With the 2012 election around the corner I want to pause and discuss patriotism. What does it or should it mean in today's world?
Silence and lack of action are the biggest dangers to our democracy. Transparency, action, and open debate will save us. Evil prospers when good men fail to act is a well known saying that holds true here.
PATRIOTISM MEANS STANDING UP – FIGHT CORRUPTION NON-VIOLENTLY ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION
With the 2012 election around the corner I want to pause and discuss patriotism. Patriotism to me is helping not just secure our country and protecting the Constitution, but actively working on a daily and regular basis to make our country better. This means walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Patriotism is a constant war where we serve and protect our values embodied in our Constitution. Never fight a war unless you are willing to die including suffering a civil death in retaliation for exposing corrupt officials. Yes there are sacrifices, but that is the price of justice and freedom.
In the United States ask who in the population is thought to be putting themselves on the line every day and not shirking their responsibility to their country? I don’t just mean upholding the law as an officer! I mean standing next to your family member, your neighbor, your colleague, your co-worker, your enemy, a criminal – whenever and wheresoever the Bill of Rights is threatened. Stand up for compassion. Stand up for opportunity. Stand up for education. Stand up for justice. Stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
There is also a very difficult part of patriotism. Make sure you are not simply making false defamatory comments about others, mostly that you don't repeat without basis or background research in a knee-jerk fashion statement that are not true about others. This is very easy to do and hard to prevent. It is easy to defame a person with one word, but it takes a lifetime to reverse defamation. In the modern Internet world defamation circles the globe in no time flat.
We have failed as Americans in the last few decades by looking the other way, being only self-centered and self-interested, putting profit before compassion and justice, ignoring our neighbors, wearing blinders next to the needy, and justifying our mistakes with pat phrases.
Silence and lack of action are the biggest dangers to our democracy. Transparency, action, and open debate will save us. Evil prospers when good men fail to act is a well known saying that holds true here.
Please be patriotic – VOTE at EVERY ELECTION. INFORM yourself about the candidates. Please DON"T cover up corruption. Please DON'T spread defamation. BREAK the thin blue line and stand with what’s right. SPEAK OUT for those who are attacked for defending the Bill of Rights.
UNITED WE STAND – DIVIDED WE FALL!