Monday, January 14, 2008

American Revolution. Redux.

"Today we will learn about the second American Revolution of the early 21st century."
I can see a teacher standing in front of a gigantic OLED screen in one hundred years. 
"Boooring"
An anxious child, tired of hearing about the redundant history of his country's past slumps over his desk (which hovers in the future) and braces for another boring lecture.

Yes, my starlets, this to me is a dream I would love to come true. I don't need to state the obvious. This country is devolving. Fast.
Morally and financially. We are losing sight of the basic foundations our homeland was based on. We are becoming more and more like sheep and with each generation comes fewer people with a grasp of what we once were and can be.
I was always bothered that, to estimate, 8 out of 10 teenagers in this country don't know what the word "Autonomy" means but could tell you what a "dictator" is in a heartbeat.

Frankly, I'm worried about the future. I feel my generation has not displayed the courage and intelligence to change things. I'm registered to vote but I know deep in my mind that policies can't change people. Only people can change people.

It's frustrating, it's scary and it's sad. I hate to see soldiers dying in vain and cultures being eradicated. I hate to see civil liberates fading with the dust of 9/11 and I hate it when I find myself scared because a talking head in my living room told me I should.

What I hate the most, however, is seeing people who feel the same way I do not doing anything. Why can't we have another American Revolution? A non-violent display of where the real power in this country lies. 
One can argue that people, Americans in particular, are a generally apathetic in nature. That, if there wasn't a draft during Vietnam there wouldn't have been so many protests. If that is the case I pray that there is a draft tonight and that not a soul steps foot on a military base but instead the nearest street leading to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Nazi Germany started with a few small things. Inducing fear after the burning of Reichstag, passing the Enabling Act of 1933 and trying to drive the Jews out of Germany. Orwellian America is starting with a few small things too. Inducing fear after 9/11, having the right to seize and search bags while riding public transportation (and violate countless other constitutional rights thanks to Patriot Act) and the attempt to rid the country of illegal immigrants.

Things need to change. If not politically, socially.

I know most of you reading this are young. Well, as young Americans we are obligated to start doing things. Saying things. When we see a man call another man a nigger, we need to say something. When we see a man call another man a faggot we need to say something. When we see men and women being forced to kill other innocent men and women all in the name of some asshole's get rich quick scheme just "saying" something won't be enough. We need to do something.

Vote.
Wear orange.
Make art. Write about it. Sing about it, scream in the streets about it or cut school, shit, cut yourself.
Just do whatever it is you need to do to change things. Then, my starlets, this country may have a future.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

holla back,
kill the british!
up with lafayette!

Anonymous said...

my lafayette is pretty erect right now