Leading a double life.

I lead a double life. Most people seem to these days. By day we stroll the hallowed halls of industry, talking on our smart phone and enjoy the every day conveniences we've been taught to be accustomed to. By night we seethe about the injustices done to us in the name of safety. In what foreign universe would this ever make sense? By day we are not only complicit, but complimentary of the injustices we are yolked with. How may you ask? Simple, our paychecks have the funds used to enslave us automatically deducted. We are feeding the very system used to control us!

It's a stark reality that many just can't fathom until it's shoved under their noses. The worst thing is that we can do very little about it. Without a way to support ourselves, we cannot survive! Maybe not; look at the 51 million people in America who are on Welfare or Food Stamps(131billion dollars). They are living just fine in subsidized housing. Or better yet, lets look to the hallowed halls that employ us. US corporations receive over 100 Billion in direct government monetary support. This doesn't include Tax incentives or loopholes. Cold hard cash only.

Makes it hard to go to work when you consider the implications. Who pays for it? Our kids will, as well as their kids. Without a doubt, there will come a day when Welfare systems associated with individuals and corporations will cease to exist. They are unsustainable in the long term and extremely costly in the short term when you consider what we are getting in return for our money. Bloated budgets, paid for government officials and representatives. Then we add interest on the national debt which must be paid!

The day it stops will be even more costly. People who have no understanding of debt and accountability will suddenly be cut off from their only means of survival besides crime, prostitution and begging. The corporate world will feel very limited impact, so why continue it in the age of huge national debt and soaring cost of living increases? Because it pays for the election campaign costs to get their sponsored Driver representative elected.

I'm a Christian. That slim minority forced into the shadows in favor of other more "Cool" religions that are being hoisted into the national spotlight as a "Protected" religion that cannot be questioned. Being a Christian means I have a set of values and beliefs I hold dear. My religion tells me to go out and preach to the people about the greatness of my God. I'd like to think I do more than I really do in that regard, but I digress. As an American, I cannot push my religion on someone who is unwilling to embrace it. That would be wrong. They must choose to follow! Anyone not choosing to follow isn't my enemy; I wish no harm to come to them if they are a non believer. I cannot hold them to the same values as I aspire to. I cannot stop them from engaging in acts that I disapprove of unless they are harming someone against their will or harming those without the ability or experience level to choose for themselves. This is the biggest juxtaposition in my life. I want people to live like I do, but I cannot legislate or force them to do so simply because I think it's best for them. That is wrong.

I have friends that goad me about my faith, other about my lack of it. I don't condemn them for their actions. It's well within their 1st amendment rights to speak as they wish, and my right to not listen should they cross the line. I will not wage war on them for disagreeing with me. They must take action or cause harm to me with their words or actions before I can, in good conscience, obstruct their rights to speak or act as they wish. It makes me wonder why it's illegal to yell "fire!" in a theater. If no person is injured by it, why is free speech squelched? Instead of making the act illegal, you have to hold people accountable for their actions when they endanger others. The mere act of saying a word IS protected under the first amendment, the culpability of the utterance is not.

 As I sit here watching the snow fall on a beautiful March night, I cannot help but think of all the laws that prohibit us from our rights guaranteed by the Founding Fathers in the Bill of Rights. Why is it that we are given a choice to do good or evil, yet when the choice is taken from us to do either, we fold and allow the henchmen of conformity to run roughshod over our God given rights. The constitution only enumerates those rights, God or the act of being born (if you're an Atheist) empowers you  to live your life as you so choose as long as you do not interfere in the lives of others. You have the same right to do nothing and die of starvation or live destitute on others' good will. When the repercussions of that choice are taken from you, so is the choice itself.