Now that Independence Day is done we can forget what the day truly means and continue moving toward In Dependence. Every passing moment its becoming more apparent that Americans are becoming selfish, lazy junkies addicted to the modern day principles of 'gimme gimme gimme' and 'whats in it for me?'.
I heard an old song yesterday and it really felt like being punched in the throat. Considering it was recorded 40 years ago under different circumstances it holds parallels to modern day events in the US. Its a shame that the very folks who spent so much time protesting in the 1960s in the name of 'freedom' haven't recognized that they're the same folks who're eliminating freedom today. Or maybe they just never cared about anything other than their own selfish pursuit of power under the guise of 'freedom'.
With freedom comes responsibility. If we choose not to accept responsibility for our freedom our freedom will disappear without exceptions. Americans only have each other to rely on to pull our country back up by its bootstraps. We can't expect any help from the print or electronic media. The American reporter is a thing of the past. Instead of getting unbiased and unfiltered facts we're fed what the press wants us to hear, or what they think we want to hear. Isn't it an interesting paradox that the foundations of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press are lost on the very people those freedoms were written to protect? The print and electronic media are censoring the news we receive, period.
Doesn't it seem odd to anyone that since the November election no American servicemen or women have died in Iraq or Afghanistan? You'd almost think so anyway, now that it isn't fashionable to keep a running tally anymore. A small but significant example that points to an extremely slanted agenda in the media. Hopefully the tingles up their collective legs will subside soon and reporters will get back to doing the job they're supposed to be doing: Presenting unbiased information to the American public so as to keep us informed of the goings-on not only among our ruling class but in the world at large. I won't be holding my breath. You shouldn't either.
To their credit the media doesn't hesitate to let us know all of the unethical goings-on in the Republican party, but where is the equal and opposite? John Murtha-PA (35 years living off the people) has been a crook all the way back to the Reagan Administration and Abscam. At best Barney Frank-MA (28 years) and Chris Dodd-CT (34 years) are bordering on the edge of conflict of interest violations, at worst are completely corrupt individuals as well. The name Nancy Pelosi-CA (22 years) pretty much speaks for itself. Slim to no press coverage and analysis of these folks. There is something very scary in that. A crook is a crook is a crook no matter if there's a 'D' or an 'R' behind their name.
Either of the two major parties is more to blame than the other. They're both responsible together for the messes that have been made in the name of consolidating their collective power. 'Collective', an interesting word, used most often in reference to standard operating procedures in communistic style countries. The Politburo we refer to as Congress seems to be borrowing on an idea that has failed everywhere else. Hmmm?
Of course, to their credit the Gang of 535 does attempt to stay busy. Its serious business discussing whether or not to adopt August 28th as National Parsnip Day between collecting 'favors' over business breakfasts with lobbyists and deciding which five-star Beltway restaurant to wine and dine their favorite intern. Or interns I suppose. Caligula got nothing on D.C. Power Merchants.
The rest of the average Congresspersons' day can be spent piling more and more inane laws higher and higher until the average citizen is paralyzed from simple confusion of what is legal and what isn't. In our hearts we know what is right and what is wrong but applying our core beliefs and basic common sense to new Congress/Politburo edicts/rules/laws written in the gobbledygook we call legalese makes anything we do a violation. Why? Because somewhere in a bylaw of an addendum of a subtext of a corollary will be found a qualification of a rule that can be theoretically applied. What does that mean? That means there's little difference between a street cop and a professional referee/umpire. An armed robbery in downtown Houston might only be a Hard Foul 2 in Charlotte.
My point? Basically it comes down to this: We owe it to each other to bring our government back from its current existence as a high maintenance/low return free-spending welfare state to an elected body of citizens who have the best interests of the United States first and foremost in their hearts and decisions and actions. We either enjoy the freedom of living in the greatest country in the world or continue down the current path we're on and accept status as third class sheeple serving Washington, DC.
People in South Dakota owe it to people in Louisiana, who owe it to people in Maine, who owe it to people in Oregon, who owe it to people in Kentucky to choose our leaders wisely....and if the choice proves to be a deviant, an incompetent, or otherwise dishonest weasel in the vein of the current crop then the bums must be voted out just as quickly. There is no media anymore to keep watch and present unbiased reportage of Washington shenanigans. The two major parties are only interested in the power of the two major parties. We must do our homework.
By now we should know the difficulties we face going forward. 'Protecting the future of our children' has crossed from what'd seem a basic human priority to nothing more than a clever catch phrase for the talking heads. Americans either care about the kids and their futures or we don't. We can keep giving a damn who's winning some mindless reality show like American Idol or take back control of our own individual realities as United States citizens. The decision should be an easy one. I'm turning off the TV. How about you?
Back to Mr. Happy next time around. Thanks for reading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSD89c-147c&feature=related
Buffalo Springfield 'For What Its Worth'
There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
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