#humanity #voting #elections #PoliticalCandidates #VoterIntimidation #vote We value humanity as integral to our existence. The Golden Rule says: “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” But, some in public life are working very hard to try to tell us that SOME of us are worthy of our humanity, while others are not. If you favor X, you should be treated well. If you oppose X, you should be treated badly. As a result, we have public policies that literally dehumanize the opponents of those in power. The policy takes shape by first dehumanizing those who don’t LOOK like, or whose surnames are dissimilar, to those in power. Then, it moves on to those who look and have surnames similar to those in power, but express views differing from those in power. It goes further, thereby declaring those in science and others who live by and tell the truth as something less than human. If you believe this is not who we are, or this is not who we should be, YOU can do something about it. You can work for political opponents of those in power, who strive to restore humanity. If you can’t do that, make it a point to vote for those candidates at every level, and at every opportunity. Working for candidates requires a great deal of sacrifice. Voting may also require some sacrifice. But, if you want to restore our humanity, the sacrifice will be more than worth it. Those in power want fewer people to vote, because their dehumanizing policies are not popular. They will try to mess with elections. They may even try to interfere at polling places. That puts voters at some risk. But, don’t let their tactics deter you. Don’t let long lines deter you. In fact, if the lines are long, be thankful as well as patient. Local law enforcement and election authorities must do all they can to prevent ANY interference – foreign or domestic, federally authorized or otherwise – with our elections. Remember: State and local authorities control elections, not the federal government. Most of the local officials are dedicated to free and fair elections. They encourage ANYONE eligible to vote to vote by whatever methods are allowed. They ensure that if one votes, and follows the rules, his or her vote will be counted. The goal is to have as many eligible voters as possible at the polls casting votes. So, this year’s elections may not seem like a threat to our existence. But, they could be a threat to our humanity. Under no circumstances will sitting out the election solve this problem, particularly if you are looking for change. So, work for candidates if you can. But, having all eligible voters vote is a must. Peter
#bogeyman #BogeymanIssues #politicians #farmers #farmland #voting #China A politician criticizes his or her opponent for allowing, or at least not being concerned about, China buying up farmland in their state. Were that true, a governor or state legislature might be hard-pressed to stop it. A quick fact check showed China purchased no farmland in said state, though it has purchased other non-farm properties there, and farmland elsewhere in the U.S. It seems to be one of those “bogeyman issues” a politician likes to use to rile up his or her base and avoid talking about issues people really care about. There might be two reasons farmers might sell their land to China. Either: farmers are going bankrupt because the cost of raising a crop might be more than they get for the crop in the marketplace. Or, farmers want to retire, and their kids do not want to take over the farm. The “bogeyman issue” of China interferes with real discussions about government policies that might help farmers. The farmers trying to make ends meet between costs and crop prices would be helped by the government trying to keep prices down. Starting wars in the Middle East raises prices for fertilizer and diesel fuel, which most farm equipment runs on. Shutting down USAID, which not only helped starving people around the world, but also gave U.S. farmers a stable market for their products, also did no favors to farmers. That indicates that government may be contributing to farmers’ distress, rather than trying to help it. Then, there’s the matter of passing family farms to the next generation. Studies show that only between 15 percent and 35 percent of students who study agriculture in college go on to become hands-on farmers. Most of the others pursue careers in other parts of agribusiness. Farming life is hard. One has to love it to deal with so much they can’t control, like the weather, climate change etc. If students with an interest in agriculture would rather pursue careers in which they might sit at a desk or in a lab, rather than be out in the hot sun working a field, how can you blame them? It would be tough for any government to incentivize agriculture students to take over farms. For the retired or retiring farmer, much of his or her nest egg rests in his or her land. If farmers can sell their land for a decent price, regardless of the buyer, why wouldn’t they? It all goes back to politicians not wanting to discuss issues that affect most people, or that most people care about. The “bogeyman issues” may get a small percentage of the electorate’s attention, but they do not contribute to solving real problems. When going to the polls, ask yourself what Person X, presuming he or she is an incumbent or has served in other capacities, has done for you and your needs. Then, listen to what their opponents say THEY will do for you and your needs. If you don’t like Person X, give Person Y a try. If Person Y is elected, and doesn’t at least try to fulfill what he or she said he or she would do, then vote for someone else the next time. Politicians all face realities that inhibit them from being able to do all they promised. But, if they appear to be doing all they can to do so, they deserve the seat. Whatever your persuasion, you must vote whenever you have the opportunity. Not voting at all is sure to give you someone you don’t want – like a “bogeyman.” Peter
#NoKings #protests #PeacefulProtests #MinnesotaShootings Millions of people stood on the streets and public plazas this weekend with a simple message: “No Kings.” They say the numbers signify a movement, but they also showed that we all still have agency, and our opinions mean something. That same Saturday, two state legislators and their spouses were shot in Minnesota. One legislator and her husband died, the other couple survived. The “No Kings” protests are an example of how Americans SHOULD behave. The shootings show the opposite. The country was founded on the principles of democracy, separation of powers and rule of law. Standing up for that is what citizens should do. Taking lethal revenge on those who don’t think as you do is un-American. There is much work we must do as citizens to reclaim our country. We must elect representatives who stand for democracy, separation of powers and rule of law. That means everyone who is eligible must vote when elections roll around. When no election is imminent, we must let those in power know how we, as citizens, feel, whether those in power want to hear it or not. That may mean, in some places, standing in protest as an eligible voter if someone says you are not. It also means the return of respected institutions to their full and upright capacities. That means bringing back facts and knowledge when some would discard them. That means bringing back bona fide research that some wish to replace with conspiracy theories. It means not letting a would-be king overwhelm our power as citizens. Democracy, separation of powers and rule of law may not be for every nation. But this nation was built on them, and we shouldn’t let anyone take them away from us. Democracy, separation of powers and rule of law were given to us by our forebears. It’s our job now to protect them. As we protect these virtues of our self-governance, we do so peacefully, unlike the Minnesota shooter. Guns may show hard power, but peaceful protests show soft power. We must leave the areas at which protests are staged just as we found them. We must ensure that no one gets hurt by our message delivery. Even if those who resist us may try to hurt us, we must not hurt them. We must only deliver our message loudly and clearly. So, if you don’t like what is happening in our country, you can work to change it. You can do so peacefully. You can do so in many ways that make clear how you stand. It took much work and time to build this country as we want to see it. It can take remarkably little time to tear it down. We, as citizens, must stand in the way of that. Peter
