Not guilty.
I'm not sure I know where it is I live anymore. Whatever the US has become, it is not a first world society in any of the things that matter. Trayvon was killed by a wanna-be cop packing a concealed weapon. I would like to refer to the killer as a "murderer" but the jury found that what he did was within the laws of FL. Therefore I can't really call him a murderer, though I reserve the right to think of him that way. Come to think of it that puts him in pretty good company. Killing people tens of thousands of miles away by remote control, who are no real threat to anyone but themselves, is legal according to US law. So Obama isn't a murderer either.
The truth is I expected nothing else to come out of that courtroom in FL. In every instance of decision or action on any level (local, state, or national) and involving any government body or institution (courts, legislative bodies, or executive offices) I expect nothing but the most inane outcome possible. It doesn't always happen that way so there is the occasional pleasant surprise. But the more important the issue, the bigger the case, the larger the potential damage, the more likely it is that inane will prevail. I expect state governments to restrict woman's rights; even passing laws requiring utterly unnecessary medical procedures. There is no surprise when laws, blatantly written to keep Americans from voting, are passed and then approved by the Supreme Court. Twist the tax laws even worse to favor the rich and punish the poor? Of course, why would anyone think any other choice would be made?
It must be, if America is as screwed up as it is, Americans must be as well. And yet that doesn't seem to be at all true. The people I interact with, day in and day out, are tolerant, helpful, kind, and thoughtful. I know people who are dementedly enthusiastic about having the right to "concealed carry". They never brandish their weapons; never talk of stalking anyone and killing them. I know people who are blatantly homophobic. Yet they would never seek to harm a gay person and, when pushed a bit, admit that gay people getting married isn't going to hurt anyone. I know religious fundamentalists. They would never dream of making it a law that everyone follow their religion. They will even admit (with an occasional exception) that freedom of religion really does include freedom from religion. Pretty much anyone would write better tax, campaign finance, and banking laws than those currently on the books. (Think on that for a bit; our laws often seem to be as bad as they could possibly be. Any change would be an improvement.) No one thinks the oil will last forever and everyone will agree that humanity is, to some degree, poisoning the only home we have.
I suspect that some politicians, even those best known for pushing the inane positions whenever they can, might, in the privacy of their own thoughts, be more Americans then they are America. But somehow they ignore the leanings of their own minds and the view of the Americans they represent. Once in office all they do is serve the dysfunctional and destructive institutions that are America.
It is no secret that I think America has become a rouge nation doing more harm than good, and I have no doubt history is about to dump it on the trash heap. But oddly, the idea that America is one thing, and Americans quite another, gives me a little hope. Somewhere, sometime, some one is going to start making a change, talking a new talk, sharing a new vision; a vision that Americas recognize as their own. It is going to be a vision of civil rights, a vision of individual liberty and responsibility, a vision of economic fairness that errs on the side of compassion. (It maybe "unfair" that the rich person pay a little more in taxes, but that is better than a poor child not having enough to eat.)
On the surface it may not appear to be much of a radical vision. America's propaganda machine is full of words like civil rights, liberty, responsibility, etc. America's politicians are big on touting the same words. But words are not vision. Right now these words are part of an elaborate charade to keep Americans from rising up tossing those who serve the institution into the sea. But America's vision is not the same as the dreams of Americans. America's hate and greed and war loving are not often found in the homes of Americans.
My wife and I have sold out of the dream propagated by America. Most of what we own has been sold or given away. We have saved enough to live a few years light and mobile, to explore a small part of our planet from a different perspective. Virtually everyone who learns of our choice wishes us well and most speak of doing something similar. Americans support the idea of rejecting America; even if they don't often think of it that way.
But someday soon they might.
And if so then all will be well.
