Freedom or Democracy?

The thirteen Colonies of Great Britain sought their independence with the following insight:

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long establish should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown that mankind are disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

At this point it is necessary to point out the discrepancies in the language used here and our reality. Rampant corruption, a top heavy government, a bottom heavy jail system, and a society in which the elite persevere while the poor flounder. Here it is said all men are created equal but the reality here is that all men are treated differently based upon their wealth or lack of it.

The wealthy run our government, while the needy are tolerated, or as is most cases, ignored. Because of the considerations a capitalistic society has for its wealthy, the government caters to the wealthy in a manner disproportionate to the rest of America. The example set by America is called 'authoritarian'. That is 'enforcing strict obedience to authority'. Otherwise known as 'tyranny'

All 'men' being created equal did not apply to the African slaves who were present at the time of its declaration, nor to the indigenous peoples who's society was destroyed in the process of establishing the American one. Here another glaring clause stands out in contradiction to the actions of those European colonists who thus declared:

"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

No African or native of these lands gave their consent to be governed by those who rule over us. That choice was taken away by the enslavement of the Africans and the subjugation of Native 'Americans', therefore the government instituted over us under these circumstances was false, and as is evidenced by the processes of civil rights, segregation, and discrimination, unjust. Further evidence of this was in the modification of the Constitution in order to amend the status of the aforementioned peoples, making them citizens, forcing them to abide by laws instituted against them, without their consenting vote.

Hence the designated ethnic status of such citizens as 'minorities' or hyphenated-Americans, and the corresponding discrepancies of poverty, incarceration, unemployment, wealth, and politics in relation to population percentages. The superficial differences are the means by which the man is measured, and as a result, the minorities enjoy less status and preference than the European descended hyphen-less Americans.

The law itself is divided along the same lines because those who represent that law exhibit the same forms of prejudice and discrimination as the drafters of those laws. The equality and uniformity itself is readily apparent when one compares the legal and economic discrepancies between minorities and their counterparts.

The disproportion in jails, prisons, and social systems are of minorities, when as a matter of natural law the opposite should be true, all things being equal. The disproportion should consist of the majority class in numbers and percentages, but it does not because the ancestors of the descendant citizens enjoyed a more lucrative existence, having started with all rights and privileges intact, whereas their slaves and native wards did not. In light of this, the declaration further reads:

'But when a long train of abuses, and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.'

The reality is that the 'long train of abuses' is as long as the documents of American history are. The usurpations are numerous and plenty, the object of pursuit: wealth. And the design is to promote and support the wealthy. Period. The resulting despotism is not with the ruler himself, but the system of laws he rules by. A system that allows, and plans for the presence of the needy. A system that provides for and requires homelessness. A system that caters to the money one has access to, that leaves those who have access to none to despair, struggle, and hardship, to be forgotten, unless and until he is able to become a 'productive' citizen of society. Bringing to light the following declaration subscribed to by the forefathers:

'Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.'

Likewise, such has been the patient suffering of the minority impoverished of this nation, the native populace who were excluded from it, and the American citizen in general. In like manner, it has become incumbent upon us to now alter the present system of government. The facts are evident for the entire world to see. This system of government is said to be 'of the people, by the people, for the people', but the reality is only the rich and the wealthy can pursue the American Dream. The people are not equally represented. There is not a single poor, homeless or destitute senator, congressman, or political leader in all of America.

All the wealth of America is contained in the top ten percent of its citizens. Everyone else is working class or poor, therefore only the top ten percent of its citizens are truly represented because all federal and state power come from this top ten percent. The phrase 'it takes money to make money' should not apply to the government, but it does. A significant part of the population has no say, no voice, and no means to compete in the arena of government, and as such only the status quo is maintained. All others are left to deal with their dissatisfaction or make do.

The public at large has its hands tied when it comes to changing anything for the better, against the demands of the elite, for the general public. Necessitating, as is noted in the declaration, the abolishment of said government.

To clarify: The poor, needy, and impoverished remain so at a calculable percentage in relation to all others. Whether one rises or falls, the change is constant, and in direct violation of those inalienable rights to which we all have been endowed.

The working class and day laborers are confined to an existence of 'hand to mouth', or subsisting on just enough to get by, while driving the economy and increasing the wealth, and thereby the leisure, of the elite and ruling classes at the cost of Liberty and Happiness to themselves, in order to sustain the aforementioned right to 'Life'.

Because the basic necessities of life (meaning food, clothing, and shelter) are cultivated, manufactured, and distributed at a cost to the consumer, who is the citizen, who is the working class laborers, who are the poor, the pursuit of happiness is left to the rich and independently wealthy, and by sheer necessity, shelved by all others. That which would allow for the independent pursuit of individual happiness is cost prohibitive to the working class, and well beyond the means of the average working citizen.

The individuals who would be inspired to promote change at the political level, are prohibited from doing so by the system itself, as it caters only to those able to pay for-or buy-the required services. The strong willed or righteous claims of the aspirant are discarded and disregarded by the public at large because the system institutes a prejudice against the poor from inception.

Running for any public office may be open to any citizen but only the funded can seriously compete. Usurping, as a direct result, the average citizen's consent to be governed. Not to mention the descendants of former slaves and the indigenous peoples now considered to be citizens.

The institution of the American government serves as a prime example of a governing body at odds with its citizenry. For the colonial settlers it was Great Britain and its king. For the American poor and minority, it is America's policies and government at odds with nature, humanity, and its own decrees of freedom, equality, and justice for all. There should be a disclaimer reading 'for paying customers only' as this is all but evident in the most obvious of ways, and for this very reason the current form of government is insufficient to 'effect the Safety and Happiness' of the American citizen in general.

This system of government has as its heart the flawed understanding of the human individual as worthy of merit based upon one's ability or substance, and not the spark of humanity itself that exists in all individuals. As is noted in the words of the declaration itself:

'Experience hath shewn the mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, that to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.'

The evils of injustice, inequality, and destitution are insufferable and always have been, and the powers that be refuse to change it. The nature of the matter is humanism. Learning to be 'thy brother's keeper' is the lesson of Life, and yet our governments, our leaders, and our religions have failed us in this capacity. Leaving only room and space for the rich, the powerful, and the elite. Conspiring to leave the poor and impoverished in their low station of life, without regard for their humanity. It is no longer sufferable that the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer is the accepted status quo.

It is no longer sufferable that kids can grow up knowing they have no chance to pursue their dreams. It is no longer sufferable that a mother and father must abandon their child to a system that has no compassion for them, to others who may not treat them adequately, to work for rent for the month and food for the night, that they and their children might eat and sleep in relative comfort and safety.

It is insufferable and an unspeakable evil to allow for the suffering of another when such suffering has no place in a society of enlightened, educated, and wealthy individuals. But since such evils are common place, tolerated, and expected by the ruling body, such inaction must be seen for the evil that it truly is.

Such an institution should not to be tolerated, let alone allowed to govern unchecked by the very people whose lives have been destroyed or irrevocably altered by it. Especially when the foundation for such an institution allows for its dissolution upon the malcontent of the governed. There can be no reconciliation with any government that does not provide for the basic necessities of its every citizen. Such a government is detrimental and counter productive to the mental and spiritual development of the human being.

For this reason, the nature of change should be with a new perspective in which the greater needs of the citizenry as a whole are met, before the economic, political, and social securities of the nation made up by those citizens. The cart has been before the horse for so long it has become contrary to think about putting the human first, instead of his 'contribution' to society.

These are the lingering remnants of the Greek/Roman philosophy, and with the American government continually extending its influence in its never ending search for resources, is it any wonder that we are hated for our decadent and materialistic lifestyles?

But it is not the average American who is hated, who appears decadent and materialistic, but the prominent official who is wealthy and powerful that is hated, and because of this we the people are in danger of having our nation attacked by malevolent forces that see themselves as unable to compete with the power and influence of Americans.

But it is not the power and influence of Americans they fear or are unable to compete with, but that of our leadership. A power and influence we citizens are also unable to compete with.