"It does not require a majority to prevail but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brushfires in people's minds."
-Samuel Adams
I believe that things can change.
I believe that there can be honesty in politics.
I believe that there are people of integrity who are in governmental service right now. And, that each elected official can choose, at any time, to free himself from the influence of his richest donors.
Once elected, each representative can choose,
with every new bill and with every new statement,
to cast his or her vote and voice in an honest forthright manner. ...Without consideration to those who provided the money in the first place.
Can this be done? Of course it can!
Has it been done? Of course it has!
Is it a risk? Yes.
Will the person who chooses to do this
face unpleasant consequences?
Probably!
The very same donors, who helped the candidate win, may attempt to remove the one who they believed they owned. And, they may use any despicable means to do so.
I have been told that it is a fact of life that our political system is corrupt. That this is just the way it is. And, it will remain so.
I have been told that it is simply unrealistic to believe that there may be honest people in government, who can not be bought. And, also get elected.
I have been told that I am living in a fantasy land to think there can, and will, be change in our lifetime. I have been told that wishing it were so will not make it so. And that my Pollyanna ideals, does not change the truth.
Well, this is what Mom thinks....
I think that anything is possible.
I think that hope, coupled with action,
can produce miracles.
I think there are good people in politics
and in business right now.
I think that each of us has immense power.
I believe that there are no absolutes.
I think that anything can change in an instant.
I think that within every person,
there exists a fearless warrior.
I think we can change our course in any moment.
I think that most of the time we forget who we are.
That there are times when we loose our faith,
stumble and fall. ...And, give into the status quo.
I think that at those times we give up our power.
We belittle our own voice.
We begin to believe that things will never change,
at least in the short run.
At those times,
we need someone to help us remember.
I can tell you this.
I have seen tremendous change in my lifetime.
I have the seen the effect of one person,
standing with another,
which in turn influences a third,
bring about a change.
I remember a time when it was perfectly legal for an employer not to hire someone simply because of the color of his skin or ethnic background.
Has discrimination continued to exist?
Yes it has!
But, that does not mean that things have not changed.
I remember a time when we rarely saw an African American on television or in movies who was not cast in a demeaning roll.
I remember a time when women professionals were extremely rare. Until I was in my forties, I'd only met one physician who was female. And, I'd met a lot of doctors.
I remember growing up in a "lily white' middle class neighborhood. I remember going to schools where there were no teachers or students who were of any other race. At that time, most people did not even consider that there could be or should be a change.
But, as we now know, things have changed.
The change has enriched us.
And, yes, there have problems along the way.
We are still working on it.
OK, people concede. But, that is social change.
I am told that it is different with economics and politics.
I have been told that I am not looking at reality if I refuse to accept that by the very nature of politics, it is corrupt. And, that until there is no scarcity in the world, things will not change.
Well, I don't think that we have to wait that long.
I think that one elected official,
using the power of his office,
standing with another, influencing a third,
can change the course of history.
I think that with every new day, in every given moment, each of us can elect to take a new course. Anyone, including our elected officials, can stand up and say "No More!" 'From this moment on, I will do things differently." 'And, I will accept the consequences." Freedom is not free.
When enough of us change our consciousness,
when we resolve to do things differently,
and follow through, the world can be changed.
And, I think that when we resolve to act with courage and integrity, we can move mountains with our overwhelming strength.
I believe that all of us will fail some of the time,
but that does not mean that we will fail all of the time
or even most of the time.
I believe one of us,
joining with another,
influencing a third,
can make anything possible.
I beg of you to consider that we can not generalize about anything. Nothing is exactly as we perceive it. Each of us is creating our world in every given moment.
In reality, we create everything!
And, we can choose to create something new.
Right now. Right here.