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FROM MY CORNER: Hey, My Mute Readers

Howell Hurst Uncategorized

FROM MY CORNER

Hey, My Mute Readers:

For some three years or more I’m been writing this commentary. All of them are saved in the Archive of my website: www.howellhurst.com. A book is in the works.

Who actually receives “From My Corner”? Largely, members of my graduating class of 1956 at Will Rogers High, a highly awarded school in Tulsa, Oklahoma where I was raised, and which I departed 62 years ago in order to inspect the world. (Along my path about another 100 have joined, apparently just some folks who found my words of occasional interest. Most, I note, are older and have had some degree of success in the world in something.)

Originally, the total number of my class was approximately 300. The first year of my writing, 150 class members demanded I strike their names from my email list because I told them I did not believe the myth about Jesus Christ actually being the son of a God living in a heaven somewhere in Space.

Were those 150 angry! They sent me some devilishly Hot letters, I assure you, damning me to the eternal fires, hoping I will experience  particularly-scorching torture at the hands of the fallen angel, Satan. I still don’t believe the myth, and I have no fear of such torture ever existing. I am quite comfortable with the conviction that when this tangible body and brain cease to function, the lights will quietly go out and I will have had my one pass through this brief life we all lead.

Should I be absolutely wrong and there is, miraculously, the utterly improbable consequence that life does indeed exist after it has been extinguished, I will – of course – gleefully accept it. Except if it is as screwed up by us people as this one has been, I would certainly like to retain the right to deny that option and remain peacefully dead.

Which brings me, without any logical justification whatsoever, to the goal I set for myself when I started this piece. I have been wondering why 95% of you never write back and tell me what you think regarding what I have written about any specific subject? I have wondered: is it simply difficult or uncomfortable for you to write about your opinions; or are there other issues at stake?

Commonly I don’t write quick commentaries. I more generally assess a week’s events from media news until I draw some manner of  conclusion – and write about that conclusion. It provides me more than a kneejerk reaction initiated possibly by  personal ideological prejudice. For instance, I embrace all immigrants and refugees because I believe in treating others as I would be treated.

If I were a refuge immigrant I would want, and expect, all Americans to help me for the simple reason that such behavior is intrinsically correct. It is ethical. It is moral. Blocking any immigrants facing an American corporate world exploiting the earth’s resources, particularly its human ones, with little regard for the consequences to them, disgusts me no end.

I despise our corporate culture that too often places profits before the long term future of humanity. And the corporate arguments that they care for humanity I reject as often being little more than duplicity. They love profits. They’ve proven they’ll do most anything to get them.  Sugar coating their single-minded purpose with alleged altruism is sugar coating.

They are master prevaricators. They should be called to the highest court in the land. But the highest court is being bought off to their ideology as we speak. Our only alternative is for us to speak. And so, when 250 people remain silent, I wonder why? What are you thinking? This question keeps me awake nights. And I’d like to sleep better.

Hal

PS: If your answer requires criticizing me, have at it. I have large ears leading to my medium sized brain. I’ll hear you.

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