I see it like this. It's one thing to be a gad fly - a closed mouth doesn't get fed. You being a constant voice in the ears of those who make the rules is a necessity and right afforded to us as AMERICANS. It's not only our right to bark, it's our obligation. However, it is something completely and fundamentally different to be a tormentor and exacerbator of a bad situation. Making comments (like the basement one) and snickering at the mention of a dead girl's name (in PUBLIC court no less) is done for the sole purpose of getting under some one's skin. It's done for one reason and one reason alone - to give you and your family ONE MORE thing to think about when you leave the house or when you go to bed at night. It's not done to meet any good ends except the torment of a dead girl's father. And to further complicate things by "circling the wagons" and involving political connections, and making a public policy issue of this then moves this from the personal level arena (them vs. you) to the public level arena (them vs. us - and by US, I mean ALL OF US WHO GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THIS TOWN, THIS COUNTY, THIS STATE and THIS COUNTRY). Don't get me wrong, I'm not crusading here, it's not my place. But I won't stand by and allow the tables to stay turned as lopsided as they are because of something like political corruption and cronyism.
My first priority (outside of my family) is standing up to bullshit mainstream cultural and political machines that are ruining this country and its citizens ability to think for themselves, and in my 27 years living here I've seen the worst of it (you're a Pennsylvania and Lehigh County resident - you no doubt know what i mean). It's not a liberal thing, it's not a democratic thing, it's not a christian thing or a generational thing - it's a Righteous thing - we need people to speak up and make grass roots change or else there is only one thing that can happen - WE WILL ALL get taken away in the flood. Stand up for nothing and you will fall for anything...
9/11 happened and we gave up our rights because of the patriot act, but for a long time before that, the powers that be continually and methodically stripped down our ability to come together and make change as the self-determiners of our own lives. That's why Obama was such a breath of fresh air, because he convinced me (at least) that a group of people with common ideas and a means to meet an ends could come together and for one moment see eye to eye, despite the differences they all had. Those are big shoes to fill but it showed all of us that it's capable of happening, and if he can do it on a national level, why the hell can't we do it locally?
Jim Martin's face is now front in center as the object of this change. Now we need to find someone who's got the balls, the know-how and the gumption to take on City Hall. Any ideas???
My apologies for the ramblings. I guess I have a lot to say. Coffee together soon sounds great, as discussed back channel. Let me know...
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