My Capitalistic View on Green

When did “Green = Socialism”

First, I should say that I am writing this because there’s just not enough space in the comment’s area of FaceBook to express all my thoughts. And second, I want to thank my good friend Steve H. for inspiring me (OK enraging me) to speak my mind.

What got this started was a post of a youtube video that, through a 2 min audio recording of Anthony “Van” Jones, equated and concluded that the Green movement is the first steps to socialism. And this also proves that there are other “radicals” surrounding our President, that are somehow destroying our country. Fortunately this video has only gotten less than 9,000 views (my church bells have gotten over 27,000).

Any way, whether Van Jones is a socialist or not would be inadequate evidence that he is part of a bigger plan to socialize America through producing more Green Jobs. I will admit that his comparisons of the Green movement to the Civil Rights movement is, well, not the exact comparison that I would have used. But given his back ground, experiences and social conditions that he grew up with, it didn’t surprise me.

The point that Van Jones was trying to make is that it takes small steps to make a major paradigm shift in our society. Is that shift really going to be socialism by removing all exploitation and oppression? I don’t think so, but is that so bad to have a democratic, capitalistic society that doesn’t exploit our resources to extinction and oppress people to poverty.

The bottom line is that we need to stop being environmentally irresponsible. I’m a Capitalist. I’ve owned four companies. I’ve cut my oil consumption by 60%. I support local businesses. I do my best to buy locally grown organic food. I recycle. I try to buy products that have the least environmental impact. And I help as many people as I can. Do these things make me a Socialist?

Our economy is a disaster, so I’m for anything that can help put more people back to work! Not, over-inflated busy work, but real product producing sustainable long term work. Work that can be seen, touched, felt. Work that inspires people to want to do more. Work that builds the goods and services that we and our children can be proud of. Work that brings communities together. Work that can make a difference.

So if our President needs to be advised by some “radical” thinking people so that maybe we can change for the better, so be it. But, at the end of the day it is WE THE PEOPLE that have to make the difference (we CAN still Vote). We need to start in our own back yard and ask ourselves: What have I done today to make tomorrow better?