Independance Day 2007

ELEVATOR VERSION

I now firmly believe politics cannot save our country or serve the people, but "public servants," who are American first, can. Today I formally "quit" as a member of a political party. Today begins a new effort for me toward public good. I begin doing my part with a Personal Declaration of Independence, using actual wording of the Jeffersonian 1776 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, inserting my own political beliefs (see below.)

As an author of stories where American courage and values save the day, I have, in the past, declared beliefs through characters in novels. Today I make a stand in another way; I have decided to become one of my "characters."

Today I declare "independence" from political parties due to the state of "politicking" and inaction by elected officials from the two major American political parties. I can no longer "filter" my beliefs through a corrupt and manipulated pipeline of party rhetoric serving the desires of the few over the needs of the many.

It's time to not simply put my words into the mouths of characters but announce them plainly and boldly inviting others to do so as well. Being "American" is more important than being Democrat, Republican, or other. These parties have lost what is at the heart of being American.

STAIRCASE VERSION

PRICE OF SILENCE: A subtle moral suicide is progressing through poisons of political piety coupled with a decay of so much reason often devoid of faith, common sense, and decency, by our elected officials. I care deeply about my loved ones -- and I care about other Americans, what is happening to them, and the land my family help build up from colonial days since 1639. So I remain silent at a cost -- literally and figuratively.

Because of what I have witnessed over the last forty years of political awareness, and especially this year, I no longer can believe in any political party as an answer nor support their narrow causes. I simply must declare my unwavering support for the "American Cause." I have supported candidates from one party more than the others, in the past. Now I feel I must enter the political dialogue, but in doing so also declare a "Personal Independence Day" from Republicans and Democrats entirely, with no interest to join any other party.

From this "Personal Declaration of Independence" all other blogs shall be born and posted. Now a few thoughts, taken from many, which stimulated this first post:

MEANING and PURPOSE: Without expressed heartfelt beliefs we may become mere ciphers willing ourselves to exist for pleasures as the entire raison d'être. There must be "meaning" in life to make even "pleasure" something worth seeking. I cannot belong to a club (political or otherwise) where we minimize the deeper "meanings" of life for "quick fixes" and payoffs to special interests. This band aid approach to solving challenges never works. Just a few problems our political world has allowed to flourish in favor of expediency are listed here:

• We watch the world in hunger and have the land and expertise to feed it, but grow "political dialogue" instead of food for the millions oppressed by famine, and other causes.
  
• We defend ourselves against foreign enemies, but patrol the borders of other lands more vigorously than our own. (We jail Border Patrol agents here, and patrol the Iraq and Iranian border to a greater degree of accuracy than our own.)


• The halls of Congress resound with blathering to soothe the public consciousness but in that guise of "public service to the people" politicians play us like the fools who actually "need them." As they amass more personal political power, we scream loudly: Tax reform? Border security? Welfare reform? Balanced budgets? Energy Independence? When?


• We bankroll some dictators, and "cruise missile" others. Courage to stand for what is right is sacrificed for "political necessity and expediency." And that attitude fosters...?


• We create a Center For Disease Control but lack the will to create Centers for Disease Cures. (Example: Offering prophylactics instead of promoting "abstinence" -- this to cover the problem of STDs while we search for cures to diseases often spread by unchallenged, self-destructive behaviors.)
  
• Politically correct? We worry about offending in use of speech more than concern for correcting a moral dilemma. Speaking "politically correct" occupies 100% attention while "doing politically correct" is given attention when the public can't take it any more.


• In the name of the "freedom of speech and religion" the perverse win the "twist words debates" seeking to ban personal religious thought from the public walk and talk, as they really promote their cause of "freedom from religion."

The list is long, and could go on. This is just my brain and heart speaking, and I remember responding this way to topics with some political relevance since I first picked up a newspaper.

SO "Independence" from government has become something I'm comfortable with. I am NOT "dependent" upon the elected (or appointed) government. Are you? I ask them simply to protect our freedoms, not restrict them, protect our future, not squander it. I am an American first and last. How do you feel about government dependency?

I feel strongly that America's political parties can no longer operate government with the American people's best interest at heart. They spend more time fighting each other than fighting American enemies and challenges.

I declare independence from them, but will vote the best candidates who have American interests first and foremost in their hearts. I invite you to do the same. So now to my:

"Personal Declaration of Independence"

I have used words from the American 1776 Declaration of Independence in black and inserted my personal declaration to it in bold color blue. I thought it would be a fun way to illustrate my departure from a political party system and also illustrate personal moral persuasions and bedrock beliefs which I firmly plant my Pratt flag upon.

I only begin my "declaration" process today. I leave plenty for future blogs, as a good author should do. I invite you to also visit my personal website from time to time: http://www.jmpratt.com/.

James Michael Pratt Personal

DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE

July 4, 2007

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one person to dissolve the political bands which have connected him with an American political party, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle him, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that he should declare the causes which impel him to the separation.

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is my Right to seek to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, through political dissent, discourse, election processes per the Constitution of The United States, and through moral and ethical persuasions, laying my beliefs on foundations of such principles as to my personal belief which will seem most likely to effect my countryman's Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, such as a Legislative or Executive or Judicial Branch shall impose, it is my right, it is my duty, to throw off such political parties disguised as Government through deliberate persuasive arguments and the election process, and to provide new citizen-servants willing to sacrifice their time, reputation, honor, and security, for their future security.--Such has been my patient sufferance and that of these Colonies of American thinkers spread throughout the fifty states; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to go to the polls, the election booths, the blogs, the airwaves, and alter the former Systems of Government power players who play us as fools. The history of the present Kings of United States power is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States filled with loyal and truly moral thinking Americans. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

MORE on its way... Until next week. Signing off as an "American" brother -- James Michael Pratt http://www.jmpratt.com/.