10 EASY STEPS (Posted 2007-05-07 12:47:08 by ArchPaladin) If you didn't want a fresh dose of sobering realism injected into your routine today, I suggest not reading the article I link to below. Came across this editorial [ http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2064157,00.html ] [guardian.co.uk] today. A not-quite-so-old piece that I found somewhat interesting - it compares the rise of fascist states during different periods in history from the perspective of a checklist or long-term plan. Comparisons to current US policy were not flattering - in small ways, we have taken action to fulfill all ten steps. A few years ago when I was watching everything happen and letting myself be educated about all this stuff, I found that I had a lot of opinions about the future of our country and what we should do or not do to help the future be better. Of course, those were also the times when I wouldn't really say any of it in public because I wasn't sure that I could back up my ideas argumentatively, or that they were really my ideas to begin with. Lately I have come to be of a mind that I should not hold back if I have an opinion about these kinds of things, and with that comes the realization that I don't have much to say at all. I do believe America is going down the fascist road, but how far down we have gone, are going, or will go is something I do not know. I have never been nostalgic about some great American dream or being in the best country in the world. I have grown up in a country where the imminent despair that you hear about in the media is an ever-present reality. There is nothing for me to be nostalgic over or fight for because I never believed that I experienced it in the first place. Besides, all those claims of greatness, world supremacy, and whatnot are all really just subjective babble anyway, and I tend to filter that out. I know that if I fought for change, it would be a long and difficult road, and what gets accomplished may or may not be noteworthy. I know that if I do not fight, the country stands a greater chance of walking into ruin. And while I find myself somewhat ashamed of this country's behavior, my desire to stand up and be more vocal about it is lacking. I look at it this way: if you're on a hill holding a stone that will roll down the hill, you can either bring the stone to rest by pushing it up to the top of the hill or letting it go and come to rest at the bottom. In either case, the stone is going to stop. To complete the analogy is to say this: either the US will cease its move to fascism because enough people fought against it, or because we embraced it and then discarded it later. Going the latter route is almost certainly less pleasant, but as I put my hope in God rather than in my personal ability to get by in this world, I find myself not worrying if the country does go that route. While I do wish that those who fought to prevent fascist behavior had greater chutzpah to effect change, I'm not eager to jump in with them to help. Ecclesiastes tells us that everything rises and falls, that there is a time to everything and eventually that time will come to an end. Perhaps for America as we know it that time is soon. Perhaps it isn't. I'm not of the mind to push things one way or another as it seems like a frivolous struggle. I would rather be concerned about the needs and souls of my immediate friends and neighbors than take up a banner for some great political fight, and only when taking care of those needs and souls dictates that I become political will I actually be so. In many ways I think I have chosen the larger battle. -------- There are 2 comments on this post: Comment #1 by Krys ( auggiememnon@yahoo.com ) on 2007-05-07 14:35:12 Change is good. And the US has constantly been in a state of change for so far as I've seen. If eventually we turn to fascism, eventually that fascism will also pass on to something else. I've been debating with myself a lot lately about "causes". Reminded by alternate personalities that "all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing". But at the same time, keen on change occurring naturally. And tired of fighting the battles only to keep losing. Plus... I'm very much a Libra, and usually can see both sides of an arguments. Usually. Thus, I don't have much solid ground to stand on as far as taking up arms to affect the world, when I'm happy to see it go whatever way it will; whether or not it's infringing on the personal liberties of even myself. In the end, being "concerned about the needs and souls of [your] immediate friends and neighbors" over "[taking] up a banner for some great political fight" is much more real in both action and reaction, and therefor likely to be more emotionally involving and rewarding. What is "noteworthy" after all? I know of people in history who affected great political change, but they've not changed anyone I know directly, or listened to their problems, or spent time with them. Noteworthy is all perspective. Comment #2 by ArchPaladin ( blog@archpaladin.net ) on 2007-05-07 22:22:00 ::snip:: Noteworthy is all perspective. ::/snip:: Exactly. I think far more good can be done working with people immediately around you than trying to use large levers to move the world.