Adlai Frederickson: What happened to of the people, by the people, for the people?
I have been reflecting on our country since our recent 4th of July celebration of independence. The defining document in the founding of the USA is the Declaration of Independence.
“Of the People, by the People, for the People,” based on the principles “of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” and “separation of church and state.” These are statements that break away from the feudal system of claiming the resources of the many for the benefit of the few by force, and freedom of thought.
We earthlings are an amazingly creative and intelligent species. I look at the art of Van Gough and Bach, the science of Galileo and Newton, the philosophy of Lao Tzu and Socrates, the spirituality of the Buddha and Jesus, and I am impressed! But I watch the propaganda passed off as news; the health of people and the planet sacrificed in the name of profit; our democratic process sold in open auction called elections and I see America is now a nation “of the corporation, by the people, for the rich.” We are better than this!
Adlai Frederickson, Modesto
This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Adlai Frederickson: What happened to of the people, by the people, for the people?."