BuzzFlash presents Southern Style
by Rebecca Knight

Imperative!

May 29, 2002

"The man who loves his country...can never refuse to come forward when he finds that she is engaged in dangers which he has the means of warding off." - Thomas Jefferson

Imperative:

ADJECTIVE: 1. Expressing a command or plea; peremptory: requests that grew more and more imperative. 2. Having the power or authority to command or control.

3. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting the mood that expresses a command or request. 4. Impossible to deter or evade; pressing: imperative needs

NOUN: 1a. A command; an order. b. An obligation; a duty: social imperatives.
2. A rule, principle, or instinct that compels a certain behavior: a people driven to aggression by territorial imperatives. 3. Grammar a. The imperative mood. b. A verb form of the imperative mood.

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I could not think of a word more befitting the political climate in American today. Notice in the above definitions how the word "imperative" connotes a sense of urgency and responsibility. Are we not living in times of growing concerns for our government, our leadership, and our feelings of helplessness?

Those of you who have read my previous articles posted here on BuzzFlash may have noticed that I include my e-mail address for readers to write me. BUZZFLASH warned me that this involved risks of my being "freeped." Yes, I was aware of that, but there was no other way to get a sense of the concerns of the readers. In fact, I have received hundreds of e-mails from readers and only three have been negative and those were only in the sense that they disagreed with my politics. I will take those odds any time.

There have been recurring themes of concern and frustration in readers’ e-mails to me. Here are a few examples:

"I have been full of rage and outrage in the political arena because of the Republican party over the last 15 to 20 years. I sensed I was right but could not defend the feeling in words."

"This last election has made me realize that it may be too late when the people catch on to this. We let a Presidential election be stolen with very little opposition. This only emboldens those who use the tactics you describe even more."

"Losing is an option that the peaceful world cannot tolerate."

"For some reason I thought I was the only American that could see through the hypocritical strategies of the Republicans. It hurts me even more to watch them use religion to further convince the public that they have the moral high ground."

"I’m sending this to my friends and relatives who are convinced that it is necessary to be a Republican if one is to be a patriotic, religious, and moral American."

"Daily I am aghast at the sheer raw audacity of this administration in its grab for more power. I too think that if Americans truly knew the cumulative effect of what has been going on, and how it will personally affect them, they would take to the streets. Most are too busy just trying to make a living and have bought into the lies that all politicians are crooked, so it does no good to stay up on issues."

"As a senior, I fear for what our appointed president plans to do with Social Security -- not for me but for my children. The 'abstinence only’ campaign is ridiculous. The 'war’ in Afghanistan has proved nothing with both bin Laden and Mullah Omar still at large while we have devastated a country that was already dirt poor. And as for Iraq, even if we went there and won, how would we manage a country surrounded by people who hate us? Bush is, to say the least, a disaster and I sincerely hope that the voting public will wake up before November."

"The new bushite regime began to eradicate hope from the minute they stole the election, by wrecking the economy and environment, planning for endless war, and isolating us from the rest of the world. In the end they'll fail, but God only knows how much death and destruction they'll leave in their path."

"You have described what I consider to be the worst thing that could happen to a free democratic society beautifully. If only the mainstream media would pick this up and publish it widely.......FAT CHANCE!"

"What does burn me is the way many Democrats have let it slide by. We need more people like you to make the world realize that there are still those among us that relish the truth."

"The Democrats need a voice to counter these lies and distortions. I have often thought that the Democratic Party should purchase radio time after each Limbaugh broadcast to refute his untrue statements."

"As you said, the Republicans have defined liberalism and it’s so frustrating to be labeled 'evil, big government proponent, welfare-loving, etc.’ Somehow liberals and progressives have to put their compassionate message out to the general public and not let the Republicans continue to frame the conversation the way they want it framed."

"If only the American people could read and hear the real truth on the history of liberalism. The repubs have done such a good job of twisting the real meaning I don’t know if we will ever get it right again."

"This is unbelievable…even surreal! I can’t comprehend this administration’s lack of competence combined with the media’s lack of will to even question them. These are very scary times."

"Too bad our politicians can’t seem to see these things, or if they see them they close their eyes in fear."

"Never have I felt that I am not a part of this country than I do these days."

"When will the press start telling the American people the truth about Bush and his administration?"

"I believe they are trying to scare the American people into submission to the idea of a war without end. Is THAT what the founders of this nation had in mind for their posterity? Hardly!"

"But what’s so frustrating is that the majority of Americans seem to approve of everything he does or so we’re lead to believe by the fawning media. The past sixteen months or however long he’s been in the White House have been a nightmare; but yet most Americans think he’s done a terrific job on everything!"

"I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop!…and maybe the farcicalness of this administration will finally come out…I am livid at the stupidity of the American public for continuing to give the idiot high marks…arghh!…when will they learn?"

"The news media is being dishonest with the American people, they withhold the truth about Bush."

"It seems as if Bush’s incompetence will be excused because of a political double standard."

"I can only imagine what this administration is up to since they do not want their papers released to the public now or ever. There are grave and serious questions here that need to be answered for the sake of the future of our democracy."

"If people in this country are as patriotic as they claim to be then they should be flooding Congress with complaints on this very serious matter because veterans are going to die for the lack of concern from George W. Bush. Something needs to be done soon."

"I am concerned for our politicians who oppose this 'popular’ president. They will be smeared for any criticism they make. We must make every effort to keep them in office. We must speak out against the imperialism of the current administration."

I congratulate and applaud you, dear readers, for you are truly great Americans. The sincere love for America is expressed in every one of your messages. I share your love of America and your frustrations. That is why I write.

We all feel alienated by the mainstream media. We all feel ignored by our elected officials. We all wonder how Bush continues to draw high poll ratings. What can we do about our current situation? What can we do to turn things around? What can we do to get our messages heard and stop the Republican domination? We can get involved! We have been far too complacent for far too long! There is strength in numbers! I am no expert on activism, but I do have some suggestions to make.

• Call, write, or e-mail your elected officials. Let them hear your opinions. Tell them you will hold them accountable at the polling place. Do this on a regular basis. Make it a part of your routine.
• Get involved in local politics. Join your local Democratic or Independent party. Attend the meetings. Volunteer to man booths at local functions. Register voters. Work on Election Day. Run for office.
• Write the media. Write letters to the editor. Write the television stations and nationally known commentators. Not only negative letters, but also positive letters on the occasion that they take a position you agree with.
• Post on forum boards. Almost all newspapers and political web sites have forum boards. They are over run with right-wingers. Challenge them with facts. Make your positions known.
• Join a political e-mail group. There are many and they are free. I moderate one myself on Yahoo. I belong to ten of them just to keep informed. The information and activist ideas shared in groups are invaluable. The group I moderate wrote letters to Al Gore so that they could be hand delivered when I attended a reception for him. Another group I belong to recently pooled our money and bought a full-page congratulatory ad in the Carthage Courier for the Gores’ wedding anniversary. These groups also mass e-mail the media and elected officials on important issues.
• Put bumper stickers on your vehicles. Make a public statement. I know I am sick of seeing the Bush/Cheney stickers dominate the roads. For a donation of $25 to the DNC you can receive a bumper sticker with a donkey kicking an elephant and the written message is "Kick 'em out! Vote Democrat!" You can buy political bumper stickers, buttons, and t-shirts on the Internet at very low prices. I recently bought several "Re-Elect Gore in 2004" bumper stickers for just a few dollars. I also bought three Democratic T-shirts for just $15. To find these bargains do a Google search for political merchandise.
• Donate money! We know the Republicans have no trouble raising money. It takes money to win elections. Donate to individual candidates, your local party, or the national party. The amount you can afford does not matter. The DNC has a sustaining member program allowing monthly donations of as little as $10. Remember there is strength in numbers!
• Many people make stickers to put on everything they mail. I made return address labels with "Reelect Gore in 2004" below my name and address. I also made stickers saying "You don’t have to like George Bush to love America." I put them everywhere I can think of! Small, but effective!
• Speak out! When someone discusses politics publicly, make your points politely. I was so enraged over election 2000, I spoke out and angered some people. I have learned to be more discreet now. Our points can be made in calm and reasonable terms. We must stop letting Republicans define what we believe. They have gotten away with their standard lines regarding liberals and progressives for too long. If questioned, provide documented evidence to support your position. Evidence can easily be found on the Internet. I sometimes provide copies of the Democratic platform to show someone they are mistaken about an impression they have of the Democratic Party.
• Support web sites, such as BUZZFLASH, that provide an invaluable service by helping get the truth out. I am sincerely grateful to BUZZFLASH for providing a forum for my writing.
  

As patriotic Americans we understand the reality and the urgency of the political and governmental situation facing our nation. By sticking together and becoming more politically active we can accomplish our goals! This may be the calling of our times, not just for our sake, but also for generations to come.

It is IMPERATIVE that we make a difference for our beloved America!

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Rebecca Knight is a native Tennessean, who grew up in Nashville. She currently resides in a small town about sixty miles outside of Nashville. She attended the University of Tennessee at Martin. She has also lived in North Carolina and Kentucky. She may be reached at tennessee_gal655@yahoo.com.

© 2002 by Rebecca Knight

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