Rabbit Rabbit

Another month begins. An old month ends. And the year moves forward day by day. So greetings to April and Rabbit! Rabbit!

Saying ‘rabbit’ aloud twice is an old superstition both in the United States and the United Kingdom. Saying these two words aloud upon rising and being the first words uttered in the month is supposed to bring the speaker 31 days of good luck. So there. Look it up yourself if you must, but you won’t learn much more than what I just provided you!

Maybe this is the month in which we learn finally who is most likely to win the presidential nomination from each of the political parties in America. I still think it will be Hillary for Democrats, and I think the Republican convention will be forced into an open free for all during which a somewhat independent minded person with main line credentials will appear on stage as the finalist. I doubt that will be Kasich but he wouldn’t be a bad choice; just not the best. Cruz, maybe, but that would be a very bad choice for the party. Trump, no; he is the focal point for avoidance as the party’s star.

Truth be told the republicans have wasted so much of their credibility there are few good people available to serve as the party’s leader, especially in the White House. Donald Trump is not truly a republican and everyone gets that by now. Furthermore, the word is out that he really doesn’t want to be president either. His quest I think has been one of waking up the nation to the reality that the parties are both bankrupt. We must, as Bernie states, seek new ways to do the best for our people and nation. I just don’t think his methods will work. I’d like to think they would work, but a true revolution right now is ill advised. Besides, we should be able to engineer a peaceful revolution where intellect and good will win the day.

Hillary is the candidate best suited for governing the nation at this point in time. Bernie has ideas that need full consideration as we forge ahead into the future. And Trump’s message to America is that many people are frustrated and fed up with inaction from elected leaders. But Trump’s message also informs us that those frustrated people don’t understand much of what’s happening with the exception of their homes, families and check books. They live off the land and other people. They are manipulatable. They need a leader to tell them what to do and when.

The rest of us, however, should take note and begin the clean-up of our political mess. It is in sad shape. It is also lazy. People want instant success and change. They want things better before they even learn what they did or didn’t do to make this situation happen in the first place. Without that understanding they remain far distant from understanding what we have to do to repair all of the damage of the past few decades when politicians waged war against each other and weakened America.

The rest of us; yes, you and I and a host of others. We helped make this mess. I tried but was unsuccessful. I kept up on political, philosophical, sociological and anthropological writings. I even dabbled in theology, too. Although I came through this welter of information better informed, I was not empowered to make a difference in the lives of the nation. Oh, I did my thing locally, even regionally in a small way. I had some influence in small institutions and kept busy in that way. But truth be told my work did not sway many minds. Even this blog doesn’t reach enough people to make a difference. It only makes a difference in my life (mainly!) and perhaps a handful of people who follow my thoughts.

When I mentioned we are lazy, I meant that. most of us read an article and lay it aside. We go on with our work and busy lives and remain unmoved by what we read. We might think about the writing a bit later on, but did it make a difference? In my case readings make a dent in my consciousness, but I cannot say that they have actually changed my mind. Maybe sometimes, but only in small ways. Sometimes an article or event moves me to write a column or essay. But that only means something to me. How could I have more of an impact?

Or you, too, for that matter. How much do we really impact history? The sheer inertia of mass inaction actually does make history. That’s how wars began. Too many sat on their hands and didn’t take action, didn’t tell their leaders ‘no!’ So the war in Iraq under the guidance of George W Bush occurred. So did many other wars. World War II began because Germans did not stand up to Hitler. Neither did other countries who yielded easily and were badly used in the war. America did not enter the war until it was almost too late. Yes, Americans were reluctant to get involved. You see where I am heading with this, don’t you?

We either make things happen by doing something, or not doing something. The latter is the most easily accomplished. Thus it is the leading cause of history. Doing nothing and let things take a ‘natural course’. Sad, isn’t it? But it is the truth in most cases.

Trump is a symptom of what’s wrong with American politics. Let someone speak for everyone else and maybe collect some popularity. Then others rally round the candidate. A lot of people build the guy up and place him on a pedestal until bad news is uncovered and we gleefully pull him down from the pedestal. Push ‘em up, tear ‘em down! That’s the American way.

Rather we should build up good thoughts and leaders to carry their banner. We might actually get somewhere we want to go and with the sustainable logic that serves the purposes of more people than not. The health of a nation is not in one person. It is in the common good of most of us. If more are strong, then we have the power and resources to help the few who are not in good shape. So we care for the old, the halt, lame, sick and disabled. The stupid and under-educated we have with us always, just like the poor. But take care of them we will, and in a good way.

To know or not to know is very much like 'to act or not to act'. The knowing is critically important to the action. Without the knowing, little good will occur.

How many of us exercise our citizenship in this lackadaisical manner? How many of us therefore are manipulated by others, so they can harvest the power, money and influence for themselves at our expense? I bet a lot of us have done this; many are doing it right now.

How else can you explain Donald Trump? Is this really the face America wants for our nation. Our history?

Oh Please!

April 1, 2016