Of the People, By the People and For the People

During the past weeks I've read a fair amount of passionate postings Facebook and other sites from a number of people pro and con about Paula Dean. Some of the people are taking their position very personally and lash out at the other side when there are disagreements. All of this is FREE publicity for Paula Dean and she, like others before her, will be the ultimate winner. Disclaimer, I have never liked Paula Dean and nothing of the last weeks has changed that one way or the other.

Especially on this 4th of July we should think about what the signers of the Declaration of Independence were doing when they put their signature on the document. They were putting their lives, their family's lives, their land, their money on the line for their beliefs. They exposed themselves to capture and torture...and yes they committed treason against the, at that time, legal government. They put in motion the movement that resulted in our republic and our form of government.

Are we willing to focus the same passion as we put into the Paula Dean discussion toward being a part of government "of the people, by the people and for the people"?  Are we willing to hold our elected officials responsible for their actions by voting them back into office if we agree with them or out of office if we don't? Yes, it takes sacrifice, yes we have to get off the couch and GO to them, yes we have to give up some of the things we like to do in order to have time to help guide our government.

It doesn't come close to what those guys and gals did in 1776. Are we willing to spend time to support getting those people into elected office that will work for the people? Are we willing to take the energy spent on the trivial stuff and focus it toward a better tomorrow?   They were.   It won't take treason, it will take dedication, hard work and involvement.