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Article Archives (12-3-2004)
Where do the people go from here?
Our casus belli for the last year has been "anybody but Bush". We progressives have been defeated in 2004 and the evil empire shall retain control of the White House (and by extension our nation's government) for another 4 years. "W" the peacock struts his stuff and speaks of spending political capital gained through the election. Rove gloats doing an interview victory lap of the networks proclaiming his brilliance. We the people, in whose name this nation was founded, lay in the dust dazed and confused.
As Lazarus rose so must we. It's inevitable. It's our destiny if only we have the patience and perseverance to attain it. But how? I have read comments stating that the left needs its Karl Rove. If only we had an evil genius to fight for the people, then we can prevail against the empire the voices say. Darth Vader was defeated but remember that, in so doing, Luke Skywalker resisted the temptation of becoming Vader. Luke never turned to the dark side. As an old-school accountant in Omaha once told me 20 years ago, "son, if you roll in the sty with the pigs all that happens is you get dirty." Stated another way, if our tactics sink to the level of Rove, we become Rove. And if that happens, we have lost our soul.
My favorite work of fiction is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. I shall alter the words of Coelho slightly but convey what I believe to be his true meaning: "To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation. And, when [you are focused upon the greater good], all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." What Rove brought to the dark side was focus, determination, on message discipline. All the while the sons and daughters of light were scampering around without an overriding message. We were against Bush but what were we for?
I've never had much faith in political candidates to come up with a visionary message or direction. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, who died months apart, seem to have been the last in a line of great American leaders (Ben Franklin, Lincoln, both Roosevelts, John Kennedy) who could see over the mountain top and sought to lead us in a direction beneficial to all. Maybe the new Senator from Illinois, Barak Obama, shall place his footsteps upon the path blazed by these great men. It's too early to tell.
Be that as it may, the quest is too important to rely upon politicians for the vision. It has to come from us. If we set forth the unmistakable truth, it shall eventually bubble up to those who wish to carry the mantle of the people. My father used to say that the cream rises to the top. Cream is richer than milk and, likewise, truth is the richest of all thought. All we need to do is follow our dreams like the young Shepard in The Alchemist. If we focus upon a noble cause and seek a higher good, the universe shall conspire to help us and all the corporate donations Rove can muster shall not save the evil empire.
We are the voice of reason over emotion, of studied reflection over imprudent action, of individual liberty over state repression, the needs of the many over the wants of the few, of light over darkness. Never sink to the level of your opponent's depravity. Do not respond in kind with emotion and ad hominem attacks but, rather, with reasoned argument based upon fact. Class warfare is destructive, avoid it.¹ In the words of Bluto from the movie Animal House, "who's with me? Go! Go! Go!" We can take these bastards.
Footnote 1: There is no need to demonize those with wealth. Free enterprise is as American as apple pie and the goal of free enterprise is the creation of wealth. It is those persons who wish to manipulate the political system to nullify the will of the people who are our enemies. It is wrong to place all those with wealth into this category.
JJR
12-3-2004
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