Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Us against them


It is so easy to blame all of our societal ills on our duly elected leaders.  Us against them.  "They" just keep spending money.  "They" raise the debt ceiling.  "They" protect the banking industries and mortgage companies. "They" are evil.  We are merely innocent pawns in their multi-billion (or is that trillion?) dollar chess game.

Not so fast.  The reality of life is "the squeaky wheel gets the grease".  The more we yell about how tough life is, the more they throw money at us.  The more money they throw at us, the more we yell.  And on it goes.  We are so concerned about getting what we want for ourselves that we have  forgotten that you don't get something for nothing.  There is a price to be paid for everything, whether it is a "free" lunch for our children at school or a low interest rate on a mortgage we can't really afford.  We scream for the government to supply us with a paycheck when we are unemployed because it's not our fault we can't find a job.  We scream for the government to "help" us with our grocery's because times are tough and we can't provide for ourselves.  We scream for the state to pay for our hospital stays because medical costs are too much for an individual or family to bear.  We want subsidized housing, agriculture and education.  We want the state to pay for schools, special needs programs and youth sporting events.  We expect special services provided by the state when we have children with hearing problems, chronic medical issues and mental health concerns.  And then we wonder why our country is going broke.

Ultimately, all change begins with us.  We can keep voting one person after another out of office, but not a thing will change.  Nothing will change until we quit putting our hand out.  Nothing will change until we take responsibility for our own lives and our own choices.  Nothing will change until we choose to care for our own children, our own parents and our own selves.  Until we are ready to do the hard things, we are willingly putting ourselves at the mercy of a corrupt government.  Until we are willing to pay for our own hospital bills, our own mortgages, our own children's lunches and our own children's hearing aides, we are responsible for destroying our own country.  We are responsible, not "them".

We will live.  We will live without a constant influx of other people's money.  It will hurt.  It will reduce our standard of living.  But so what?!  It is during times of famine and times of want that truly great people are molded.  It is during adversity that character is built.  Be that person.  Choose to be a standard.  Choose to take responsibility, regardless of what Fred, down the road is doing.  It starts with one person, with one family, with one neighborhood.  It starts with you saying "no".  No to a free lunch.  No to welfare.  No to medicaid.  No to a corrupt government.  Say "no" to a handout and "yes" to true freedom. It isn't really us against them.  It is us against us.

12 comments:

  1. AMEN! Thank you for that post. I enjoy your blog but thank you for that post.

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  2. I agree! We once had a pediatrician refuse to care for our children anymore because my husband and I would not apply for state aid. We had private health insurance at the time, and she was getting paid, but she felt that since we were "poor" we should take advantage of "opportunities" such as welfare and wic and medicaid. She felt that my husband's pride was wrong, nevermind that at 22 he would rather have worked 2 full-time jobs to take care of his family instead of go on state aid. Our society is so backwards.

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  3. So true! Thank you for your message, it's a very good start for re-thinking our way of living...

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  4. Our real success will come when it is Us "with" God. When we take responsibility for ourselves and turn back to God, there is nothing we can't accomplish! My wife and I really enjoy your blog. We have changed our lifestyle to one that includes gardening, canning, and preparation for the hard times we feel are coming. We are embracing the lifestyle of our grandparents and enjoying it! Thanks for all your valuable information.

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  5. Very well stated! That is my husband's and my feelings on the subject as well.

    Our children are grown and flown, but I have regrets that they went to public school. If I knew then what I know now...but, I digress. Every year they tried to pressure me into signing up for free lunches, but I always refused, even after they whined, "But the school gets more money when more students are signed up for free lunch." I firmly told them, we will provide for our childrens needs. Looking back, I guess I was one of those parents they were glad not to have to deal with anymore after my children were graduated. LOL.

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  6. Wow! YES! THIS!

    Echoing the first commenter on this post in that I enjoy your blog more and more but this post encapsulates exactly how I feel. Thank you!

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  7. Accept responsibility for our own needs. Yes.

    Hard work, honest work, with it's monetary or bountiful rewards networked and kept inside of our own communities, is a great place to start with saying, NO to outside entitlements.

    Plant your own seeds for the future.
    Raise your children to become statesmen of freedom.
    Elect statesmen that live and work beside you, into office.

    We are responsible for the outcome of our desires.

    notutopia

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  8. Once again, Enola, you very eloquently said what I've been trying to express for a long time. In fact, Glenn Beck says basically the same thing and he has a TV show, radio show, book deals, live performances - see where your wisdom could take you if you wanted it to! LOL He's leaving Fox News in September, maybe you can get his timeslot?!!

    NoCal Gal

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  9. lol, did you borrow my speech? or maybe i borrowed it from you? when i express these thoughts out loud to some of the folks that i love i get these looks that i interpret to mean "who, me? are you insane?". it really perks me up alot to know there are other people in the world who think as i do. God bless you!

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  10. Well said. And very true. When my son became very ill and suffered extreme depression, he had to return home. He has no ability to work at present and no insurance so it is on us to care for him. We have chosen to forgo doctor prescribed drugs and instead initiate proper diet hygiene and rest with added herbal help for immune support. According to all my friends and family that no so much better than I do, I am in the wrong and should have him on Medicaid food stamps and disability so that he can qualify for drugs and every conceivable kind of 'help' Even the doctor tried to push it on us. Uggg... when will we hush and start taking responsibility, and care of our family like we should?
    Normajean

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  11. I love your blog and read it regularly and for the most prt I agree with everything you say, but today's comment needs modification. First, people seem to have a problem with Social Security. I worked for 30 years after my children were all in school, paying into SS the whole time. My husband also worked 30 years before he died at 51, thus reaping no benefit from SS. Now I do not have my hand out for a "freebie". I paid into the system, and so did my husband, and if we had an option to put the same amount of money into savings we would have probably had more than I will ever draw. Granny

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  12. I am glad that Normajean has the ability to support her son without 'help'. I also have a son who worked hard for 25 years then he was injured and was no longer able to work. I was barely able to keep him afloat the two years it took for him to get disability, since I live on Social Security (I am a 75 year old Diabetic). I don't feel bad at all that he gets disability. As I see it, that is what it was designed for. What should those people do who cannot work and do not have affluent relatives to fall back on. Granny

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