I just had to turn the television off tonight. I was flipping between political shows on the cable networks and I thought my head was going to explode!
What I saw were people from opposing views who would not even listen to the other side, while the whole time spewing half-truths and flat out lies about the other side. The whole point of which is to isolate people through fear and bullying and create ill feelings between groups of Americans.
I for one am tired of having to choose which side of a discussion I am on by who I dislike the least. Aren’t you? Isn’t it about time that we Americans come together and look for real answers to our problems rather than stand on the sidelines and let the liars and thieves currently in the political arena tell us what to think?
I know what I think would solve the problems that currently exist in this country. The answer to our problems is for us to want to solve our problems rather than to just want to argue about them. I don’t care what political party you prefer, I don’t care what church you attend, I don’t even care if you attend church (actually I do care, but that thought is for another time).
What I do care about is what will it take for people who all love this country to sit down and discuss the problems we have with the purpose of coming together to solve those problems. No drum pounding, no grandstanding, no “I am better than yous.” Just real people with real hearts and minds sitting down together to solve the real problems that exist in this country.
Can this kind of group solve the problems of hate, bigotry, crime, immigration, homelessness, addictive behavior, lawlessness, education, poverty, economic stability, innovation and entrepreneurship, and on and on and on? YES!! But, only if we stop shouting and pointing fingers long enough to hear each other speak and respond with respect and compassion.
It is time to stop letting the power-brokers tell us what to think and start thinking for ourselves. We are not a stupid people, we are just treated like we are! There is not one thing that a thinking and learning people cannot solve. We may not personally like every last thing that becomes part of the answer, but when the problem is solved, I am sure we will learn to live with it.
We must WAKE-UP and pay attention. Do you really hate the guy down the street because of the color of his skin, his accent, or how much money he makes? I don’t really think most of us do (there is always the crazy real hater in any crowd). I think the vast majority of us want the same thing (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). I think we are frustrated when those things are not available to us or we seem to be separated by the powers that be into small groups who have no real control.
I could go on ranting for hours, but what I would rather do is to challenge you to become part of the solution. Let’s start a dialogue. Let’s look for people of principle and integrity to run our government and economic systems (along with our schools and religious institutions). Don’t let anyone separate you from others over matters that frankly matter. Let’s rise up and become part of the solution. Let’s bring change from the ground up! Let’s work together to find the answer to our problems.
Talk more later …
