Are YOU One of the Complacent of America?

I often reflect on that phrase, “ We The People…”, pondering the apparent lack of real meaning it seems to have for most of my friends and neighbors whenever it comes up in conversation. Haven’t we become way too at ease and unconcerned about the true nature of the liberty of our lives here in America as we go about our daily business? It seems as if, well sure everyone knows that’s there, somewhere in one of those documents – duh! And yet I often get the sense that few of us really believe that the voices of the people in America truly can and do determine the actual freedoms and liberties that we do now, and will in the future, in fact enjoy.
Here’s a relevant quote, if I may:
“ We all declare for liberty, but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name – liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names – liberty and tyranny. “
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 1864
For most all of American history, I believe that the balance between government authority (tyranny) and individual liberty was well understood and accepted. AllFederal power was limited to that defined specifically in the Constitution and no more. In addition, that power was further limited through its dispersal among our three federal branches – the executive, legislative and judicial. And for good reason! Beyond that, the power remained with the states and ultimately with the people.
Has the American citizenry, the “little people”, the “Silent Majority”, actually allowed this power to be usurped by a greedy and manipulative system, run by so-called “elected” officials who all too often have gotten to positions of power and importance by means other than a simple and unmanipulated direct vote of “We the People”?
Yeah, we have. As the song says, teach your children. Teach them the importance of getting involved and most significantly, of learning the issues and voting! My son recently offered the observation that his one little vote just couldn’t really make any difference, anyway, could it? My response was that if just 5,000 people felt the same way, it could most certainly mean the election of the man or woman running for office that he didn’t really want representing his beliefs and desires. I think it was a point well taken – my young and sometimes thoughtful son actually nodded in apparent agreement.
Do we face the possibility of enactment of a "soft tyranny" here in America that will diminish the quality of this beloved free and civil society of ours? Indeed I sincerely do hope that we do not.
Keep 'Yer Eyes on the Horizon. Mriter.