Greetings,
The last election that I was able to vote in was in 1988. The last time I
contacted a Senator to complain about a policy being put in place, I was
told that this is not my country and that if I didn't like it I could go
back where I came from. I have 4 more years to go before I can apply for
citizenship and then I can have a say. While I am not proud of what
America has become, I do live here and I am not planning on leaving, so I
will take citizenship so I can have a say in how sane or insane life is to be.
I don't believe that violence would accomplish much of anything at this
point, all it does is get tempers up and brains turned off. Triggering the
defence mechanism is not how to effect change for the better. We live a
sane life, working to establish a sustainable farm and having the teenagers
come and visit and see what we are doing. Some of them are getting rather
interested in biofuels, are learning that being cool is worthless, and the
value of having the skills to look after oneself. We try to live as if the
world was the way we want it to be, funny thing, the people aren't laughing
at us as much as they used to.
You and I aren't all that far apart.
Bright Blessings,
Kim
At 03:03 PM 7/8/2005, you wrote:
Garth & Kim Travis wrote:
Greetings Robert,
Wouldn't it be nice if we could just trade passports, then I could vote
against the nonsense that is going on in the states.
I DO vote, Kim. For the first time in my life, during the last
election, I held my nose and voted for a Democrat! The problem I saw at
that time was that Mr. Kerry didn't seem to be fundamentally different in
his platform than was the case for Mr. Bush. Some will argue this with
me, but it seems, from my perspective, that we've been dealing with two
sides of a single coin for a long time.
We've talked about radical reform on this list in the past. The
Declaration of Independence advocates the forceful overthrow of any
government not acting in the interest of its people. I don't advocate
violence, so from my perspective, the reform process begins with
discussions of this nature, in forums such as this one.
I would like to see greater freedom AND responsibility for
individuals. (The latter would include responsibility for bringing
children into the world, and a sliding scale for health insurance
premiums based upon lifestyle choices. For example, if you smoke, your
health insurance should cover palliative care when you develop lung
cancer or heart disease, and nothing more. We need to be responsible for
our own stupidity!) I would like the Homestead Act reinstated. I would
like the rights set forth in the Bill of Rights to extend to citizens,
not corporations. I would like local churches to act as catalysts in
improving their communities. I want REAL reform of energy policy, with
responsible improvements in efficiency, investing in technology and
products available RIGHT NOW that can significantly reduce our energy
consumption.
Education reform, limits on the political power of unions and
lobbyists, the abolition of agribusiness, a fundamental redesign of the
transportation networks in our cities to reduce dependence on
automobiles, investment in infrastructure and a total reformulating of
national defense policies are essential. I would like to see a national
"propaganda" campaign promoting the values of thrift, of limiting
consumption and conservation of resources and wild places.
I can go on and on about these kinds of things. . .
I vote. I speak out. Those of us who can, should advocate to
take our country back.
Actually, when I was in France back in the 1980s, everyone assumed I was
American because my French is so poor and All Canadians spoke french. At
least that is what the Canadian propaganda stated.
Out here in the west, there is quite a bit of animosity toward
Quebec for the power it wields in Canadian politics, and the mandate of
French language instruction. However, my eldest son is in the French
Immersion program because we as a family believe in the benefits of
multilingual education.
I always thought that identifying with a country was kind of silly.
There's nothing wrong with identifying with a country, as long as
that identity doesn't preclude the merit of someone else belonging to a
different country.
robert luis rabello
"The Edge of Justice"
Adventure for Your Mind
http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782>
Ranger Supercharger Project Page
http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/
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