I believe that as someone who has lived for such a long time away from the place of my birth I have given up the right to complain about the way the people of America have seen fit to allow a magnificent country to become something much less than it ought to be.
That doesn't mean I like what's happening.
Every four years the people, some of them, get off their duffs and cast a vote or two and believe that they are doing their patriotic duty.
Assisting in the changing of the guard and hoping that the new keepers will make everything as good as they say it will be is utterly farcical.
Getting things to change for the better is an impossibility.
I say this because for any positive change anywhere in the world and for any group of people means that folks will have to reassess their values and make personal sacrifices that will affect the amount of ease and leisure that they have been accustomed to.
We will also have to change our attitudes from living in the present in to one that encompasses the future.
Year after year we continue to raise children with unrealistic values. We place entertainment above education and are surprised when we are told that we have functional illiterates graduating from our public school systems. Our governments have been studing the social problems that plague us for decades and the problems have only increased. There is more crime. There is more drug abuse. Violence is occuring at a horrific rate. The minimum wage couldn't support a dog and social security has become the definitive oxymoron. But the Superbowl really fuckin rocked this year, yeah?!
These problems, of which I know there are a vast amount that I did not mention, are not only America's problems; they belong to the world.
Care to put your two cents in?
February 04, 2008
Stretching my legs.
Labels: Thinking out loud
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11 comments:
You speak the truth, my friend.
It's even worse. I don't vote and I hate football.
What you say is true...but it's also that we put the spotlight on it more, we have greater access to what is going on then ever before. I'm sure things were much worse in the great depression, I'm sure the Civil War was no cup of tea either. Thing is that we have more people, period! There are simply too many people...everywhere!
Its the ones that cast two votes that I worry about.
I agree that the world is in the shit right now.
But.
We also have cures for many illnesses (though women's-only diseases remain woefully underfunded), we have an increase in the number of students attending University both in the UK, where I live, and in Canada, where I was born.
We also have awareness of global warming, although we aren't moving fast enough with our own personal and country committments to make much of a difference. But awareness is the beginning.
And we have global social movements. Just 20 years ago, a cause in a country far away may have only been championed by a small group of church goers. Now the internet makes global communities possible.
Yes, there is complacency. There is illiteracy. The growing gap between the rich and the poor is appalling and the way pensioners sometimes have to choose between food and heat is shameful.
But, call me one who sees the world through rose coloured glasses if you want, but I think there is no way we can change the world if we get lost in our depression.
Know the challenges, and keep trying to make a difference anyway.
It is the only way we will rescue our own humanity.
xx
pinks
It's interesting that when America is given a candidate that will make real changes, like Ron Paul, they treat him like he's a nut job.
I'm real worried about the state of things in this country.
Serena: Only part of the truth, M'lady. That's the best anyone can get out of me.
Corn Dog: I can understand not voting, but to say that you dislike football is downright un-American.
VE: We have greater access yet much less control over the direction our lives take. Govt. has grown to such monolithic proportions that it survives by over legislation and over taxing things it ought to leave be.
Pink: On the whole the money spent on medical research is appallingly pitiful when compared to any countries military spending.
And yes, there are a greater amount of student entering universities. I might just do a seperate post on what kind of education they recieve at a later date.
The internet has allowed us to become more aware of the problems in other countries, yet it seems to me that sitting in front of ones computer does very little to help those in need.
In the end you are correct. We gotta know what's wrong before we can fix it and the best we can do id to try to make a difference.
Grunt: After years of traditioal polititions I think it's time for someone a little nutty.
By the way, I checked Ron Paul out and anyone who is against the patriot act and is for returning control of the government back to the state level doesn't sound too nuts to me.
Howdy. I found you via She's blob. Good post. To which I reply: what The Grunt said. The only candidate I can vote for and still face myself in the morning.
yeah. i liked Ron Paul - especially on domestic. he was as close as we got to having a constitutionalist/federalist figurehead. the fact is global elitists are in the house and they will do anything to stay there it doesnt matter what party, its the same people.
add to that an electorate who is woefully ignorant of history and the pitfalls of a giant state/government and voila! you've hacked off the head of the golden goose.
however, people who believe in the triumph of the individual will roll with it regardless.
hat should be more of a prayer... so AMEN
Hello NYD!
I just wanted to stop by and say hello. I didn't know if you were still posting or not.
I started a new blog. This is always a good forum to get thoughts out. I've kind of missed it.
Anyhow hope that all is well.
Moi:Thanks for dropping by. Luck I live in Japan. I don't have to worry about the candidades or the consequences of their prevarications.
She: Glad you came by. I have always the comments you've left on peoples blogs and wasn't surprised to find that your house was a nice place to visit.
Mona: I will have to repay your kindness in the near future. When I checked my other blog I realized that you had visited and I never repaid the compliment.
IZZY! It's been waaaayyy too long since I have heard from you. I checked in every now and again but thought you had left the scene. please let me know where your new blog is and I will certainly drop by with a bottle of wine.
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