Musical Chairs and Slick Politicians
by Carol Allen Anfinsen(12)AnfinsenArt
Musical Chairs; we've all played it. We've all done it. We've changed our minds, our opinions, our political affiliations and our attitudes. We've even "flip-flopped" on important issues when more information is available. And we've seen politicians switch parties on a dime or say things in the heat of a campaign that they later retract. Musical Chairs is only a game. Life is not.
When people make promises, they should keep them. When they give you their word, they should mean it. We call that behavior integrity, and it seems to be in short supply these days. Integrity tells other people that you're a person of your word. A person who can be counted on to keep a promise and to say what you mean.
Don't you just fume when someone reminds you how honest they are, or insists that they know what's best for you or for the country? Then right before your eyes, they change like a chameleon; spouting another mantra, another truth, another sales pitch, depending upon media pressure or their audience.
Doesn't it make your blood boil when your intelligence or your knowledge of the facts is questioned by the self-important wordsmith in front of you? If you're like me, it's pretty hard not to get caught up in some rhetoric or name-calling of your own, even though it's not what a good Christian ought to do.
But there is a time and a place. The voting booth is one of them, and the Constitution provides the opportunity to campaign, to offer financial support, to speak up and vote up the candidate of your choice. It behooves each of us to read and re-read the God-given and inspired truths that are contained in our founding documents.
Freedom and liberty have always been the rights God bestows upon his chosen and "adopted" people. But freedom to worship, freedom to live as we choose can only come in an environment that recognizes God as our sovereign power. Anything less is dictatorship, communism, and the many shades of gray in between that lead to the destruction of a free society.
Stay Informed Many people, women in particular, claim that they don't watch the news because "It's too upsetting." If the news is that upsetting, maybe there's something you can do to change it. Burying your head in the sand won't stop a bad bill from coming to the floor. It won't keep a slick-talking politician from taking command.
Know the issues and know the candidates. Find out what you can do to make a difference. Read and watch many news sources. Don't depend on one commentator, one channel, one network or internet source for information. Even if you dislike a network's or a newspaper's point of view, see how they present the same set of facts and compare that data with other commentators and news sources. Get the facts not the hype or cover-up.
Take Action Information does you no good if you don't use it. Get involved! Support the candidates that represent your values, your beliefs, your point of view. Ask questions. Interview the candidates, if possible. And always, always vote, even if the choices seem limited or your support is lukewarm. Your influence, your preferences can only be voiced if you get out and vote. And remember, Primaries do matter! You can make a difference.
Article submitted Thursday, May 20, 2010 & read 392 times.
Leave Your Comments:
» left by Mark Parsec(350)(106 days 22 hours ago.)
Hi Carol,Sage advice for an apathetic generation.MarkRespond to this comment
» left by Linda DeWitt (106 days 4 hours ago.)
Very informative article Carol. My husband thinks I've lost it because of all the history books I'm reading but lately I see him becoming more interested. I'm not sure what I can do but I'm staying plugged in and I am sure God will lead me. Thanks for sharing.Respond to this comment