Talking with hubs this evening about the constitution and how we are supposed to be a country for the people, ran by the people. Our voices were meant to be heard from the very beginning.
Setting aside for the moment that we came to this country and conquered and claimed it, when they got around to writing the constitution it was meant to be a document that ensured that the people’s voices would be heard, that we wouldn’t have to be oppressed or shut down or dominated without representation or even taxed without representation.
Oh how very far we have come.
I grew up in a small town and way before the internet and cell phones, so in retrospect, I think it seems like a somewhat isolated environment. Perhaps everyone from generations past feels this way. Their (our) whole world was our home, out parents, our little town, we didn’t know anything else. We knew what we were told. End of story.
Now here we are living in the Information Age. We get bombarded with information and data all damn day long, and to make it worse, we have a whole section of people who’s sole purpose is to put out fake news for us to wade through. It’s a lot of change in a very small amount of time. A lot to cope with.
Once upon a time we could be easily distracted and controlled. “Keep ’em busy working and trying to put food on the table, there will be no time or energy left to think about revolution.”
Monday through Friday we work, exhausted on the weekends, just wanting a bit of peace and quiet. Or some fun time or down time. Maybe church on Sunday. And Monday morning it starts all over again.
And this is life.
We are heading into a great time of change. We are in an age when we have more time to think, more time to find things to do that we enjoy. The world opened up for everyone with the internet, personal computers and cell phones. It was no longer just my little house on my little street in my little town. We could find out about the entire world with the click of a button. And then the shit really hit the fan. (Other people? Other opinions? Different people?? Ack!!)
America has been a busy and industrious country, staying so busy chasing the dollar that we didn’t notice that we forgot our voices and our hearts, that we are a country meant to be governed by us, you and me, every day average Joe’s and Janes. We have the power to change our country. Somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten.
During this time when people care more about stopping the oppression of people than they even do their very lives (because of Covid-19 and gas-happy police), we are once again being forced to scream at the top of our lungs, to protest, to make our voices be heard. They’re pushing people back into a revolutionary mindset. Pushing people so hard and so far that they have no choice but to break or be broken, to fight or to die. To scream out the injustice at all costs. You can only hold someone down for so long, stand on their necks for so long, and then something is gonna pop. And what has really changed is nothing more than being able to now capture it on camera in real time. Post it quickly before it’s “lost.” No longer can we stick our heads in the sand and explain it away or justify it.
Either you stand for justice or you don’t. You stand for love and peace, or you don’t. You love your brothers and sisters in the black community and of every race, color, and nationality, or you don’t. No more ifs, ands, or buts.
The other day I blocked a gal on one of my social media pages for talking about how she was a Christian and she was sick to death of all of this black stuff. (Seriously,)
You stand for Jesus? WWJ-freaking D? I ask you. If you think Jesus is on board with racism then you don’t get it, I dare say. You don’t follow any Jesus I ever met, that’s for sure. There are many reasons I don’t align myself with the Christian church any longer, and these sorts of attitudes play a big part. (And because I despise labels and prejudice, I will say that likely not every single Christian feels this way.) But the church OUGHT to stand for justice, for freedom, for love, and I’ll say even standing up with a brother or sister, even one from a different race or religious background. Protecting them with your very life.
I could quote you scripture but I don’t play that game. (I quote this one, you quote another to back up whatever agenda you have.) If you stand for a god that stands for racism then I don’t follow your god. No loving person would. Period. I certainly refuse to follow a hateful one.
In our country, there are a couple ways we could amend the constitution and my brilliant hubby brought this up this evening. Ways that are not being tried or implemented. Political scientists are no doubt discussing these things, people who know and understand it all way better than I do.
We have power, our voices matter. At least they are supposed to. We’ve gotten incredibly lazy. We’ve grown used to violence and bi-partisan division, racism, strife, and all manner of craziness.
We are given a chance to vote a new person into the White House every four years. Personally I am appalled that we only get two people (really) to choose from, because only those with money will ever make it onto a ticket. Choose Republican or Democrat. We have a zillion choices of clothing to wear or ways to mix a latte’ but let’s just offer people 2 money-backed choices for the leader of the free world. I’ve always hated feeling like I sometimes have to vote for the lesser of two evils. But this is our fucked up system.
Sometimes it feels like there is no-one to vote for that isn’t crooked. And sometimes we just have to look closely at both major front-runners and make a choice based on our morals and ethics. Nobody is perfect, that’s the truth, but for me, someone who has been heard repeatedly saying things that are misogynistic, racist, bigoted, and above all, just plain idiotic, will never get my vote. Way back when, I knew nothing about him, (DT) but I began to learn as soon as he opened his mouth.
I know that DT knows how to make money. Maybe once upon a time people thought that was enough to make a good president. I really hope you don’t find that to be the only requirement for you. I will never understand the hero-worship of the dude, not as long as I live. Republicans seem to be willing to forgive absolutely anything these days. Geez, even the dudes on Fox News are beginning to back away from him, That should tell you something. But I don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat, I want to know where your heart’s at. If you blindly follow your party, explain to me why? Justify it for me, because I don’t think you can.
Stop being a Republican or a Democrat and start being a human being with a heart and a mind of your own. If this happened all over, it would topple the bi-partisan system. I don’t believe there are enough people who think for themselves to do this yet, but one can hope. And for me, I also hope we will begin to get some strong female leadership in DC. But misogyny is as rampant as ever and the rich white dudes would likely never stand for it.
It’s time we found our voices again. Instead of standing for the guy with the most money maybe we could start thinking about what’s important again. Things like, standing for the oppressed. Dealing with racism and hatred based only on a person’s religion or skin color. Maybe it’s time to revamp our educational system so that people learn about compassion and empathy at least as much as they learn how to get themselves into the right neighborhoods and schools. Reading, writing, arithmetic, compassion and empathy 101. Yes, please. Teach kids to be kind and loving and how to change a tire, balance a checkbook, wash dishes, and kick ass when needed. (Not promoting violence, but self-defense needs to be taught.) Maybe a little Krav Maga or something after meditation class.
If you want to read more about the constitution, see the link below. Find your voice, good, loving, compassionate people of the world. Let’s run this sucker like it was meant to be run. Instead of MAGA let’s actually make America about its people again.
Peace Out
https://www.usconstitution.net/constam.html
