Spring Break
Bring America Back To The People
George Maynard
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: Commentary
It's time to bring America back to its roots as a true republic; enough with the neo-conservative, neo-fascist ideology of endless war and spending, enough with the bloated bureaucracy of Washington D.C. and enough with the gutless, ineffective politicians. America is supposed to be a nation of the people, governed by the people, for the people, and it's our right to have it that way. The following steps - in no particular order - are ways we can take our country back.
One step on the road to a republic is to vote out any member of Congress who supports the status quo. Regardless of party affiliation, we need to get rid of politicians who are content to do exactly what the politicians before them did - nothing. Passing non-binding resolutions just to make a statement is all well and good but not when there are other problems to solve. Instead of dealing with the skyrocketing national debt, imperialist foreign policy or impoverished American citizens, the government has been busily debating about whether it's OK to burn the American flag. Maybe that issue is important to some people out there, but far more important is the number of our soldiers fighting and dying across the ocean. It is far more patriotic to be concerned with the number of our friends, family and neighbors becoming casualties overseas than the sanctity of a piece of cloth. Our elected leaders sat by idly while thousands of American troops and Iraqi civilians were killed and they must pay for their incompetence.
Another way we can return to our roots as a freedom-loving republic is to start respecting free speech again. So-called "diversity" and "pro-tolerance" groups are some of the most intolerant voices in the political arena today. Among their ranks are proponents of European-style laws, which seek to make certain opinions illegal. If we're going to allow the extreme-leftists a platform to promote their censorship of "intolerant" things like Christianity and Judaism, we must also allow extreme right-wingers to promote their agendas of racism and fear mongering. Flag burning, gay pride, prayer, racism, Christmas, communism, religion, anarchy and Nazism are all examples of things that are OK to talk about because they are protected by our right to free speech. The sooner people get over themselves and realize this, the better off our country will be. The best way to combat hate and intolerance is by letting it exist. This way, like a fungus that grows when placed in the dark and hidden from view, it will wither away when exposed to sunlight for all to see. Freedom of speech must be respected in order to promote productive debates.
One step on the road to a republic is to vote out any member of Congress who supports the status quo. Regardless of party affiliation, we need to get rid of politicians who are content to do exactly what the politicians before them did - nothing. Passing non-binding resolutions just to make a statement is all well and good but not when there are other problems to solve. Instead of dealing with the skyrocketing national debt, imperialist foreign policy or impoverished American citizens, the government has been busily debating about whether it's OK to burn the American flag. Maybe that issue is important to some people out there, but far more important is the number of our soldiers fighting and dying across the ocean. It is far more patriotic to be concerned with the number of our friends, family and neighbors becoming casualties overseas than the sanctity of a piece of cloth. Our elected leaders sat by idly while thousands of American troops and Iraqi civilians were killed and they must pay for their incompetence.
Another way we can return to our roots as a freedom-loving republic is to start respecting free speech again. So-called "diversity" and "pro-tolerance" groups are some of the most intolerant voices in the political arena today. Among their ranks are proponents of European-style laws, which seek to make certain opinions illegal. If we're going to allow the extreme-leftists a platform to promote their censorship of "intolerant" things like Christianity and Judaism, we must also allow extreme right-wingers to promote their agendas of racism and fear mongering. Flag burning, gay pride, prayer, racism, Christmas, communism, religion, anarchy and Nazism are all examples of things that are OK to talk about because they are protected by our right to free speech. The sooner people get over themselves and realize this, the better off our country will be. The best way to combat hate and intolerance is by letting it exist. This way, like a fungus that grows when placed in the dark and hidden from view, it will wither away when exposed to sunlight for all to see. Freedom of speech must be respected in order to promote productive debates.
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Tim
posted 11/01/07 @ 12:33 PM EST
That is a well-written article with a clear vision. It is full of some great points and thought. As I read it, the core point is that what is best for the country is a blend of different ideas, and I fully agree. (Continued…)
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