Honoring our Veterans

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."

                                                                         ~ Douglas MacArthur 

On this day during which we honor our veterans ... those who have served or are still serving in our armed forces ... on this day, even as we say, "Thank you"...  may we pray for peace in our world between all countries, all peoples and all faiths ...  and then after praying, may we begin, even if it is only in a small way, to find ways to help bring that peace about.

[video link]

damn the torpedoes...

It has been interesting listening to comments made by our politicians and our soon to be politicians since the "shellackin" that the Democratic Party received in the elections less than a week ago.  The "whys", the "wherefores", the "what-nots", and the "what's next" have all been spoken on...  by those of all political parties and persuasions...  and the Republicans and Tea Party-ers would have us believe that they are now going to come in and "save the day"!!

As I listened to election returns, one thing seemed to stand out...  Democrats and Republicans and Tea Party-ers who spoke that night focused on the fact that people in our country were angry that not enough had been done to create more jobs for those who have been and continue to struggle with unemployment.  And perhaps I heard it wrong, but it sounded to me as if those who had been re-elected and newly elected were making promises to take up the challenges of unemployment and job creation that are plaguing our economy as a top priority...

It sounded as though they were saying they would be coming to Washington to work to reduce unemployment and grow our economy...   granted, that was not the only thing they were saying, but at least on election night it seemed as though that was going to be their top priority, because they said, "that was what the American People wanted"...  "that was why the American People had so soundly defeated the Democrats"...   "that was why the American People had handed the Democrats the largest defeat in history since the 1930's"...    And from both Republicans and Democrats I heard that they [our elected and newly elected officials] were now going to work to fulfill the "people's mandate" [although the word "mandate" may not have actually been used, it was certainly implied]...

I wonder how they are going to do that?

I know, I know!!!!    I heard it from the mouth of Mitch McConnell himself!!!   He is going to focus on making sure that President Obama does not get elected in 2012, so that a Republican nominee can be elected as president, so that they can then repeal "Obama-care"...

Now that's a plan if I ever heard one...  that will certainly fulfill the American People's "mandate" to create more jobs and bring the unemployment numbers down...

Yessiree!!  Let's have two more years of Republicans and Tea Party-ers saying, "No, we won't!" to anything that is suggested or proposed, so that in the 2012 elections, the Democrats can be blamed, President Obama can be defeated, and Republicans can "take over"...  and "Obama-care" can be repealed!!!

But wait...  what about those unemployment numbers and those people in our country who are losing their homes and struggling to make ends meet?  What about the American People's "mandate" that you promised to make top priority?  Or at least that you appeared to promise to make top priority...

I guess in the short time span of just a few days, everything is suddenly ok with the job/unemployment situation, and attention can now be focused on the more important things...   that of making sure that Democrats and President Obama are defeated in the 2012 elections...   damn the needs of the American People...  damn the anger in this country over job loss, mortgage foreclosures, unemployment and Wall Street excesses that brought us to this point...

What's that saying?  "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"?

Be warned....   we Americans now live in an "instant society" of "fast foods" and instant access to anything we want over the internet...  and we apparently also expect "instant answers" to problems for which there are none...   the "torpedoes" that sunk the Democrats in the 2010 elections may also sink Republicans and Tea Party-ers in the 2012 elections...

It is time that political posturing, political power-plays, and election rhetoric be put aside for the more important job of working together to find ways of reducing unemployment and encouraging the creation of more jobs...   Whether Democrat or Republican or Tea Party or Independent, this is the reason you were elected...  this is what the American People are screaming for...  this is your "mandate"!!

We, the American People, are looking to you, our elected officials, for leadership, not partisanship!!  And I think, that although we would like our problems to be solved instantaneously, that deep down, we know that will not happen...  but it would be nice to see some progress being made...  without having to wait another two years before any of you legislators even begins to get to work...

Today.... Get Out and Vote!!!!

We who are citizens of the United States of America have a privilege that many Americans take for granted, because they have never known anything different...  we have the right to go to the polls and vote for the candidates of our choice.  Unfortunately, there are many who do not take advantage of this privilege...  no, not privilege...  this responsibility!!  It is our responsibility as citizens of the United States to vote for those who will be our representatives at all levels of government.

Why?

Well, it has been awhile, but somewhere in my education, I learned about The Gettysburg Address, in which then President Abraham Lincoln referred to the government of the United States of America as a government "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people."  He could refer to our government in this way, because we, as ordinary citizens of the United States, could go to the polls and choose our leaders!!

Granted, in President Lincoln's day, not all people over the age of majority who had been born in and lived in the United States had the right to vote...  or were even considered to be citizens...  it was not until the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified in July of 1868, that all persons, born or naturalized in the United States, were legally assured of citizenship status within the United States and within the individual state in which they resided...  and it was not until the 15th Amendment [ratified in February of 1870] and the 19th Amendment [ratified in August of 1920] that all people, regardless of sex, race, color, or previous condition of servitude, were given the right to vote.

But... we in the 21st century, all of us who are legal citizens of the United States of America, and who are above the age of majority [18 years old], no matter whether we are male or female, no matter what our race, ethnic background, socio-economic status or religious creed might happen to be...  we still have the government that President Abraham Lincoln described as "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people."  It is because of this very reason that we have a responsibility to exercise our privilege and our right to go to the polls and vote!!

Being able to vote for those who will be our representatives at all levels of government is what gives us Americans a government that is "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people."  Voting is the fundamental thing that gives us a "voice" in our government!!

So, take the time...  exercise your privilege... your right... your responsibility...  let your voice be heard...

Today...  get out and vote!!