Politics, for good or ill, it stirs the blood and incites emotion like few other issues will. We find ourself in a wasteland, a nation divided between two self-serving factions. Outside of our own borders things are even worse. You know it is bad when France is the only country in recent memory to show some backbone and elect a man who might - might - bring about positive change.
This isn't going to be another cry for "moderation" or "the middle" or even "compromise." We've seen that doesn't work. As I write this the Kennedy/McCain Immigration bill appears to be dead. For all of it's faults, when was the last time you saw Republicans and Democrats working together? Oh, yes, when they were rallying in protest to the FBI raid on Rep. Jefferson's office.
Let's face it, when the modern politician crosses the isle, it simply means that he or she has found an issue on the other side from which they believe they will personally benefit.
"Well, David, if moderation isn't the key and partisan politics hasn't gotten us anywhere, what is the answer?"
History. History is the answer.
We needn't break new ground to find the answer to today's problems, we simply need look back and figure out when things were running more smoothly, pin point it, and figure out what they were doing then that we aren't doing now. Now, let's not be infected by the Bug of Nostalgia Any review of American History shows plenty of greed, avarice, and division. Still, there was something more going on.
We can look at many issues - the bizarre and prevalent attitude that risk is bad, the ambivalence of the electorate, the guilt of being American, the surrender of adult responsibilities to the State, the protection of ego at all costs, the belief that self-esteem is something which can be given or taught, the right to not be offended, submission as a response to aggression, and a whole host of other unfounded, foolish, and self-destructive practices.
We can look at all of those thing, but we don't need to that is akin to treating symptoms and saying, "the cough is killing you, here's some Vick's 44." No, it's the pneumonia that is killing the patient, so let's look at some of the root causes and points of similarity that today's problems have.
This blog, amongst the millions out there, will probably never be read by more than a few friends and maybe the family member who gives it a glance out of politeness. That's fine. Change starts at home.
Wait! Stop! Hold the presses!
This isn't about change, it's the change that has caused many of the problems. Let's say that tradition starts at home.
The past didn't do everything perfectly and those who say "I was born 100 years too late" are ignoring the wonders of modern medicine, transportation, a global economy, and, for the other desert dwellers out there, air conditioning!
Let's work at clinging to what was good, toss out the bad, adapt when something new comes along that is an improvement - new can be very good, just look at civil rights and conservation movements - and be willing to have our voice heard. As weak as that voice may be, someone needs to stand up to the Paris Hilton, "it depends on what your definition of the word 'is' is," zombie, pop culture, digital clock, welfare situation we have today. Let's talk to our friends, co-workers, church members, PTA/NEA group, whatever, and let's stand up for some good, traditional American values where you got smacked on the back of the head and given detention if you didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Can I get an Amen!
That's the general, very general, direction that this blog will be headed in. I'm hoping it will be done as a "leading by example" sort of way and not a "tear someone else apart today" kind of way. Let's call it the difference between the best commentator on TV and radio today, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and that venomous piece of trash Michael Savage who makes all conservatives look bad. In fact, let's avoid the "c" word as much as possible. We are Constitutionalists (that's "C" vs. "c"), traditionalists, and freedom loving Americans. Political party allegiance plays no part in this as both can lay claim to those values in part and both are guilty of trampling them while wearing golf spikes. The later being far more common than the former.
I'd encourage you to look at each situation and think, "how would my great grandfather handles this?" Assuming your great grandfather wasn't a serial killer, I imagine that he would deal with things in a more decisive, pragmatic, and respectful way that we have learned. My grandmother had an 8th grade education, her brothers and sisters not much more, and they were the most gracious, intelligent, insightful, and classy generation a person could hope to meet.
Where did we go wrong? I have a few ideas, ones I'll share as this blog develops. For now, a bit of soul searching is in order, as well as taking a broad look at history. Soul searching, history, and pancakes. It's Sunday morning, so I'm off to find some good pancakes!
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