Friday, June 3, 2011

Be Brave and Speak Out

I encourage you all to exercise your right to free speech. Whatever your beliefs, do not be afraid to express them. Instead of helplessly watching events transpire around you, become proactive and take calculated risks to influence outcomes for the better. As with every enterprise ... there will be failures, there will be successes.

Start your own blog. Network with others; participate in their blogs, too. Debate ideas.

Please keep in mind that it is too easy to get into the trap of demonizing people (like those in the ruling class) as  some kind of evil monsters. In my case, it would be the personae of President Obama, Senator Paul Ryan, and Governor Mitt Romney. Yet they or their associates may be reading my blog. (Wishful thinking.) Nevertheless, the whole world can read my posts. I must be careful not to get too nasty when writing about the three bogeymen.* [see note]

While I am critical of these folks, I must have a dose of humility. What if I were President? Might I break campaign promises, too? If I were a Senator, might I be heavily influenced by the insurance lobby, too? If I were the governor of Massachusetts, might I have been deceived into accepting Ted Kennedy's healthcare reform, too?** [see note]

Yet, I would hope the people in power to read blogs like mine. I want these types to feel at least a little connected with those of us in Middle America. Otherwise, they would be blinded by their own circle of elitist friends and yes-men. As an example of cultural disconnect ... candidate Obama had once stated, “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest ... it’s not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion ..."

In contrast, you then have a Sarah Palin who does connect with ordinary folk. But because she doesn't act elitist, she gets trashed by the haute personalities in corporate media (like Katie Couric).


Participation in blogs is a safety valve for ordinary citizens. It allows us to express our opinions and our frustrations to the world. It also allows us to network with like-minded citizens. Lastly, it exposes us to alternative viewpoints via our interactions with those of an alien ideology. (We learn from one another.)

[Additional notes]

*   Big brother is watching!

** Actually, I later found out Mitt Romney was not duped by Kennedy. Governor Romney was the mastermind of MassCare ... more so than Kennedy. (Info was derived from The New Yorker's full article, "Romney's Dilemma." Abstract at ... http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/06/06/110606fa_fact_lizza.)

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