*issues warning: this article doesn’t contain any nifty statistics or emotional manipulation and attempts to communicate with the American public by using common sense grounded in logical reasoning.
Watching the first six months of the 2016 political election & debates unfold has been, among many other painful things… heartbreaking. As Americans, everyday we’re faced with merciless fraudulent reporting’s by the mainstream media, constant clamoring of mis-informed peers & pundits on [insert any social or political issue] and an intense divisive energy trickling down to the masses that’s landing devastating blow-after-blow to our fragile American culture. With the SAME debate rhetoric, SAME badgering of left vs. right that has been the case for so many years, more dangerous problems approaching from every angle… we’re risking the SAME result of the past & present: a deteriorating, less-safe, divided, dispirited state of the general American public that’s laying the foundation for complete media & government takeover. That risk is simply too big to take….
I’m going to offer you an alternative: It’s simple but transcendental, scary but certain, revolutionary but systemic…
Here it is: Don’t rely on ANY of the presidential candidates (left, right, middle) to save or change America. Rely on yourself. Depend on your peers. Trust in a true collective effort of the people through our small but immensely powerful individual free-will. At face value it sounds like what most politicians say, but I don’t mean it like they do. I’m not talking about empowering you through policy, I’m talking about starting with the way you think, feel and act right now. The way you feel about yourself, how you treat the people around you, and the judgement that you choose NOT to pass on one another. The hard & true road of self analysis & reflective living. It can get a little complex but at it’s core it’s very, very reasonable… focus on what you can control. If we start here, truly anything is possible.
This is our last salvation as The United States. Without it, history has ensured we’ll Fall. With it, we need not only be optimistic about the years to come, but can expect a wholly glorious future.
Right now we’re heading into to heated election season as America is faced with a mass of dead-serious economic, social & geopolitical problems. We as Americans are supposed to get our chance at “real change” via the democratic election process. Pick a side, any-side… well, actually there are only two: left or right, democrat or republican. Your elected officials will then duke it out in an election process filled with propoganda, complete media manipulation, convincing bravado, andundeliverable guarantees to sway the uneducated and equally emotional public. Sure it is as the sun will Rise tomorrow, all logic will be lost. Although our country has drastically changed over the last twenty years, the SAME debate topics will be discussed (Immigration! Unemployment! Restoring the Middle Class! Fiscal Debt! Equal rights! Tax Reform! Terrorism! War with an Enemy!).
We have all felt frustrated with the process before, yeah? OK, I think you’re with me, so far…
Here’s where things stand today, “politically”: In the blue corner a Socialist, an oligopolic criminal and one other candidate with NO chance of winning. In the red corner a Billionaire Apprentice, a few career politicians sticking to good ol’ conservative values and a bunch of candidates with NO chance of winning.
On both sides we have false hope, empty promises, and no accountability that come as a result of being stuck in a broken system. If you think not, I ask one simple question… when is the last time a democrat OR a republican was elected President and America was a better nation as a result?
ANSWER:
(*issues third warning: you must have at least some general awareness of your surroundings to read on… if not, please stop reading… you’re not going to get it anyway.)
Obama administration (2009 – 2015): NO… God, no.
Bush administration (2001-2009): NO… sorry, nope.
Here’s what I’m getting at….
Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, etc, etc, etc, etc: NONE of these candidates will be America’s saving grace. Let me say it again, more deliberately…
THEY AREN’T GOING TO HELP US.
THEY CAN’T HELP US.
THE HARD TRUTH IS THIS(read closely):
The massive problems that face our country (and the world) are so deep-rooted, so fundamentally complex, so incredibly layered between big money corporate industry, international banking conglomerates, fiat currency based fiscal & monetary control, global political alliances, interconnected unknown government agencies, ancient prophetic carry-outings, technological communication tracking & information gathering and about a MILLION other things that the everyday American citizen has absolutely no chance of fully comprehending and even less of a chance of finding a master equation to fix it all through national policy of an elected official in a BROKEN system. We may NEVER really know exactly what the hell is going on… and NONE of these damned candidates are going to tell us even if they knew – and they don’t!
But there is a way out of this mess; there’s an answer. There’s more hope in this one thing than in anything else…
That one thing is YOU. It lies in YOUR MIND, in YOUR HEART and your celestial freedom to CHOOSE your actions of right NOW, tomorrow and the rest of your life….. in truly understanding that your individual intentions & actions can CHANGEthings… they can Change The World. Not your vote, not a checkmark on a ballot to be stamped and sent out somewhere to support a candidate in a busted up two-party political system contributing, amongst many other things, to the systematic division of America’s People. I’m talking about YOU and your contribution to society through your own thoughts and actions.
Here’s The Solution – You HAVE TO simply to put a fundamental focus on changing yourself FIRST, before worrying about overwhelming complex issues that are so far out of your control. Doesn’t that make sense? It’s illogical to worry & anger over things completely beyond your grasp, like what decisions our national policy makers are going to make on this day or the next. However, it’s perfectly reasonable and realistic to focus on changing what you can. And you’re not alone… you’re changing yourself, I’m changing myself, we’re changing ourselves. We’re working together, here… that’s the idea.
I’m not going to be so self-righteous and try to tell you that there is one set of rules that you need to model in order to improve yourself. In most situations you already know what’s best, you know deep down what you can & need to do to be a better person today, it just takes some real action on your part. If you don’t know for sure then start by thinking about it. You’ll find the answers, albeit slowly and sometimes painfully… nothing great comes without sacrifice.
And then, this will happen… Thoughts turn into intention, intention turns into action, and action causes a reaction. If you multiply this little equation by say… 1,000 people determined to make themselves & treat their neighbor better – you get a ripple effect. If you scale the concept to 10 million people focused on true change that starts with oneself, the whole world will literally change in an instant. It’s true.
OK. So, change yourself first. BELIEVE in that concept. Take action. Where to next?
*Seeks individual betterment…*Enters Real Leadership!
If we can summit such massive courage & faith to improve ourselves, strengthen our thoughts, and treat one person better tomorrow… if we start with these small but high-frequency thoughts today, the right leaders will arise tomorrow. The wrong leaders that we see now are simply a representation of ourselves, a true representation of the state of the American public. If we take the power in our own hands to change that state, with reliance on each other – new & universally competent Leaders who are true & valiant will emerge from the ashes of this melee we’re forced to sit painfully through now.
This ideology of course will take time, steadfast patience, and we may have to fight through many more tragedies and adversities to reach it. Beyond the obstacles, it will ALWAYS prevail if we have the courage to see it through. This is NOT an instantaneous or short-term solution BY ANY MEANS… it’s the only long-term viable solution that we can reasonably rely on.The power truly rests in our hands.
Start with this: don’t allow yourself to be pushed to one side.
Don’t fall victim to the choosing against your peers. Don’t allow yourself to be labeled as a Republican or Democrat, White or Black, Armed or Unarmed, Officer or Civilian, Immigrant or Native, Muslim or Christian…
This is the chief tool keeping us from working together to solve all our problems. The oldest saying which we’ve all heard is “Divide and Conquer” – BUT if there’s no division, the conquering comes from within and conquers all of the perceived evil surrounding of it.
That’s it, people. I can understand that in many ways this is an idealistic proposal… but if that’s what you think, I ask you: can you think of a better solution that is truly within our reach? Within this “first-step” to curing our ills as a nation state there is logic, reason, common sense, physics, metaphysics, mindfulness, morality, philosophy, spirituality, humanity and then some. Even within ALL OF THAT, find the simplicity: all we have to do is transform one destructive thought to an uplifting one, treat one of your peers with with respect instead of suspicion, and begin the long, immensely rewarding road of self-betterment… while wholly trusting but not relying on our peers to do the same.
In doing so, the impossible will cease to be so. Real leaders arise who can implement progressive policy for a changing world, led by you and for YOU. We need not fear the future because we’re in control of it. We need not seek security in deceitful leaders with ulterior motives as WE become the driving force of a nation, leaders of a more cohesive, moral world. Don’t expect our problems to vanish overnight, continue to be prudent in your daily affairs and seek freedom and the safety for our families as you otherwise would BUT do so while laying the foundation for a better you, thus a better American culture.
As a final warning, should we decide to stay the course we’re currently on; hoping for incompetent false political leadership to solve problems for us, being treated like a fool by the malevolent forces leading us astray and forcing us to choose against one other… we’ll find the only destination waiting for us at the end of the path of division: chaos, total disharmony and a slow deliberate perishing of a once-was Great United States of America, leader of the Free World.
Refuse to be an excerpt in a book 100 years from now describing another great nation that has risen and fallen and turned to dust. Make History, choose differently. RIGHT NOW. Our fate is in our own hands. I promise to do my part, America. To free thought, positive intention, the path of meaningful change and the beginning of an unfashionable revolution.
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Written by,
J.A. St.Onge
Founder/President
J. Arthur & Company
Digital Strategy & Development
O – 401.239.1311
C – 603.738.1947
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Newport RI 02840
www.jarthur.co/old-site