The Long Road Ahead Will Be Hard-Earned

June 12, 2008

By Vincent Guarisco
(A time to reverse crucial mistakes)

"The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.'
One brush stroke stands for danger, the other for opportunity.
In a crisis be aware of danger – but recognize the opportunity."~John F Kennedy (1917 – 1963), Speech in Indianapolis, April 12, 1959

Many years ago in the dead of winter in 1982, I met-up with my father in Washington DC. I traveled there in November from Arizona to attend the historic unveiling of the new Vietnam Memorial Wall -- a national tribute given to a weeping nation trying to heal from the madness of war. At that time, the Iran Contra affair was ragging-on and there was much talk of re-registering our youth (once again) for the possibility of a new draft. In spite of everything happening around us, tens of thousands gathered for this monumental moment in history.

For me, it was one of the most significant, impressionable experiences of my life. Many family members and friends of the fallen were there in large droves searching the Wall for their lost loved ones. They came from every major city across America. For the most part, it was calm, silent and surreal -- a solace kind of atmosphere as we eerily scanned its newly polished surface inch by inch. This would continue for what was a 246-foot long eternity until suddenly, when we least expected it, frantic cries and loud wailing would sporadically pierce the air and echo over the 10-foot-high panels when someone found a loved one's name etched on the black granite marker.

This repeated itself time and again as we all moved sideways slithering in awe with the crowd, blown away by this seemingly endless Wall and the sadness it represented. The emotion was very thick indeed. So thick in fact, even with the sharpest blade forged by man, you could not even scratch the surface to escape the sorrow. Many people with tired and shaking hands rubbed etchings over the names, while others took pictures to mark their long painful pilgrimage. And some could not move at all. They were the ones who just stood there looking ahead with that familiar thousand-yard stare. And then there were others who were so completely overwhelmed with grief, they had to back away from the dark polished abyss -- often falling to the ground with faces held in hands wiping the tears -- unable to continue their search; regardless of the distance they had traveled to get there.

In total, there is a staggering 58,268 names etched in that wall, which is a tribute engraved in stone to forever honor our fallen brave who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Each moment was haunting. As we slowly drifted sideways seeing our own reflections blending with the dead, it was as if the lost were reaching out to us, their silent cries engulfing us -- sending shivers in waves across our skin. We soon realized we were not alone in this place, and never will be. Even now, 26 years later, it still gives me goose bumps to recall the experience. I walked away knowing I would never be the same again -- that the ghosts of that war will forever be chained to my ankle...

After the crowd settled down a bit, my father and I had a moment's pause to sit by the reflecting pool to catch our breath and talk. The conversation we had is one I shall never forget as well...

This memorial site has special meaning to my father because he is a WWII, Korea Navy combat veteran who served his country with honor. He had walked through the ashes of Hiroshima after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, and afterwards was inadvertently used as a guinea pig in Atomic Weapons Testing at Operation Crossroads in the Marshal Islands. This was a man who had seen and done a lot in his lifetime.

We sat there for while and talked about life, death, war and many other important topics affecting our nation and society. And then I popped a question to him that had weighed heavy on my mind all day. I wanted to know his opinion of what he thought was the worst thing that had happened to our country that took us down the wrong path -- what he thought was the defining moment that sealed our fate as a nation gone wrong.

The answer I got was not what I expected. As an Atomic Veteran, I expected him to say the invention of the Atomic Bomb was the strongest nail in our coffin or something else down that splitting-of-the-atom line. Instead, he told me that allowing the 'Bank of England' into our midst was the worst mistake our leaders ever made. Then, he said another big mistake was taking us off the gold standard and he explained how Congress giving 'corporations' the same constitutional rights as American citizens became our eulogy. After that, he said it all went downhill. War became a profitable 'spectator sport' for those holding our nation prisoner with one cold, callus hand on the trigger pointed at us, with the other holding the throttle full-steam-ahead at the fiat printing press.

At the time, I really didn't understand the full gravity of what he was talking about. But now, as an adult who is a little older and wiser I know what he meant.

Fast-forward to today. We now find ourselves consumed in endless wars, gas at four and five dollars a gallon, skyrocketing food costs, hyper-inflation and record-breaking home foreclosures, etc., Dad's old eulogy talk is ringing in my ears. It's true, all our citizens are alarmed and scared of what the future might bring. The level of gloom and doom during this election-year cycle is at a level not felt since the great depression. Virtually everyone is feeling pessimistic, gripped with tension and anxiety, and hopelessly trapped in a dreadful cauldron of malaise. At age 48, it's a terrible atmosphere I have not felt in my lifetime. My America, the country in which I was born and love more than life itself is unrecognizable in terms of leading the world in industrialization, economics, technology, science, export and global trade in a rapidly changing marketplace.

The times are changing and the global economic pie is no longer contained in a familiar American tin. Look around, our rise to the most envied nation in the world is now a lost memory -- a corporate package with liability stamped on it. A foreclosure sign now hangs around the necks of brokerage firms on Wall Street with its money crazed minions quickly scurrying to the back of the international line with busted heads as we fall from grace. Three words snap to mind how the world now perceives us in monetary terms -- brassy, intolerant and indebted.

These days, it seems the newcomers of the world have left us coughing in their dust as they successfully stride ahead with wise investments, robust modernization, accessible education, manufacturing jobs galore, and a much friendlier foreign policy agenda without the costly burden of prolonged war under their heels. Indeed, America's chickens have come home to roost. And, although we did encourage them to develop, we forgot the most important rule, to help ourselves along the way.

These were the seeds we planted and thus bitterly sowed. In depth and breadth, our failure has given great rise to other nations. We no longer have the most prominent ranking in investor confidence. Not only do we no longer keep pace in ideas, culture, goods and services, but we are not even close in many sectors. Our riches are increasingly lost, and we now dwell in financial crisis. We are indebted to Asian central banks; teetering on the brink of an economic meltdown.

What happened? We were always led to believe we are so enriched -- so far ahead of the learning curve of success. Or were we? I think the time has come that multi-national natives (our pupils) are self-Pax determined to thrust themselves into new financial dimensions for a new modern day power shift. However, the fact remains, it does not come without an element of risk for them as well. Bottom line, to keep this new wealth and power, they must first master and control our capitalism better than we did. They will have to successfully navigate the turbulent waters filled with staunch IMF rule-makers roaring to globalize the planet for their New World Order. Yes, It's the irony of all ironies, we encouraged them, we trained them and we twisted their arms to join the advanced world to reap the spoils of 'free trade,' and now it seems -- rainbows no longer end on America's doorstep. Indeed, we are up a creek without a paddle.

Maybe this grand bungling of the national wallet will live in infamy as the great 'Fools Paper Rush' of our time ending American parochialism? Hmm...we can only hope. Or maybe, if we all catch our breath and take pause, we may actually learn a thing or two? Maybe we can finally come to terms with the fact that unfettered capitalism without 'restraint' is not as free and prosperous as we were led to believe? Indeed. Our indebted woe is not too hard to figure out. If we had stayed on the gold standard and not invited international bankers into our midst, we would not be having this discussion today. Thus, It would not take a wheelbarrow full of worthless paper dollars (or a sea of digital transactions) to maintain our living standards. Until then, the Fed will continue to manipulate our economy at will, and we will never recover.

It truly is the biggest rip-off scam ever contrived in this modern era. Simply ask any hard-working American who has lost his or her life's savings from on-demand inflation, or fallen victim to their monopolizing credit tactics, etc... From 1913 on through Alan Greenspan's tenor, to the current meltdown on Ben Bernanke's watch, we have been usurped. Also, most wars in our nation's history have been financed by them as well.

Take a bow Mr. Fed, we are now broke-down, busted-up, beaten-sideways and still borrowing over seven trillion (and counting) on a busy monetary expressway -- with hood in air -- as the world speeds by with unimpeded ability and ease. And here's the kicker, the so-called money we cherish, the same ink paper we hoard in our pockets and wallets, is worthless. Just little notes of green colored paper worth one or two cents at best. How can this be you say? Well, it's simple Einstein logic, any currency must have real tangible resources (of equal value) to back it's worth, such as gold or silver. Or it's properly deemed 'Fiat' money (worthless). Now you understand why the world is dumping Federal Reserve 'Notes' for other currencies, because it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

Sadly, most Americans foolishly believe the Federal Reserve is part of the U.S. Government. Nothing is further from the truth. Members of the Federal Reserve are 'foreign' investors cashing-in at our expense. Even our 'voluntary' IRS payments (another illegal scam) are directly deposited into Federal Reserve bank accounts -- not in the US treasury. Why do we allow this? Our Constitution explicitly forbids its existence.

Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution clearly states that only Congress shall have the power to create money and regulate the value thereof. Not a bunch of international bankers cleverly filling their pockets as we fall into the sinkhole of poverty.

And Article 1, Section 10, states: 'No State shall make any thing but Gold and Silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts.' Take note, for the first 72 years from our country's birth, we used only gold and silver coins as Tender. Not toilet paper promissory notes.

Even 45 years later, God rest his soul, I'm sure John F. Kennedy is rolling in his grave like a fiat printing press in high gear. Bottom line, JFK dearly tried to dissolve the Federal Reserve system (along with the CIA), because he recognized the real danger for us to continue doing business in this manner. He wanted to put an end to the madness before our nation's wealth was completely squandered. He wanted to return our nation back to its people (us). And for his brave and honorable effort, he was riddled with bullets. And what did we do about it? Nothing. We pissed-in our pants and let the shooters get away.

I often wonder what it takes to inspire others for real change. Is it rage? Ponder this, I wonder if a certain young field agent named George Herbert Walker Bush, then working for the CIA, was donning a Hobo suit on that fateful day when John was gunned down like a dog in the street? When questioned by the Warren Commission, Bush senior refused to divulge his whereabouts at the time of the assassination. Yeah, I guess it will always remain a mystery, and we will continue to look at the grassy knoll and scratch our heads as the years roll by.

Yes, we truly lost a great moral and ethical compass that day. Perhaps one of the last. As an American, is your blood boiling? As an American, it better be. How does it make us feel now, 45 tears later, to know that our great heroes have died in vain? I have one more question that will help us restore honor -- where are those God Damn modern magic bullets when you really need them?!? Chew on that, Federal Reserve cronies, Tri-Lateral commissionaires, Foreign Banksters and Neo-con Chicken Hawks and all other energy/oil/arms manufacturing tycoon types who continue to subvert the American way of life. Screw you! And the White House horse you rode in on. Rage is powerful mojo. Harness it well and make it work for a change...

And the beat goes on. The horrible awe continues to confuse most for what is yet to come. These days, all I see is evil men pulling the levers of power. All are given a free pass around 'Go' in the 'corp-media' backdrop regardless of our instability. Most are elevated to rock star status -- saints doing us a favor. Well, at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I'm not fooled by the grand canard. I see the cruelty, the greed, the torturing, the spying, the killing and endless war for what it is. A hardship handed out like poison suckers in a innocent schoolyard. We are so easily manipulated. It's almost too painful to watch, much less experience.

Even today, as our economy plummets into the abyss, I do not hear a single word, or see any debate whatsoever about the 'Federal Reserve.' Why not? Can't we change our wicked ways? Is everyone too afraid to fight the current power brokers because they fear they'll end-up dead like JFK? At the risk of being snatched-up as an enemy combatant and quickly black-bagged to Guantanamo, or conveniently suicided by shooting myself in the head (three times), I say we must end this madness now. We must.

Many influential people have warned us about the Feds. Presidents Lincoln, Jackson and Kennedy all tried to stop them. Even Rep. Ron Paul is on record for stating, 'Federal Reserve notes are illegal.'

For me, I try to find the lesson in everything past or present, good or bad. By nature, I'm a realist at heart and try to avoid being paranoid and do not usually place much trust in conspiracy theories. Yet, if time and magic bullets and official lies about September 11, 2001 have taught us anything, it's all-too-obvious we now know that many conspiracy theories -- is synonym for real crimes committed with the culprits running amuck.

Understand this well, the Federal Reserve scam is no foolish conspiracy theory. It's real. It exists. It's illegal. And it's still currently conducting business today on American soil. And its owners are getting rich beyond belief. Rest assured, this will continue unabated unless we unite against them to take back what is ours -- our country, our lives and our sacred financial freedom -- all of which will lie in limbo until we do.

For decades, Fed owners have been very illusive, a well-kept secret, but thanks to the Internet, the last bastion of free-flowing information, they could not elude us forever. Its ownership can be traced to a few wealthy simpletons with big pocketbooks. Memorize this list well. Become aware, tell everyone, these are the architects or our demise:

1) Rothschild Bank of England.
2) Warburg Bank of Hamburg.
3) Rothschild Bank of Berlin.
4) Lehman Brothers of New York.
5) Lazard Brothers of Paris.
6) Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York.
7) Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy.
8) Goldman, Sachs of New York.
9) Walburg Bank of Amsterdam.
10) Chase Manhattan Bank of New York

There is a promising future awaiting us. We can change our stars. Hope is not lost unless we choose to give up. For me, I awoke from this nightmare long ago while standing at the Vietnam Memorial with my father in the Winter of 82. But each moment can redefine who we really are, so get busy. Perhaps, after reading this, we will all become the heroes we always knew we could be. A great start is to...

--Move away from the sidelines and inform all Americans and collect signatures for a petition.

--Demand that Congress and the media support the rights of 'We the People' to uphold the Constitution and abolish the illegal Federal Reserve.

--Write to your local newspaper, ask them to keep freedom of the press alive, support the Constitution and abolish the Fed. Freedom of the press should not be limited to those who own it.

--Ask your State/County Representatives to use their Constitutional powers to enforce your rights under the Constitution to have the Fed abolished.

--Call in on TV and radio talk shows and discuss why the Fed should be abolished.

--Support businesses who distribute your petitions, and if they don't, please ask them to.

--Ask candidates if they plan to introduce legislation to abolish the Fed and uphold the Constitution which they are obligated to defend. Make candidates take a stand! Have every politician sign a contract with 'We the People' enacting legislation to abolish the Fed by a certain date or that politician must resign from office. The Democratic Congress and President promised the people 'no Fed' before the election. Thirteen months later, they passed the Fed.

--Create and/or post bumper stickers on your car to show support and inform people to abolish the Fed.

If 5,000 people distribute two or three brochures daily, we can inform half a million Americans a month. Roughly 10% of this number will make copies and inform others. Our goal should be to inform 70-million adult Americans. Public opinion will soon be on our side. Once 10% of the population know, the other 90% will follow.

And finally...if you would, pray and ask God to return us to 'One nation under God.'

Authors Bio: Vince is a freelance writer from Arizona, a contributing writer for many web sites, and a lifetime founding member of the Alliance of Atomic Veterans. The 21st century, once so full of shining promise, now threatens to force countless millions of us at home and abroad into a dark abyss of languishing poverty and silent servitude; a lowly prodigy of painful struggle and suffering that could stream for generations to come. I'm wishing for a miracle, before it is too late, the masses will figure it out and will stand as one and roar. So, pass the word -- it's past time to take back what is ours -- the American Dream where the pursuit of happiness, the ability to live in a free and peaceful nation is a reality. We bought it, and we paid for it. It's time to take it back. Contact: vincespainting1@hotmail.com