America in a Whirl

The United States is in a swirl of political and economic theater unlike anything in a very long time. Citizens here have a sense that something must in fact change in order for people to survive and the country prosper. We are groping for a new stance, a new perspective on justice. And we seem to be making progress against all odds. If we honor history we can make a choice not to repeat the mistakes of the citizens of ancient Rome which ruined itself upon the rocks of hubris born of Empire. Rather, we can work to fulfill that dream of so long ago, the dream of the Founding Fathers of a nation in which the common man (and we may expand to include women) is sovereign, not the emperor or the king or the captain of finance or industry. This is what our fight is about now. What kind of country will it be and who shall own it? On the occasion of the death of Studs Terkel, that patriarch of the politics and life of the average person, we can best honor his memory by embracing the politics of inclusion, the politics of hope, and even the politics of joy. This in large measure is the antidote to fear, to terror, to discouragement. May we welcome its nostrum, glory in its ameliorating power, and turn -- faces newly lit -- toward the light of a better tomorrow.

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For excellent resources on what to do to protect your vote next Tuesday I recommend Greg Palast's fine web site:

http://www.gregpalast.com/