A Shot of People Power

Today’s generation must seek, formulate and enforce badly needed reforms in our broken system soon or suffer the consequence of inaction or delay not much later. We have had more than enough of the political posturing and special-interest wrangling while bad legislations and practices go unchecked and continue to put this nation in peril. The time to institute reforms is now or we may never have the opportunity to do it ever again.
President Obama himself said it in his second inaugural speech, “You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course. You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time — not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.”
The President is enlisting our support to change the course of this country… to institute meaningful reforms that will propel our economy, power and engage our engines of growth and heal this nation of discrimination, apathy, greed and all the other known ills of man and society. We hold two aces in our hands, our votes and our voices. These politicians saw how we as voters, can respond to acts of voter suppression to their great detriment and threat of extinction when voters in Florida came out in record numbers and brave the long hours of waiting just to cast their votes.
Only recently, after redistricting their electoral maps, some Republican-controlled states like Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are moving towards awarding the election to the candidate that wins the most districts instead of the one who wins the most popular votes. This is clearly a manipulation to sway the election in their favor. To fight this, people have to unleash their other power which is their collective voices which lead to a strong and powerful public opinion.
The overpowering presence of corporate money in U.S. elections can only be put in check by people power – that power that gives every citizen his or her right to protest peacefully against unfair practices and other forms of injustice. People power is what ends dictatorships in countries where even democracy was not known. People power, that right to congregate and let out that cry of dissent and demand for real reforms, is a tested and reliable weapon against a very flawed system.
But there will be no people power in a society that’s too lazy or too busy to know and ask what’s going on. It will not thrive in the midst of those who are either uninformed or misinformed nor will it succeed among those who are unwilling to “rock the boat,” take a stand, accept some risks or make some sacrifices for a future good and for the benefit of the majority.
People power revolution should not always be associated with violence and bloodshed. There had been far too many lives and properties already lost to this kind of revolution in countries where dictatorship ruled or in a democracy that’s been misused and abused.
No, this people power is about peaceful demonstrations as in Occupy Wall Street but in a sustained effort.
It is writing Congress and filing petitions and making a noise that will not go away without a corresponding action from those petitioned.
It’s empowering ourselves in terms of knowledge and broad understanding of the economic, social, political and religious issues that form the fabric of our lives.
It’s doing much more but it is doing what’s right by our conscience and being at peace with ourselves and God for our actions.
People power is empowering. It’s worth a shot!