ust about 50 years ago the West Coast rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service recorded “What About Me”. Sadly, in this America 2019 the lyrics are more relevant. 

Fifty years later! Let’s analyze certain parts of the song:

What About Me

You poisoned my sweet water.

You cut down my green trees.

The food you fed my children

Was the cause of their disease.

My world is slowly fallin’ down

And the airs not good to breathe.

And those of us who care enough,

We have to do something…….

Well, you cannot get more apropos than the first stanza. Go ask the folks in Flint, Michigan and thousands of communities nationwide about the lead and other toxins that they and their kids suck down. Go ask anyone with even half a brain about what the loggers and ranchers are doing in Brazil to our precious rainforest? The trail of smoke, I am told, can even be seen from our satellites in space. As far as the food we ingest, well, with all the pesticides and genetically engineered veggies and fish, plus all the **** manufacturers place into their formulas for pre prepared meal, as well as artificial sweeteners like Aspartame (Donny Boy Rumsfeld was CEO of G.D Searle when they manufactured this poison), and nitrites etc…

Your newspapers,

They just put you on.

They never tell you

The whole story.

They just put your

Young ideas down.

I was wonderin’ could this be the end

Of your pride and glory?

You know, Trump borrowed the phrase ‘Fake News’ to exploit his base into thinking that he tells the truth and the media lies. Well, he got that half correct. Historically, all of our presidents and their minions have lied whenever it suited them. The embedded in empire mainstream media can not only outright LIE, but  diabolically steer their viewers and readers into any right wing direction they wish. Yes, right wing. You see, one of the great ‘Long Cons’ has been to instruct the sucker public that the Democrats are ‘Left’ and the Republicans are ‘Right’. It used to be that one party was seen as ‘Liberal’ and the other ‘Conservative’. Regardless of labels these two subservient political parties always make sure to keep the interests of the Military Industrial Empire above that of the people they are supposed to represent. Thus, this ‘Left vs. Right’ is only valid on the slew of news talk shows on CNN, Fox and MSNBC.

 I work in your factory.

I study in your schools.

I fill your penitentiaries.

And your military too!

And I feel the future trembling,

As the word is passed around.

“If you stand up for what you do believe,

Be prepared to be shot down.”  

Does this need explaining at all for 2019? This is the voice of the young, the ones who could  not either afford or qualify to be in college. So, they work tedious dead end jobs, or join the military or break the law (like selling tax free cigarettes?) and wind up dead or in jail. Fifty years and nothing changes.  

I smoke marijuana

But I cant get behind your wars.

And most of what I do believe

Is against most of your laws

I’m a fugitive from injustice

But I’m goin’ to be free.

Cause your rules and regulations

They dont do the thing for me  

Marijuana is slowly being accepted by the empire because it supports the state budgets with its heavy sales tax revenue. The monies needed to run things properly should be gotten by taxing the super rich individuals and corporations that need to pay their fair share (In 1961 when JFK took office the top federal tax rate for individuals was 90% and for corporations at 52%- today it is at 37% and 21% respectively). Ok, so at least taking pot off the ‘ Public Enemy’ list is a positive. Of course, the ‘ War ‘ part of the song referred to the Vietnam War era when we had a draft. Don’t we who ‘ know better’ feel like fugitives from injustice as our nation moves into the ‘ Fourth Reich Zone’ ?

A phrase from the chorus of this powerfully written song that seems to sum it all up::

When will more of we working stiffs stop believing all that MAGA  **** ( Make America Great Again) and all that Resistance **** from each of these two sell out parties? It is not just about elections either. It is about raising one’s consciousness to say NO to empire and , more importantly, to be role models for our youth.

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Philip A Farruggio is a contributing editor for The Greanville Post. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research, Nation of Change, World News Trust and Off Guardian sites.

He is the son and grandson of Brooklyn NYC longshoremen and a graduate of Brooklyn College, class of 1974. Since the 2000 election debacle Philip has written over 300 columns on the Military Industrial Empire and other facets of life in an upside down America. He is also host of the ‘It’s the Empire… Stupid‘ radio show, co produced by Chuck Gregory. Philip can be reached at paf1222@bellsouth.net.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/what-about-me-i-feel-the-future-trembling-like-a-stranger-in-the-land-where-i-was-born/5687597