Be "We the People"

I was recently talking to my mom and the subject came up about how her and her friends are fearful of where we are and where we are heading as a nation.  Personally I can see some of their fears and we could probably all make an extensive list of our own.  Generally speaking we would probably find many fears overlap from far-left, diehard Democrats, center, Die hard Republicans, far-right, and even us misfit Libertarians.  The issue is we focus so much on what divides us that we don't see the little things that could unite us.  A few examples of what should be common ground: clean water, clean air, lower taxes, smaller spending bills out of Congress, clean, concise, laws that everyone can understand as well as why we need them, why do we spend so much on foreign aid, why is our military in places that make little sense to the little guy, and why do our local police and sheriffs look more and more like our Army?

So what can "We the people" do?

Organize but not just "my team is best and yours sucks!" that is the rhetoric that got us here.  Reach across the fence and talk to your neighbors that agree and disagree with your viewpoints.  Learn why each of you hold a particular view, avoid topics that are in a sense settled case law (IE: Roe vs Wade.)

Teach the younger generations the skills they need.  Gardening, home repair, start a business or an internet blog "Ask Grandma/Grandpa" where young people can ask how does this work, can I...?

Remind them of what this land used to be like both good and bad.  Did you experience life under Jim Crow?  Explain what it was like.  Were you born and grew up on a Reservation?  Again tell your story!  Don't sugar coat it either, just share, remind, history is written by the victors but oral history is remembered by those that lived it.

Let's look at what good has come during just my lifetime:

Men have walked on the Moon.

We have a planet entirely populated with Earth robots.

Spousal abuse is not taboo to bring up.

Yes divorce looks up but how many abused/tortured/tormented/humiliated people have had the chance to walk away from their abusers and start over?

LGBT rights are now mostly here--yes this varies by area but we're getting there.

Trans rights are getting somewhere--too slowly really but we are way better off now than we were even 20 years ago.

Gay and lesbians don't have to hide in sham marriages to protect themselves.

Childhood abuse is not taboo to discuss.

Courts have begun to acknowledge paternal rights and custody.

Bad law enforcement is beginning to be caught and I see it coming to an end in the not so distant future.

Yes some things have gone sideways but those we can correct.  Riots in the streets fulfill the news adage "if it bleeds, it leads!"  Are they bad for our society?  Yes.  Are they needed?  I don't know that I am the one to answer that, but in my opinion some are.  What?! Maura!  How could you say that?!  One name: Rodney King.  The video of his beating brought attention to excessive force, things have changed some but they have a way to go and the riots really did focus attention on the issue.

Get with your friends, pick good thinkers, get them on school boards, into the state house or The House of Representatives.  Find good people to run for councils.  Don't focus on the Presidency because that position really has limited power.  Focus local, aim for local change, the races where no one runs or now one turns out are the ones to begin with.  Big ticket races come with steep price tags and only the donating lobbyists actually win those.

 

Track your Congress Critter's voting record!  Did they show up?  Did they vote at all?  Did they vote the way their constituency would have or was their vote not what your area would have wanted?  The first thing to change is to hold our elected officials accountable!

 

VOTE!  Read up on candidates, vote YOUR conscience and forget about the party/parties that got us here.  There are more than two parties!  Everyone is familiar with Republicans and Democrats, but there are also Green, Libertarian, Socialist, Constitution, as major players.  We only hear about two because those in power want to stay there.

 

Changes can be made before things get a chance to turn violent but "we the people" have to be the change we seek in order to create a more perfect union.

-Maura