We Need Hope, Not Optimism - by Doug Muder

[delisen]

1. Actually I found this quite depressing but I may be mis-reading

I do work on getting as many facts as I can to people I know and I work on projects I believe have a good change of making a difference.

To me developing the vision is important and this can only be done by the people- not by aiting for some leader to come along with his or agenda and then "inspire" us to adopt that agenda or to "bring us together" as though we are a flock of baa-ing mindless sheep.

Yes I do have some impatience for citizens who want me to not engage in thinking but instead want me to become a"fan" of their chosen leader. They confuse citizenship with membership in a cult.

The role of citizen or voter in a democracy is the opposite of that of "fan." We are required to be critical thinkers, fact-based evaluators.

I am guided some principles:

Without a vision the people perish (or at least their democracy does).

Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

A nation must be run for the good of its people-not its rich or she supposed ruler-class, or its politicians, or its military, or its fake citizens (corporations), or its religious or economic cultists.