There is absolutely no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate what is happeneing.
Marshall McLuhan
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The United States of America was founded, among other things, on important documents. One of those is our constitution. The Constitution begins "We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...."
That document is what binds us together as members of a free and lasting society. Yet over the years, for one reason or another, people have tried to misinterpret, change or even throw out the document. What happened to "the more perfect Union"?
I've lived in this country for 72 years come Saturday and I'm proud to be an American. But I'm not proud of the intolerance, bigotry, bias, prejudice, racism, sexism, antisemitism, islamophobia, homophobia, extremism, fanatical conservatives, fanatical liberals, religious exclusivity, hate crimes, plundering of the poor by the rich, denial of civil rights, litigiousness, selfishness and bellicosity that I see, hear and read about every day. And for the first time in my memory I am frightened by the current events.
The attack on working people from the Governor of Wisconsin and the ignorant state congress that backs him up, similar movements in other states, the Radical Right's insane attack on the whole fabric of American life, the attack on women, on the aged, children and the poor are making a pot of great danger which is about to boil over.
There are serious attempts, and legislation in the works, to reduce or eliminate funds for family planning, health programs for pregnant women and children. With the rise of other nations gaining more economic and political power they would cut funds for education, student loans, fire teachers and force students to amalgamate into extra large classrooms. They would cut funds for NPR because they are too cowardly to hear opposing points of view. They would take away funds for the protection of the environment. Meanwhile they continue to protect the tax advantages for the super rich.
It is obvious at last that our congress people, many of them, perhaps most of them, are owned by great wealth, large corporations and powerful special interests. These ideas could not be coming from considerate men and women. The lame answer they give is to "balance the budget." But they are looking for the money where it isn't instead of where it is.
I am not a wealthy man. In all of my 72 years I have never been wealthy, But I have seen more examples than I care to remember of people being victimized by the stupidity of the rich.
People want to "take back the country" but only in their own vision of it. The vision is in The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. I look for compassion, understanding and friendship among Americans. "a more perfect Union." But as long as there is this civil war going on between Conservatives and the rest of us, between the super rich and the rest of us, between those who are not willing to contemplate what's happening and the rest of us, there will be no perfect Union.
The rest of us must win.
DB
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4 comments:
Finally a voice of reason among the chaos they call politics. What ever happened to compromise and fairness. Our founding compatriots did not agree on everything. (as human beings we can not) BUT, they did LISTEN to each other and found what was for the common good to make a better and stronger and more perfect UNION. Oh if there were more voices such as yours out there and if people would LISTEN to what once could have been called common scene and decency. for the good of Union/Together/ALL.
When did Hate and intolerance become a value so many people live by. In many books and beliefs it is taught to Love on Another... I hope you decide to go farther with your thoughts and ideas here... publish on a wider form... maybe... just maybe... a few people might come and join in this "fight" for the UNITED States of America.... People come here to get away from what I feel this country is turning into...
Where did Respect, Love, and Kindness go? Why aren't we teaching the roots of this country... Life, Liberty and Happiness for ALL... (Ok so I may not be quoting accurately but... you get the point here..)
Blessings to you and yours, and Blessings to this country and the world we all have to Share... We are one Nation, One continent, One world... If we destroy it... it is gone...
I love your words and thoughts.
Love and Light,
Nina P
(it's good to find time again to visit. I do miss my blog friends)
Well said, db. Those of us who can look in are frightened to see what the US has become. The voices of reason and sanity must prevail again and America must become the country it used to be before it got taken over by vigilante conservatism. The US must once again become a beacon to the world for freedom and democracy and the land of opportunity. Good luck to "the rest of us". Time to take back what is rightfully yours.
What a true to the heart reading DB, touched me very much. Wish you could get your words published in all the newspapers for everyone to stop and think, especially our govt. before it's to late for everyone.
I worked for fifty years and am now retired. In all that time it was never a 'right' I had to be coddled by a union, rather I stood up for myself. I think collective bargaining is a privilege that very few have access too. I pay my own insurance, I paid my own retirement. In the last two years I got no cost of living increase in my social security benefits, although it is mandated by law. No one in the public sector said what, no fair. I voted for Governor Walker and am proud I did. Maybe now the free money will stop for those that have enough already.
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