Submitted by Fremen on Fri, 05/01/2009 - 1:59pm
You may not use this image without permission - it is mine and I plagiarised it all by myself.
I'm writing this in response to the posts that I read on three forums and several blogs and websites. We have a demonstrated capacity to exercise our freedom to express ourselves in this and other countries. What I have seen is everything from sycophantic regurgitation of talking points ("oh look at me, see how cleverly I can fit in") to truly mind-blowing individual thought and action ("I sent money to that chair of the congressional committee with a letter to let them know I am behind them, then I blew up the headquarters of Vivisectors, Inc.") I feel like I have seen it all and I have seen much on this site alone. There are many disagreements about the correct path for us to take socially, economically, politically, spiritually, and individually. We are so eager to get our opinion out there and be heard, it seems, but how much listening are we doing? How much fraternity is out there?
I often find myself asking as I read people's contributions to discourse, "What do you need from this? What is your intention?" I think all too often the need is to be heard and acknowledged, the intention is to use any means necessary to connect. I myself feel a little disappointed when I receive no response to my posts sometimes, but it's o.k., I've got other fish to fry. My point is that it seems like we are flirting with some real cohesiveness, but the posturing and divisive language are getting in the way. How great is it that I can know the voting heart of a person in Saginaw? Someone who has a different perspective than me, but is a passionate Citizen, like me, and just wants to exercise the same rights I exercise. Experience the same freedoms I experience. There is no "Them" in America. Just "Us". We The People, right? How have We become LiberalConservativeDemocratRepublicanSocialistNeoconRedBlueLibertarianGreenies? How is it that when I state my opinion, immediately following is a label from someone trying to actually dismiss my point by dismissing me? I am an American of the U.S., a Citizen. Doesn't that mean anything? Do I need to qualify that with "tax-paying", or "hard-working", or "ex-military"? I'm not a political science major, so does that mean I know nothing about politics? Should I have to? Does that diminish my point?
It seems like so many of us also just want to be left alone and not deal with the complexities of modern life. We just want to have our pabulum bottle-fed and mess our diaper and have it changed for us. I don't have a problem with that - just recognise that there are consequences, as unjust as they may be. You do not live in a vacuum and your very existence affects the whole universe. So why not accept some reality and see the rest of your fellow humans as part of this whole? We are all Citizens of somewhere and that makes us responsible, accountable to not just ourselves, but to our greater community - in our case a very large union of states. Our birthright in the U.S. is to recognise and uphold the belief that our Constitution is the key to securing unalienable freedoms that were bestowed upon us by merely existing. It applies to all humans, as it is how we are encouraged to perceive People - all endowed with rights by their creator. It is within our borders that we say, "Here is where we secure those rights. Here, Justice is championed and safeguarded for all People." We don't seem to treat even fellow Citizens, let alone all People with this regard. Why?
"Wealth and Justice have great disparity
Stand together and answer the call
What we need is Solidarity
An injury to one is an injury to all"
This isn't just a hollow lyric, it is a truth that one day every human must acknowledge, even if it takes several lifetimes (and believe me, many lives have been snuffed in the name of Truth.) Today is May 1, a united fraternal holiday. Try to feel some fraternity for at least your fellow Citizens of the U.S. as we attempt to equalise Justice and prosperity and secure unalienable rights for all People. Aw, heck, it's even a good idea in September! 
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Re: United We Stand
Good Stuff Fremen!!
I have often thought, "Wouldn't my life be better if I could go back to not knowing or caring about politics?", to shut Pandora's box? You are correct though, there are consequences to our actions. I believe we have a hard time standing together as one because so many people don't care what is in that piece of paper we call the Constitution. Where people used to be able to disagree amongst themselves, they now have to either be for or against a program in the government. Take stem cell research funding for example. If we take the government out of the equation, then we have people that do stem cell research and people that don't. They can argue, they can gripe but in the end the two groups can ignore each other because private citizens are free to do what they what. Add the government into the mix and now neither group can ignore the other. Group A has to try to marginalize group B to get additional funding for research. Group B has to try to demonize group A to attempt to prevent their money from being used in way they find morally questionable. Politicians and the media love this approach because it gives them a cause to stand up for (politicians) and trash to report on (media). That is just one example off the top of my head. Anytime the government involves themselves in a situation, the take away freedom from the people.
"Government can only exist as a means to take away the freedom of the governed."
Re: United We Stand
Fremen you raise some really great issues here. I will respond as I want to address some of these wonderfully provocative thoughts.
Unfortunately I am in the middle of returning to my home in Oregon and will most likely not be able to do so until later in the week. But I will respond as soon as I have internet activated.
I hear your despair and pondering with regard to We the people and what the fuck are we really doing to achieve some balance. We are not going to agree and to expect group think I believe is not what you are asking about.
Hang in there buddy we can in fact work through this as a group even with differing perspectives at times. That is what our founders did and I believe we are just as capable in accomplishing workable solutions as they did!
Peace