Thoughts on Todays America

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Today here in our little town in Oklahoma, my husband and I were on our way to a used car dealer, when we saw one lone woman standing on a corner downtown picketing. Her sign said "Down with Gore". Now I have made no secret about how I feel about our current vice president, so I began asking myself why I didn't just go stand there with her. I actually felt a little bit sorry to see her there all by herself. It was then I realized that if Gore somehow manages to get the presidency, I would be there right beside her standing on that corner. I then began thinking how truly brave it is to stand by oneself on a corner holding a sign about what you believe in. I mean, many people will stand beside others and say what they believe, but very few will stand alone. This woman really must believe in her cause to stand alone downtown. I began thinking about what would make me stand alone before all the world in defiance. I would stand alone immediately for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I would stand alone for my family. I would stand alone for my country. What would you all stand alone for? What should we be standing alone for now and are not? You know before any great change there has to be one person willing to stand alone. Our society is engineered for groups. From the time we're born we are placed in one group or another. Our first groups is obviously our family, but then for the rest of our life we are herded together like cattle, by grade, sex, generation, etc. As people we are socialized to act in groups, so socialized in fact that when we reach sixteen we are then told to act alone. We are told, not to buckle under to 'peer pressure". We are told to act as individuals. It is really kind of ironic. We are so socialized that when someone stands alone, we automatically notice, just like I noticed this one woman. It is of course necessary for people to act in groups from time to time, if only for convenience sake. We at times must rely on one another. The critial question for each and every human is when should we stand apart from our inclination for unity? I think this question is critical to the future of America. This is because whenever we do something new, even if many others have decided in their minds that the must do it too, in our minds we are ALWAYS alone. For this reason when America charts a different course, it will be because of many different people's decision to stand alone, even if they are doing it at the same time. This is of course revolution and revival. it is not until we each have made our decision that we find tose who made the same one. Then we are a group, but first we must stand alone.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), November 18, 2000

Answers

Very true, Little Bit ! Perhaps that helps explain this country's complacency and apathy, we are a nation of woosey people too afraid to stand up and make a change. We should all be more stubborn and brave. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 18, 2000.

I think we should all stand up for children. Unfortunately there are many who have no one to speak for them. Children around the world suffer many atrocities and maybe we can't change the world, but if we can start in our own little corner and make a difference in the life of one child, all of that cumulative effort could amount to something BIG!!!

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), November 18, 2000.

You speak truth of our society's group mentality. I noticed since my daughter started homeschooling, she tattles alot less. She doesn't wait for orders on what to do next, just gets to doing what she wants to do. Right at this moment she's clearing off the table after vaccuming up the popcorn her sister spilled-nobody asked her to. She's just puttering around as happy as can be. It's almost unbelievable. I've always been the independent type and know those looks you get when you decide to not go with the flow. My mother is hopping mad that I'm homeschooling my daughter. She hates that I won't get legally married. It's funny, though how when you do break the mold, people feel a need to defend themselves or attack you, not because you've said they're wrong, but by your actions, they get the message that they could be doing things different. Standing alone, you must be alright with being alone, you must be OK with yourself. I remember standing alone, out in the snow to picket once. I felt good at the end of the day because I was not intimidated by "what will people think?" I had overcome something and shown others that it can be done. There's a country song whose lyrics I really appreciate "You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything".

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), November 19, 2000.

It seems to me that we are all too worried about what others think....If we didn't care what they thought and just did what God impressed on our hearts to do we wouldn't ever be standing alone.

As for what I will stand alone for, God, country, family, friends, truth.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), November 19, 2000.


Sometimes I fear we have become a nation of gutless, spineless wonders. And conservative Christians have already been labeled as an extremest cult group--it was part of a Clinton executive order; if you stored food, or homeschooled, or believed in the soon-coming of Christ, you were running contrary to BATF guidelines. If we Christians just say what we believe, then we are labeled extremists.

I would stand up for my God, the Bible, and the Constitutional Republic that our forefathers gave us. A nation without moral moorings will drift into despotism, because the people will not have the guts to stir themselves to the effort required to rule themselves. Freedom ain't free....and each generation has to pay for it, and care for it, or loose it.

I figure that it is getting close to the day when such a stand will cost your life. I hope to God that me and mine are strong enough to stand, anyway. God give us all strength.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), November 19, 2000.



While you were gone I typed upsomething from Talmidim titled "Alone" that I found pretty inspiring. I'll bring it to the top for you; look under "New Answers" for "Alone".

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), November 19, 2000.

Given the fact that I work in Washington, DC and the democrat vote over republican was about nine to one, I don't think I will go out at lunch and walk around the block with a sign like she had. I probably would not make it back alive.

But I wholeheartedly agree with what you are saying. How often are each of us willing to take that first step alone. Not very often. Particularly over politics. Therefore, nothing ever gets started in the direction we would like to see it go. Your comments did make me stop and think. Guess I'll have to think about sticking my neck out there a little more often.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@eols.com), November 20, 2000.


So did you go stand with her? And why not if this so convicted you?

That is what I feel is the worst problem by far in this country is the lack of doing, lots of talking though! God putting convictions on folks heart, like seeing a hungry child, a child without a coat, or a family with nothing, and then not doing anything! I am forever embarassing my kids by opening my big mouth when I see folks in need. Yet I know that this value of mine has been passed onto my kids, I have seen my oldest daughter get McDonalds Land toys for a set of twins whos mother could only afford to get them hamburgers and water, not affording happy meals. This is friviolus, but those kids will probably remember that gift for years to come, and perhaps change them also! Perhaps this was the time to make a stand, with this gal, a opportunity lost. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 20, 2000.


Why didn't I go stand with her? Well I didn't go stand with her because I didn't want to attack an individual for a nation wide problem. I don't like Gore's politics, but he is ultimately a syptom of the problem. The words "Down with Gore" sound too much like I want the man to go to hell and that is the last thing I want. If she would have been talking about freedom, or maintaining the constitution, or taking this country back to the values it once represented, I would have been there in a second. As it was I just couldn't bring myself to lay all the problems of America at the feet of one man. Although I believe that he espouses many of the problems with America, to blame only him would be letting the rest of america off the hook.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), November 20, 2000.


If Gore gets elected, you probably won't be allowed to stand on a street corner and protest. Today I downloaded a Dept. of Justice enforcement officer alert which brands me a member of a hate group and potential terrorist because I belong to an anti-illegal immigration organization, American Patrol. Use your search engine and check AP out. Do you think that they are a terrorist/hate group? Your turn is comming, folks.

-- John and Pat James (jjames@n-jcenter.com), November 20, 2000.


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