I hear the age old cry for revolution- “Let’s tear the whole system down!”
That timeless call of the Anarchist- that romantic yearning for rebirth, renaissance, rejuvenation.
Believing in the myth of the Phoenix- confronted with the
reality of Survival Of The Fittest.
A new brand of Conservatives, formerly upholders of Tradition (both good and bad) now follow a Demagogue in lock-step – from Fox to 4Chan- echoing that Arch-Liberal call-“let’s tear the whole system down!”
An American People- Habitually Segregated from news beyond it’s shores. Habitually Segregated from history – A people calling from all sides- “let’s tear the whole system down!”
They tore the system down in Syria, they tore the system down in Yemen, Our government tore the system down in Central America- How is that working out?
What would we replace the system with? One wise man or party making all the decisions? Mob Rule? Councils based on geographic areas allowing the average person to have a voice in how their lives are run? What would rise from the ashes?
The crux of the issue is this—
We Are In Need Of A Revolution. A Revolution in Thinking, A Revolution in Service, A Revolution in Participation.
City Council chambers- virtual cradles of democracy- sit empty throughout the land. School Board Rooms sit empty throughout the land- ruled by the few in each community. A tiny few controlling your child’s education.
I see no reason to “tear our system down” when We haven’t even bothered to participate in this one, yet.
Simply put, it is Our Generation’s turn to take up the American Revolution. Generations have sacrificed making true Our Nation’s Original Promise- That all Men (and Women added in 1848 by fellow American Revolutionaries) are created equal. It is now time for us to Do Our Part.
Coddled into complacency- entertained into emptiness- overworked into blissful indifference- the time has come for We The People to awaken from our Hi-Definition Slumber.
We need to study the lives of American Revolutionaries, like Cady Stanton, and Dr. King, emulate them- become a version of them on our own time.
The time has passed to look for some "great person" to save us. We Are Our Own Saviors. If you are a believer, then know that your hand is "guided by the hand of the Almighty"- He made you your own savior- no need to look outside yourself.
It all starts with Service. It all starts with Participation. It all starts with Loving enough to get off our collective rear-ends.
Show up to a City Council Meeting, read what laws our General Assembly is trying to pass- because the time for some of us to have the privilege to not care about politics, to not be interested in history, is long passed.
Either we do this, or we prove all those people who believe that Democracy cannot work, past and present (from the kings to the communists), right.
Before we call for a violent overthrow of our system- let’s give this one a shot. Give me 90% voter turnout, give me full City Council chambers, give me a fully engaged population- otherwise, we’re just trying to replace one set of rulers with another.
And if we do achieve full and knowledgeable participation, and our leaders still choose to ignore the wishes of the people, still want to create second-class citizens, then you may call for some kind of overthrow.
But, until then “if you’re talking about destruction, then you know you can count me out.”
Thank you for reading. Love one another.