How is it that despite all of the blessings and advantages we in the United States possess, as a nation we continue to major in minors, prioritizing politics and profit margins over decency and human-kindness?
We've been operating in this topsy-turvy, inside-out, upside-down state of being for too long now, but the absence of goodwill, charity and human kindness is especially apparent now, with Christmas just around the corner.
For instance, Americans spent an estimated $6.9 billion dollars on federal elections in 2016. And what do we have to show for it? More of the same. The halls of Congress and the White House are as polluted as ever.
The country's endless wars, foreign occupations and targeted drone killings have stretched our military thin, robbed us of resources needed to shore up our infrastructure, and left us vulnerable to blowback, and yet the U.S. government has committed close to $6 trillion to advance wars in the Middle East and prop up the military-industrial complex.
Pork-barrel legislation, waste, corruption and general mismanagement have also contributed to the government's ballooning $20 trillion debt. Yet the politicians continue to find ways steal from those who can least afford it, while leading lives of luxury and excess.
Local governments continue to enact policies criminalizing homelessness and making it difficult for those who attempt to feed or shelter the homeless. Yet on any given night, more than 500,000 homeless Americans sleep on the streets or in emergency shelters; more than half of New Yorkers are one paycheck away from homelessness; and one out of every 6 children in the United States doesn't know when their next meal will be.
To sum things up, Americans have shelled out trillions of dollars of hard-earned tax dollars on political circuses, war machines and graft that fed no one, clothed no one, sheltered no one, and did not in any way shift the balance of power in the country between the haves (the oligarchic elite that runs Washington DC) and the have nots (the millions of taxpayers whose needs are not being heard or represented, and who must labor to pay for the corruption, excesses and graft of the power elite).
When will we ever learn?
Before you know it, Christmas will be a distant memory and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming of politics, war, violence, materialism and mayhem.
There may not be much we can do to avoid the dismal reality of the police state in the long term, but in the short term, there are things we can all do right now to make this world (or at least our small corners of it) just a little bit kinder, a little less hostile, and a lot more helpful to those in need.
No matter what one's budget, religion, or political persuasion, here are a few things we can do right now to beat the police state blues and recapture the true spirit of Christmas.
Tone down the partisan rhetoric, the "us" vs. "them" mentality. Instead of wasting time and resources on political infighting, it's time Americans learned to work together to solve the problems before us.
Minimize the technology and tune into what's happening in your family, in your community and your world. Ration your screen time. Trade virtual communities for real ones. Greet your neighbors. Make time for family meals. Spend time talking to each other instead of at each other.
Show compassion to those in need, be kind to those around you, forgive those who have wronged you, and teach your children to do the same. Remember your p's and q's. I'm talking about simple things like holding a door open for someone, helping someone stranded on the side of the road, and saying "please" and "thank you" to those who do you a service.
Talk less, listen more. Take less, and give more. Instead of counting your many complaints, count your blessings and pay them forward. Here's where I'll put in a plug for The Rutherford Institute, which is one of the most hard-working, ethical and selfless organizations out there trying to make this sorry little world a better place. If the spirit of giving moves you, take a moment to send some love their way. They're doing a lot with very little, and they can use all the help they can get.
Stop being a hater. How can we ever hope to curb the hatred and animosity that have spurred global terrorism over the past few decades if we can't even forgive the human failings of those in our immediate circles?
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