Vancitydissident's Blog

Most people would think that Jesus Christ first asked that question…and they would be wrong.

 

Genesis 4:9 “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?'”

I have no brother, but answering ‘no’ would also answer a timelier and intrinsically related question.

Am I my nation’s keeper?

Yes, I am.

It’s ironic that a quote from history’s first recorded murderer should underpin the concept of social responsibility, yet it does.

First, please allow me to digress; I promise it is relevant.

I know that it’s been quite some time since I last touched base with my Friends of The Geneva Convention group, but it isn’t for either a dearth or paucity of material.

I’ve been overwhelmed! It’s been like standing a metre behind an elephant, so much has come out since 20 January!  I simply haven’t known where to begin.

Then, after remembering something my grandfather had done, I decided citizenship and civics would be a good place to begin.

I am a keeper of the Republic!
Every U.S. Citizen is vested with a share of the Republic, whether at birth or naturalization. ‘We The People’ own the United States of America. My citizenship-and yours, if you have it-grants me one three-hundred-ten millionth ownership of the USA.

 

Most Americans falsely believe that the phrase, ‘Keeper of the Republic’ only applies to police officers, members of the military and employees of intelligence organizations.

 

These didn’t exist on 19 April, 1775.

(Hold those comments about the Declaration of Independence being dated on 4 July, 1776.)

 

19 April used to be celebrated as ‘Patriots’ Day.’

It’s the day some guys-that’s what they were…’some guys’ who formed the Massachusetts Militia-fought the losing battle of Lexington, just after sunrise and, after regrouping for lunch and other things, fought the winning battle of Concord.

It’s the day the American Revolution began, after the colonists realized that they had a stake in their society’s future…stake that worthy of a stand which sometimes ended in death.

Last year, I was heartened to see a resurgence of the citizen ‘Keepers of the Republic.”

We rose, shook off a mendacious government which did not represent us, our values or interests and voted in numbers not seen for decades.

 

We were the worthy heirs of the Patriots, Militiamen and Minutemen.

 

Where are you? (***sound of my voice echoing inestimable times***)

 

It’s like the Chinese aphorism that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

 

We took one hell of a step, but the GOP stragglers have laid out tripwires and buried quite a few ‘bouncing betties’ in the path of change.

That much vaunted stimulus package? It might as well have included ‘French ticklers and tubes of Astroglide for every recipient.

Obama allowed it to be dealed away and whittled into a half-measure, and any physics student can easily explain that moving half the distance again and again leaves you forever shy of your goal.

President Obama did this because he’s still afraid of breaking a promise. Remember when he promised to be bipartisan?

 

Keepers of the Republic! Those of you who caucused, campaigned, voted, campaigned even more and finally voted in November, America needs you to raise your voices again!

 

We elected a majority in the House and Senate. We gave President Obama everything he could want! Now, we must give him permission to ram through the real change.

We must have universal health care!

We must have widespread infrastructure spending!

We must have stem-cell research!

We must tell the government to halt discrimination against gays and stay out of our houses…particularly, our bedrooms! (Believe it or not, buying a dildo or a jelly vibrator remains illegal in Texas.)

 

Oh…I almost forgot…we must send a clear message that the Constitution is not a periodical-old French joke-and is not open to supercession!

 

Two days ago, President Obama declassified many of the Bush Administration’s secret Depart of Justice memos and e-mails.

 

Among the many things these authorized:

The apprehension and indefinite detention-without habeas corpus-of anyone in the United States, regardless of citizenship, believed to be a threat to national security, terrorist or aid to such parties.

Military strikes-including armored attack or airstrike-upon any location in the United States suspected to be a threat to national security, a terrorist hideout or location of terrorist aides.

Oh…and one suggested that the government could ‘just execute them on the spot.’ The ‘them,’ in this case, could easily have been us, as the definition of the ‘enemies of the state’ was deliberately left vague.

“Dub’ya” didn’t quite have the balls to go for it, but as my mother used to tell me about Christmas gifts of clothing, it’s the thought that counts.

Uncle Sam had airstrikes and firing-squads waiting for those of us who didn’t play well with others.

(I would like to pause at this moment to say something to the former administration, since George Carlin can’t…blow me!)

So, do you understand why I want Bush and company tried for war-crimes, among other things?

They were so ready to dispatch firing squads; it’s only fair that they face a few.

This is our nation. We own it. We are the Keepers of the Republic.
We ensure that our Senators represent our states’ best interests.
We ensure that our Congressmen, the Representatives, represent ours.
We ensure that the Constitution is not soiled, damaged or trod upon.
Most importantly, we ensure that those who do so are punished, including the use of capital punishment or life imprisonment.

We are United States citizens.