BE COURAGEOUS: VOTE IN 2020...DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON IT!

 A series of essays....

                          Courtesy of Wikipedia

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Struggling quite a bit in placing the right words down on the i-Pad screen this morning. Yes, my writing Blog means that much to me. It defines who I am as a person; my soul is exposed for all to see every Thursday morning. Whether I am talking about family, friends, a certain chapter in my particular book of travels, sharing a poem I’ve written, creating characters (Coffeehouse Chatter series) who explain life over a cup of coffee, or delving into current politics (the steam of my passion not always reflected in the final product ~ with good reason), I am always grateful for this opportunity to express myself by baring my soul to those I know and those of you I may never meet in person in my lifetime. I will always be eternally grateful that you are out there and reading what I have to say each week and sharing it with others. I appreciate each one of you!

One of the most important things Dan and I ever asked of our daughters throughout their lives was to always tell (us) the truth; and, believe it or not, the truth will set you free! There’s something so sweet and simple about never having to second guess what you’ve verbalized or written to others. It’s easier to recall the truth than to recall any lie you may have used to distract you from the truth. I’d like to think we taught them the values of right and wrong, the value of being an honest and tactful individual. 

Is being tactful and diplomatic overrated?  Especially when it comes down to dealing with people who lie and cheat to keep their Senate seat?  

I'd like to think that I am an honest person, writer, who wouldn’t rewrite another’s exact words without giving them credit for them. A person who wouldn’t use someone else’s photograph without extending them the 'courtesy' of using it. I do stand by my principles. I do believe it is far easier to be honest and tell the truth than to cover it up by applying untruths. In other words, I can recognize right from wrong. I have a conscience.

My conscience is what is making me hold back on my words  right now; inhibiting me from exploding, spewing, regurgitating the depths of my emotions onto this screen. Too weary of listening to the lies and horrendous, deceitful ideals to shut-down my conscious mind and allow myself the simple joy of a good night’s rest. So afraid that I will crossover the line of discretion and enter the world of hate and evil, the likes of which my parents taught me to avoid; what the instructional nuns at Catholic school would describe as sins to be confessed to our parish priest. 

Country before Party is a rare commodity these days. A nation that was originally based upon the principles of ‘by the people and for the people’ is now applying the blatant lies of this president as the ‘truth and nothing but the truth’ he desires us to endear, hold sacred, and live by. 

Each one of us has entered the distorted world of government and politics that has been skewed well beyond recognition...whether we acknowledge it or not. So far, we are survivors of a plan to completely shut-down what has been and was good for everyone only to be replaced by the greed of a dictatorship where a handful of people benefit from laws, funding, and the prospects of never having to worry about anyone other than themselves. 

We are being, slowly, absorbed within a long term plan that has eclipsed the cautionary political lies usually kept behind closed doors and given the permission to shoot someone on any street, in a school, theater, night club, or church anywhere in the United States.  And the founders of this plan are doing their damndest to make certain there is nothing we can do about it! 

Profiles In Courage, a book written in 1956 by Senator John F. Kennedy who won the Pulitzer Prize for this work, has been mentioned often during the past few weeks, and with good reason. The book is a volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity (may I stress this word?) by eight United States Senators who defied the opinions of their party and constituents to do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity because of their actions. 

Profile in Courage: Senator Doug Jones, "Simply a matter of right and wrong."  (D) Alabama

Profile in Courage: Senator Mitt Romney for voting with moral courage and finding the president guilty of abuse of power. (R) Utah

One could argue that each of today’s GOP senators must love themselves very much, even to the point of believing that what they do today is correct, righteous, with implications that they are born leaders with great integrity! I certainly hope so because there are many who have a long, long life ahead of them and it would be a shame if their own conscience ever stepped in to drive them insane with personal guilt and regrets. If and when that happens, it will be too late to protect the beloved country they represent as servants of the people who elected them in the first place.

With fingers hovering over black keys painted with white punctuation marks and capital letters, a standard English keyboard that has become a dear friend to me throughout the years, I know I will read and then reread the words above many times before clicking the orange ‘publish’ button on Thursday morning. Because I care. I care enough to tell the sad stories of corrupt politics as much as I care about the happier stories of travel, poetry, and identifiable characters sipping a caffe latte; a mixed bag of information designed around genuine honesty and often laced with hope and love.

It’s curious how the page before me is a reverse version of my trusty keyboard. Almost as though, after being typed, my words are rapidly pulled inside-out with black letters etched upon a white backdrop. This accurately describes my gut feelings today with one burning question inside: Will right  overcome wrong in the Senate and, if not, will there be enough time to recoup our many losses under the nefarious influences of the most corrupt administration our country has every encountered? 

I know there are a lot of good people out there. I say we continue to fill the streets with our physical disapproval, placards held up high with pride, and express our rights as citizens, taxpayers, and everyone who has or knows someone’s grandchild and worries about their future. Nancy Pelosi understood when she ripped-up a speech filled with distasteful untruths! Adam Schiff understood when he exposed his heart on his sleeve each time he spoke during the impeachment hearing and trial. And, each senator understands as he or she disavows their oath of office and beliefs in the Constitution when they decide NOT to impeach this president.

Make it a priority to go out and VOTE in 2020!!! Vote as if your life depended upon it because, it does. Never doubt that your vote will make a difference.

Well, I held my tongue (negativity) as best I could without losing my sense of graciousness towards myself, as well as you, my dear readers. I will always pledge to honor those who unselfishly care about our country and honor her people of all colors, nationalities, and religions. We must remain a melting-pot of ideas that come together in order to enrich and strengthen this land we love so much.

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved