The Massive Divide

The World met for the Olympic Games in London in 2012. They will meet again in Brazil in 2016. All over the world brilliant athletes prepared for the most challenging event of their life. Para Olympians, those incredible disabled athletes, show the world that their disablement does not preclude them from participating in top class world events with distinction. We salute them all - able bodied and para Olympians.

Those and other athletes work hard for what they have and deserve their success. So do the many others in all walks of life who work hard and succeed.

There are some that inherit their wealth, there are others that make a lot of what they do have and succeed despite the odds. They are all entitled to what they have unless they exploit others to keep their wealth.

Then there are those who make their millions and share a lot of it with others less fortunate with charity..

Others are no more than plain greedy and make money hand over fist, walking over anyone in their way. Major companies throughout the world exploit people and rape resources to make as much as they can, no matter what it costs to others and the world.

It is the last group that are most of the 1% of the world's wealth who dominate and manipulate to keep and increase their power and wealth.

The haves are the lucky ones, the ones that have made it. What about all those people throughout the world who have not done so and cannot do so. Not those in the richer countries, but those in the shadows of the poorer world.

Those shadows hide scenes of abject poverty, of starvation, of misery and no hope. How can one live with no hope?

How can the world stand by and let this happen? In fact ignore it. In fact encourage it.

The richer get richer and richer. The poor get poorer and poorer. Some say that was always so. It should not be.

The 1% clearly have a very large say in both governmental authorities and the media. This is not only in local authorities but in main governments too. Media is owned by the 1%. Rupert Murdoch said many years ago that information is power. Power is also now in the media coverage, in the slant that is given – ie the wants of the 1%.

Power by the 1% has been creeping gradually as their share of the world's wealth increases. Defence of their interests is paramount.

The 99% are ignored. Probably 50% of that 99% are the very poor. Those that have to live in the shadows of the world, most of them with no hope of anything better. Ever. A terrible prospect.

Can the remaining 49% help?

The terrorist groups of all persuasions etc, the other power bases, have their own agenda. They too want to dominate the world. They recruit from the very poor influencing them and promising them a better world of their design, possibly not a democratic one.

But a democratic world is not what the 1% want either. They might pretend they do, but their actions do not. They are prepared to rape the world to get richer and richer.

The rest of us want to live in a world that is democratic and free.

What to do about that?

Demostrations by those of the Occupy Movement clearly define the problem. 1% of the population in the richer countries at least, own most of the wealth of the world and it is getting greater as the years progress. This disparity is leading to a massive divide.

The Occupy Movement met with considerable opposition by authorities. The media covered with the events with glee, had a feeding frenzy and an upsurge in readership, viewing and therefore profits. The effect was a subtle opposition - the media was also opposed to the Occupy Movement.

Why?

It was not in the interests of the 1%.

A democratic world is not what the 1% want either. They might pretend they do, but their actions do not. They are prepared to rape the world to get richer and richer. They are using democracy.

The rest of us want to live in a world that is democratic and free.

What to do about that?

Well the Occupy Movement has made a great start, but it is only a start. They have pointed to the problem. How to solve it against overwhelming odds is a different matter.

Democracy is the rule of the majority with respect for the minority. Freedom to think, do and say what one believes. We may not agree with each other, but we defend the right for them to do so.

Defend. The only defence the 99% has is their sheer numbers. The 1% and the other power bases have all the weapons of destruction and they use them, media, financial and combat.