As sick as its secrets: the mental health of the U.S. hangs in the balance

DETROIT

Niara Terela Isley

Over the years, one of my mentors taught me, “A person is as sick as the secrets they carry around.” I’ve learned over time that this applies not only to individuals, but to entire countries as well, even to humanity as a collective. The severe problems the U.S., and humanity around the world on every level are now facing are rooted in secrets kept by the few, from the many, because the secrets appeared to give that few unprecedented power to control the many...

The Cost of Silence: Our Government of the People, by the People, Stolen from Us

After 8 years of a political coop that usurped the U.S. government called the Bush-Cheney administration, I have learned the cost of staying silent, and it is far too high to remain silent.

Those of us who signed on for military service, for whatever reasons, patriotism, to learn a trade or to see the world, didn’t know we were signing on to become part of a terrible secrecy that would lay heavy on our souls and isolate us from the rest of humanity. We didn’t know, in some cases, that we signed up to be lab rats for whatever experiments our superiors saw fit to inflict upon us for their own ends. Try to go to court to prosecute for duress or damages, and your case is likely to be thrown out of court, un-prosecutable “FOR REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY”. For people like myself, that have had experiences with the shadow government/military-industrial complex, that have left their lives in a shambles or worse, the cost of National Security Act of 1947 secrecy has been far too high.

In addition, as a result of enforced silence under pain of imprisonment or worse, we have a dangerously uneducated and unaware mainstream public regarding what goes on behind the impenetrable curtain called “The National Security Act of 1947”, and in this case, what We the People don’t know, can definitely harm us. No individual, nor any society can truly be free, or exercise it’s free will when critically important information is withheld from them. When making choices, decisions or when making policy, if one does not have all the information, all the facts, then the choice, decision or policy will end up being flawed, ineffective or even life-threatening.

...National Security Act of 1947 secrecy no longer protects our country and her people – it provides a curtain of secrecy for those who would destroy this country and her people for their own greed and power-driven agendas by allowing them to hide behind it, above and beyond the law.

While President Obama looks to be a far more positive leader to many Americans, if there is one thing the last 8 years have taught us all, it is that We The People must take an active role in our governance and how it is structured and handled. We can no longer afford complacency and giving our power away to politicians who are susceptible to financial seduction by the lobbying of special interest groups. We must raise our heads from our daily grind and pay close attention to legislation and policy that will affect the quality of all our lives and make our desires and wishes heard....