Deceived

 A simple, well-planned “bait-and-switch” trick blinded us to the theft of our democracy. 

And the “bait” made sense, at the time, because it, we were “sold,” would ensure that we avoided conflict and that we stayed united. 

The “switch,” instead, robbed us of healthy arguments and divided us, shockingly. 

“Why?” You ask, clutching your pearls in disbelief. “We followed the rules, and we did as we were told.”

True. We did. And by doing so, we avoided the two very subjects that reminded us who we are and helped us stand united: politics and religion. 

Two key parts of our education that should start in the home and be practiced in our society are 1) the healthy arguing and robust debate of our politics, and 2) the awareness, knowledge, and respect for various religious beliefs. 

We were told to avoid discussing policies that guide us, laws  that protect us, and customs that make us who we are as US Americans today. And we were also told to stay away from discussing religion and various systems of belief that build awareness of who we are as US Americans now and help us remember who we were as subjects of a monarchy then. 

“Avoid these two subjects so that we can all just get along,” they said. And we followed that advice because it sounded good. We followed it because, frankly, it was easy. And it was. But by doing so, we lost the practice of healthy debate. We lost the awareness of other perspectives. And, we lost the respect for various beliefs and the right to have varying belief systems. 

Well, this is what I believe: 

To live in a democracy is to vote. It seems simple enough. Show up on Election Day, and cast your vote for one party or the other. Does one vote really matter?  One vote is only a drop  in the ocean that is all the others. True. But just as drops of water become seas of change, so, too, goes the value behind the vote. Let me explain. 

The power in a democracy is the value of the vote. 

So, to value the vote, is to be aware of and to have respect for the needs and the beliefs of yourself and of those in your life. 

And, to build awareness of and to cultivate respect for the needs and the beliefs of yourself and of those in your life, is to know your core values. 

Thus, to know your core values, is to learn about and to value you. 

“Oh whatever!” You smirk, pearls now free, hands now clutching hips.

Something to think about the next time you ponder the value behind the vote…and where our democracy is today. 

To cast a vote otherwise is to toss pearls to swine; they will devour them up in an instant and then turn to rip you apart without a second thought.