To the great people of the United States of America, 

I would like to articulate what the “Occupy Wall Street” and the “Tea Party” movements have in common. 

When I lost my corporate job—I felt so powerless and desperate—I went to live with the cows on a pasture at the end of my street. I am the author of Être the Cow (“to be” the cow). 

We are all cows—chattel to wolfish politicians and their special interest jackals. 

Most Americans are middle-of-the-road rationalists, as I am. Neither those leaning to the left, nor those leaning to the right are being represented by our present government. For the past three decades I have watched partisan bickering and back-scratching ruin this great country and divide its people.  For instance: 

-Most Americans opposed NAFTA in 1992 for fear corporations would outsource American jobs. It was passed anyway and our jobs were outsourced.

- Most Americans flatly rejected the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision on Eminent Domain, which enabled local governments to confiscate private property for corporate and municipal gain. No motion or amendment to repeal the ruling has been passed. 

-Most Americans cherish immigration, but want illegal immigration brought under control and our southern border more secure. Today our southern border is as porous as it was forty years ago. 

-Most Americans opposed the 2008 TARP bailout, where hundreds of billions of American tax dollars were used to offset the malfeasance of our financial institutions. When the TARP-1 measure was ineffective and plagued by fraud, opposition to a second bailout grew. Yet TARP-2 was passed in 2009.

Many large U.S. corporations have posted record profits over the last three years. The nation’s largest banks—many the recipients of bailout funds—also posted record profits for 2009 and 2010. So did the Federal Reserve. 

Meanwhile millions of ordinary Americans have lost their homes, their jobs, and their life’s savings. College students are facing decades of indentured servitude to pay off their student loans. Currently 45-million Americans have no health insurance, one-in-six Americans are dependent on some form of public assistance, and 46 million Americans are living in poverty. 

This has been, quite simply, a land grab, a money grab and a power grab. The time has come to wrest it all back. 

-We Americans deserve job opportunities. 

-We Americans deserve affordable healthcare. 

-We Americans deserve to be secure in our own homes. 

-We Americans deserve to keep most of the money we earn. 

-We Americans deserve the safe return of our military men and women. 

-We Americans deserve to have a future worthy of the sacrifices of our forefathers. 

-We Americans deserve better, and our politicians deserve what’s coming. 

Sincerely, 

Sean Kenniff

Author, ÊTRE THE COW

www.etrethecow.com

Sean Kenniff

Do You Feel Stuck?

Two black flies rest on a windowsill. Pops is wise and aged for a fly, being nearly one month old.  Junior, on the other hand, is young and inexperienced—barely out of his larval stages.  Both flies are tired. They spent the last few hours slamming their tiny bodies against the window pane—trying to get outside. 

“That’s it, Pops,” Junior says, “I give up.” 

“That’s the trouble with kids today—you all give up too easily,” Pops says. “Trust me. I have been around for a very long time. With age comes wisdom.” 

With that advice, both flies flutter off the windowsill, loop into the room to gather momentum and speed toward the glass. They buzz and crash over and over and over. After a few minutes Junior needs to rest again. 

“We must be doing something wrong, Pops!” he complains. 

“Come here,” Pops says, pointing outside. “See that bright sunshine out there? And all those trees, dandelions and grass? Isn’t that where we want to be?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then that’s the direction we fly. All the signs suggest this must be the way to get outside.” 

Both flies start buzzing and crashing into the glass again. After several minutes, Junior stops and says, “That’s it! I’ve got to try something different.” 

“Suit yourself,” Pops shrugs, “but I’m going to stay right here and keep trying. You’ll see—hard work always pays off.” 

Junior looks around the room. Nothing looks promising—a couch, two chairs and a coffee table. Across the room an open door leads to a dark and foreboding hallway. 

Pops continues buzzing against the glass. “I just don’t understand why I can’t get out,” he grunts. 

The hallway is the most perilous and least promising option, but Junior is bold. He flies across the room and into the corridor. The hallway grows darker and soon Junior is flying blind. His wings tremble and he starts to panic. He thinks of turning back to join Pops at the windowsill. But just as he is about to turn around, a faint streak of light appears at the end of the hallway. Junior flies toward the light and it grows bigger and brighter as he nears. When Junior turns the corner, he discovers an open screen door leading outside, and he flies through it. 

From outside, he can still see Pops banging his head against the glass. 

So what can we learn from this story? 

Older isn’t always wiser and experience can be misleading. Sometimes all the “right” signs may be pointing you in the wrong direction. And, hard work won’t always solve your problems. So don’t be afraid to explore your own dark hallways. Just like our flies cannot understand the glass, there are things about your current situation you may never fully comprehend. Let it go. Learn to recognize the glass in your life, stop slamming yourself into it—be bold and change direction.

Sean Kenniff is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, ETRE THE COW. His latest book, STOP *EFFING YOURSELF was published in 2010.

© Sean Kenniff 2011