I have always wondered why so many Americans seem so completely disconnected from the political process, despite the fact that what politicians do can drastically affect their everyday lives. Laws that are passed determine your country’s direction, the wars we fight, your taxes, your freedoms and your family’s benefits as members of our society.
At some level, this disconnection from the political process is not unlike children ignoring their siblings, hoping they will go away and let them play the videogame. But your siblings dramatically affect your life as you grow up, and politicians dramatically affect your life, and your family’s wellbeing, every single day.
I have inquired among friends, both those vocal about politics, and those quiet on the subject, and rarely do I get any meaningful answers as to why they do not contact their congressperson or Senators about what is going on in our country right now. However, yesterday a good friend who is often vocal about politics, but who never contacts their representatives, admitted that he never contacts representatives or writes newspapers because he did not want to be on some list with the FBI or NSA.
This got me to thinking in more detail about the age-old question of the government utilizing fear and paranoia to silence any opposition among the citizenry. Clearly, many Americans now fear their government sufficiently to remain silent.
Thinking back to pre-Kristallnacht Germany and the silence of the many, this is an ominous sign.
I do not know what can be done to rouse the courage of citizens, who rightly fear their government now, to make their voices heard by their representatives.
I do know that widespread fear-induced complacency is a sign of a serious societal malady.
There are reasons for silent Americans to take heart, and to finally speak out. First, there is safety in numbers. There are too many strong voices at play in America now, on the Internet, on the radio with hosts like Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann, and with journalists like Keith Olbermann, even on TV. It isn't possible at this point for the fear mongers to put the genie back in the bottle.
Also, the fear mongers are losing control. Their fear tonic is slowly losing its potency as they cry wolf far too often, and then point their fingers at sheep and cry wolf again.
Finally, the fear mongers organizational structure is breaking down. Between the pending court cases, congressional investigations, resignations right and further right, and in-fighting among the fear mongers as to how to maintain control, their ability to play the fear card is diminished further with every passing day.
There are many other reasons why Americans are disconnected from politics and their government, from pure apathy, to ignorance to just being too damn busy. But a significant proportion of silent Americans are afraid of their government, and don’t want to be put on “a list”.
If you have thought that your voice is not important, and that the politicians don't care, and if you have worried that writing Congress will put you on a list that you do not want to be on, but you nonetheless still have hope that America can be turned around, then do the right thing and tell your congressional representatives how you feel. Write them, call them, stop by their office, whatever you feel you can do.
As I have said before, the silent wheel gets the shaft. Don’t be a silent partner to some possible future American Kristallnacht. Become a squeaky wheel and help take your country back from the fear mongers.
Dr. John Moffett is an active research neuroscientist in the Washington, DC area, who has published articles on the nervous and immune systems. Dr. Moffett is also the author and webmaster of the political opinion website www.Factinista.org, and is a Managing Editor at OpEdNews.com.
With acknowledgement to Richard Milhous Nixon for the header.
I too rue the antipathy of most Americans towards political activism, though I do not ascribe it, as do you, to fear. Americans are anything but fearful, especially when motivated. Those families who have given sons and daughters to the endlessly hungry god of war in Iraq and Afghanistan are also politically apathetic, with the obvious exception of Ms. Sheehan and darn few others, despite having more reason than most to speak out against the lies, incompetence and greed that has cost them the ultimate price.
We are , for the most part, unafraid of being on a list, we have not the history of a nation like Germany where folks simply disappeared, and even in those nations ruled by military juntas, where lists are certainly built and utilised, we have seen bloody confrontation on the streets, but never here, not since the protests over Viet Nam we havent. No, John, I believe our refusal to insist upon the America our founders created lies more with our lifestyles and less with our inner fears.
We are content with our cheap toys and our incredible credit card debt that traps us, we are also rather removed from our politicians, most of us thinking them a waste of time. Look at the numbers of folks who never even bother to vote for a hint that it isnt fear but apathy that keeps us from regaining our democratic processes.
Most of history has come down to a few very motivated individuals or a small group of dedicated people causing change through patience, diligence and just plain stubborness. I remain steadfast in my belief that , while slow to arise, the conscience of our fellow citizens will come to the fore. I will continue to work towards the political goals I have chosen and will never accuse my fellows of cowardice.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2388 comments)
on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 6:18:32 PM
There are reasons for silent Americans to take heart, and to finally speak out. First, there is safety in numbers. There are too many strong voices at play in America now, on the Internet, on the radio with hosts like Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann, and with journalists like Keith Olbermann.....
They are the ones plus many more who gave me the courage to speak out.
Every time I write something critical of Bush and the government I think I'll be in good company in that black prison somewhere just before I hit 'click.'
If that makes me paranoid...so be it. I call it being wary, because I've always thought that what happened to the Jews in Germany could happen here to the Jews or the blacks or the anybodies. For that, they called me crazy.
I never said it would happen; I said it could happen. I figured if it happened there, it could happen anywhere.
I see so many things happening under the Bush regime that scare the hell out of me. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop to see if he'll really enact one of those horrid presidential directives he's written and signed.
So I keep writing and talking to anyone who will listen, hoping they will take any action no matter how small.
Some of them tell me, we're so glad you're there doing it for us. I always tell them I'll forward them my address book, because we need all the voices we can get to help us.
I want my country back. For me and for them.
by
Sandy Sand (129 articles, 0 quicklinks, 144 diaries, 1121 comments)
on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 11:28:51 PM
I find that I use some words to describe the right again and again-- toxic, despicable, disgusting. When I've volunteered in booths at the local grange fair I've met many people, mostly men 25-60, mostly blue collar, who are disgusted with politics, who tell me they won't register to vote and haven't voted in years or decades.
These are the guys who have been betrayed the most by the right-- the ones whose solid factory and blue collar jobs have been exported or destroyed due to globalization and outsourcing.
I'm going to speculate that if they watch news, it's going to be FOX, not Olbermann. Are they afraid? Deep down, they could be. The loss of jobs, and the threat thereof is certainly emasculating, and makes them feel impotent.
Maybe that's part of the reason the GOP candidates talk with testosterone tongues.
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Rob Kall (721 articles, 3749 quicklinks, 304 diaries, 1485 comments)
on Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 12:47:47 PM
The Republican Party has a long history of attempting to keep the voter home, of alienation and deceit. They know that large turnouts favor Democratic candidates. The real pity is that this strategy works even though it no longer matters, Republican or Democrat only minor differences exist.
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ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2388 comments)
on Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 9:29:40 AM
I'm not sure it's paranoia. The country has always been run by about 4% of the population, while the other 96% spend their time at the mall or in front of the TV. That's not as elitist as it sounds, just the way it is, but there's another side to it that brings the 96% to their feet to change things. Doesn't happen often, but often enough to save us as a nation.
I've lived through twelve presidencies. When we get a Joe McCarthy, the nation turns because of someone like Edward R. Murrow and the ship of state gets back on track. Happened again with Nixon, is happening today (slowly as always) with George Bush.
We 4% blog--on both sides of issues--but when the chips are truly down, it's the 96% sitting on the sofas who get up and make things happen.
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Jim Freeman (107 articles, 40 quicklinks, 149 diaries, 325 comments)
on Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 6:23:19 PM
As I mentioned in my article, there are many reasons for silence in the face of tyranny, especially the perennial American excuse, apathy. But I wrote this based on the fact that I personally know that a good proportion of my friends and acquaintances are quiet in part because they are worried, not because they are apathetic. I’m not sure that even nuclear weapons being dropped on Iran and starting WWIII would be enough to get some Americans off the couch and into the streets.
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John R Moffett (78 articles, 14 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 587 comments)
on Friday, September 7, 2007 at 5:30:33 AM
