Even though we have betrayed our birthright from start to finish, somehow those precious ideals have survived.
Ann: Hi John. I wanted to ask why you opposed the civil rights legislation.
John: Because I was an ignorant SOB. But my motivation then was not to deny rights to African Americans, because I fully supported them. My problem was that I thought there were enough laws on the books which just needed to be enforced. And I discounted the insidious oppression that goes on every day in every walk of life. I just did not see it. My friends of color were my equals in every way so I thought we had fought that battle and won. Clearly we have not which is why you find me on the other side of the fence now - in more ways than one.
Not, however that I would enthusiastically embrace the Democratic agenda. Both then and now I think they are misguided in seeing government as the solution to every problem. Initiative, creativity, hard work, and ambition still need to be the driving forces in this country economic and societal life with a rock solid commitment to God and his angels as the foundation of everything we do.
But throwing money at it will not solve everything and creates an amazing variety of opportunities for fraud and corruption and, as day follows night, watch that follow in the wake of the recently passed legislation. Nevertheless, these are extraordinary times and called for extraordinary measures - and extraordinary accountability.
And sooner or later the piper must be paid. If we could get a representative Congress in there, there could be bipartisan solutions, but now, now the voting is stacked in favor of the incumbents, both Republican and Democrat.
The first thing we have to do is get those Republican turncoats (the ones who see no problem with overturning elections) out of Congress, and I am counting on Joe to do that, first through the Justice Department, and then through the new voting rights act which is absolutely critical now with those thieves at the state level passing laws to shut down the opposition.
Then we have to get our country on a more stable financial footing and that means increasing the tax on those who have profiteered through the pandemic and robbed the Treasury with the help of the last president’s tax cut. We need jobs and a more reliable safety net. Never thought you'd hear me say that, did you?
It can be done, people, we just have to keep their feet to the fire.
Ann: John, how is it you are so involved (and informed) on the political goings on in this country?
John: Do you think I should be playing a harp somewhere? No, Annie, we help where we can and, with your help and the help of others, I still have something to offer here and by gum, I’m gonna offer it.
What people do with it is up to them, but we’ve got to keep the pressure on, the light shining on the ideals and unlimited potential of a country like ours.
Even though we have betrayed our birthright from start to finish, somehow those precious ideals have survived, and, if I have anything to say about it to encourage those who can make a difference, they are not going to die out now.
March 26, 2021