By DANI ROSS, Staff Writer
Our world is in such chaos that even the earth itself is revolting. Across the globe citizens, who are tired of being marginalized and ignored, are rising up to fight against their governments. Circumstances have escalated to the point that everyday people are attacking armed battalions with reckless disregard for their lives, or anyone else’s.
Assassinations, attempted assassinations, military coups, insurrections, these are all terms that you have heard over the past few months, and these are all events that have taken place across the globe.
In addition to gross mistreatment of the governed, slavery still exists. We in America can’t see it, but we know it exists. We have been shown pictures and heard first hand accounts of the atrocities that occur in internment, or concentration camps in Asia. Yet, we in the Western world turn a blind eye to these crimes against humanity simply because we like cheap televisions.
Most people on this planet do not have that luxury. The conditions that millions of people around the world have to live with are much more pressing than a $.03 increase in gas prices. People are starving, poor and dying. Children are dying.
Each of us has a typing point, that moment when enough is enough. I believe that the crossroads of George Floyd’s murder and the Covid-19 pandemic were the tipping point for the entire world. In 2020, it seemed like everyday a new protest or act of disobedience popped up. And it continues still.
Jovenel Moise, Haiti’s president, was assassinated. The citizens of Haiti tried every avenue they had to remove him from office democratically, but he would not step down. So he was killed. This was last month.
Assimi Goita, Mali’s interim president, was attacked while praying, in an assassination attempt. This was also last month, and only 11 months after Goita removed former president Keita in a military junta.
Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar’s president, had an attempt on his life foiled just two weeks ago. His presidency is still shrouded by allegations of fraud.
Ivan Duque, Colombia’s president, narrowly escaped assassination back in June. His citizens have been protesting against increased taxes, corruption and a poor healthcare system since April.
On January 6th of this year a group of American citizens stormed Congress. Why? Because they believed that the government representatives in that building were not representing the best interest of the people. Do you see a pattern here?
There is a Kenyan proverb that states, “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” The bigger and more powerful a person or entity becomes, the more the people underneath suffer.
Politicians spend millions of dollars to get a job that pays only a couple of thousand. Why? If someone can raise $40 million to buy a vote, then they could possibly raise that same amount of money to help end hunger or homelessness. But, it’s not about the people, it’s about the person and the power. Now however, the grass is tired of suffering under the feet of the elephants.
In addition to mistreatment, financial peril may become too much to bear. The wealthy have had an opportunity to protect their assets against inflation using Covid-19 as the scapegoat.
The coronavirus was the perfect opportunity to reset the economy and make the distribution of wealth even more disproportionate.
And just for giggles, let’s tack on the climate crisis. How many decades of oil spills and satellite launches have ruined our oceans and sky? How much deep sea mining and radioactive digging has polluted our food supply? Hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, wildfires, droughts, etc. Even the earth itself has had enough.
Here’s a thought; what if Mother Earth decided to overthrow humanity? Wouldn’t that be something?