I'M NOT STUPID !!!

Honestly, if you were to make an educated guess, what percentage of the American people has, actually taken the time to read the Constitution of the United States of America? I mean really sit down and read it, think about it, and form an opinion based on the information provided. Our schools barely touch on it; instead of making it required reading and testing us on comprehension. It’s astonishing, but I’d wager if we polled a cross section of America, it is less than (one percent).
So in this day and age of internet chat rooms focusing on government reform, The Tea parties of late bloviating the need for less government and lower taxes, and protests against the rights of gun owners, and banning guns all together, one must ask this question; “Who has planted the seed of doubt into the mind of an otherwise uninformed person?” While I completely agree that dissent is the purest form of patriotism, and am all for protesting the subject de’ jour, I can’t help but wonder what forum could be so widely available, and so load with its message, not of objective topics and non-partisan views, but what it claims as fact, that it offers to form your opinion for you. In a nut shell, even the smartest people, most of which cannot name our current Vice President, sometimes feel they are too busy in their day to day routine to form their own opinions. In fact, the majorities of people, look at the two sides of an issue, and simply choose to be on the side of the majority. The answer is the media. Wow, what an awesome power to hold is one’s grasp. The power to form opinions for a particular demographic or anyone else who just may happen to be listening, and all but tell you that, “this is how you should feel.” To have the ability to dictate policy without discussion or debate is something that should be decided by the people, don’t you think? Sound familiar?
Obamma or O’Riley, Beck, Blitzer, Clinton or Couric, it seems the source is no longer relevant and is somehow overshadowed by the form of media transmission chosen to air it, and what media rube reads it or editorializes about it. The media no longer tells the story and lets us choose whom to side with. Print and electronic news outlets have all but taken over our ability to reason. How can we let this happen? Frankly’ WE CAN’T!!! Personally, I will never let someone else form my opinion for me. I choose to be and now will consider myself reborn as an independent thinker. No longer will I hold any allegiance to any particular party, nor cast my most cherished possession, my vote, along party lines, and we all should do the same. My morals, upbringing, and ability to process information and form my own opinion shall now be the only factors I use when choosing a stance regardless if it flies in the face of the status quo.
It’s really quite simple if you think about it. The Government realizes that we, the American people, rely on the media for our daily dose of news. It further realizes that in order for these forums to exist, they rely on sponsors. And, in order for these sponsors to succeed, they must have us purchase their products. So, let’s pose this question: How does the government get their policies unpopular as they may be to be accepted by the majority? How’s this for an answer? Reverse lobbying tactics. They do a little governmental greasing of the palm to ensure a favorable vote on issues. “A chicken in every pot”, as it were. Even using Union strong arm tactics to threaten or intimidate us under the guise of higher taxes, or environmental restrictions or some other sort of sanctions. In contrast, do we use that type of discrimination when deciding what products to purchase? I think not.
You can complain all you want to, but the fact remains, we are the reason this has been allowed to happen for such a long time. We have placed these people into power. We have decided to take that media outlet’s opinion as fact. Why…? Because the majority of us are nothing more than, Blind, Apathetic Sheep! Destined to nothing more than follow the Sheppard who can gather the flock, and herd them to his destination the quickest. When will we wake up?
Until we, as a People, realize that we are the boss. We are in charge of our own destiny. Laws, policies, and proposed solutions to the thing that directly affect us, MUST be approved by us! This is what the Constitution is all about. This is how our forefathers meant by prefacing the document with; We the People. Let us not be oppressed by a Government that seeks not to better the human condition, but to maintain it, thus justifying their existence. Wake up America!

DAVID W. EMERICK