Another Rant by J-Ray

Rant/Poem #1

I'm holding a small amount of rest ransom
The state will have to pay 99 million dollars for it's release
And I know that they won't pay me
But that's okay
'Cuz rest has no quarters in my quest
My campaign
My rebellion
My revolt
Revolution
Evolution
Civil Disobedience
Protest, Protest March
Salt MarchGandhiGreatSoulProphet
Whoa!

Slow down.

Let me tell you about my ambition.

You know how I mentioned Gandhi before?
One of his more famous quotes was
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
The bible tells us to live by holy virtues of peace and love
And Jesus told us the important virtue
"Love your neighbour as yourself."
Your parents have told you,
Your teachers have teachers have taught you,
And the world has asked us to be good and respectful and responsible

So many things are there for men and women to live by
Trust
Peace
Duty
Loyalty
Honour
Dignity
Courage
Hope
Kindness
Compassion
Empathy
Friendship
Love
To name but a few.
And we're supposed to try and live by these, right?
That's what the world has been telling us for all our lives
I think.

Let's all think
For a second.

I see a video game on a shelf
Featuring a soldier and a gun
And this supposed to promote peace

I hear someone exchanging a snide comment to a friend
Behind someone else's back
Maybe mine
And this is supposed to foster trust

I feel the excitement when someone tells me they'll be there for me
And then later give me some lame excuse that they forgot or were doing something else.
And I thought we valued responsibility and loyalty.

I see boys and girls toy with a weaker student
Bombarding them with sarcastic remarks and disgusted expressions
And I see no honour, courage, dignity or kindness.

The I hear it as I walk by
The manipulation
The petty high school politics
And I do nothing.
Why?
I can feel my own lack of compassion
Lack of empathy.

Our friends can be made up of people who hardly even know us
And turn their backs on us without a moment's notice

And love is like a curse word
Only squeaked out when we see a cute stuffed animal or a small child

This is the problem.

No actually, this is part of the problem

You want to know what the second part of the problem is?
My throwing a little rock in your pond might cuase a few ripples
But eventually the black glass calms again
And goes back to the same old,
"Oh hum, let's just exist through our lives and not care about anything except what applies to us."

The water doesn't move
I could throw a boulder in
And the resulting gwoosh
Would send a few drops onto the shore
Dry land

Reality.

But the only thing that's going to get that swamp to drain is either massive human caused drainage
Or the oil sands in Fort McMurray

And we can't do a lot about that one.

So break out the plumbing gear folks
Because though the world we live in is actually pretty good
It could be a whole lot better

Tommy Douglas said,
"Fear not my friends. 'Tis not too late to change the world."
So don't lose hope.
One small voice can teach the world a song.

Do it for that kid who sits by themselves at lunch
Do it for that homeless guy rolling joints down on Yates and Government
Do it for that friend of yours who is going through a tough time right now
Do it for that teacher that nobody likes
Do it for that person who betrayed you
Do is for that incorrigible gossip who degrades society when it isn't looking

Or at the very least, do it for me.
Why?
Here's another quote by a Pope from the Renaissance:
"I have loved justice and hated inequity, and so I am condemned to misery."
Don't let me be like him.

Bring back the fad of virtuousness.
Chilvalrousness
P's and Q's-ness
Thank you vey muchness
Have a nice dayness
And sorry, excuse me-ness

Do it for me.
Do it for them.

Or be like Nike
And just do it.

Or better yet,

Do it for you.