Stand up for the U.S.

Every presidential candidate running for office has told us that our government is not only broken, it is corrupt. Every Democrat has told us that the Republicans are incapable of solving America’s problems and every Republican has told us that the Democrats are incapable of solving America’s problems. Could it be that finally they are both telling us the truth? Maybe it is finally time to start listening to them. Our country has been under control of these two groups forever, each one controlling our laws, our money and the rules of the game and our future. If we wake up today with the realization that America is broken and corrupt, who would you blame other than these two groups? The question now has to be asked: If it is these two groups that are responsible for the situation that America finds itself in, why in the world would you ask these same two groups to fix the problem? Isn’t it like going to Al Capone and complaining to him that there is gambling, drugs and prostitution out on the streets and we need his help taking care of the problem? When are the American people going to wake up and wise up? We have a multitude of serious problems in our country, but those problems are not going to be resolved by the same people who participated in taking the bribes from the special interest and lobbyists, from the organizations that prospered from giving us these problems. Just because you refer to the 10 Commandments, it does not necessarily mean that you are referring to organized religion; it just means that you are referring to 10 laws that can keep society civil. As we struggle with environmental problems of epic proportions and the government comes up with great ideas like lowering emissions by 2 percent by the year 2020, keep in mind we could lower emissions tomorrow by nearly 15 percent if we just did what the Ten Commandments command us to do, rest one day a week. It would not only be great for society, it would allow the planet to breathe. Thou shall not steal is another commandment. When one person takes a person’s money without asking and spends it on something without asking, that act is considered a crime. But, why is it that when nine people on the city council or 150 people in state capitals or 535 people in Washington, D.C., take our money without asking us and spend it on things without asking us, that act is not a crime? We have individuals filling our prisons who have done less stealing than the politicians in office. When politicians do it, it is not a crime. Shouldn’t stealing be considered stealing, by whomever does it? Thou shall not kill is another commandment. “Shock and awe” was an act celebrated by the people who run our country. Tens if not hundreds of thousands of people were killed intentionally. Our prisons are filled with people who intentionally killed others. Shouldn’t killing be considered killing? Thousands of years ago, a man said, “I didn’t come to change any laws but to fulfill them.” He also said that there shall come a day when the last will be first and the first will be last. The miracle of communication technology that we have available to us today can allow that moment prophesied thousands of years ago to be today. When are we a society and a country going to stand up and do our part to fulfill the legacy that was once promised? American women wouldn’t have a voice today if they did not have the courage to stand up and demand a voice on their future. African-American people would not have a voice today if they did not stand up and demand the same. When are the American people going to stand up together and demand a voice on their future? We are voting on “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Miss America,” CNN, Fox and the list goes on. The television can now be used for something other than sex and violence. It can now be used to present issues to the American people. Touch-tone phones can now be used as voting devices. Computer technology is now available to count our votes and prevent us from voting more than once. It is now possible to have a computer system in each community that will contain citizen participation identification numbers. The computer will verify the voter and prevent multiple voting. We can now have issues presented and voted on, of, by and for the people. A real democracy that can turn every citizen into being his own representative, allowing us to get away from the political circus that is being shoved down our throats, and allowing us to be owners of America, not just the taxpaying slaves. As we struggle to keep organized religion from controlling government and our lives, it does not mean that God can’t participate in helping us guide the direction of our planet and the future. One of the most intelligent people I have ever known called me to his bedside as he was dying. He left me with a phrase which I believe can help us all. He said, “Always remember, vox populi, vox dei, the voice of the people is the voice of God.” Do we want to continue to be led and controlled by politicians or are we ready to be led and controlled by a higher intelligence? That intelligence is all of us working together today to solve these problems and make the world a better place for the children and generations to come. It is now up to us. Do we stand up like the women did and the black people did or do we continue to be held hostage to a small minority of people on city or county councils and politicians in state capitals and Washington, D.C.? All that we need is a plan. Find that plan at: www.onevoicenow.org. by: DAVID A. FRANK  (Copyright by www.southbendtribune.com)