Are we really independent, as a nation and as individuals? Or have we become increasingly more dependant on the government? The government, of course encourages our dependance, because being dependant increases the government's influence and power. How often do the American people become outraged anymore? How often do we demand the truth? Not very often I'm afraid. We are more concerned with our smart phones, our i-pads, and posting on Facebook. Since 9/11 we have traded liberties for security and we seldom have anything returned once we have traded it.
"Those who trade liberty for security deserve neither." - Ben Franklin
We have a government run amouk, that listens to neither the people or reason. Our "representatives" care not a whit about us, but seem to answer only to their party and to special interests, especially special interests. There are too few that vote and fewer still who are educated in their vote.
Congress recently passed and President Obama signed bill H.R. 347 (also known as the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011) into law on March 9th, amid numerous protests from the Occupy movement, as well as other agencies. HR 347 is a modification from Senate bill S. 1794, which restricted people from entering or blocking public areas that have been closed off by Secret Service while a person under their protection is passing through. The law also included major public events, such as the Inaguration and Presidential campaigns. Does this Act superced the First Amendment guaranteeing the right to "assemble peacefully"? It does if the Secret Service decides you cannot assemble peacefully wherever they say you can't. How does this make us independent? If the secret service had been in Boston in 1773 there would have been no tea party!
Our true indepence comes from being educated, from exercising our rights, and from holding our government responsible to us and to no one else, not to special interests, not to political parties and not to other governments. To us! There is no other way to be indepent or to be good and true Americans.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Independance Day
A Celebration
Carl W. Cortez
America
the
strong, the brave, the charitable.
The
country that opens up her heart
and
holds out her arms.
the
symbol.
The
bright, the shining, the wealthy.
The
land of dreams
and
of dreams come true.
the
target of nameless faces
and
frightening causes.
The
target of those in need of a target
so
that they can step out of the bulls-eye
and
away from the responsibility.
the
men and women,
the
individual pieces that can be injured
and
killed.
But
they can never kill the soul.
They
can strike out again and again,
but
they only strengthen our resolve.
the
light that draws a thousand friends
and
a thousand enemies,
just
as a candle will draw a moth.
and
shines
and
none may ever dim nor diminish it.
We the People
We the people
of
these United States,
of
this American continent,
are
a strong people,
and
a proud people,
and
a generous people,
and
a formidable people.
We
are a great people
and
we are a great nation.
We
the people,
as
individuals,
have
individual weaknesses
and
individual ambitions.
We
are all kinds of fools
and
foolishness.
We
are bigots full of hate
and
cold hearts full of greed.
We
are every kind of individual
that
walks the earth
because
our doors are open
and
our country is free.
That
is our weakness
and
our strength.
We
the people
of
these United States
started
our country as individual states,
each
different,
but
never alone.
Individual
pieces
making
a strong and vibrant whole.
We
the people
is
as it implies;
every
person together.
Never
has the call come
that
it has not been answered.
Never
has the need been felt
that
it has not been met.
For
as a nation,
all
together,
we
have overcome and triumphed.
We
the people
of
these United States,
of
this American continent,
are
still the great people
who
built a great country.
We
are still a nation of pioneers
striving
to a bright future.
Stumbling
sometimes,
sidetracked
sometimes,
sometimes
even lost,
but
always moving onward
and
overcoming obstacles.
We
the people
are
not reaching the end
of
our existence
as
a great nation.
We
are merely at a crossroads
with
each direction
leading
to a long and full future.
We
the people,
each
of us,
one
by one,
are
molecules that build the body.
And
the body is still healthy
and
strong.
The
body is still growing.
These
United States
this
America
and
we the people!
4/22/87
Wake Up America
To the people I say; "Wake up!
You
are America
You
are the life-blood of the factories,
the
seller and the buyer,
the farmer
and the consumer,
the
soldier and the dissident,
the
voter and the politician,
you
are the voice and the ears.
Wake
up America
Let
your separate whispers
join
to be a roar.
Wake
up America
Sing
again your sweet songs,
join
up arm and arm,
dream
again the sweet dreams,
cherish
once again the greatness of your soul.
and I
long to see you
standing
tall with a swelling heart.
unafraid
of all tomorrows.
Wake
up America
_____________________________
Hard Times
troubled
times,
times
of long dusty roads
filled
with dead-ends and detours.
The
only sound;
the
echo of failure
returning
again and again.
Sweaty,
aching, worry about tomorrow times.
It's
the kind of times
that
drive some men to drink
and
others to death.
It's
times that take so much
and
give so little in return.
Such
sad times.
It's
hard times,
but
not quitting times,
not
the end of times.
No!
It's reaching out times,
helping
times,
sharing
times,
and
understanding times.
It is
the kind of times
when
we've got to be tolerant
of
more than ever before,
and
stronger,
for
when things don't work out.
It's hard
times
when
the test will be
for us
to stand as one and overcome
or
each run crying
down
the roads that lead nowhere.
_______________________________
The Corner
Four men stood on a corner.
One
said; "The economy's sure bad."
Another
said; "Unemployment's rising."
The
third said; "There's trouble abroad."
The
fourth knew who to blame;
he
blamed everyone.
It was
a cold corner they stood on,
chilled
with despair
and
disillusion.
But,
the sun has never failed to rise.
The
seasons have never failed
to be
born anew.
She
has faltered,
but
never fallen.
She's
been side-tracked down wrong roads,
but
never truly lost.
reviled
by friends,
led
astray
and
cheated,
but
she has never wallowed in defeat
nor in
dishonor.
dismay,
and disillusion,
but
the people,
like
bricks of a wall,
have
stood together in times of need.
America's
greatness has never dimmed
nor
diminished.
All
that has made her great
still
survives.
Sometimes
it's overlooked,
sometimes
it's forgotten,
but
when the need is great
the
heart of America
and
the light shines bright.
Stars and
Stripes
The stars
and stripes still wave
gallantly.
They
are ragged now and faded
from
all the rockets and the bombs.
Those
from within
as
well as from without.
But
"old glory" still waves
and
the dream lives on.
There
are still hearts full of courage
and
full of pride.
The
stars and stripes still wave
over
the land of the free.
There have
been battles and bloodshed,
but faith and courage, like blood
pumps the valient heart of America
and the stars and stripes still wave.
4/22/87
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