymous "tip" line. Now at last we can turn in our neighbors for what we think they "might" be doing, completely anonymously. At the very least we can get them on the sheriffs 'watch' list, they're surly up to something ! I heard on NPR the other night that it is expected there will be up to 30,000 drone aircraft flying American skies within 5 years. Just think of how safe we will all be then !!??

Happy to see the ad by the Sheriffs Dept. in the March 13 Weekly announcing a county anonymous “tip” line. Now at last we can turn in our neighbors for what we think they “might” be doing, completely anonymously. At the very least we can get them on the sheriffs ‘watch’ list, they’re surly up to something ! I heard on NPR the other night that it is expected there will be up to 30,000 drone aircraft flying American skies within 5 years. Just think of how safe we will all be then !!??

On June 11, 2011 Obama signed the Military Commissions Act that does away with the writ of Habeas Corpus and can result in Americans being disappeared and locked up for years without charge. Part of the bill re-defined the military as Americas Police Force, The fear mongers have had their way with us, Bin Laden won, but at least it’s all good for business.

Well lucky for us we are all still free to consume, and consume we do. We are pretty sleepy about our freedoms but we are wide awake about consuming. In fact the “freedom” to buy every new “i-thing” piece of industrial garbage is truly our last bastian of independence. Since our government is owned by the corporations it’s the American thing to do.

I think we need to wake up folks we are all in deep doo doo. Somehow we need to get “Big Brother” off our backs and create a whole new economy not based on consumption, but on creating simple decent lives. The American Dream can’t really be represented by instant gratification, by consuming ourselves totally out of a healthy environment and by the lack of respect and hate talk being barfed out of our political candidates. We need to reject the fear that has led or nation to abandon the mortal high ground, and stop sanctifying  the rich and powerful.

Please folks at least here in our beloved islands let us set an example of tolerance and respect of each other and our beautiful Earth Mother. Perhaps we might start by rethinking our consumption habits and by joining The American Civil Liberties Union. At least that’s what I intend to do! Thanks you wonderful fellow islanders!

Gregg Blomberg

Lopez Island