Guest Blogged by Bernie Ellis

INTRODUCTION {by Winter Patriot}: Regular readers of this space will remember Bernie Ellis from this item, among other places. Bernie Ellis was the organizer of the ground-breaking National Conference on the 2004 Election and as I am sure you have already guessed, he is always more than welcome around here!

Every time I read something Bernie Ellis has written, I feel like I’m listening to an old friend. Here, read him for yourself and you’ll see what I mean:

To the merry Blogsters at this BradBlogathon:

Greetings from the hot and steamy Southland. It is another bright summer day here in middle Tennessee, with many hayfields yet to cut and my new garden plantings of field peas and sweet corn to weed at sunset. It is exceedingly dry here and so all of us who care about growing things are hoping that Hurricane Dennis will bring downpours up here, a half day’s drive from the coast, before it peters out. We need relief now from this heat as well as from the fascist regime that now controls the country.

Just how does a President with majority approval in fewer than one-quarter of our states stay afloat? And just how do his continued high crimes and misdemeanors – committed by his own hand or those of his henchmen – continue to receive little more than a wink and a nod from the corporate media? And how does the “loyal opposition” look itself in the mirror every morning when the Democrats’ response to this thievery and corruption so far has been as robust, forceful and sustained as flaccid phalluses on porno night in a Viagra-less old folks home?

How indeed? We are clearly at a crossroads in this country, with many people uneasy and concerned about the direction of the country but precious few willing or able to know what to do next to get us back on the right track. One thing is for certain – there are things we can learn from the Republi-Nazis that may hold the keys to our salvation. No, I don’t mean learning to lie better or steal more successfully, all the while wrapped in an American flag while atop a stack of fundamentalist Bibles. What we do need to learn is how to embody the perseverence, the singleness of purpose and the focus that they have applied to subverting the “consent of the governed” toward freeing us from tyranny and reawakening the real patriotism that has sustained this country for so long.

Here in Tennessee, we are working on many fronts to try to return to fair, transparent and verifiable elections. The work is not easy because the “fix” has been in here for at least the past decade. Almost 70% of our votes are now cast on non-verifiable machines and our statewide Coordinator of Elections won’t rest until that figure reaches 100%. In a state where four of our legislators were recently arrested while the legislature was in session for taking bribes from an FBI-created phony company, our officials seem not to be discouraged in the least from frolicking in bed with the “vapor trails” voting machine vendors. Ten of us recently paid our way to attend our statewide election officials convention and were treated to a 30 minute review from the podium of current state law which allows all 500+ of our election officials to serve as paid “consultants” to the voting machine companies while at the same time deciding which equipment to buy. Honestly, I couldn’t tell if we were meeting with election officials or fragrant hog farmers who suddenly got the urge to join in the wallowing themselves.

And I am also tiring of legislators with whom we have met to discuss election reform all having their own favorite “stolen elections” story. One of them even said to me recently, “I’ll bet the first election fraud occurred coincident with the first election ever held.” My response: “With all due respect, sin has also been around since the beginning of humankind – but that still doesn’t make it right.”

So how do we keep our focus during these dark times? We do it by first developing a focus and then staying on our feet, moving forward toward our goals, rather than sitting idly by while we await someone else’s leadership and courage to save us. Every day, it is becoming clearer that there’s no one left but us to do what must be done. So there’s no reason to wait anymore for anyone but ourselves to get the job done.

One way that I try to maintain that focus is to read and meditate on the following Hopi Elders prayer every morning. It has meant much to me ever since a Montana friend shared it with me several years ago, and it is something that I have also shared with as many good-hearted and America-loving folks as I can, including posting it on Democratic Underground shortly after the 2004 election theft. I wanted to share it again today to remind all of us that there’s no reason to wait any longer.

There is much to do – many useful approaches to pursue and perfect – to win our country back. And as long as we – those of us sharing this momentary space in the Internet electronic jungle – are willing to do what it takes, for as long as it takes, then we can rescue this noble experiment that is our country. So please meditate the Hopi Elders prayer with me one more time, and take to heart their sage advice. If we do, then we will succeed. Because if we never quit fighting, we cannot lose. Here’s wishing you peace, heartfelt pride in a country worth saving, and gentle rains on your gardens.

Peace out.

From the Hopi Elders

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

Here are the things that must be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?

Know our garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.

Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
See who is there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves!
For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lonely wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The Elders, Oraibi, Arizona, Hopi Nation

{Winter Patriot again}: Wow! What a piece!!

It’s amazing the kind of friends a guy can make in the pro-Democracy movement, isn’t it?