Is common sense dead in America?

Opinion

September 25, 2009

Opinion

by Madeline Duncan Eubank, Ky. The Commonwealth Journal Fri Sep 25, 2009, 02:56 PM EDT

Dear Editor:

Is common sense dead in America? What about honesty and service?

There is a great debate raging about the direction we are going and where we have come from.

We had a congressman shout “you lie” during a presidential speech. Admittedly, this was rude and poor judgment from a man who is usually a gentleman. How many Americans sitting in front of their TVs were thinking the same thing? How do we handle this? Do we check the facts and find the truth and let truth settle the debate or do we pass a law making it unlawful to use the word “lie.”

American people are angry, fearful and fed up with the dishonesty and corruption that is tearing our country apart. The town halls and tea parties have brought huge crowds.

Did our politicians listen?

No, they passed off the concerns as a bunch of nuts being stirred up by people with an agenda and called the people names of all sorts.

If you are unemployed, do you believe the economy has turned around and the recession is over? Or are you still worrying about how to feed your family or if you’ll be able to keep your home?

Does it bother you that the people our president is surrounding himself with apparently don’t pay their taxes honestly. One is a card-carrying communist (he has since resigned), one believes animals should be able to sue humans (are our courts not busy enough) and hunting should be banned?

Does it concern you that he has been associated with ACORN for many years? They have been accused of voter fraud and a number of dishonest acts while taking taxpayers money.

Does it bother you that two brave young college students went undercover in six different cities and recorded absolutely horrendous actions where young illegal immigrants were being used for illegal, immoral purposes and they were instructed on the best ways to accomplish this and how to cheat the government and how to whitewash an illegal occupation.

Of course, this was a story but the people didn’t know that. The topper of this is some of the cities are checking to see if the young people had done anything illegal. Where is the outrage over these illegal acts and wasted taxpayers money.

Does it bother you that our president believes our Constitution is a flawed document and our lawmakers just ignore it.

Our forefathers were wise enough to know things would change and provided a way to amend it. No other document in history has had more profound effect on a nation’s formation and foundation.

I, personally, love the Constitution and this wonderful nation I have been blessed to live in.

Does the environmental laws, the Cap and Trade tax bill and global warming bother you? In Kentucky, we’ve had the 11th coolest summer on record and the second coolest July on record. Global warming?

Does it bother you when the San Joaquin Valley has had their irrigation water turned off, turning some of the most fertile soil in the world into a desert, leaving thousands unemployed and the wonderful fruits and vegetables don’t make it to America’s tables.

Who turned the water off and why?

The government turned off the water because of a 2-inch fish. It’s really frightening when a fish is more important than people. What happens if we’re next?

Why are Americans so against government run health care? Could it be we’ve watched Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the Post Office, the banking industry, the auto industry, the stimulus package and we’re spending so much money we can’t even fathom the amount and we’re borrowing half of it from our enemies (of course, we don’t call them our enemies but they’re dangerous as cocked shotguns).

If the Cap and Trade passes, will I be able to cook and heat my home or will I have to live like my grandparents? I guess that wouldn’t be too bad because they were happy and respected and lived life well.

Is there hope?

I believe we need to learn how to have a dialogue and learn to respectfully listen and discern what truth is, define the problems and look for solutions and then stand firm and prepare to pay the price for swimming against the current.

Our forefathers declared their independence and declared for the support of this declaration with firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence. We mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Do we have any politicians who know what “sacred honor” is? How many would put their lives or fortunes on the line for the good of our nation. Our politicians have sold out to the highest bidders (lobbyists) and somehow even sold their wives and families out.

The 2010 election is very important. If Republicans and Democrats want our support, then they need to learn to listen to “we, the people,” they need to take a firm stand for fiscal responsibility and stop stealing our freedom step by step.

“We the People” need to stand up and hold their feet to the fire and show them they represent us and if they choose to do their own thing, they need to go home and if they vote on bills they haven’t read, they again need to be sent home.

I hope we can find people to run for office who are honest and courageous enough to stand for right and don’t have such deep roots in partisan politics, people willing to listen before they speak.

When the government controls everything, bails out everyone it takes our freedom away because we mindlessly submit to the government while all our needs are met and forego our own responsibility and those in government don’t have the people’s best interest at heart. They have their own agendas and their purpose is to control us. If we want freedom, we have to assume responsibility for our own actions and provisions. Freedom has never been free and if we’re not willing to pay the price for freedom, we’ll no longer be free.

We all need to speak up for what we believe with courage and clarity but please, could we learn to exchange ideas instead of insults when people disagree with us. That’s how our forefathers did it. They were very diverse people with very different ideas but were gentlemen and look what they accomplished.

I wonder what Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington, John Adams and others who gave so much would think of America today.

Would they even recognize it?

Madeline Duncan

Eubank, Ky.

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