 debbyski says: "They don’t mention that we spend almost a trillion dollars a year on a protracted war in Iraq, money that we must borrow from China and Japan. We spend 51% of our discretionary budget on our military. No nation on the globe spends more than 6%. Maybe this could be a reason our economy is faltering?" The last sentence explains the whole problem. Will everyone please listen to this Freudian slip. "Why aren’t Americans demanding answers from the people that seek the highest office in this land?" That is it right there. The American people really thing their leaders should have the answers and will not find them out for themselves. How many people in American can even begin to explain what liberty consists of, let alone how to maintain it. After generations of public education, the people do not have a clue. Those with higher education, do they? I doubt it. If people really cared, a lot of people in high places would be dead. Maybe think about the words 'We' and 'America' ? Isn't it a universal problem trying to realise the imaginary of 'our' world? Sadly, Americans have a definite deep sense of complacency. Look at what happens in other countries when an election is stolen, or suspect. The citizenry take to the streets. Although I am not a proponent of violence, I strongly believe in demonstration of discontent. We have it so good, overall, in this country, that while we sputter and spurt with anger, and write in our blogs, or emails etc, we continue to go about our lives with a general shrug of the shoulder, and wait for someone else to do the dirty work. We say we want change, and yet whenever a third party candidate tries to make headway, they are almost laughed at. It seems to me the constant call for change is meaningless. It... You know that is so true Zasel. You wouldn't even know we have a war going on, because we are so insulated from it. Where are all the people, why don't we have protests in the street? Sadly it is because we don't have a draft and until we do, this war will go on forever with our privatized military. So we go shopping and we are happy in our little lives, or some are just trying to survive and work and just want to come home and tune out and watch anything but the news. The ppl in our government are in a power struggle for oil and empire and we go about driving everywhere and bitching about the price of gas while we fill up our guzzlers. I don't think most people want change at all. I ... Well Deb, people are interested in gratifying their own needs. As I have always said, the only thing wrong with instant gratification, is that it isn't fast enough. So true, It's human nature I guess. I used to think that gratification of all my material needs would make me happy, and I spent quite some time doing that and it did make me happy; for a while anyway, and then it was on to the next thing. I only found happiness when I started searching inside of myself and quit trying to fill the void with the material things that capitalism was always throwing at me. Today I will go to work and treat people with respect and try to answer their questions to my best ability. I will sell them auto parts if I have what they want and I will be thinking about whats for dinner and if my wife and kids are doing ok. When I get home I will play on the internet and maybe do a bit of gaming, watch tv and go to bed. Tomarrow I will get up and do it all over again. Washington is a long way away and the rest of the world is but an illusion. People all over the world are dying and starving and struggling to be alive. I have a clean shirt and we need toilet paper. I guess I will go pick it up after work tonight. My truth is that I have no control over the people that co... You know what Skwirl? That was just about as brutally honest as it can be, and I think most people do feel as though they cannot change anything and until we have serious campaign finance reform, we probably can't realistically. But we can change ourselves and get informed as much as possible and do our little bit in the world. Sometimes we feel as though we can't make a difference, but if we only make a difference in one person's life in one way somehow then it's all not meaningless http://inthefray.com/html/article.php?sid=110&mode=thread&order=0 I also find that my Catholic church has one of the best programs... I try to teat everyone with repect and dignity. I have actually lost a sale because I told the customer where they could find a better price. I lost that sale but gained a friend that comes back to me when they need something I have. I try to treat people the way I want to be treated. Its the only thing is really CAN do. I trust people on their word and I have found that most people are worthy. There are a few that will burn you because they can but they are the naysayers in the groups that destroy nations. If we learn to spot them from the gitgo they can be rendered powerless. The naysayers are who is running our country. Trust is easily swayed if the untrustworthy rule the discussion. Skwirl, your life assessment, while being painfully honest, is also a tad depressing. Yes, I really do understand that most people go to work, enjoy their families and live their lives on a day-to-day basis. I also realize that one person's opinion, does not carry much weight in a country as complex and large as the U.S.A. But that is not the entire truth. The fact is that all of us are responsible for what happens in our country in some small way. Every person is part of a larger whole that makes the decisions and forms the policy of our country and its leaders. We, the people, select who leads us. Sure, our one vote, or our voicing of individual opinions does not seem like much, but ot... @'nato: Yes, you may feel you aren't contributing, based on your down to earth real person ooutline of your day. But each time you strike your keyboard, you are contributing to society. You can make a difference ... you are a ripple.... your comments and actions make me think....and thoughts become actions...and one action becomes many and many become a movement. Don't think for a moment, that your small action, when you do the right thing by selling an autopart and smiling and doing your job, you have a chance to make EVERYONE you come in contact with feel better about themselves. Why is that imprtant, because it answers Zasel's observation .... COMPLACENCY.... your enthusiasm, encourages... |
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