by Don Hynes
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| Vantage Point | Culture and Politics by Don Hynes |
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"No man is prejudiced in favor of a thing, knowing it to be wrong.
He is attached to it on the belief of its being right; and when he sees it is not so,
the prejudice will be gone." - Tom Paine
November 05, 2006 Weekly Article of Note 10-28-06 Vantage Point: I propose to begin posting one article of note weekly on Vantage Point and invite all of you to join me in a focus of our individual and collective lens on one specific issue or event weekly and to invite ten or more of our friends to join us each week in this focus. There is one thing those who favor the destruction of life intensely fear and dislike and that is the LIGHT OF AWARENESS and recognition upon their activities and misdeeds. Here’s the first of these weekly postings, a brilliant essay by American elder statesman Bill Moyers on the current state of our democracy. Moyers doesn’t instruct on how to vote; rather his insights compose a stellar brief on the importance of a course change. America 101 by Bill Moyers http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/11/01/america_101.php “The isolation of our schools, the crumbling of our infrastructure and the reckless disregard of our fiscal affairs signal a retreat from the social compact that made America unique among nations. Our culture of democracy derived from the rooted experience of shared values, common dreams, and mutual aspirations that are proclaimed in the most disregarded section in the Constitution – the prologue – which announces a moral contract among “We, the People of the United States.” Yes, I know: When those words were written “We, the People” didn’t include slaves, or women, or exploited workers, or unwelcome immigrants. To our everlasting shame America nurtured slavery in the cradle of liberty. But, oh, the very idea of it, the vision of it, the potential power of “We, the People” let loose in that brief astonishing span of history was to change the consciousness of the world. How radical it was – the notion that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is every human being’s birthright – that all of us are equal in the scheme of Providence – that every citizen shares equally in the consent required for self-government in the grand adventure of independence.” If you want the same message fast and musical here’s a great video to get out the vote. Freedom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm2OXQh3duI *** |
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