I've been watching the outpouring of emotion over the murder of Charlie Kirk and the other blatant, in-your-face crimes that have shocked our nation in recent weeks. I'm sure most of us agree that something needs to be done; but what, precisely, should be done is fiercely debated.
I'd like to suggest that if we all "started small", we'd get a lot more done than if we all worried about the "big picture". Each of us, as individuals, is too small and ineffectual a factor to get much attention on a state or national level. However, at our local level, we can certainly organize ourselves into groups of like-minded people and put pressure on our town and city councils to fix the problems we encounter. If a few dozen, or a few score, citizens were to insist that our local cops be given the authority, the budget and the free hand they need to control crime on our local streets, it would make all of our towns safer places to live. If local towns were to come together and demonstrate that they can succeed in doing that, then our county executives might apply the same lesson on a larger scale. If enough counties do likewise, then our state might begin to create the necessary conditions for change and improvement: and if enough states do the same, then our entire nation might find a way forward.
However, it all starts locally, with the foundations rather than the superstructure. We can't wave a magic wand and change our national government, or the Deep State bureaucracy, or so-called "blue state" policies. However, we can affect the day-to-day lives of our communities at our own level. If enough of us refuse to tolerate bigotry, extremism and dogmatism, we can take back our own environment. If enough of us do that, we can inspire others to do likewise . . . but it all begins with the individual.
Therefore, let's not worry about founding new chapters of Turning Point USA, or joining the political party of our preference. Let's join local churches, or make sure that local chapters of the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides are run in a balanced and sane manner, and do our best to see to it that local schools aren't infested with extremist views that make it a trial and a punishment for our children to attend them. All that is within our power to do, if we're willing to exert ourselves for the good of our communities.
Have at it!
Peter
12 comments:
"If a few dozen, or a few score, citizens were to insist that our local cops be given the authority, the budget and the free hand they need to control crime on our local streets, it would make all of our towns safer places to live." ...Not when you live in a place like California where the cops say "Our hands are tied by state law."
My church became so pro-illegal alien that I left it. ...And I was the choir director and the cantor!
"Boy Scouts" doesn't exist anymore. It's just Scouts." You know, Sodomite-friendly. The "scoutmasters" can be openly Sodomite now. There would be NO WAY I'd let my sons join "Scouts!"
Our "schools" are so infested with Sodomites that "The Three R's" are an afterthought.
Y'see, Peter, we're already WAY PAST "local activism" now... We waited too long. About the only thing that will get rid of the termites will be to burn down the house. ...And I'm not saying this lightly. It weighs HEAVILY on my mind. The ramifications of this will be both profound and destructive. I just don't see what else will fix this...
… let's not worry about founding new chapters of Turning Point USA
I would say that starting new chapters of TPUSA is a very “local’” response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The imitative to start a new chapter is very local, the interaction of the chapter is very local.
The local chapter in my city scheduled a candle-light vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk. Because of the tremendous response it has had to be rescheduled while they look for a larger venue.
Peter, I am surprised, that as a man of God, there is not the suggestion, nay, the fervent request for the people to humble themselves before God. To pray and seek his face and turn from their wicked ways.
I am reminded that, like the Israelites who brought the Ark to the battlefield to assure their victory, any other but appeal to God will fail.
We are under judgement. We must seek God first and above all.
(I neither cast down on you nor elevate myself. Let us be reminded of what must come first always.)
To be sure, I think these are grand ideas.
I want to see where we are in a year.
Problem is in Texas the beaucratic deep state has full control of local elected officials and local govt officials through the TML umbrella for city and county, and TASB for schools. Both of those are controlled by Texas' most populous counties (in, ideological liberals and unrepentant nanny state tax and spend Demoncrats).
So change is unlike to occur in the manner outlined here for TX at least.
Perhaps local LE have some independence, but since city/county funds them, they too have to bend the knee -- and lots of local le department wide corruption stories in tx if you look...
Vote in your next local election - as an informed voter, on Election Day. Poll watch for that election to make sure votes are counted correctly.
Learn the names of your neighbors on all sides, if you don't know them already.
Go to church, and invite someone you meet there to Sunday dinner.
Find a local service project (JustServe is a great site to search for needs by geography and ability) and help make someone's day better.
Resist the urge to demonize individuals online or in person, no matter how vile their rhetoric; remember, Christ told us "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy . . . Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."
Sure, churches whatever denominations + TPUSA etc. But I have another idea: instead of those useless DEI/Unconscious Bias courses all office people take, have the HR Depts implement "Being HUMAN" courses with tests where employees can pass/warning/fail.
I'd like to suggest we pay attention to the results of the political experiments we've already done. Look at the growth chart of the national debt, and the headcount of government employees (including education) as a percentage of population. This local-agitation-by-conservatives approach has lost ground continually in the USA since 1900. Liberals mostly can't be inspired by conservatism, that's why liberals are liberals to begin with. Refusing to tolerate bigotry, extremism and dogmatism does not mean embarrassing liberals, because liberals don't feel shame. Cops already have the authority, the budget and the free hand they need to control YOU. You don't need to put pressure on our town and city councils, you need to elect more Thomas Massies.
No need to wait for a year. Wait for the next big news item that takes the Kirk assassination out of the headlines. People are already forgetting about the poor Ukrainian girl in Charloot and the kids in Minnesota.
Sound good - with the proviso that almost any action could end up at the state or federal level. It's really pretty easy to make that jump, since everything is viewable everywhere and the higher levels have arrogated far too much ability to interfere locally.
Best I can suggest is "practice basic civility in our daily lives".
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