Taking Back America

The biggest social problem facing Detroit, the state of Michigan and our nation as a whole is, in a word - “disempowerment.” The Media uses the word “disenfranchisement.” Webster’s Dictionary defines disenfranchisement as meaning: “to deprive of a franchise, of a legal right, or of some privilege or immunity; especially: to deprive of the right to vote.” This definition misses the mark. It alludes to a notion that citizen’s rights are in some way franchised, implying government as a grantor of rights to the governed. Have we forgotten the preamble of the U.S. Constitution? “We the People of the United States, ...... secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves ..... .” Today, government runs roughshod over the needs and expectations of its citizens in favor of collusion with conglomerates and corporate colossi.

Big Oil and Big Money have turned world leaders into emasculated marionettes. We want our government to stop price-gouging at the pump while Wall Street drools unpatriotic dollars into the pockets of foreign money-grabbers. The fact that a gallon of gas in the U.S. averages over $4.00 per gallon while Saudi Arabia pays only 91 cents denigrates American soldiers who fight and desecrates those who have died in order to keep that oil flowing. To add insult to injury, our grandchildren will still be paying for this war long after we have drawn our last breath. Scripture states that, “the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the children.” If we remain silent, such will be the lot of our little ones.

We are faced with an economic crisis of epic proportions. Yet, cowardly politicians, shivering from the fear of lost corporate sponsorships and campaign contributions, have done absolutely nothing to alleviate or improve the situation. Neither state nor federal relief has come in the form of tax repeal, raised wages to offset income devaluation, industry anti-trust investigation, price-caps or even a rudimentary plan of action. Years have passed and nothing has been done. John Doe asks, “What gives?” Uncle Sam replies by enlisting our sons and daughters into the service of