Najera In America

Modern Slavery, Uncle Tom’s a Dealer and Topsy’s a Crack Whore

2009-08-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2009
By Rick Najera

Recently I saw a documentary on Drug wars in America. It was on Showtime after there premier show Called live nude comedy. Which was disappointing because no one was nude and the audience was dead and it there was not much comedy. Anyway, I started thinking about the War on Drugs or more accurately should be called the War on people. Well, I laid in bed thinking. And I came up with a theory. Yes, people I have a theory. on why we have this full on war on drugs with no end in site.

My theory is this: Years after Lincoln freed the slaves and the southwest was settled and and the communist menace was gone, before the new Muslim menace, there was a lull in the action. And during that time, white corporate America started to think and grow nostalgic and white corporate America got together and thought hey, “hold on”, this Lincoln guy really was not all that good for the country or commerce. Freeing the salves was actually a hasty decision with no thought to the principals of good business.

Because after all, they thought slavery was full employment. Especially for the minorities and after a ‘Gone With the Wind’ DVD launch party, white corporate America longed for a simpler time when life was less complicated and people were making money. White people were making lots of money.

So they devised a simple plan to reintroduce slavery. It was passed at the annual convention . In fact, the plan was introduced by an organization called Citizens in America or CIA for short. This group figured out early that drugs would help create a slave class quicker than any other device.

There were two groups with two different wants that would help create an epidemic: Greed and Misery. Oh yes, Greed would create a class to sell it and Misery, a class that would want it and want it bad. After all, most cultures have experimented with some sort of drug use. And the most vulnerable populations would have these needs. Greed because if you show a young black man or Latino man constantly by commercials that they need material things, then they will get them by any means possible. Including selling drugs.

As for the group under the wing of Misery;( They would be much easier to recruit. No education or ability or skills to work and Misery will find you.) And these two groups combined is the beginnings of a slave army. Then just to be certain, add in easy to get cocaine or crystal meth, stir, well and let simmer. Add salt to taste. Then cook for a few years and take it out of the oven when it’s done. . Then once you criminalize a drug addict or a drug worker, then put them in prison where corporate white America has now privatized themselves and it’s big business. Very, very, big business. All you have to do is take these people, sell there services to Nike or any other corporation then it’s a work plantation and union-free zone. Well Then you got people in an area working for practically free . Then you have….. Here it is…. slavery again in America.

White corporate America was very happy with this plan. It worked. Even though It’s not full employment (because only a million or so are housed this way but a million slaves is not bad considering they work for almost free.) And as long as we criminalize drugs and those that sell them. Well, we will get more slaves. Guaranteed. Some might say the only weakness in this perfect plan is human mercy.
Human mercy? You might say how could that wreck this plan. Well I think it’s because if we see these drug people and have mercy on them and think “there but the grace of God go I” we will not keep up and pay for a “war on drugs”. Why? Because that’s compassion and we are not in that business. We are in the criminal business. Because you can’t war on people with a disease. You can only war on criminals, not patients. But mercy that’s always been short supply in a plantation system. So I’m sure they thought that out too.

We created a new group of enslaved people in our prisons courtesy of the red white and blue. Or courtesy of our war on drugs. I’m thinking of buying stocks in those corporations that makes those prisons, because business is good in the old cotton fields back home. It’s Uncle Tom’s penitentiary plantation, but now Uncle Tom’s a dealer and little Topsy, she’s a crack whore.
I’m Najera in America

Deporation Day

2009-06-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Deportation Day

I was sitting at my computer writing, which is my daily ritual. But I think that it’s more like a ritual that monks do. More like the monks in the middle ages, like a flogging really. Rough leather whipped on my back. That ritual looking for a story, a reason to write. I flog myself writing in my mind at least that's what it feels like. I have no thoughts so I flog myself in my mind some more. Just to know the writing is good. Then I get a phone call and it’s for Carmen our nanny, well to be fair she’s really more of a friend. I’m the crazy “American” that she works for. Even though I’m Mexican American, to her I’m just an American. “Is Carmen there?” He says in a heavy accented voice, he sounds serious. I call Carmen and she takes the phone. She gets on the phone and she’s next to me. She takes it as far away as the cord can reach. Five feet to be exact. Just for privacy. I try not to listen. Then she hears some news. I hear her say simply and tragically no, no, no, mi primo no, no mi primo” over and over again. Then she begins to cry a soft whimper of hurt and pain that I imagine as more of a cry of loss than I can imagine. Tears flow down her cheeks. I assume someone is dead that is close to her. I look at her and ask the question that I know the answer to. “Is anything wrong” I ask …I admit stupid question. She begins to cry trying not to.
“My cousin and whole family has been arrested. The immigration came this morning; I don’t mean to bother you.” I assure her that it’s OK. But I know it’s not. She tells me they have been in this country 28 years, paid taxes bought a home and they were all just out the night before celebrating Father’s day. Only their daughter was not arrested, she was in Europe working for an American corporation Disney no less. She had just got her papers. And she was in Europe with Disney. The company that proclaimed it’s a small world after all, a world of laughter a world of joy.” The irony hits me square in the face. They are now gone and she does not know where they are. They were arrested like a family of criminals in front of all there neighbors to see. They were arrested like a Mob family. But they are just a simple Peruvian family that slipped in the cracks. A family that paid taxes bought homes, helped are economy. I’m feeling angrier and angrier and more ashamed of the country I love and the country my uncle died for and my father fought and worked in two wars for; a country where countless primo’s have fought for. And I was ashamed this morning. I only could offer her the day off. “Go home, do you need anything?” And she just said “No, I should work it will take my mind of this.” So she’ll work like all the immigrants that come to this country to do, and we all will keep our minds off this tragedy. And still there will be no immigration reform. Because we will work and think some how this will all go away. And I drink my coffee that she brings and think. Yes, “It’s a small world after all.” and I go back to work and look for a story.

laughter

2009-06-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a great article by Emma Woollacott on the evolution of laughter. And I qouote.

" Portsmouth, UK - Tickling baby gorillas might not seem much like work to you and me, but it's a serious business at the University of Portsmouth, where researchers have been examining the evolution of laughter in great apes.
Like human infants, young apes hoot and giggle when tickled. But can this really be described as laughter? The answer to that question is yes, say researchers. ."
The researchers said that the findings support a common evolutionary origin for human and ape tickle-induced expressions. They also show that laughter evolved gradually over the last 10 to 16 million years. "

Wow, I love this article for two reasons . The First reason being, that people were actually being paid to tickle apes . tickling gorrilas and apes. Where do I sign up for that? I'm sure some one tickled an ape then the ape ripped his arm off and then whole monkey cage started cracking up . Because I know this for a fact apes love site gags and French humor Reason number #2 laughter evolved 10-16 million years ago . Now I ask. What was going on 10 to sixteen million years ago that was so funny. What were laughing about ? Who told jokes around the primitive camp fire? that awokened our ability to laugh? laughter is a release much like an orgasm it builds then releases to stimulant . Which is a lot like an orgasm sometimes there is multiple laughter, just like an orgasm and sometimes there is fake laughter and premature laughter as well. But ten million
years ago some ancient relative Told the first Joke and it went like this .

CAVE MAN #1 Hey, did you see Ug? Well, he got trampled by a huge mastodon while Hunting. Is'n't that strange.

CAVE MAN #2 Why is that so strange?

CAVE MAN #1 Becuse Ug's a vegan.

CAVE MAN # 2 That is strange I thought he liked girls.

and these two cave men began to laugh. And then they laughed and laughed or grunted until finaly in our time they could laugh, Just like us. Becuse back then like today a good Vegan Joke always works .
I'm Najera in America

entertainment in America

2009-06-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, I was on a reality show called Clean House. So I started thinking.
I’m, convinced that entertainment will be the down fall of civilization not war, drugs , terrorism, overpopulation, environmental disasters, or plagues. entertainment will kill us.. To much amusement will be the reason our civilization will fall . We are being entertained to death. It’s killing us it’s killing me, I’m dying with a smile on my face. I’m dying clapping myself in to a fatal frenzy. I’m dying not dramatically like every death scene I’ve ever watched . I’m dying slowly and inside. I’m being amused to death It’s a reality that reality is not as exciting as Reality TV.
We live in a world of two many choices . Two many channels. I have experienced two many lives while never living my own . who can compete with Entertainment. You can’t it’s just too entertaining, why bother to live our puny lives when what I see on television or film is far more exciting. My life seems pale in comparison . Whatever lives are nothing in comparison to one episode of our favorite show, On your favorite show, love is found easily and when it’s not It’s just an act break. Conflict can be entertaining. And on every show on every program each an every week the most glorious event of all happens so easily routinely even hourly. You barley notice it at all it’s expected. The end. The End. So simple so sublime. So wished for. The end, that’s a miracle. An Ending. Finality, . That’s’ what I crave for. There is no such things as finality in my life no ending , happy or sad. There is no completion. Only Christ on the cross was quoted as saying it’s finished. Christ in his wisdom knew that phrase is the most perfect phrase that could be uttered , it’s finished. It’s completion. it’s what we long for. “its a consummation devoutly to be wished”. It’s the End of the story.

I long for the end , The end of any good story has that sense of completion. Oh, There our those that believe there might be an afterlife. But where is the ending in that? it’s everlasting life get it? No, end there . Reincarnation? I don’t believe in it. Because nearly everyone that ever was reincarnated was royalty in there past lives. We could not all be kings and queens. Know one with a past life was ever a medieval plumber, or an accountant in Cleopatra’s court. No they have to be Cleopatra. Sure there are those that believe in heaven. That’s not completion, what are we going to do in heaven? Were going to be immortal. That’s a lot of free time on your hands . How big a jigsaw puzzle would you need to keep you busy? How many Jeopardy episodes could you watch.” I’ll take oblivion for a thousand Alex” And you know god is going to put us to work. My parents would'nt let me sleep in on a Saturday . Do you think the almighty will let us lounge around doing nothing? Trust me gods not going to let us just sit around . He’ll be like my father banging on the floor of my second floor room with a broom yelling for me to get up.
“Wake up” Rick wake up” “ Wake up” he’d scream. behind him blaring mariachi music playing “get up”
Mariachi music so loud. Just so I’d wake up and appreciate my history and rake some leaves.. God will be yelling at us too. “Get up, Rake some leaves” I don’t know why I think about these things . I shouldn't’t think about heaven or hell because I can’t do anything about it . I believe in predestination which is a lose theological term for “shit happens”. How I ended up here. How I ended up as me. That is my real question . Plato said “The unexamined life isn't worth living “. But I think the “over examined life isn’t worth living either” . Yeah I believe I was Plato in a past life and that stuff about Plato being gay was wrong .
“ Look, that Greek boy scout had hypothermia that’s why I was naked in the sleeping bag with him”.
Sure, I believe I was Plato in a past life there is no way I could of been just some Greek guy who choked on a olive pit while telling a dirty choke at the parathion . “Two Greek guys and a Spartan walk into a bar… and order a sheep a drink”
So I’m not superstitious like my ancient relatives. I don’t watch the stars for omens although I read my horoscope regularly. But with this information what has changed are we better? No were still the same. We have more ways to communicate twitter, email, black berries portable computers but we still feel alone. We have hundreds of channels but nothing to watch. We stand ashamed in the one truth that we know is true We haven’t really changed at all and most likely never will. Every great thought has been said and most great lives already lived. Even if we got on some golden spaceship and went to the farthest galaxy we can discover all we really will discover is that we haven’t changed at all. . Will be just a bunch of messed up confused, dysfunctional people a million light years from a therapist. I’m an optimist . Really, I’m optimistic that I’m right. And that were in trouble. I did a reality show, Clean House I was on Clean House and Ironically I' m a writer and this is the same type shows, that narrow the jobs for real writers. So doing a reality show helped my demise.... Ironic no. Ironic ? no, not Ironic just entertaining. Yes? Oh, by the way I really don't have a messy house so it 's really not reality after all, or is it. Who can say but it is entertainment

Sonia Sotomayor the affirmative action baby

2009-06-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Charlie Savage of the New York times writes in an article dated Thursday, June 11, 2009 that Judge Sonia Sotomayor claimed herself an "affirmative action baby" whose lower test scores were overlooked by admissions committees at Princeton University and Yale Law School because, she said, she is Latino and had grown up in poor circumstances.
"If we had gone through the traditional numbers route of those institutions, it would have been highly questionable if I would have been accepted," she said on a panel of three female judges from New York who were discussing women in the judiciary. The video is dated "early 1990s" in Senate records. OK, so here I see this article. That hey, America, great news!. Affirmative action works. Affirmative action works and in this case, we are doing great America. A Puerto Rican woman from a poor neighborhood can rise to be a judge in our America. It's the ideal my family fought and died for. My uncle was killed in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines; my father fought in world war two and went to Vietnam as a private contractor during the Tet offensive .... for overtime I might add. These were Mexican Americans that loved and in one case died for America and died for and in the end for affirmative action.

Affirmative action in this case of Sonia Sotomayor works. We have a system that understands that many of the best and brightest might be overlooked in admissions test but their life experience adds to the college experience of the entire campus, a campus that normally because of a test score would be denied any opportunity to attend. All tests by nature are flawed and are not perfect. It's a barometer to help understand a person's skills or knowledge. But luckily there are administrators who know that test and grades are just part of the picture. I want a Sonia Sotomayor in my son's school. If I had a rich anglo child going to Yale, I would want her in his class. Just imagine her discusions on poverty next to a person who never experienced poverty but only through a class on the literature of Charles Dickens. That's the university that I want to send my child to; a University with a diverse class of many thoughts and perspectives. Not a country club. I'm a profesional WGA writer with severe dyslexia adn bad grammar that would do horrible on any test. I'm Najera in America