It's "Hearts and Minds" time in the Battle for United States 2011-2012
This fight comes down to nothing less than a fight for the survival and "soul" of our country. It is a fight being fought on the airwaves of the media, it is a fight being fought in towns and villages throughout our nation at townhall meetings, in coffee shops, bars, on our streets and in our very homes. It is a fight for the "soul" of the United States.
This is a time when we need Americans to choose country over political self interest and identification. It is a time when the very notions of our collective nation are challenged by disparate forces that seek only to advance their political intrests over those of the national good. It is a time where America stands at the brink of economic turmoil that can destroy the fabric of our nation.
I am now more convinced than ever that it is time for Americans to stand up for our nation if we want to save it, and it is time to take the fight for "Hearts and Minds" to the American people to appeal to our sense of nation and of self.
In the last few weeks I have had to travel for business, and in that time I got to talking with a number of clients and fellow worker bees about the economy. See, I am in Sales, so the economy and what is happening are crucial to the business climate in which I make my living.
Now, we all see people discussing what the political leaders of the Right have to say with regards to the President or the Economy or any other issues. But it is what their supporters are saying that galvanizes my support for the protestors. These people represent to me the end result of what the Right Wing is trying to accomplish here.
DISCUSSION with a Conservative #1
So I am at a trade show and while I am there a gentleman in an American flag tie with a USMC pin comes up to my booth doing a survey of the show. The guy I was sharing the booth with is a conservative but a pretty reasonable guy (at least in our conversations) and he and I were joking around about the President and politics when this guy came up. He asks what we were talking about and my friend makes some snarky remark about our President. All of a sudden this fellow, an ex-soldier, wearing an American tie chimes in and says "Hey, he's your President not mine".
Incredulous I said: "What does that mean? Aren't you American?" His response: "I am but the President is not"...
I was disgusted by that and told him what I thought of his "selectivness" regarding the Office of the Presidency. I told him that I never liked George Bush (I or II) or Ronald Reagan but I never claimed they weren't my President. I voted against them but once the elections were over that was that.
After he left, even my conservative friend was disgusted. He said: "I hate when people do that, I am not going to vote for Obama in 2012 but right now he is our President and I hate when people say those things." I told him that I agreed (with the hate when people say that not the not voting part - I support President Obama).
However, I then thought... what is up with this guy? I mean he is a veteran, he put his life in the hands of the U.S. government and he then says "He is not my President"??? That seems to go against everything that he swore when he joined the Marines. Here is the Oath of the Marine Corps. - you tell me. It appears that this oath meant nothing to this guy, and given these seditious comments it seemed nothing short of hypocritical for the guy to wear an American Flag Tie and an USMC pin and then to say "Well he's NOT my President"....
DISCUSSION with a Conservative #2
Later on during the same trip I met with some guys who are building a number of stores. The economy may be tough but these guys are doing pretty well. Now, I know them to be Conservative and generally we joke around about our differences. HOWEVER, this time there was no joking. At one point during my sales call one guy said to me: "Well, I actually am slowing down my building process and not opening as many new sites, I don't want Obama to take credit for the economy improving". So much for the fucking job creators.
I just sat there stunned... I mean these people are talking about destroying the country in real terms just to rid the country of President Obama and the Democratic Party. To them being conservative and Republican trumps being an American. And what is worse is that these people get all the press coverage and hype on thousands of conservative radio stations and throughout the Mainstream Media.
Yet people standing up for our general society and the Middle Class get shot down as kooks or radicals and ignored. Look at the coverage that the Occupy Wall St. people have not received from the MSM. It is pathetic. Here are people out in the streets speaking against the corruption of American politics by those who would set the clock in this country back to the robberbaron societies of the late 1800's. These true patriots are called names while they march to support all of us. Well I have a name for most of them, I call them "Patriotic Americans".
It is time for the vast majority of Americans to see just who is supporting them and just who is working against them. It is truly a battle for the Heats and Minds of America and it is crucial that we as American people win this fight against those who put loyalty to party and their conservative ideology OVER the interests of America.
For reference see MBNYC's wonderful photo diary for a flavor of what is happening with the Occupy Wall Street Movement.
Here is a page from what the Occupy Wall Street people for donations and things they need. I can't make it to the site being on the West Coast, but, I will definitely be donating to help them.