by Doug Ballard
Feb. 3, 2011
Yes Virginia, Arizona is crazy. The Republicans now have super majorities in the state legislature and will be unrestrained. The hypocrisy, fear and lies are clear for all who are still capable of independent thought to see. Similar things are starting to happen in other states, but we seem compelled to lead the way.
On the national scene, there’s even talk of resurrecting something akin to the old McCarthy era House Committee on Un-American Activities….to root out imagined socialists and other presumed subversives. Things are spinning from the realm of reason to some type of right wing la-la land.
These next two years, leading up to 2012, will test the true character of this country. Will good people remain in their cocoons, or will they rise up and take action?
These are very scary times. Our country has, for too long, been worshiping at the altar of self interest. Our “me above all else” culture is not sustainable. The rich
are grabbing all they can, and those on the right seem determined to tear down and destroy many of the things that have made this country great. The center of gravity is shifting from below our feet, and the obscenity of the income disparity is but one indicator.
Arizona is a harbinger for things to come elsewhere. Guns in bars, SB1070, REAL Death Panels, war on public education, war on the poor, war on the middle class,…the list keeps growing.
Make no mistake….we’re on the front lines.
Time to get to work….seriously. We just can’t sit by the sidelines. The question is, will good people rise up and get involved, or will they just stay home and remain absorbed in their own interests.
What affects our brothers and sisters affects us all. This is a history lesson that we ignore at our peril.
So, with that being said, what is to be done?
We must, as a Party and as individuals, move beyond our comfort zone and actively engage the forces trying to drag this state and this country backward.
We must be loud and proud about what we believe in…about what our values are.
We must become actively involved in issues that will improve the lives of our fellow citizens.
We must speak out for those who may have difficulty speaking for themselves.
We must engage our friends and neighbors and motivate them to think beyond their own interests, as we must, ourselves, think beyond ours.
We must fight the corporate takeover of our democracy, the pollution of our earth, the discrimination against our neighbors.
We must be advocates for economic and social justice…advocates for a vastly improved public education system, advocates for a transformed and invigorated economy that is in harmony with the environment.
In the following weeks, we will begin work on an active strategy for next two years.
It does take a village, and we want and need your help. We will be calling on you to take those next steps needed to realize a better future for us all.
Get Active…Get Involved…Make a Difference.
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