Are you a Citizen or a Slave?

This is the definition of a slave…

a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them

It’s the end of 2017 in the United States and I would like to challenge everyone with the entitled question:

Are you a Citizen or a Slave?

If you’re an eligible voter and you choose not to vote, you are a slave.

If you vote and choose candidates based on a single issue, you are slave.

If you vote based on religion, you are a slave.

If you blindly vote for a party because your parents, spouse, or friends vote for that party, you are a slave.

What does it take to be a citizen and not a slave?

If you’re an eligible voter, you need to vote in every election. This means local elections for mayor, school board, sheriff, judges, city council, and county board. This means statewide elections for senator, congress, governor, and attorney general. This means federal elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, and U.S. President.

It means that you understand a host of issues that impact your life and your neighbors lives. It means you don’t vote just for your own well-being, but for your city, state, and country. It means you vote for the greater good.

It means that although you may fervently care about a single issue, you weigh that against all of the other issues important to the greater good. This means making sure that roads and bridges are maintained. This means schools are maintained. It means teachers are paid a living wage and students have the materials they need to succeed. It means air quality is kept at levels that don’t cause harm. It means water quality is maintained so it does not cause harm. It means that nursing homes actually care for their residents, not take advantage of their retirement funds. It means building regulations are maintained and enforced when houses and offices are constructed. It means that electricity is available at a reasonable cost. It means the police are well-trained and protect all citizens. It means there are enough firehouses and firefighters available when fires occur. It means that if someone has an emergency health issue, an emergency room is open and available and within a reasonable distance.

To be a citizen, you are well-informed. This is hard work and requires you to challenge everything around you. You need to challenge what people tell you. You have to challenge what businesses advertise. You have to challenge what your church preaches. Why? Because you’re not voting on behalf of your friends, your company, or your church. You’re voting on behalf of your town, state, or country.

Remember that. This is a democracy. A healthy democracy is not based on doing what your told. It’s based on the trust we place in you to think clearly, constructively, conscientiously, and for the greater good.

To be a good citizen and not a slave, you need to read, learn, think, discuss, and listen to other view points. You need to balance your passions with the greater good and sometimes the greater good is going to compete directly for your vote. This is when it’s critical to be a citizen and not a slave.

Being a citizen means sometimes voting against your own best interests. Sometimes it means voting against your churches best wishes. Sometimes (and often) it means voting against corporate interests.

Government is not evil or bad. Our government is run by people. The only way to have good government isn’t to kill it. The only way to have good government is to put good people in it. The only way to make government work more efficiently, is to put smart people into it.

If you allow people into the government that make promises and don’t actually adhere to facts, then you are a slave. If you allow people into government that funnel taxpayer funds to corporations and special interests, you are a slave.

If you’re reading this, I would argue that it’s likely you are a slave.

Prove me wrong. Prove to me that you are a citizen of the United States of America. Prove it.