“THESE are the times that
try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this
crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now,
deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
~Thomas Paine~
I
recently received a wake-up call, and this is what I found.
Our
country is in turmoil. Those who choose not to acknowledge this suffer from a
deadly combination of ignorance, indifference, and negligence. This November,
our nation’s future hangs in the balance. The poor decisions of both Democrat
and Republican leaders have brought us to the brink, and our nation now teeters
on the edge of a lethal slippery slope. The integrity of our constitution, our
economic and national security, and the protection of morality are at stake.
Yet,
despite the current political crisis many are choosing the path of Thomas
Paine’s “sunshine patriot.” They are burying their heads in the sand and
refusing to stand up and fight for what they believe in or even to stand behind
those who are trying to do so. Far too many are choosing the middle ground in
an attempt to feel more tolerant, moderate, and intellectual. Heaven forbid they be perceived as a political
zealot! These “sunshine patriots” obviously look down upon those politically
crazed people who are open about their political views and preferences. They
would prefer that we keep our opinions to ourselves, dropping our secret vote
into a silent ballot box and then shutting up and living with the consequences.
Their party slogan is “I don’t care who you vote for, just don’t tell me about
it.”
This
“I don’t care, just shut up” political party is becoming pretty popular in
certain circles. I have even found myself falling prey to its enticing
platform. Who doesn't want to appear moderate, informed, and please forgive my
use of the vernacular, “chill.” In all fairness, I wholeheartedly
agree with one aspect of what this party’s constituents propose, and that is an
attempt to stop people from spewing hatred and personal attacks. Yet it seems
that many are corralling everyone with a political opinion together. The ever
ambiguous “grey area” is combining the angry and rude mudslinger into the same
category as the informed participant in a civil political debate.
It
is important that we are not deceived by the grey fog that separates the black
abyss of incivility from the untarnished white of civility. I feel that the
culprit in muddying the line between these two modes of behavior is a misunderstanding
of the notion of negativity. In a world wrought with negativity and depression
we have become overly sensitive to anything disagreeable. In our over-diagnosed and
excessively medicated society, where avoidance or popping a pill cures all
ills, we seek to avoid anything that could become disagreeable. Being a
Christian, I understand that many other Christians feel that anything
contentious or hostile leads to behavior that is not conducive with the
teaching of Christ. However, becoming too passive or afraid of argumentative
situations where negativity is sure to be present only makes us ineffective and
incapable of standing up for what is right.
Politics
can get ugly sometimes, and when one participates in even the most civil of
political debates there is no doubt that a modest dose of negativity will be
present as they attempt to justify what they believe to be right and expose the
ills what they believe to be wrong. Yet this should not make us shirk from the
responsibility of taking action and standing for what we believe to be right!
I
feel that those proponents of the “I don’t care, just shut up” political party
suffer from a deplorable case of hypocrisy. The same hypocrisy of those willing
to enjoy the freedoms won by the blood of countless patriots, yet who would be
unwilling to offer that same sacrifice if time and circumstance demanded it of
them. Yes, taking a stand can be
unpleasant sometimes. But those who know what is right, yet stand by in indifference
and fear of what others may think are adorning themselves in the garb of a
“sunshine patriot.” This is cowardice
clothed in the facade of peaceful indifference.
I
wonder if Thomas Paine’s friends, upon reading his famous discourse felt uncomfortable
with his negative outlook. I am sure there were those who wished Thomas
Jefferson would just shut up about how much he hated the tyranny of King
George. There is no question that James Madison had a few acquaintances who
thought he was a bit politically obsessed, I can imagine their conversations at
a dinner party where they described him as one of “those people” that was
“really into politics.” Oh, and I can just see some of the less than courageous
friends of Patrick Henry inwardly rolling their eyes as he passionately
declared “Give me liberty, or give me
death!” Every American should fall
to their knees and thank providence that these great men, some of the giants of
America’s legacy, were not cowed by the petty judgments of a few of their indifferent
and cowardly contemporaries.
The
truth is that we need to stop distancing ourselves from our Founding Fathers. We
must stop expecting other people to stand up and preserve our great nation; we
must realize that WE are the people that can make a difference. I am in no
means attempting to put myself in the same arena of intelligence or courage as
our Founding Fathers, I merely aspire to be like them. I am committed to not sit
back and watch as the great nation they built crumbles beneath the weight of an
ignorant, spiritually misguided, and lazy populace.
A
man I greatly admire stated the following:
I don’t know how you
feel…but I’d rather be dead than to lose my liberty. I have no fear we’ll ever
lose it because of invasion from the outside. But I do have fear that it may
slip away from us because of our own indifference, our own negligence, as
citizens of this land. And so I plead with you…that you take an active interest
in matters pertaining to the future of this country. ~ Ezra Taft Benson
It
is time to wake up from the complacency to which most Americans fall victim. It
is time to realize that we owe future generations the same freedoms that we
enjoy because of the sacrifices of our predecessors. It is time to take a
stand. This is not a matter of political
parties or party loyalty; this is a matter of key issues and ideologies. This
the moment where you decide what you really believe in and whether or not you
are willing to fight for those beliefs. Do not allow yourself to be hemmed in
by your declared political party. This is not about whether or not you are a
Republican or a Democrat; this is about what you believe. Take the time to do
the research and then make an intelligent decision you feel you can morally
stand by.
Right
now, our nation is engaged in a war of differing ideologies, policies, and
values. The Constitution is being undermined and its noble precepts are being
dragged down into a sea of destruction. The moral fiber and economic integrity
of our nation is under attack. Our prosperous way of life and the possibility
of an American dream are in danger of complete annihilation. This current
conflict within America is not a war that can be fought with weapons, and we
are fortunate that it has not yet demanded human casualties. However, there
will be casualties if the God-fearing people of this nation do not stand up and
make their voices be heard. If they don’t, our sweet
liberty and the moral integrity of our society will be subjected to a gruesome
end.
War
is filled with ugly battles and death. War is heartbreaking. However, when
tyranny threatens to destroy the lives and liberties that we hold dear, we must
fight, we must go to war!
The
silent majority and the proponents of the “I don’t care who you vote for, just
shut up” political party need to wake up from their dangerous slumber. It is
time for everyone to awaken to the ugly reality of our situation and shake the
numbing shackles of indifference or fear of what others may think aside and
stand for something; because if we don’t start standing for something, then our
inaction will cause us to fall prey to the actions of the opposition.
If
the Founders could lay their lives on the line to throw off the chains of
tyranny and create this great nation for us, if countless men and women over the
last two centuries could give their lives to defend that hard won liberty, then
the least I can do is lay my reputation on the line.
So
there you have it. Judge me as a radical or political zealot. But I know I
stand in good company.
The
fact is, I do care who you vote for. And I am not afraid to say that those who
are voting for Barack Obama are the Tories of the 21st century. In
fact, labeling them as “Tories” is almost too kind, considering the fact that
most Tories were probably God-fearing people who would have been disgusted at
the current moral decline of our nation.
We
currently have someone whom I believe to be a good and honorable man running
for President, a Christian man who practices what he preaches, a man who
believes in God and will uphold the traditional moral values of this great
nation. If you believe in preserving the moral fiber and political and economic
integrity of our society, then you should wake up and find the courage to stand
with him. It is time to realize that we can offer much more than a silent vote.
I am a housewife and mother in the suburbs, and if I can find a way to make my
voice be heard, then so can you. What
can we do? Sound the wake-up call. Get
the word out, politely share your beliefs in any way you can. Take an active
role in educating your friends and neighbors whether that avenue is through Facebook,
your personal blog, a BBQ, or standing in line at the grocery store.
“We must make our
influence felt by our vote, our letters, and our advice. We must be wisely
informed and let others know how we feel. We must take part in local precinct
meetings and select delegates who will truly represent our feelings. I have
faith that the Constitution will be saved…but it will not be saved in
Washington. It will be saved by the citizens of this nation who love and
cherish freedom. It will be saved by…men and women who will subscribe to and
abide the principles of the Constitution.” ~ Ezra Taft Benson
I am grateful for my recent wake-up call; I
hope that this can serve the same purpose for someone else. I would be greatly ashamed if I looked back
on my life and realized I had been a “sunshine patriot.” What about you? Where
do you fall in the ranks? Adieu to the politically correct and indifferent
political party of “I don’t care, just shut up,” because if you don’t want to hear people talking about the elections, then move
to a country where they lack the freedom or ability to do so.
If
my opinion has offended you, then so be it. I am sure there are plenty of
people on the other side of the political spectrum who would love to balm your
wounds in the comforting embrace of complacent and lazy ignorance while they
fill you with sweet lies and eloquent speeches.
This
is not an attack on those who find themselves slumbering. This is an invitation
to wake up and start making a difference. This is the pleading of one patriot
to another. This is a call to arms, because whether you like it or not, we are
at war; and we had better start fighting.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved by Kristin E. Perez
