Today is Guy Fawkes day, a commemoration of the foiled plot to blow up the English Parliament. In some places in the U.K. and elsewhere there will be fireworks, bonfires, and burning in effigy of Guy Fawkes.
One older tradition was for gangs of children begging for "a penny for the Guy." My own way of remembrance -which must cause my neighbours' amusement or wonder- is to fly the Union Jack. If the weather holds, i may even have a small bonfire in the back yard... no effigy, though.
Fawkes and his co-conspirators sought to overthrow the government by destroying its symbolic seat (and hopefully many of its members in the bargain.) They were betrayed and discovered and horribly executed for their troubles.
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Tomorrow is Election Day in the U.S. This is the Mid-term election wherein we voters will select our congressional delegates, some senators and governors, as well as many statewide offices and judicial seats. The Mid-terms are viewed as a referendum on the successes or failures of the President and the executive branch of government. Despite the importance of the Mid-terms, voter turnout is usually embarrassingly low, meaning that an even smaller than usual minority of voters will decide the direction of the government for the majority of citizens.
So far, indications are that this year will see a turnout that will rival or even exceed that of the average Presidential election.
The President had been touring the country ostensibly in support of his party's candidates. He has been shamelessly ginning up the fear of immigrants and other "undesirables", the opposing party, et cetera, et cetera, and outright lying to his supporters in an effort to frighten them to the polls. He has been making this election all about himself, and his party has been shamelessly supporting him in its cynical efforts to retain power and advance its agenda to solidify that power.
i wish to remind him, his party, and frankly ALL who seek elected office that they are there to SERVE, not RULE. i sincerely hope that tomorrow's vote will be a short, sharp shock to them that will remind them that they serve at the pleasure of the citizens of this country, not the reverse.
i do not advocate the methods of the Gunpowder Plotters in their attempt to change their government. Fortunately, so far the few who would use similar ways of doing so here today are a fringe minority.
Tomorrow, we citizens will be deciding the direction we wish our government will take: either to continue on its current path, or to turn away from the policies and practices of fear-mongering, xenophobia, isolationism, and one-party rule.
Those who would make these changes do not need gunpowder. They need only to get up on their hind feet and go to the polls tomorrow and be counted.
Remember remember that those in elected office are not in "power" but in service; SERVICE to US, the citizens of the United States, not corporations, not to wealthy donors or other lobbies, and certainly they need reminding that We are not in service to those who would believe they are "in power."
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End of rant. Peace. Out.
-VSR.
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