First, let me saythat I do not wish to exists at any cost. If I must cast off all that Iam, and myself become an abomination to myself and others, I wouldrather that I not have been born at all. And likewise for this country,if we yield to the vulgar nature of fear and loathing to continue ourexistence then we have already forsaken all those things we claim tobe, and we make a mockery of the creed "One Nation Under God".
Secondly, it seems equally clear to me that "we" must push against thecurrent of hate and rage, with all the vigor of our beings, that allthat we have worked for may not perish from the face of the earth. Yes,this country is at great risk right now, but not from anythingpresident Obama has done, but rather from the lips of those who opposefreedom when the candidate of their choice is not elected. Where werethese voices the previous eight years? With very few exceptions, thoseclamoring the loudest to that we are on the wrong track, are the verysame ones who sold and embarrassed themselves for the preivousadministration. Where was their outrage then?
Thirdly, we mustconfess that we are a country of morally dishonest people when it comesto politics. We take up truths that line up with our predeterminedposition or affiliation. Many know the truth but they are too afraid tosay it. The truth is, that President George H Bush (the father) was agood president. He corrected the fiscal policies for President Reagan,that led to the last major recession. President Reagan was a greatleader, but his policies were very flawed. President Clinton benefitedfrom President Bush's fiscal policy, but had the good sense to buildupon them. And as the years pass and the media spin wears off,President Carter will look better and better. While not right oneverything, he was right on so much, that we as a nation were just notready to hear (he called for energy independence before it was a coolthing to do).
So, the question in my mind is just how do wechange the conversation? How do we affect change, such that we speakand act upon real issues and not rhetoric and blind ideology born outof fear of those different from ourselves?
We write.
We write upon this gigantic blackboard called the Internet. We write tonewspapers large and small. We write to the radio stations thatbroadcast programs that prey upon our fears and promote incivility. Wewrite to our legislators and congress persons. We write articles,opinion pieces and letters to national and local magazines. We writeanywhere where we have the right to express ourselves and our sharedbelief of a better existence here in this life. We write the truth, nomatter how painful it may be, whether it benefits us personally or not,and whether it offends or not. We must have faith in the truth, andthat by its inherent power; we will be delivered from this currentclimate of bitterness and deceit.
Lastly, let us remember thatnothing is impossible for those who have faith in what is good andjust. Whether we see the harvest in our generation, does not matter incomparison to the preservation of the process, built upon the beliefthat all men are created equal, and that we might pass this hope alongto future generations, granting them the faith to continue on...
Sincerely,
Alan Jones
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