I Know How You Feel

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Well, beautiful, the way I see it, your thread deserved a well thought out reply.

I am registered as an Independent as far as voting goes and as well I see and hear from so many people who think that their responsibility for the politician being put into office stops at the voting booth, which is complete nonsense, it only starts there and then to get things done you actually have to do something within your community to get anything else accomplished, and even then this is not enough because if you are not pushing for a better future in everything you do then are letting yourselves be doomed to a history which will ultimately repeat itself.

Today is more than about what you can get for free, it is about building towards a better tomorrow, being prepared, and investing in your country in some way.

People get locked into the rut of work, work, work, and forget that instead of going out partying, that they should be doing something within their community to better it.

I am resigned to the fact that we have created for ourselves a very large banana republic.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's gotta be a duck....

In any event, I think BH makes the valid point point that the mechanics are the same even if the players have switched out and the teams have reversed roles.

Where we differ is that she sees the possibility of beneficial change, while I see a reaffirmation of what is wrong with our nation and our manner of governance.

To each his own...

I'd prefer she be right and me wrong, but I can't help doubt the possibility.


[edit on 3-9-2009 by loam]

Far easier, I guess, to take a "lightning rod" single individual and use these primitave concepts of "leadership" to blame everything on whoever happens to be sitting in the oval office at the moment. But this really is a very mistaken and distorted view of things. THe president has a certain amount of power, but his hands are increasingly tied by big industry, big pharma, big agriculture, military contractors, bankers, foreign creditors, and so on...look to these power blocs. THey are the real "men behind the curtain."

I haven't been able to find the quote but one of the presidents said something to the effect of, the first thing you learn as president is how little power you really have.

To fault a president for not being able to do every little thing is just silly and childish.

No president, ever, has been able to get every agenda passed the way they want.

The wall they are up against is massive, and it is lined by 435+ people who have their own agenda.

And to blame all problems of the world on one person is not only unhealthy, but unrealistic and is just using a person they never met as a scapegoat.

And my biggest beef? That Americans whine and moan that things are so awful right now, that we are going to hell in a handbasket, when they have no idea how good they have it.

I have had friends from Nigeria tell me that women in their country get hit if they cross their legs with a man in the room because it is offensive.

I had a friend from India who moved her just so she could have the right to an education.

I have a coworker who was from Russia, who had to flee Chernobyl to keep his pregnant wife safe, and then left a corrupted Russia.

I have coworkers from Iran, no need to explain there.

I have a grandfather with lung cancer because when he was little, his teenage brothers had to work in refineries, and brought caustic dust home on their clothes.

I have a best friend whose father died of cancer from agent orange.

When I went to Jamaica, I would see children going to school in what was basically three cinderblock walls, to go home to a hut built out of whatever debris was found on the shore. while the rich folks had mansions on the hill.

When the immigrants came on ellis island, the children had to start working in teh factories at 8 years old, for 60 hours a week.

There are millions of children now making your cheap toasters in China.

Children in Iraq are either starving, or developing obesity problems, because they can't even leave their homes to go to school for fear of being killed.

There are women being raped in Africa and being told by their governments that it didn't happen and they are not allowed to tell anyone about it.

One word: Congo

One word: Sudan

Those are people who come from bad situations.

Stop acting like the US is one of them.

reply to post by nixie_nox

Originally posted by nixie_nox
And my biggest beef? That Americans whine and moan that things are so awful right now, that we are going to hell in a handbasket, when they have no idea how good they have it.

...

Those are people who come from bad situations.

Stop acting like the US is one of them.

I think in terms of a comparison of scale, you make a valid point.

The problem, however, is many of the disparate circumstances you site are actually caused by a failure to vigilantly address the some of the fears expressed in this very thread.

Maybe we have it so good BECAUSE of all of the whining and moaning we do.

Food for thought.


[edit on 4-9-2009 by loam]

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Well put BH, and I agree.

An S & F from me as well as a huge

reply to post by loam


I agree. I told my Russian coworker that Americans are paranoid hyper vigilant but that paranoid hypervigilance keeps things in check.

Keeping an eye is one thing.

But acting as if it all horrible isn't the way to go about it. And it looks selfish and immature.

I was appreciative I lived in America when my child got sick, and in the middle of the night I could run to a 24 hour drug store to get him medicine. Then my heart broke for all the mothers out there with sick babies who can't even offer them food or water, much less medicine.



[edit on 4-9-2009 by nixie_nox]

I'm sick and tired of all the crybabies, whining about the state of affairs when all they do is sit in their comfortable chairs in front of a monitor, drink beer and complain about how bad it is. sheesh....

or log on at WORK and bitch about the US becoming a socialist country.

Memo....the free Enterprise system in this country is vibrant, alive and well for those with vision, and not aftaid to get their hands dirty and work.




[edit on 4-9-2009 by whaaa]

S + F.

This is the kind of political debate thread we should see on ATS.

No partisan yelling, no slogan shouting, being reasonable + respectful.

I believe many of us (in all countries) are waking up to the reality's of the SYSTEM we are stuck in.

My contribution, if we first remove lobbyists and reform campaign finance so the candidate with the most money doesn't automatically win, it would change the IDEA of politics.

Great thread.

reply to post by Chilled Zen

This is the kind of political debate thread we should see on ATS. No partisan yelling, no slogan shouting, being reasonable + respectful.

Amen brother.

Amen!

I'm tired of garbage threads and baseless attacks. I want to fix this country and I want what is best for all of us.

Honest debate can get us there. Let us learn from what we disagree on and become better for it.