Some Good News (Words From A Concerned American)

Hello comrades,

Today is a great day to be alive in America! There are many reasons to rejoice and be glad: we are living and breathing in a beautiful country, surrounded by many good and honest people, with our freedoms and our rights and also--this is very important--the potential to move this country forward in this critical time. Today we are also one day closer to seeing President Bush take that short walk out of the White House and into some dark limousine that will carry him far far away. Many of you have probably seen the bumper stickers advertising his last day: Jan 20, 2009. It seems that a great number of us will be happy to see him go. Recent poles say that 70% of Americans disapprove of the work that Bush is doing. This fact gives me hope, but I'm still a little worried. Why am I worried? Because recognizing what's wrong is not the same as knowing what's right. But hold on for a second. I want to step away from politics, just for a few paragraphs, because there is more good news to deliver.

Today, my friends, is the day that we receive a new Bob Dylan album into the vast and rich canon of American music. Today we accept another gift from one of our most gifted songwriters. Today is the day Dylan fans everywhere will rejoice and celebrate! Tell Tale Signs, is the name of the album. Another secret and vast gold mine has been opened. Let the music play! And let the words be heard!

In the Tell Tale Signs version of "Dignity," Dylan shows us that he's been looking around and paying attention. "Soul of a nation is under the knife," sings Dylan, "death is standing in the doorway of life."

What is this country doing? What is happening here? Are the red and blue magnets of politics pulling us away from what really matters? Money is not the big issue here, folks. Money is a tool, a simple tool, and it needs to be handled correctly and responsibly, and this is an issue, but let's not forget that there are more important things at stake here:

People, people's rights and choices, Nature, the world, the environment, education, freedom, peace, health, happiness, truth, respect, honesty, science, art--I value these things (and thankfully so do millions of other Americans) and come November 4 you better believe I will be exercising my right to vote. (I'll be voting for Barack Obama, but you probably already knew that.)

But stay with me friends. There is more good news.

The next American president, no matter who it is, will not hold all the power. We are over 300 million strong, my friends! We are the heart and the soul, the mind and the muscle, the hands and the backbone of this fine land! From the Redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters! From the green hills of Oregon to the ancient curves of Appalachian Mountains! From the crowded city freeways to the off shore wind farms! This is our country! Our home! Our gift, our burden, our sorrow, and our joy! We, the people, the struggling and the strong, the old and the young, hold the key to whatever future we want. But only together can the key be turned.

I am an American writer, and I felt that these words needed to be said. I sit here today, in my office in Maryland, not a political expert, or a supporter of any political party, but simply a concerned American who wants to see that brighter day, not just for our country, but for the whole world. I've been contemplating these words for some time. I've been emailing my friends, and talking to people, and listening to songs, and searching the Internet. And I've been both shocked and inspired by the things that I have found.

"Flesh shapes the day," sings Tom Morello. And maybe Tom is right. Maybe our actions will ultimately speak louder than our votes. The things we do and say, the way we treat people, and the way we communicate with people--maybe these things matter more than we'll ever know. I try to keep an open mind, even when it comes to politics. How could I be so foolish to think that I know exactly what is right for this whole country? How could any of us be that foolish? We are a diverse country with diverse needs. There are many problems and many possible solutions. There are many things to consider here. But we must consider them, thoroughly and logically, even when the tempers flare and the passions rise. Again we find some poignant insight on Tell Tale Signs, when Dylan sings, "I'm strong enough not to hate."

Ah, but it's not always that easy. People want money. People want power. People want religion. People hate other people who want different things. People act foolishly. People waste money. People waste power. Religion becomes a strange blade, and it gets wielded in places where it might not belong. And people are easily convinced. And good people stand by and watch. And lies are treated like facts, and the real truth becomes hidden like a speck of dust in the belly of a dying tiger.

And where do we end up? Tired and sore, at the end of the day, maybe sitting with our families or our friends. Maybe sitting in front of the computer. Talking about current items and issues. Talking about what we feel, and what we want. It's true, we are selfish animals. We seem to want what's best for ourselves and our families. It's a survival thing, I guess it goes way back.

I try to watch more than the orchestrated antics of the debates and the news. I try to watch what I say and do. I watch how I spend my time and my money, because everyday we vote with our dollars and our hours. The choices we make impact the people around us and also the natural world. The hour is getting late, my friends, and we have a long way to go.

I leave you with the immortal words of the great Woody Guthrie.

Take it easy, but take it.