To challenge or not to challenge? This is the great question for these are certainly challenging times, and I don't believe we could have found a more challenging way to meet them and move towards better days that the fateful, and inevitably woeful choice that people made to day.
There are more challenges ahead, I don't think the man who won today, or the people who supported him, understand there still exists a greater permanent power than his and their own in 9 men and women who sit on the Supreme Court.
There is no doubt that based on many of President Elect Obama's fanciful proposals that both he and his believers will soon be locking horns and often with these 9 all powerful people entrusted to keep the true faith they look to break, and the power to do it, in a system of checks and balances that has been the curse and bayful reminder that holding the highest office in the land does not in fact place you above the laws that made the land, or to recast the land in one's vain image.
Our Forefathers had what is now an outdated notion on who would be eligible to vote. A notion that was based on a supposition that I don't know for certain has yet to be proved invalid in light of todays historic decision, that not all people can be entrusted to exercise the power of that vote in a responsible and intelligent way.
Few people voted issues on either side of the political divide. Many voted based on what they wanted to believe God would think was right. Many voted based on the skin color of their candidate and little else, and often when there was a little else it was because of what they believed God would think was right and best. While many still simply voted their party, with many admitting who were voting their traditional party, that they sure wished their party had given them a better choice.
The three of us have locked in debate, each in our own unique ways with a wide variety of the democratic left, Obama groupies, rascists, anti-Bush ellements, and the Christian left. Rarely were we able to engage them in issues of substance or at any depth. More often than not it was because they simply had no grasp or understanding of the issues. It reminded me of the kids I went to Jr. Highschool encapsulated in their Led Zepellin versus Kiss Fan Clubs as to who really were the true dieties and masters of Rock n Roll. Most had never played and instrument or could carry a tune, but most were ready to litterally come to blows over defending their choice to idolize one or another.
The lack of a responsible, practical, uniformed approached to collecting the vote from the various machines, ways they are used, and days they are used on sure does create a system that has wide potential to be fraudently abused, manipulated and strategic in some ways. Machines especially those computerized in foreign countries additionally provide a legitimate potential for agent provacatiers to influence results from abroad. Locally IT technicians who work on these often malfunctioning machines certainly provide a legitimate potential conduit for the vote to be manipulated from above.
Yet I think what you and Pinky and I have witnessed time and time again the most flawed thing about our system, that our Forefathers did worry about is who can participate in the system, regardless of whether they see merrit or true responsibility in participating in it.
We make citizens study and read on how to drive a motor vehicle or motorcycle or powered watercraft and verify through goverment inspection that they in fact can. Why? Because use of those things incorrectly or ignorantly or for the wrong reasons in the wrong ways poses a great risk and danger to society as a whole.
Government makes them prove they know how to use these potentially dangerous things.
Could anything be more dangerous than the person whose not just entrusted to safegaurd our way of life, physicall and economic security, and personal liberties and freedoms, let alone be granted the right to unleash enough deadly weaponry as to render the entire planet uninhabitable for generations to come?
I don't think so. Though as long as you are old enough, not a convicted felon, or foreign national, and registered to do so, simply by filing out a form, and can figure out how or with the help of state provided assistance to manipulate the buttons, levers and touchscreens or cards you can cast a ballot to make what might be the most dangerous choice of them all.
To think that choice might and is more often than not made on a persons interpretation of what God wants, or that it's what a good Republican or Democrat would do, or because they were swayed by good looks and charm, or even racial affiliation is just beyond repugnant, and beyond dangerous.
People with no understanding of the fundamentals of economics, government, foreign affairs, military matters, strategic security, international trade, domestic security, education and history, constitutional values and or a higher consideration of nation and we verus me, party, God, race, and sex appeal are being entrusted to make a choice that litterally makes each one culpable and a coconspirator in what could be the end of our nation and way and quality of life, or the very planet itself!
Voters young and old should have to pass a uniform mandatory test on those core items before being granted the privelage to make such a monumental and important decision. Just like those operating motorized potentially deadly and injurous equiptment must. They should have to prove a level of responsibility, integrity and consciousness as to not be tempted to cast a vote in unconsionabe ways.
Feelings was a wonderful song, but a terrible thing to cast a vote on.
I think our society is doomed if we don't enforce higher reasonable standards.
You can't drive a car until you can prove you can through a uniformly described and applied method of inspection and testing.
Yet you can cast a vote that could lead to armogedon itself.
You can callously or indiscretely and just as irresponsibly bring a life into this world through meaningless sex, a deliberate effort to gain government assistance or just by plain honestly wanting one, without ever having to prove either that you actually posess the skills and wherewithall and financial, physical and mental abilities to succesfully raise one.
That's what's wrong with the system. Often poorly informed, poorly educated, sometimes intentionally ignorant people, perpetuating that by birthing even more, succesfully falling and faltering at an even lesser standard at each generation, then granted the right, privelage and responsibility to make a decision I do not think our forefathers would have thought it wise to grant them.
The Bill of Rights, is not a Bill of Entitlements, permissions and excuses.
It's a Bill or Responsibilities that says you want to be at this level, have the things at this level, have the freedom to enjoy those things at this level, well then you also have to perform at this level.
Yet they don't. They don't because they do think it's the Bill of Entitlements, permissions and excuses. A Bill of Rights that sadly a lot of foolish people believe the Supreme Court is going to allow them willy nilly like its a letter to Santa to put more Entitlements, permissions and excuses into, replete with less responsibilities than ever.
Marine Recon Dad, I know you had to certify for the weapons entrusted to you. They were deadly and could do great harm in unskilled or weak minded or angry hands. I know you had to qualify for Forced Recon. They didn't just say you, you and you, over here. They said who wants to prove they can really handle an even bigger responsibility, pass these tests and courses, show us that you can, let us inspect and judge, let us decide if you are who we can trust with our lives in intelligent and responsible ways to all those other lives we are entrusting you to safegaurd.
The machines, like those weapons, are only as effective and safe as the hands they are entrusted into.
There is a saying in business I will flower in language for our censored environment "Excrement in, Excrement out"
Sure came up with a Masterpiece this time huh?
