What Ever Happened To "The Power of One?"
While speaking to a friend on the phone yesterday about the state of the world today and the fate of the middle class in America, she paused and quietly commented, "You know, I have had to realize that there is nothing I, as one person can do, so the best thing is for me is to go about my own life and just try not to think about it all. I can't change it and I can't make a difference, so why spend my time worrying about things I can do nothing about. I just live my life the best I can and try to have faith that things will get better." I am sure this is the way most people in America feel today. It is already more than we can handle just to take care of our own families and problems, how can we take on the world?
Then I thought about all the many college students, not just hippies, who protested against the war in Vietnam and changed the course of history for the better. I thought about all of the American blacks and the march on Washington led by Martin Luther King. I remembered Apartheid and the South African black majority exiled in make-shift townships overthrowing the government under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, in order to seek equality. Even that picture of the one student standing directly in front of the army tank in Tianemen Square in China, courageously trying to protect the right to protest, brought the subject of human rights in China to the forefront of world consciousness. And, though I disagree with their ideology, today's Tea Partier's under the leadership of Glenn Beck, are at least standing up for something they believe. But what about the rest of us?
The last two years have been a disaster. Not simply because Barack Obama took office, he inherited most of the disaster and wreckage from the previous administration: a trillion dollars in debt from a totally fabricated, needless war with Iraq; a trillion dollars in debt from a worthless $300 tax rebate to all Americans when we could least afford it; over borrowing from China; and an initial bail-out of banking institutions with no conditions on spending or accountability to the government while they continued to use the Wall Street system as a gambling casino for their own pockets. Then, amping up another war in Afghanistan that is costing billions more. Meanwhile, the middle class assumed all of the consequences for this cumulative wrecklessness by losing their jobs, their sons, their homes, their health insurance and their lifetime savings. And, the soldiers who have returned are faced with inadequate health care, lack of economic security, and the never ending ravages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from having remained in a horrific war environment for far too long.
We are in a depression; it is just that its membership is selective. Wall Street is certainly not depressed, the upper class who have money to invest in stock bargains and hedge funds aren't depressed, Halliburton and the war machine is not experiencing a depression, the oil companies aren't in a depression, banks have never felt more exuberant about their future, doctors, hositals, pharmaceutical companies, and health insurance companies are not feeling the effects of a depression, and big business carries on as usual, for no matter how much of a depression we fall into we still have to eat, use toilet paper, buy detergent, use electricity, and drive our cars. So, what can any one person do to change things?
I do not claim to have any simple answers. We all have the power to stop being apathetic and to stop leaving change up to others. We all have a responsibility, not just to ourselves and our own families, but to the communities in which we live. The good of the world, means the good of our country, the good of our country means the good of our state, the good of our county and city means better schools, better services, more safety, and a more secure family. And, though we elect people to represent our community interests in Congress, it is up to us, the voters, to push these politicians to do what we elected them to do -- represent our interests, not their self interests of raising campaign funds and making deals bargaining away our interests in order to get re-elected. We must make our elected officials be accountable to us citizens. Write letters. They do count and when a politician goes to the floor to vote, they count the constituents' letters as to how many are for or against the proposed bill or issue. Secondly, keep up with current affairs and issues. Know what is going on in the world, the country, and your community. Then, pick your cause and become a part of the solution in some way.
How can we complain about the state of things if we are contributing nothing towards changing anything? This isn't someone else's responsibility, it is every citizen's responsibility to become involved in their community in some meaningful way. Begin by voting. Then after voting, don't just allow our elected officials to do whatever they want without continually monitoring their performance. Protest loudly when they fail to represent the majority of us who elected them, and alert them that we will not re-elect them if they keep failing to represent our interests. Call their offices, e-mail their offices, register your complaints. Don't be afraid to get involved -- you matter, even in the great big scheme of things.
This pertains to President Obama, as well. He promised change, and yet it has been business as usual politically. We believed he had the guts to stand up against big business and the lack of bi-partisan cooperation. Unfortunately, he has backed off and over compromised on every issue to the detriment of the middle class. Remind him, remind him. It is not about getting re-elected, it is about doing what he promised while he is in office. If he starts walking the walk, and not just talking the talk, he will get re-elected on his courage to take on the big business bullies.
Lastly, as esoteric as this may sound, the peace inside each of us radiates into our community. Find peace and serenity in your own life, and remember that a portion of our lives should be devoted to service to others in gratitude for what we have - no matter how meager. Take good care of yourself and then spread that caring to others. The power of one is still alive and has great merit, just try it!
Then I thought about all the many college students, not just hippies, who protested against the war in Vietnam and changed the course of history for the better. I thought about all of the American blacks and the march on Washington led by Martin Luther King. I remembered Apartheid and the South African black majority exiled in make-shift townships overthrowing the government under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, in order to seek equality. Even that picture of the one student standing directly in front of the army tank in Tianemen Square in China, courageously trying to protect the right to protest, brought the subject of human rights in China to the forefront of world consciousness. And, though I disagree with their ideology, today's Tea Partier's under the leadership of Glenn Beck, are at least standing up for something they believe. But what about the rest of us?
The last two years have been a disaster. Not simply because Barack Obama took office, he inherited most of the disaster and wreckage from the previous administration: a trillion dollars in debt from a totally fabricated, needless war with Iraq; a trillion dollars in debt from a worthless $300 tax rebate to all Americans when we could least afford it; over borrowing from China; and an initial bail-out of banking institutions with no conditions on spending or accountability to the government while they continued to use the Wall Street system as a gambling casino for their own pockets. Then, amping up another war in Afghanistan that is costing billions more. Meanwhile, the middle class assumed all of the consequences for this cumulative wrecklessness by losing their jobs, their sons, their homes, their health insurance and their lifetime savings. And, the soldiers who have returned are faced with inadequate health care, lack of economic security, and the never ending ravages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from having remained in a horrific war environment for far too long.
We are in a depression; it is just that its membership is selective. Wall Street is certainly not depressed, the upper class who have money to invest in stock bargains and hedge funds aren't depressed, Halliburton and the war machine is not experiencing a depression, the oil companies aren't in a depression, banks have never felt more exuberant about their future, doctors, hositals, pharmaceutical companies, and health insurance companies are not feeling the effects of a depression, and big business carries on as usual, for no matter how much of a depression we fall into we still have to eat, use toilet paper, buy detergent, use electricity, and drive our cars. So, what can any one person do to change things?
I do not claim to have any simple answers. We all have the power to stop being apathetic and to stop leaving change up to others. We all have a responsibility, not just to ourselves and our own families, but to the communities in which we live. The good of the world, means the good of our country, the good of our country means the good of our state, the good of our county and city means better schools, better services, more safety, and a more secure family. And, though we elect people to represent our community interests in Congress, it is up to us, the voters, to push these politicians to do what we elected them to do -- represent our interests, not their self interests of raising campaign funds and making deals bargaining away our interests in order to get re-elected. We must make our elected officials be accountable to us citizens. Write letters. They do count and when a politician goes to the floor to vote, they count the constituents' letters as to how many are for or against the proposed bill or issue. Secondly, keep up with current affairs and issues. Know what is going on in the world, the country, and your community. Then, pick your cause and become a part of the solution in some way.
How can we complain about the state of things if we are contributing nothing towards changing anything? This isn't someone else's responsibility, it is every citizen's responsibility to become involved in their community in some meaningful way. Begin by voting. Then after voting, don't just allow our elected officials to do whatever they want without continually monitoring their performance. Protest loudly when they fail to represent the majority of us who elected them, and alert them that we will not re-elect them if they keep failing to represent our interests. Call their offices, e-mail their offices, register your complaints. Don't be afraid to get involved -- you matter, even in the great big scheme of things.
This pertains to President Obama, as well. He promised change, and yet it has been business as usual politically. We believed he had the guts to stand up against big business and the lack of bi-partisan cooperation. Unfortunately, he has backed off and over compromised on every issue to the detriment of the middle class. Remind him, remind him. It is not about getting re-elected, it is about doing what he promised while he is in office. If he starts walking the walk, and not just talking the talk, he will get re-elected on his courage to take on the big business bullies.
Lastly, as esoteric as this may sound, the peace inside each of us radiates into our community. Find peace and serenity in your own life, and remember that a portion of our lives should be devoted to service to others in gratitude for what we have - no matter how meager. Take good care of yourself and then spread that caring to others. The power of one is still alive and has great merit, just try it!
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