I was upset with the editorial and was provided with the opportunity to provide my perspectives in an Op-Ed piece.
The editorial to which I responded was entitled:
EDITORIAL: The ‘race’ to be the face of intolerance
Here is the link to the editorial:
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/editorial/the_race_to_be_the_face_of_intolerance789/
The Founding Fathers of our nation understood the extreme importance of honest discussion and debate based on accurate information. The concept behind the First Amendment of the Constitution is the freedom of our ability to articulate our ideas freely. That amendment also established the freedom to assemble peaceably so that the citizens of our nation could have ample opportunities to conduct peaceful meetings to exchange ideas. This is at the heart of our Democratic processes.
In the days of the founding of this great nation the citizens tended to meet in school houses, churches and synagogues and in people’s homes. On a warm afternoon, perhaps our nation’s citizens met under a broad shade tree. Today in addition to those “low tech” meeting places we also meet on the internet, on talk radio programs broadcast across our nation via the airways and via the internet. We can also use newspapers as a medium through which we can also provide our perspectives to our fellow Americans.
Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in a country where the citizens are afforded these opportunities must not see them simply being rights or privileges but must see them as an obligation we bear to protect our way of life and preserve it for our children and their children. We must seek to be the best citizens we can be to also honor the incredible and awesome sacrifices of our men and women in the military who have gone in harm’s and all too often making the ultimate sacrifice or returning home with permanent physical and/or emotional scars. The same sorts of sacrifices are also made by our men and women in law enforcement and those who serve their communities as firefighters.
Therefore I urge you to also seek to respond to editorials and news reports by writing to the newspapers as I have done in this instance.
We the People, throughout this nation must seek opportunities to make it clear to our political “representatives” that we understand their game plan and won’t tolerate it!.
I believe our nation’s is greatly benefited by the rich diversity of our people which is why I could never imagine living anywhere except New York City, arguably the most diverse city in our nation if not, in fact, the world. However, my idea of diversity most certainly does not include members of MS-13, the Mexican drug cartels and members of al-Qaeda!
If reading this makes it difficult for you to sleep now- perhaps you could do something worthwhile- perhaps you might spend a couple of your sleepless hours writing letters to your elected representatives this evening and remind them that Election Day is just months away!
We the People can add to the consternation of these politicians who are failing to live up to their oaths of office by contacting them and making it abundantly clear that election day is coming and they should think of election day as their personal “Day of Reckoning!”
Our government must live up to its obligation of protecting its own citizens and, indeed, all who are present in our country from the criminals and terrorists who would threaten our lives and the survival of our nation and our way of life. In the end, the government is actually those who are elected to act as our “leaders.” Those who fail to truly lead and look out for those they are supposed to represent, need to be sent packing this coming Election Day!
If our country is to survive and if our children and their children are to get their share of the “American Dream” the citizens of this nation must take their citizenship seriously!
We the People must be the best citizens we can be, citizens who are worthy of the gallantry demonstrated by our valiant men and women in the military, law enforcement and firefighters, who routinely go in harm’s way in defense of this nation and our citizens.
My goal in writing this and other commentaries is to point out our nations many failings before more victims pay the ultimate price for the incompetence and ineptitude of our government.
The first step in problem-solving is to first identify the problems and vulnerabilities and then devise strategies to overcome them.
Any politician who refuses to work to secure our borders and create an immigration system that has integrity is either corrupt or too dumb to keep his (her) job. Any politician, irrespective of party affiliation who favors Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the outrageous betrayal that this would represent given the national security implications that this program would have, should be shown the door at the next election!
If you find yourself to be in agreement with this commentary, I ask that you forward it to as many of your friends and family members as possible and encourage them to do the same. We need to create a “Bucket Brigade of Truth!”
Later this year, each and every member of the House of Representatives is up for reelection. Later this year more than one third of the members of the United States Senate will have to face their constituents. They need to be reminded that they work for us, We the People!
However, the practice of good citizenship does not end in the voting booth, it only begins there.
The large scale apathy demonstrated by citizens of this nation has emboldened elected representatives to all but ignore the needs of the average American citizen in a quest for massive campaign funds and the promises of votes to be ostensibly delivered by special interest groups. There is much that we cannot do but there is one thing that We the People absolutely must do- we must stop sitting on the sidelines!
The collective failure of We the People to get involved in make our concerns known to our politicians have nearly made the concerns of the great majority of the citizens of this nation all but irrelevant to the politicians.I implore you to get involved!
If this situation concerns you or especially if it angers you, I ask you to call your Senators and Congressional “Representative. This is not only your right- it is your obligation!
All I ask is that you make it clear to our politicians that we are not as dumb as they hope we are!
We live in a perilous world and in a perilous era. The survival of our nation and the lives of our citizens hang in the balance.
This is neither a Conservative issue, nor is it a Liberal issue- simply stated, this is most certainly an AMERICAN issue!
You are either part of the solution or you are a part of the problem!
Democracy is not a spectator sport!
Lead, follow or get out of the way!
-michael cutler-