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Show THE ZEPHYR/FEBRUARY-MARCH 2009 ; Meanwhile, our jobs are being shipped overseas, workers are being laid off and there are no regulations backed by governmental will. Public institutions are being starved to death; some have already died, crossed the line to join omnivurous beasts of prey. We are a nation of sheep, but watch us. We will rise to From the occasion, sorry to be so late. MARTIN MURIE This aside into war is intentional because war times provide an excellent, and standard, base from which propaganda can operate with top effectiveness, herding us into various patriotic sheep folds, treating us ordinary citizens with disdain, while extorting narrow patriotism from our emotional organs. Yes, we act like animals, grabbing a slogan of the patriotic sort and going off in all directions with it, creating unintentional damage. Here are slogans some of us cling to: THESE COLORS (red, white and blue) NEVER RUN. skerihog@ STAY THE COURSE westelcom.com GOD BLESS AMERICA LOSING ..and many others. You’ve seen them. You and I might cling to one or two ourselves. We are all a little demented under the terrific onslaught from above, the military-industrial complex. SOLITUDE GLOBAL ZEPHYR I will miss the Zephyr-on paper, but it is time now for all of us serious readers to look into the bright future. As Joe Hill said, “Don’t mourn, organize.” We the readers can rally around one of the very few environmental journals that dares to challenge the status quo. Think international ! Imagine a despairing loner in India or France or Costa Rica or Poland happening on the Z, chuckling at the cartoon ads and finally noticing that, hey, this is true and it’s about time ! Yes, there are English-speaking people all over this planet who have given up on the United States of America. (And maybe some of the re contents will be translated into Russian or Polish or Spanish or _— . none of us knows what lies ahead.) Let’s send other nations encouragement: we have not given up on our country; we have only begun the deep criticism of our current government and of our way of life and of the dominance of those who have too much money and resources and friends in high places than is good for them. Please, don’t give up on us., I will miss the Zephyr on paper, but it is time now for all of us serious readers to look into the bright future. As Joe Hill said, “Don’t mourn, organize.” Yes, our government has done next to nothing about climate change and other destructive acts that support so many of us in luxury and arrogance. Our government is sending living organisms to the brink of extinction, conducting illegal wars using shock and awe tactics that kill ordinary citizens. Remember NATO%s ferocious attack on Yugoslavia ? Remember the attack on Panama to get hold of just one man who was no longer of use to our rulers ? We are doing the same in Afghanistan, searching for one man, killing our way into those mountains, using clumsy air power. Once the “smart bombs” and drones are released. they go their own way, guided by faulty “intelligence,” killing and maiming. | We are all citizens of this special (yes, it is a special country, whether God or Goddess blesses us, or not), and in order to bring our beloved country back to its senses, put it on a dramatic new track, we must listen to those who disagree. And we must also speak back to them, honestly and from the heart. Back to the Zephyr. Judging from the letters to Jim from various readers, most of us are fringe people, unhappy at what is happening to our nation. Remember Florence Reese, author of “Which Side Are You On” ? [heard her on the radio some years ago. I remember one striking sentence. “America is a beautiful country, but it has to be made that way.” (1) I interpret this as a call to action, a realization that we fringe people want the very best for our country and that we sometimes become activists, people with a somewhat romantic urge to go for what we truly want instead of meekly accepting “the way things are.” Also, we Zephyr people treasure wild country and all of its ilnhabitants. I haven't entirely figured out why, but we do, and I for one am happy to accept the challenge. Because it is a challenge and that is where the Zephyr comes in, on-line, speaking to those who might be encouraged to pay attention, no matter where on the planet they happen to live. When I first happened upon the Zephyr, the cartoon ads caught my attention. Then I realized that the Z was a free speech area, that Jim printed stuff that didn’t entirely agree with his own take on situations. I remember his printing a series from a conservative woman and later, from a conservative, even reaction- ary, man , both of whom were locals with interesting things to say. This was, and is, my mark of a real fringe journal, one that is open to thoughts and slogans from outside the too-cozy ranks of us varmentalists. We are all citizens of this special (yes, it is a special country, whether God or Goddess blesses us, or not), and in order to bring our beloved country back to its senses, put it on a dramatic new track, we must listen to those who disagree. And we must also speak back to them, honestly and from the heart. NOW AVAILABLE 8 a E AK ) OU T . A NOVEL BY MARTIN MURIE A cross continent struggle to save people and other endangered species. ORDER SIGNED COPIES DIRECT FROM MARTIN MURIE: LOSING SOLITUDE: cowtown....$14.95 A contemporary Western. Developers invade a 470 CR 2 WINDSWEPT: Birdwatchers & a biker from Montana sigh with North Bangor, NY _ corporation extremists in Medicine Bow, Wyoming....$14.95 es BURT’ S WAY: Environmentalists labeled ‘terrorists, keep a’ chuggin’ on the Quebec/New Y ork border...$12 RED TREE MOUSE CHRONICLES: Forest animals on assignment; ee eratety westelcom.com What is the future of the forests? They turn activist.....$6.00 | $15 Order direct from bee Martin Murie SERIOUSLY INSISTENT: 80 pages of activist critique...$7.00 Plus Postage~-$2.20 for the first book, $1.00 for the ee |