It’s our job to make this country better – Pope County Tribune

By John R.Stone

Why are people so angry?

I was watching the news recently and people were complaining to a city government in Florida about the citys plans to require people to wear masks in public because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One woman complained that her constitutional rights were being violated by such a requirement. She probably didnt remember her city also had an ordinance that required her to cover other parts of her body. Another accused the city of being fascist. Another said she couldnt breathe through a mask. And it went on.

Another news clip showed a woman in South Dakota telling a Native American to go home if he didnt like the fireworks show at Mount Rushmore. Of course she didnt have a clue that he was at his home and his ancestors had been there far longer than hers had.

Weve seen people tearing down statues because they are angry that the person portrayed doesnt deserve the honor of a statue. Maybe he or she doesnt deserve a statue, but should they have the right in their anger to tear it down?

We saw what happened in Minneapolis with the George Floyd killing. Some angry people jumped in with the protestors there and burned and looted businesses.

Last week we celebrated Independence Day. People were angry then, too. But instead of tearing things down (although you might argue that the Boston Tea Party was tearing things down) they decided to create their own country. The king of England had not been nice to people so they declared their independence and formed the United States of America.

Those founders who signed the Declaration of Independence were marked men. Once they signed that document they were formally committing a treasonous act against England and, if caught, they could have faced the penalty of death.

Were these perfect men? No. Today we can look back and criticize them for owning slaves and a few other things. But nevertheless they laid their lives on the line for this country.

Then they created our Constitution, a document that works today even though it was created over 230 years ago, long before electricity, the internet, TV, cars, cell phones and airplanes.

Most current citizens of this country didnt have to do anything other than be born here. It was a gift given to them by their parents deciding to have their child born in the U.S. They didnt have to take a test, swear an oath, put their lives on the line or make any commitments to anyone.

And yet it is the responsibility of these people to maintain and support this country so that it can survive and hopefully thrive.

Many have stepped up when their country called, but even those people, millions of them, are a small minority of the entire citizenship.

Our job as citizens is to pay our taxes. Our job as citizens is to vote and elect people we think will best represent us in our various level of government from cities and townships to county government, state government and federal government. Our job as citizens is to watch them and make sure they do what we want them to do.

When our elected officials fail us we let them know. We can vote them out of office or, if we feel they have violated a law, sue them.

But, as we do that, we need to be informed. We need to listen and understand the issues (both sides if there is more than one side). We need to follow the Golden Rule and speak in normal tones and expect to be treated the same in return.

If that doesnt work, then you can get angry, but instead of breaking things and yelling and screaming, steer that anger to making things better. This country can and should be made better, and all citizens should be working to that end. Its our job. And it never ends.

Excerpt from:

It's our job to make this country better - Pope County Tribune