If you are over 50 years of age you remember the beginning of the end of the nation founded by our forefathers nearly 240 years ago. The Vietnam War began a division of our country’s people, and it has only become more destructive today.

The low point came just after the cowardly attacks on September 11, 2001. Our politicians used two tactics to control the weak-minded in our nation; patriotism and fear. They quickly learned that they could control the voting public through the use of a human’s greatest weakness; emotions.

Sadly, emotions are stronger than intelligence or logic.

I remember a popular bumper sticker after 9/11. It told us about the ‘Power of Pride.’ I still fail to understand what it was supposed to mean. If it is taken literally it is sarcasm. Pride is an emotion, and that weakens a human’s ability to use his or her brain; they become powerless.

There is a battle in the GOP today; each candidate, with the exception of John Kasich, is attempting to find numerous ways to make their supporters afraid of the other candidates and of Democrats. Trump and Cruz have spread hatred as they denounce all Muslims. They are telling lies about the religion of Islam and its true followers. All three leading candidates, Trump, Cruz, and Rubio, would like us to believe that ISIS is the greatest danger to our nation’s people, although nothing could be further from the truth.

We are our own greatest danger. If we continue to allow fear and hatred to be the norm; if we let politicians dictate the way we live our lives; the principles which formed the United States will perish. All love, compassion, and hope will be replaced by a government which forces us to serve it.

This is the reason that America is no longer the greatest nation in the world. We, the people, have been led astray. We have elected greedy and ambitious men and women who have no intention of serving those who elected them.

Politicians created ‘red and blue’ states’ and insured that the Electoral College would be America’s divide. Political parties are the prime danger to the majority of the American people. They seek public office for their own power and financial superiority.

Think about Abraham Lincoln, or Franklin Delano Roosevelt. These were great presidents who fought for the majority. One Republican and one Democrat; both believed in public service. They had the courage to fight against those in power for the good of the common man. Both would condemn the way our political system is operating today; both would condemn the fact that one-percent of our nation’s people control 90 percent of the wealth. Both would condemn efforts to disallow equal protection under the law for all men and women. Both would condemn our leaders who seek the domination of one religion over all others.

Help America return to its former greatness; denounce both major parties. Only Independents vote intelligently. It’s your choice. You can live in servitude or be free.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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