We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

The New Silk Roads reach the next level

Click here to access article by Pepe Escobar from Asia Times

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, speaks eloquently about the respect shown to other nations participating in the BRI projects. His words are reinforced with deeds shown to participating members, and that is the key to the success of recruiting members which now number more than the G20.
BRI is now supported by no less than 126 states and territories, plus a host of international organizations. This is the new, truthful, realistic face of the “international community” – way bigger, diversified and more representative than the G20.

The Beijing leadership seems to be aware that transparency is key for the global success of BRI.
This style contrasts sharply with the US/Anglo/Zionist Empire's strategies to engage in economic warfare on various countries, destabilize countries, like Venezuela, which want to pursue a more independent path, sponsor terrorist armies to attack independent countries (like Syria), and continue to threaten nations with both economic sanctions and NATO. 

It appears to me that the capitalist directors of the Empire are seeing their control of their Empire and dominant influence in the world slipping away to the increasing achievements of the independent nations, and are upping their aggressive responses which likely will end in a backlash that will either destroy the Empire or will result in catastrophic nuclear war. While this scene is rapidly unfolding and threatening further crises, most ordinary Americans are blithely ignoring such developments and focusing their efforts on the micro-issues of their insular lives. They have been so confused by the 24/7 (def.) deceptions and distractions of their capitalist masters over the decades since WWII that they cannot function mentally to counteract such developments.