Tuesday, May 04, 2010

ADVENTURING FROM THE VA PARKING LOT

Camped in comfort here for 3 nights in the Phoenix VA parking lot. RVers are made welcome and given a place to park----incredibly convenient--no long drive home after a proceedure-(had a colonoscopy)-just roll me to my "home" a hundred yards away. Settled comfortably in, I consider how to amuse myself, anxious always to convince myself and my readers that anyplace is interesting.
I see this out my back window--investigate and learn that this is the infamous Indian School for which the street is named. All around it, pictures and posters explain the long history of misguided efforts to "civilize" and educate the natives. Finally they gave up, closed the school and tried ever more elaborate and futile schemes to assemilate a tribal society into an individualized one. To this day they have not succeeded.
During the day, my parking lot is full. I walk the halls and grounds looking for a "story" that might interest me and you. Saw lots of "VA Junkies"----veterans with an unhealthy attachment to the hospital---relying on it for meaning as well as healing. One doctor I interviewed said that many of his patients would come in every day if allowed----seeming to enjoy the attention of medical personnel.
Behind the Indian school is this lovely park. I stroll its every corner looking for my story.
Interesting and clever---but that's not it.
Bingo---there's my story---I feel it in my bones-----With the skill of long practice, I engage and pull it out of him. Name is Willy, recently came here from Detroit--tossed out of a homeless shelter because he inherited $7,000 after his mother's death. Acquaintences and exploiters shepherded him from motel to motel to restaurant and liquor store till he had spent it all IN A MERE 3 MONTHS. He hitched down here fleeing the cold weather--is trying to get into another shelter--meanwhile sleeps in the bushes. NOTICE TO ALL SENTIMENTALIST ON THE POLITICAL LEFT---GIVING MONEY TO SUCH AS THESE IS A FOOLS GAME. (Opra did the experiment--gave a homeless guy $20.000----He blew it quickly--no better off for his windfall) Willy is a social casualty. For complex reasons he cannot take care of himself. What is a society to do? STONEHEARTS ON THE RIGHT SAY LET HIM STARVE! Or they say: Let those who wish to rescue, rescue. The Left wing says we must all participate in the rescue--institutionalizing charity--- coercing contribution (tax money) from all. Count me slightly on the left--but with vigor--I want to phase social casualties gently off the planet by INEXPENSIVE rescue conditioned upon non reproduction guarantees. (sterilization) Soon, they and their bad genes and defective character will make their way to the boneyard of the unfit.
BUT WHAT ABOUT VETERANS? Ah, that's a slightly different story---they've EARNED some public care--so I went here to get that story. I managed to get a tour and an interview from its public relations officer. He showed me the whole place--squeaky clean, militarily efficient, fully serviced in every detail---AND BORING AS HELL! I was horrified---this is life without challenge and it is not worth living. My guide, whom I persuaded to sit down and get personal with me---said he would not allow himself to "go" this way--had plans for a more dignified exit. He also told me what this super care cost---$5,000 a month---mostly Az state taxpayer money. That's more than we can afford and only the sentimentalist among us are willing to tax the public this much. I know there is a more efficient way to honor our veterans. This wasteful system will surely crash.
My guide and explicator--an amazingly open, undefensive, public servant.
I have more to say about this but will save it for later. Perhaps an essay on the war between Sentimentalist and Stonehearts. Now I feel the urge to get out of Dodge and go to Dodge---city Kansas.








9 comments:

japhy said...

While I appreciate the sentiment and understand the line of thinking, I'm not really comfortable with the idea that the government would ever have the power to sterilize those it deems misfit. We've been down that road once, and it's a chapter in our history I'm glad we've left behind.

Randy said...

I see your point Japhy---and I'm not recommending coercive sterilization---only voluntary sterilization as a condition of receiving governmental assistance. The alternative is to seek assistance from the sentimentalist---who will always be with us.

Sondra said...

I would love to see a society that leaves one to make HIS own decisions and devices without passing judgementon individuals...(is a hero's blood more rightous than a hobo's sip of wine? J.Denver song lyrics) obviously this guy has made his choice now we should leave him to it...His contribution to SOCIETY may not be as large as a Vet..but you dont know his contribution on a daily basis-one tpo one...maybe he is kind to stray animals, maybe he helps other homeless by sharing what he does have or gives some advice that saves a life...its not up to us to decide who is more important/deserving..we each are of equal importance it depends on which stage we are dancing...

The Universe will take care of us in whatever way WE CHOOSE, but we must allow or reject what is sent our way. Some are gobbling up $5,000 a month to live a "sterile" plastic existance...while some gobble zero and pick up plastic to recycle for a few pennies...so why sterilize the one who takes less? hmmm that seems a bit backwards to me..who is eating up more of the social pie? Wouldnt it mean more for all if so few didnt take so much?
I know its another form of "...ism" Capitalism where billion$ are won or lost in day and while millions go hungry around the world.
"the history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles"--Karl Marx the Communist Manifesto--

His manifesto stated that Capitalism (which replaced Fuedalism) would fall to Socialism and eventually the purist form of Communism where we turn over to the "government" the course of our life--and become as a bee hive...( You have seen Star Trek and the BORG- resistance if futile)
Best we make our own bed and be happy with what we have made-rather than to point out what needs to be fixed-for which there is no fix!! Where one is "fixed" another steps up to be fixed--
Just my observations on the subject of class in our society.

Randy said...

Thanks Dixie, as always for your carefully considered remarks. I agree with the attitude you support toward others, especially the very "different" others. I like to think that I too am kind and willing that they live out their lives as they will. You may remember my blog on the cause and cure for wretchedness. Moving on to the issue of social policy, we (society) have choices to make that involve tax dollars and the most efficient way to spend them on "casualties". We do not do this well---careening too far left and then too far right. I'm argueing for imaginative creativity and sustainability. I don't think it is inhumane to require sterilization as a condition of government aid in severe mental cases to prevent its proliferation to new generations. You may have heard of the Jutes and the Kalikaks who bred like rabbits populating an entire area with mental defects. Can I count you on the side of the sentimentalist?

japhy said...

I guess the big problem is the notion that individual recipients of government aid really are the ones we should be concerned about. Everyone likes to talk about welfare, but what about all the corporate welfare that far, far outpaces the small amount spent on individual welfare? What about the corporate "farmers", like Archers Daniel Midland, that costs taxpayers billions? What about the cotton industry, which gets billions? Allenberg Cotton of Cordova, Tenn got 186 million from 1995 to 2004 alone? The sugar industry...one billion a year. And of course, all the protectionist laws passed to help these big corporations raise prices artificially costing citizens billions more.

Really, individual welfare is a drop in the bucket compared to corporate welfare. If we're gonna sterilize anyone, I say we start with the CEOs.

Anonymous said...

I like your new “About Me.” I like “wander and wonder.” You also investigate whatever interests you.
I think sterilization is a bit Hitleresque but offering it for free along with free tickets to a bullfight – like they do (or did) in Mexico – is not a bad idea. I do think cutting off financial aid as a deterrent to reproduction is a prudent thing. I wholeheartedly agree with states that do not increase financial aid when a woman, already on welfare, has another child. (Just how sexually active is Bingo Willy? Hubba, Hubba!)
Keep that brain of yours glowing!

Steven said...

Hi Randy,

Have you ever heard of Daniel Suelo? You might wish to visit him someday. Well, if you can find him. Daniel gave it all up to live in a cave a few years ago. He resides in a cave somewhere near Moab. There are a few articles about him on the net, but I think you'd come away with a very interesting dialog. This is regardless of whether either of you shared it on your blogs or not. I'm kind of hoping you will tho.


Best Regards
Steve

Randy said...

Thanks for the tip Steve. I've made a note to myself and will certainly check him out. I know where those caves are and have seen an old lady that lives in one. If you're ever in Moab, Ut, look to the right of the bridge (going North) about 1/8 th mile.

Sondra said...

Hi Randy no I dont consider myself a sentimentalist...Throwing money toward those who have no use of it is a waste of money.. I consider myself to be concerned about tax dollars and agree with Japhy...the bottom class is not nearly as wasteful as the top class...we all know how trickle economics works...Japhy is correct MORE of our TAX money is given to the RICH than to the poor you can put me down as a REALIST looking at who is really taking the cake but trying to throw our attentions elsewhere--MY sentimental support goes toward ANIMALS not people....
Im going to be in the Moab area in the upcoming days taking a road trip to AZ, CO, & UT I will look for the old lady---