Paul Teague
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! You may have told your kids this in a grocery store when they were tugging at your pants for that piece of candy... or you may be just like millions of Americans, and totally apathetic to what is going on around you.
I went to a world famous Toy Retailer a couple of years ago at Christmas, and was behind a woman at the check out counter with about a 3 year old boy. The woman was too busy arguing with the clerk to hear the boy tell her he wanted the toy on the sidewalk. He kept tugging at her pants and she kept ignoring him. Like most boys, curiosity got the best of him and he headed out the door - by himself. The woman continued to argue, until my abrasive self spoke up and shouted loudly "LADY, IF YOU WERE NOT SUCH AN IDIOT, YOU WOULD KNOW YOUR SON JUST RAN INTO THE STREET!"
Now, was I wrong? Yes... maybe. The lady was not necessarily an idiot, maybe just apathetic. How many people do you know that do stupid things like ignore their small children in public places, because, as my wife puts it, "They have tune out ability." Maybe it is time, as American citizens to tune out the TV News and TV Shows, and tune in to what is really going on in America.
I was reading my America's 1st Freedom, a publication by the NRA as I was polishing my gun and counting my bullets this morning (just kidding), and I ran across an article by Hard Rock's most Patriotic Guitarist, Ted Nugent. It was a One on One with Chris Cox the NRA-ILA Executive Director, and Chris asked Ted
"What drives you to be so outspoken in defense of hunting and second amendment issues?"
Ted gave his answer, and it was like a lightning bolt striking in my head! Ted used a word seldom heard these days - but practiced by many. Ted used the word apathy which is a noun meaning Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. Here is the quote:
"The curse of apathy is the number one enemy of America, and I refuse to allow the sacrifices of U.S. Military heroes to go for naught."
Ted then went on to say:
"Activism is the duty of ALL Americans. An experiment in self government demands participation by ALL who benefit from it."
Ted wasn't speaking about apathetic, liberal, gun hating community organizers. He was talking about apathy in all who are not proactively participating in Activism to fight for our Freedoms, that all; liberal or conservatives, enjoy.
In 1989, I was a Radio Personality at a couple of Radio Stations, and we were told what to say and when to say it. It was called a format clock, and things you saw on TV and heard on Radio, were set in place by a department called Programming, and were headed up by a Program Director. At that time, I can remember growing up in a world, where your neighbors were your friends, you planted gardens together, you helped each other out, and everybody seemed to know everybody. Then it slowly faded away.
Here is where it get's interesting. When I was in broadcasting, we steered the American Public's thoughts. They did what we wanted them to do. We did it through programming - even if it was bad. Just hear me out on this. Every since 1970 television has changed. The end of the rural family and western era (wikipedia), the rise of "socially conscious" and "police state" programming. Violence creates fear, fear keeps people from reaching out to other people. Is it coincidence that after civil rights activist and leader Martin Luther King, Jr was killed in Memphis on April 4, 1968, and people started to protest the Vietnam War, that TV produced more police shows, and TV news anchor Walter Cronkite was labeled "The Most Trusted Man In America?" That is called programming. Through mainstream news and police shows, you are programmed to use rationale to avoid political dissent. You see more police, you will not be as apt to uphold your civic duty by grouping together and rallying against an unpopular cause. this creates a subculture that is accepted as the norm. After awhile, we just become apathetic to the world around us.
Apathy is also a subculture that is built. Where there are subculture's, there are also counterculture's. We have to build a strong counterculture, to limit the size and scope of government. A counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition or dissent. It is and was normal to have EMPATHY in the pre 1970's era for your fellow man, woman or child, it is not normal to have APATHY for those so close to you. Apathy is brought about by FEAR, and fear is just a 6:00 news spin, or a murder on a crime show, or a program like COPS that shows police arresting citizens. We have to break through the subculture, because THEY are.
The Communist subculture in America has caught on and THEY are regrouping activists with pretty words like "Community Organizing," and "Social Justice." They are in people's heads, on your TV Programs, on Radio and they play to people's emotional side vs rational side. Idol Give's Back, More Medical Shows than Cop Shows, "Socially Conscious" liberal TV Programs, - they play to the American People's emotional side, instead of the Rational side, therefore we have to fight fire with fire.
They are open and not so guarded and help in causes. What will help us to win in the conservative movement is an ability to be more open and not so guarded, and help in causes. We should actively seek out opportunities to become more involved with all aspects of our communities. Become more involved in the affairs of young people, participate in community volunteer organizations, donate time or money to churches and rescue missions and local non-profits. Become "Community Organizers," for the RIGHT reasons, and that is Liberty, Limited Government and a Free Market Society.
I get tired sometimes, of participating in Campaigns and Rallies, and doing my duty with social media and informing people. Let's face it, it is hard work when you try to keep friends and family informed, and they look at you like you are a whacko because of your involvement in keeping government at bay, but if we stop, then we are just as guilty of not doing our civic duty as the rest of the people that are willing to let our Freedom/Liberty go. This quote by the great Benjamin Franklin keeps me going:
“They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."
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