Editor, The recent activities by the Hinesville City Council and the Liberty County Board of Education/school system should give everyone cause to reflect on just what it means to “govern” in our society these days. The county long ago proved itself. The national picture is even more definitive, but let us concentrate now, on “our little utopia in the garden” for a moment — and then compare that to the national scene.
It seems it was not that long ago when the desire existed to place one’s self at the disposal of the citizens — to render a needed service that would benefit all. This same aforementioned civil servant, having been duly placed in public office, then became indentured to those whom placed such trust and reliance on him/her. This person was responsible/accountable to the people … and the garden thrived!
Somewhere along the line, things changed. No longer can we count on this “public servant” to serve our needs. No longer can we place our trust in the actions taken — as being in our best interests. Rather, what we are now seeing are “leaders” in positions primarily to see what they can obtain for themselves. There is no longer that responsibility/accountability … and the garden wilts!
In this age, in this place, what appears to matter most is money. That, friends and neighbors, is just a crying shame. No longer are they concerned about how others are doing, what others may think, what the “will of the people” is. Rather, it is “What can I get away with?” And “How much money can I make?”
Sadly, we need only look in the mirror at who is to blame. When the citizenry remains deftly silent, when few — if any — objections are made to the actions and/or salaries granted to (or approved for) these so-called leaders, this is exactly what can be expected.
This same mindset/blame applies to segments in our society that continue to seemingly always want more and more from the public coffers. As long as the citizens who pay the bills continue to allow these sorts of things to go unchecked, they shall grow until they are no longer sustainable. Apathy then becomes mute, as you no longer have a say in the society that evolves. The “leaders” then dictate what it is you need, what it is that you can have … you know, sort of like what we are beginning to see today.
And the garden becomes barren.
Compare that now to the national scene. Elected officials are now (and have been for some time) deciding what is best for you and I regardless of whether we like it. They now govern, with an eye set on “what is in it for me” and “what groups do I need to cater to in order to be re-elected?” Congress is now at it’s lowest-ever approval rating. It simply is not working anymore — they are not working anymore — at least not for the public good.
There is a mentality that exists among them that they are better than the populace. They think they know more than the people do in terms of what “we” actually want. Still, if they promise to take care of us, individually or collectively as a group (even when we know it is not what’s best), we simply vote them back in. Wake up people — they are not there for you when you need them. We need real “public servants.”
A while back, I submitted to my fellow citizens an overture, a synopsis, presented by Professor Alexander Tyler from the University of Edinburg’s history department. I shall now present it again, and I ask openly, all of you, where are we at today?
He says “ … a democracy will continue to exist until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that point on, the majority always votes for the candidate(s) who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”
He further states, “The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. from bondage to spiritual faith
2. from spiritual faith to great courage
3. from courage to liberty
4. from liberty to abundance
5. from abundance to complacency
6. from complacency to apathy
7. from apathy to dependence
8. from dependence back into bondage.
Do you see anything that looks familiar to you? Does this concern you at all? Dependence on government is at an all-time high, with 47 percent getting 100 percent of their existence from government programs. The “critical” threshold is 50 percent.
Elections are going to take place this year, in this county, state and for national offices. If you see what I see, I ask you to become involved in taking control of this city, this county and this country back from those who no longer “serve.” If you are not registered to vote, do so now. One of the worst things you can do is to do nothing!
Martin Luther King Jr. said in his historic speech that he hoped one day people would be “judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.” I want to add to that by saying “judge them by their actions” and then “vote the rascals out who have not been serving their fellow citizens.”
The values that made this nation great — God, country, family, responsibility, life and liberty, and service to one another — are slowly being stripped away. It needs to stop now. You can make a difference.
It seems it was not that long ago when the desire existed to place one’s self at the disposal of the citizens — to render a needed service that would benefit all. This same aforementioned civil servant, having been duly placed in public office, then became indentured to those whom placed such trust and reliance on him/her. This person was responsible/accountable to the people … and the garden thrived!
Somewhere along the line, things changed. No longer can we count on this “public servant” to serve our needs. No longer can we place our trust in the actions taken — as being in our best interests. Rather, what we are now seeing are “leaders” in positions primarily to see what they can obtain for themselves. There is no longer that responsibility/accountability … and the garden wilts!
In this age, in this place, what appears to matter most is money. That, friends and neighbors, is just a crying shame. No longer are they concerned about how others are doing, what others may think, what the “will of the people” is. Rather, it is “What can I get away with?” And “How much money can I make?”
Sadly, we need only look in the mirror at who is to blame. When the citizenry remains deftly silent, when few — if any — objections are made to the actions and/or salaries granted to (or approved for) these so-called leaders, this is exactly what can be expected.
This same mindset/blame applies to segments in our society that continue to seemingly always want more and more from the public coffers. As long as the citizens who pay the bills continue to allow these sorts of things to go unchecked, they shall grow until they are no longer sustainable. Apathy then becomes mute, as you no longer have a say in the society that evolves. The “leaders” then dictate what it is you need, what it is that you can have … you know, sort of like what we are beginning to see today.
And the garden becomes barren.
Compare that now to the national scene. Elected officials are now (and have been for some time) deciding what is best for you and I regardless of whether we like it. They now govern, with an eye set on “what is in it for me” and “what groups do I need to cater to in order to be re-elected?” Congress is now at it’s lowest-ever approval rating. It simply is not working anymore — they are not working anymore — at least not for the public good.
There is a mentality that exists among them that they are better than the populace. They think they know more than the people do in terms of what “we” actually want. Still, if they promise to take care of us, individually or collectively as a group (even when we know it is not what’s best), we simply vote them back in. Wake up people — they are not there for you when you need them. We need real “public servants.”
A while back, I submitted to my fellow citizens an overture, a synopsis, presented by Professor Alexander Tyler from the University of Edinburg’s history department. I shall now present it again, and I ask openly, all of you, where are we at today?
He says “ … a democracy will continue to exist until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that point on, the majority always votes for the candidate(s) who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”
He further states, “The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. from bondage to spiritual faith
2. from spiritual faith to great courage
3. from courage to liberty
4. from liberty to abundance
5. from abundance to complacency
6. from complacency to apathy
7. from apathy to dependence
8. from dependence back into bondage.
Do you see anything that looks familiar to you? Does this concern you at all? Dependence on government is at an all-time high, with 47 percent getting 100 percent of their existence from government programs. The “critical” threshold is 50 percent.
Elections are going to take place this year, in this county, state and for national offices. If you see what I see, I ask you to become involved in taking control of this city, this county and this country back from those who no longer “serve.” If you are not registered to vote, do so now. One of the worst things you can do is to do nothing!
Martin Luther King Jr. said in his historic speech that he hoped one day people would be “judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.” I want to add to that by saying “judge them by their actions” and then “vote the rascals out who have not been serving their fellow citizens.”
The values that made this nation great — God, country, family, responsibility, life and liberty, and service to one another — are slowly being stripped away. It needs to stop now. You can make a difference.
— Roger A. Wells
Hinesville
Hinesville