Thank You Rand Paul

I have long been disheartened by our failure as citizens in these United States (I include myself in this) to respond to attacks by our own government against the very things we say are most dear to our very identity – particularly the Bill of Rights.

Parts of the Patriot Act contain provisions that allow for the labeling as a terrorist activity actions by people like me who teach others the ways of non-violence, if those being taught are ‘terrorists’.  So to teach people who use violence to achieve their ends other ways, non-violent ways, to show ‘terrorists’ how not to be terrorists, it turns out, is actually terrorism.

Guantanamo Bay.

Rendition.

Waterboarding.

Suspension of due process of law.

Denial of the right to counsel.

Cruel and unusual punishment.

Denial of equal protection under the law.

Free speech turned into costly speech, even treasonous speech.

Assassination of American citizens.

And the press was largely silent on them all – even the drone program – until someone got ahold of a piece of paper, as if paper proved the reality more real than the bombs from the sky.

Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty of these massive infringements and fear is their weapon of choice to coerce our assent.

Filibuster scene from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

So yesterday, Rand Paul, Senator from Kentucky, did a rare and wonderful thing: he filibustered on principle, the daring principle, fundamental to our form of government, that no person, including a president, is above the laws of this nation, the most fundamental of which is our Constitution.

For those who claim it was pointless, consider:

1. Words are never ‘only’ words.  Words matter.  Words have power.  Words can and have changed a world.  If you doubt it, read Gandhi, Jesus, King.

2. People are paying attention to what we have so long ignored.  People across political divides are asking themselves and others if this is who we really are.

3. Journalists are being shaken from their power-bound lethargy to ask challenging questions of the powers that be.  Some have been all along (Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! and Al-Jazeera in English come to mind).  But finally, so-called mainstream media are asking too.

4. I’m glad it’s a Democrat this time.  That way, Republicans, formerly so loathe to question anything President Bush did along the same line are freed to challenge the political opposition for a just cause and Democrats are forced to think about whether their indictments of President Bush were merely political opposition or whether they’re actually questions of fundamental justice.

So hats off to Rand Paul.  As an American citizen, I thank you, sir, for your service.

Tomorrow we may and probably will disagree.  But yesterday, you stood for us all.

Our Words Matter: The National Debt Debate Gets Personal

The recent public debates about our national debt have reminded me of a very important lesson:  our words matter.

Truly, I do not know enough about economics to even have an opinion on what we as a nation should be doing about our debt right now.

But in speaking with a gentleman on a fixed income who relies on his monthly check to survive and who was genuinely frightened that his check might not come this month, I was reminded yet again how very much what we say matters to others.

Politicians and others on all sides of the debate have filled the airwaves with threats of government shut-down and of the government running out of money to pay its bills, including the ‘bill’ owed to those who receive monthly government checks under a myriad of programs.

This talk was not even a ripple in my own personal pond as I believed such talk to be hyperbole, an exaggeration to get attention.  But that’s an easy position for me: I do not receive a monthly check controlled by those threatening that the money has run out.

I am reminded of the boy who cried wolf: how will we the people know when there’s a genuine crisis if every political disagreement is couched as one?  And if there was no crisis this time, why would we allow people in genuine need to be so frightened that they must worry where their next meal will come from?

Musn’t we take better care not to become monsters in our effort to win the point?  Shouldn’t we remember that people are actually listening to what we say?  Shouldn’t we do better by them?