Beautiful (ugly) American Politics

I ran into a man the other day. He stated he would give $10 to anyone who asked without asking why they needed it. I asked him for $10 and he said here it is. I then told him I did not really need it, that he should save it for himself or, better yet, donate it to Katrina relief.

I heard a broadside of what is wrong with Katrina relief. How there is a host of undeserving souls reaping the benefits of charitable efforts. My reply to him? Yeah, there are some who dishonestly ride the wave and steal. But that does not mean that the just and needy are no less needy. There really are those that have lost both their jobs and their homes at the same time. That the unscrupulous skim some of our donations does not mean we should not donate. The needy are still needy. The unscrupulous will still be unscrupulous even without Katrina, they will just find another way to prey on us. The dishonest did not need for Katrina to happen to be dishonest. However the honest victims still need our help.

Why did I bring this up under the title I presented? Because in this discussion with this same man he stated he never voted. Why? Because all the candidates and politicians were worthless. All of them.

What did I think? How beautiful it is that this man had the right to express his opinion. I might disagree with his opinion, but he had the right to express it. I on the other hand also have my rights to freedom of speech, and here it goes.

I will begin with a question. Are you unhappy with America in general and American politics in particular? Who is to blame? Are you part of the problem? The majority of Americans do not bother to vote. The majority sit on their hands while the minority pulls the ballot lever and then this silent majority complains about what "they" (the minority) do. What a bunch of hypocrites.

I do not care if neither of the candidates is perfect. Pick the better of two evils. Get involved. Stay informed. Hold the politicians accountable for their dishonest ways. Do not even bother to avoid voting and then complain. If you are not even going to vote then SHUT UP. You are just a malcontent who is part of the problem.

Here in America you even have the right to run for political office yourself. If you win we will even pay you a salary. Is this easy? No it is not. But if you are so inclined you have the right to run and no one, other then yourself, can stop you.

If you choose not to run yourself you are still armed with the right to vote. If you choose not to exercise this right you surrender your country to "them". Who are "them"? "Them" are those who vote. Are "they" a bunch of corrupt individuals who only choose to loot and steal? Hey, some members of society are corrupt. If honest individuals refuse to vote then who rules the ballot box?

If you are not going to bother to vote then quit complaining. If at the ballot box we can prove to the politicians that the way to win an election is to be "more honest" then the next dishonest guy we might actually, eventually, wind our way to true honesty. One small step at a time. But you have got to vote.

If you ain't going to vote, then shut the hell up and live with it. And let us who do vote hold the debates while you remain in silence. You surrender your voice at the ballot box, so you might as well surrender to your silence in the public discussion.