Dakota Beacon

Every new generation that emerges from our education infrastructure to become part of the American workplace can correctly be termed, “Generation A”. What does the “A” stand for? Prior to entering the workforce, young people are a product of the love and nurturing (or lack thereof) of their parents, as well the environment in which they grow (or stagnate) as an individual. The concept of individual responsibility may have been exemplified, taught, and encouraged as early as the pre-school personality-formative years or, in extreme cases of generation-spanning dependence, simply may not have been even considered. A “plan for the future” of “Generation A”, irrespective of the complexity (or lack thereof) of such plan, almost always centers on action by one’s self in the present in order to be prepared to navigate the future. Parochialism is a dominant theme of any “plan for the future”, whether it be filed in one’s brain or dutifully written. Most educators teach us that a “worldview” is something that comes with age and age’s companion, “wisdom”. “Vulnerability to External Forces” Defines “Generation A” So it is parochialism, the lack of a sophisticated “worldview”, that limits the ability of “Generation A” to include in their “plan for the future” significant consideration of what they may need to be doing to prevent external forces from negatively affecting or even destroying, their own world. Alcoholism provides a metaphor; because of a lack of full and complete understanding of addiction and its consequences, many people become alcoholics or the enablers of alcoholics. Because of their myopic concentration on securing the next “fix”, alcoholics do not “plan for their future”. And their enablers are too fearful and busy covering up for the alcoholic to implement corrective action. And so it is also with each new generation of Americans focusing on the American Dream, a good job, and the material benefits that come from the earnings! Because of their myopic concentration on job, family, and the procurement of material wealth, “Generation A” neglects to really “plan for the future” in terms of preventing external forces from destroying their own world. It is this lack of concern for the destruction of their world by external forces that makes “Generation A” as vulnerable as those who have not taken the time to fully examine, comprehend, and appreciate the dangers of unrestrained alcohol consumption. The term “Generation A” is descriptive of the concept of “vulnerability to external forces”. The Source of the Problem, a Lack of Understanding of Political Motives: Educators instill in us all an understanding of the responsibility to vote, terming it a “patriotic duty”. Initial and subsequently sustained awareness of the forces at work in politics is not as encouraged. The result is a whole category of voters that exhibit “political disinterest”, “inability to associate”, “uncertainty”, or “unwarranted pride” that we collectively term “Independent” voters. And we place the term “Independent” on the same level of respect (or higher) as the terms “Democrat” and “Republican”, perhaps because “Independents” are such a large portion of the political whole, often approaching half of all potential voters. In the world of American politics many voters proudly, and very often with a degree of ambivalence, describe themselves as “Independent”. This ambivalence is demonstrated by an old joke that comes to mind: A Partisan voter asks an Independent, “What is the difference between ignorance and apathy?” The Independent responds, “I don’t know and I don’t care!” To counter this obvious lack of political understanding of a significant number of voters, we should be encouraging young adults to spend at least an hour each day in pursuit of a minimal understanding of current local, state, national, and world affairs. This can be as simple as reading the local newspaper, watching the evening news, and, perhaps most importantly, informal individual research efforts (read books and attend public lectures and debates) in order to understand the political forces at work. It is this last item that is perhaps the most important. Independents should begin to conceptualize the motivating forces that affect voters. Until universal self-education on the part of ALL VOTERS as to such motivating forces, “representative democracy” will continue to “stumble in a dark room full of dangerous forces”. A Condensed Explanation of the Problem: The “Leave Us Alone” coalition (1/5 to 1/4 of voters) competes with the “Takings” coalition (1/4 to 1/3 of voters) for the hearts and minds of the “Disinterested” coalition (near 1/2 of voters). In the extreme, we are referring here to antisocial right wing libertarians, guilt-ridden left wing socialists, and self-indulgent, if patriotic, independents; from these extremes, the exaggerated stereotypes are formed that make for today’s rabid political discourse. The proof of this description of the “political competition” is obvious; the “Leave Us Alone” and “Takings” coalitions rarely engage in direct attacks on “Independents”. Why? Because they desperately need Independents come Election Day… Looking Forward: Thomas Jefferson understood the founders’ oversight in failing to provide a formal institution through which citizens could take part in every day democracy. Jefferson provides us with a hint as to the solution, active involvement in District Caucuses where candidates are chosen! Even representative democracy’s nemesis, communism (as well as its close cousin, socialism), incorporates networks of “block captains” that represent involvement at the neighborhood level. Patrick Atkinson, founder of The GOD’S CHILD Project says “We need to teach our children to dream because with dreams they have something to look forward to. And only when they have something to look forward to, do they have a reason to respect natural, spiritual and human law. A Global Dream: The dream I chose to embrace is one in which self-educated “Generation A” voters educate themselves and subsequently choose politicians that emphasize individual responsibility over dependence on the state. A dream of government at all levels that limits its responsibility to providing infrastructure in support of security and commerce. A dream that leaves money in the pockets of philanthropists such as those who support Patrick Atkinson’s GOD’s CHILD Project; philanthropists who offer Faith, Freedom and Food in that order as opposed to the United Nations, who offer Food only, insuring a never-ending problem of sustainability that “socialism” thrives on. A dream that prevents government from “picking winners and losers” in the marketplace, instead ejecting government from the marketplace altogether. A Hint of Times to Come: An October 26th, 2009 poll commissioned by Stephen Moore’s “Club For Growth”, which is supporting Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the NY-23 special election, says that Hoffman is ahead in the three-way race. The numbers: Conservative Doug Hoffman 31%, Democrat Bill Owens 27%, and RINO Dede Scozzafava 20%. The margin of error is ±5.66%. The Mission: Conservatives must flood upcoming district caucuses with candidates and their supporters to extinguish RINOs from the Republican Party. At the same time, we must educate Independents as to the choices they face and the need to choose now while they still have a choice! “Riding the Fence” between the “Takings” coalition and the “Leave Us Alone” coalition is a sure way to the eventual disrespect of both coalitions. We must promote men deciding whether they are a productive individual or a state dependent and then encourage them to join the appropriate team. From Thomas Paine: "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Commentary: From Paine’s words we can only surmise that he would deplore voting without first educating oneself as to those with which one chooses to associate to promote one’s own worldview (if one has even taken the time to forge one’s worldview). And Paine would certainly be disappointed at the lack of involvement in the pre-voting political process by so-called “Independents”, among which I, ashamedly, once included myself… In my defense, at least I never claimed to be a Republican while supporting the “Takings” coalition at every opportunity… like far too many RINOs.

Lynn Bergman