when i was growing up, my mother encouraged me to read the newspaper everyday. on November 19, 1978, i read a news story that i can honestly say changed my life. i can`t even remember what the headline of the story was, but in my seven year experience something terribly had occurred in one of our nearest geographical neighbours; Guyana. 900 people were dead including 270 children after drinking grape kool-aid laced with cyanide. to this day i don`t drink anything grape colour.
i suppose in retrospect that would be the roots of my cynicism. i stopped drinking the kool-aid literally then it also sowed the seeds from my metaphorical break from the kool-aid as well.
there are two things that really frighten me; wilful ignorance and blind faith in any leadership. and i`m realising on a daily basis how many people fit that bill. this is a country that is supposed to be the bastion for free speech and expression and some many people are willing to just give it up and believe everything they`re told without question and those that aren`t are branded `bad Americans`.
by definition a `Good American` is one who asks questions and doesn`t blindly accept. but based on the current events, pretty soon it`s actually going to resemble Jonestown in more ways than one; if you don`t drink the kool-aid you`re going to get a bullet to the back of the head.
