Read, reflect and enjoy my take on some of the top news stories of 2011.
Something Odd…
Herman Cain’s insane presidential campaign! Seriously, I am glad Cain did not remain in a campaign that was quickly going down the drain. What did his ego expect to gain?
So many bloopers I could name! His integrity waned by a libido untamed. His 9-9-9 plan was not feasible to maintain. Not to mention the current foreign affairs his memory could not contain.
Fortunately, Cain realized he was putting himself and his family to shame. But not before quoting a Pokemon movie and declaring the media was to blame!
Something True…
More Americans are living in poverty, according to a recent study by the Census Bureau. (You can click here to read the report.) This trend did not start during the Great Recession. Rather, this began years ago. The implosion of the economy magnified the plight of many people in this country.
With all the buzzwords of inequality, the wealth gap, the 1% and the 99%, what are we really prepared to do – as a nation – to effect positive change in people’s lives?
Will we commit to the growth of others, or continue to pursue greed, political partisanship and a hypocritical value system while our fellow citizens suffer? Will we sit idle while America continues to become the land of the free to lose everything, and the home of those brave enough to live on the street?
My 2012 prayer is that I fully walk into my purpose of serving others – working towards a healthier, wiser, and freer community in which the willingness to serve is cyclical.
Something Shocking…
One of the most shocking news stories of 2011 for me was the Penn State child molestation scandal. Not about the acts of child molestation, per say. Unfortunately, this happens every day for too many children in dark places where the media light does not shine.
Rather, this news story angered me for two reasons. First, I am appalled that other adults were aware of these dastardly acts and chose to do nothing about it.
Something To Do…
Get out the vote! Take action in 2012 to secure our voting rights. Americans should be ashamed of our laziness about voting – that is why Republican legislatures across this country are brazenly writing and passing laws to suppress voting rights – in the name of voter fraud.
These laws could affect nearly 5 million Americans who are eligible to vote.
Citizens in terrorist riddled countries risk their lives to vote. Meanwhile, Americans lay back, complain and have not experienced a voter turnout for national elections above 65% in the last 50 years.
We need to recognize the sense of urgency regarding the actions of some groups who believe less government is more. Yet, many have devised the ultimate plan to deny American citizens the right to vote. I wrote about this in a blog post last March.
Since that time, voters in Ohio managed to suspend its law; the U.S. Justice Department blocked South Carolina’s voter ID law; and Maine voters defeated a proposed law that would have ended election day voter registration.
One can only hope this momentum continues. But in the mean time, we should get involved to ensure American citizens in our area meet the qualifications to vote.
Happy New Year!
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce, poet
