Lament

I’m ill at ease. Angry, too. Upset that so many people are inarticulate about what they want out of life and what role others play in those wants. Are others to blame for what you don’t have or get? Are others taking something from you? From me? If so what?

Peace? Calm? Civility?

Democracy is an easy concept to understand but difficult to live. One person equals one vote, unless you are wealthy or you control the wealth of a corporation and can direct it towards political ends. In such cases your vote strength is magnified. All because of money. All because you paid someone to say something or misrepresent facts to distort a message that would attract more votes to your position.

This is dirty politics. It is engaged all the time. If there is a rigged system this is it – selling influence to the wealthy so they get their way to protect their interests.

Yes, this is the American rigged system. Money talks. Money gets.

The sad truth is this has been the American way since the beginning of the nation. We don’t like to admit this travesty but it is historical fact.

Perhaps we can lay it at the feet of “to err is human” and human nature is basic and will not be denied?

If we do accept this then I think we have admitted defeat for principle, truth and honesty.

I really don’t need you to be happy. I can be happy on my own. However, I can be happier if I know you are working with me and not against me. Right now I distrust nearly everyone. I’m not sure they are honest or trustworthy.

In the past I accepted my nation and its governments (local, regional, state and national) as human enterprises rooted in doing the right thing but prone to errors. That’s alright; errors can be repaired when discovered. But untrustworthy governments are those that can be counted on to protect the influential and not the people themselves. They do this for power and access to personal wealth for themselves. It is self serving behavior that is the root of this evil.

With the latest national election I’m not sure where we are as a nation. I see wealth speaking with a loud voice. I am not a person of wealth. I do not see talent speaking with a voice of influence. I do not see reward going to people of accomplishment and innovation. I do not see sharing of power and influence based on truth and fact. I see in those places bigotry, ugliness and ignorance.

I have fought against those very same negatives most of my life. If I knew they were present I took a stand. If I didn’t know they were present I took no notice. But ignorance of fact, truth and history are now being ignored on a wholesale basis, almost with pride! Yes, with pride. “I won; you lost”. That is the message being told.

No. You didn’t win. We all lost. Prove to me that your position is correct and constructive, not vindictive and destructive. You won? At all costs? Even your honesty?

You see, the crux of the problem is emotions are being taken as fact and truth. I don’t deny that emotions are real, but they are not reflections of true facts. They are a reaction to perceived negatives. There is a difference here. And if I have to lecture you on what that difference is then more has been lost than we had imagined.

Ignorance is not a disease. Wanting ignorance and willingly accepting it, is the disease.

Public education was thought to have eradicated it. Evidently not. When a people feel wealth is more important than education and understanding true reality, then I guess ignorance is licensed by that society to replace knowledge.

Money is power is our society. Used to be knowledge is power. Is this what it comes down to in the end? Knowledge or money?

The latter does not respect how it is earned or amassed, just that it is. The former takes work and discipline. It builds character. It builds lasting futures. Money does not.

Take heed America. We are on the edge of losing all that we worked so hard to gain. And if you personally do not understand this then you are already lost.

Can you yet be found?

We can only hope for your soul and ours.

November 29, 2016