The Same Subject Continued: Citizenship

To the Citizens of the Several States,

            In the last essay I attempted to identify the primary Weakness of the Nation, and propose the necessary Solution to the issue. It will be curious to some that, what I have recognized as our Common Weakness, I will now contend is also our Maximum Strength. This should not come as much of a surprise. A balance of Forces is as recognizable in Human Nature, as it is in Nature Herself. It is as delicate as it is chaotic, serene as it is turbulent, and tranquil as it is spirited.

            Herein lies the Strength of our Citizenship: Our innate ability to Maintain the Balance of Forces by the sound of our Voice. In America, the one Right that we Understand and Defend most strenuously, is our Right to Free Speech. It is the subject of numerous cases in our Courts, and some Citizens dedicate their entire lives to its defense. It is the means by which we communicate to Our Government our Intent, and the means by which the Democratic portion of our System functions.

            The events in Arizona have brought to light certain Portions of the Population, who are willing to suggest, that somehow our “polarized” and “vitriolic” speech constitutes a Weakness in this process. I reject this notion outright. The previous essay should confirm my belief that we should be Rational in our discourse, but the Irrational will always exist, and it serves a very specific purpose in a Free and Democratic Society. To stifle and suppress hateful or irate discourse is to rob these Individuals of their Voice. It creates an atmosphere of resentment. Further, it pushes these ideas into an undercurrent where they cannot be Seen and Heard by the Public at large. We should look no further than the campaign and election of our first African-American President, to understand what an Era living under the Veil of Political Correctness caused us to ignore.

            The Multitude of voices is what holds the Balance. Our Nation should not be one that unquestionably salutes the flag, and claims an air of Patriotic superiority. In the same breath, neither should our Nation be one that Distrusts the Government to the point of capricious scrutiny. The fact that both these views stand on Equal footing is what makes the Nation strong, and the real Truth is, that most of us end up in the Center. Without the Balance of all, the Scale of Discourse does not exist, and we end up tipping into Tyranny.

The Strength of our Union is in our Voice, and the Balance therein. We can Achieve and Accomplish a great deal when we decide to use it. Much can be Attained and Undertaken when it is put to specific use. To be a Citizen is to use this Voice, and the Information Revolution spawned by the Internet has Strengthened this ability to be heard. Even when we assume no one hears it. 

~Publius

To the Citizens of the Several States,

           There are moments in time when a Nation must assess its value, estimate its Strengths, and identify the Weaknesses that have created the condition of its present situation. These moments are decided, not only by our leaders, who make decisions that affect the Citizens of the Nation, but also by the Citizens involved. Involvement in America is largely decided on a voluntary basis, and rarely does a Citizen volunteer unless compelled by some force which causes him or her to act. This is the moment to which I have found myself in our present condition.

            To be a Citizen of a Nation is simply to live and reside in an area that encompasses the geographical boundaries that presently exist. To act as a Citizen is something entirely different. At the very least, as a Citizen, our first action should be to exercise our Right to vote. However, voting in itself requires more action from the Citizen than the mere casting of a ballot. The recent election has brought to light the various Flaws in---not the System---which the Citizens curse with fervent anger, but in the Citizenry that pollutes the System with Democratic excess.

            I understand this is not popular. As Citizens, we covet our Right to the Democratic process with the utmost Passion. And this is a necessary check against a potential Oppressive Government. However, if the Citizenry is making irrational and uneducated choices within this process, then the System does not operate to its full Potential. So, my intention is not to suggest that we subvert our Right to the Democratic process, but that we as Citizens make more Rational and Educated choices.

            To explain this further, we need to look at the main reason why the System seems to be Corrupted. What conditions create a polluted system, and what we can do as Citizens to take Ownership of our Government. We can start by excluding blame on elected officials. Again, I realize this statement is an unpopular one, and by no means are elected officials absolved from any culpability. Certainly, they are also Citizens and share in the environment of the Nation, but at the foundation is the voting Public, and this is where we are most likely to have our Impact.

            The reason for this is simple. To be elected, or reelected as the case may be, an individual needs to have the support of the People at large. If there is a clamor for more tax cuts and more government services, then the elected official will promise these in order to satisfy the Citizens. He or she will also advocate for these in the future in order to remain in office for as long as possible. If the Citizens refuse to sacrifice Anything while demanding Everything, then the Citizens have created those conditions that cause the elected official to act in the way that he or she does. If as Citizens, we truly care about the state of America, and its Survival, then we need to start being realistic in our expectations. We need to become Educated and Rational. And we need to start making tough Choices about what we are willing to Sacrifice for the good of the Nation.

            We also need to reassess what it means to be a Citizen. Seldom do we evaluate our Citizenship unless it is threatened by some outside Force. It is even more rare for us to look inward, and realize the Threats we have created for ourselves. If we continue on the path of Selfishness and Jealousy, and refuse to Sacrifice for the good of the Nation, then present conditions will persist, and the Threat of Corrosion will continue unabated.

            To be a Citizen does entail Sacrifice in times of Urgency. When the exigencies of the Nation reach the point of possible implosion, it is time to stop demanding from our Government what it can no longer afford to deliver: More tax cuts, more entitlements, and less spending. Rational and educated Citizens understand this formula does not add up, and at some point will reach a threshold; unless we act as Citizens to create the conditions Necessary and Proper for our elected officials to rectify the situation. This means Sacrifice, Rationality, and Accountability as Citizens first---then the body of Government should be prepared to follow. Our next election is but a short time from the present, and it is in this moment that we need to start thinking about what we can do as Citizens to change our present condition. Sacrifice should be a Shared measure between all Citizens and the entire Government of America, but it starts with the People at large. We decide who controls our Government by the power of our voice on the ballot. It is these decisions that need to be more Educated and less Arbitrary, more Rational and less Erratic.

~Publius