For the first time since I started blogging, I am adding an additional post in the same day. I found this poem at: practicingresurrection.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/lesser-evils/ and am posting it in its entirety here, although I encourage you to make the link. Thank you, Bill, for publishing it today.
"Questionnaire"
by Wendell Berry
1. How much poison are you willing
to eat for the success of the free
market and global trade? Please
name your preferred poisons.
2. For the sake of goodness, how much
evil are you willing to do?
by Wendell Berry
1. How much poison are you willing
to eat for the success of the free
market and global trade? Please
name your preferred poisons.
2. For the sake of goodness, how much
evil are you willing to do?
Fill in the following blanks
with the names of your favorite
evils and acts of hatred.
3. What sacrifices are you prepared
to make for culture and civilization?
Please list the monuments, shrines,
and works of art you would
most willingly destroy.
4. In the name of patriotism and
the flag, how much of our beloved
land are you willing to desecrate?
List in the following spaces
the mountains, rivers, towns, farms
you could most readily do without.
5. State briefly the ideas, ideals, or hopes,
the energy sources, the kinds of security,
for which you would kill a child.
Name, please, the children whom
you would be willing to kill.
Image: Wendell Berry at his home in 2011.
with the names of your favorite
evils and acts of hatred.
3. What sacrifices are you prepared
to make for culture and civilization?
Please list the monuments, shrines,
and works of art you would
most willingly destroy.
4. In the name of patriotism and
the flag, how much of our beloved
land are you willing to desecrate?
List in the following spaces
the mountains, rivers, towns, farms
you could most readily do without.
5. State briefly the ideas, ideals, or hopes,
the energy sources, the kinds of security,
for which you would kill a child.
Name, please, the children whom
you would be willing to kill.
Image: Wendell Berry at his home in 2011.
Oooh my...that is powerful!!! I've got to find a way to re post on my face book. The things that have been said there, sicken me. Ya know...we get it. How come others don't??? How come? seems to be in my mind a lot lately. How come there's so much hatred? How come there's so much crime? How come the only way some think we can create jobs is to destroy our land? How come many have forgotten the battles fought to preserve land to establish national parks? If I have to re-type (still in my cast) I'm going to do it... Thanks for this heartfelt tool.
ReplyDeleteAnd as people go to "cast their vote" what are they casting a vote for? These are the questions to be asked of ourselves no matter what political "party."
DeleteThank you Teresa. These questions have been weighing on my heart. I like to imagine Mr. Berry moderating a political debate and putting those questions to the candidates. And I like to dream of a world in which everyone answers all those questions, sincerely, with "None."
ReplyDeleteThose are the very questions that should be posed. We must continue to dream of that day. We simply must. "None" is the only acceptable answer.
DeleteThank you so much for posting this. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am.
Oh, my god. I, too, am going to figure out a way to post this on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteThere's a FB gadget below that will direct you to your page I believe. Please do....
DeleteTeresa, I copied the poem to my Facebook page and posted it. I must admit to a twinge of fear as I pressed the button. I think this poem is a brutal thing, but true, and it's the strongest political statement I have ever supported in public.
ReplyDeleteWe all must learn to live without fear. It's a big step, but much needed, and I'm so glad that you are willing....
DeleteCongratulations!
Part of the problem is that we don't actually have a free market. If we did we would see competing currencies, not just federal reserve notes. When there's a monopoly on money, it doesn't matter who the president is, because no candidate can make it that far without bending to the will of the Fed. That's where the poison starts, in my opinion, and We the People can't get accountability from our representatives because they are all infected by it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, thank you for this post. You are an ally of light, and I'm very glad you're here :)
Well stated. Thank you, Will.
DeleteDear Teresa, I sent the URL for this posting and for the one about Debs to a long list of friends. Thank you for your beliefs, your courage, and your openness to others. Peace.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Dee. Your words mean a lot to me. I am more and more feeling encouraged, and the companionship of my online friends is helping immensely.
Delete