THE AMERICAN IDOL

We are members of the audience.

Most of us think we are participants. Others aspire to "become the change (they) want to see in the world" as Gandhi advised. But sadly, our collective circumstance stands firm; we are simply the audience. We watch from the sidelines as those in control make decisions which determine the direction of our nation, the course of our history, the fate of our planet.

Are you a subscriber to the "yes we can" presidential election policy? Do you believe once the president takes office, he acts in accordance with the people that "voted" him into the presidency? No . . he does precisely what he is advised by the handful of financial elites who supported and guided him from his earliest days in politics. This has been the trend, with no real sign of "change" anywhere on the horizon. Contrary to popular belief, the president is not "elected" to change the way the country is run. He is more accurately "selected" to keep things the way they've always been.

Since the beginning of my quest for truth, I’ve come across quotes from some of the greatest men in American history. The words of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson drew my attention in particular. Upon arriving in Chicago I was taken by a statue of Abraham Lincoln on the east lawn of the Historical Society. The statue was unveiled and presented by Lincoln's grandson and namesake on October 22, 1887.

When we learned of the founding fathers in grade school, it seemed like the American Revolution was eons ago. Upon turning 30 a few months back, I was given new perspective on the passage of time. 30 is easy to multiply and use as a round unit of measurement on a timeline. Lets assume life expectancy will be around ninety by the time I get there (god willing). For this example of time passage; 1 Unit = 30 years, 1 Lifetime = 90 years.

The Civil War was fought only 1 1/2 lifetimes ago . . the Lincoln statue came 1 unit later. The Vietnam conflict came to its conclusion just over 1 unit ago . . WWII 2 units back. Thomas Jefferson just passed away 2 lifetimes back . . Paine less than a unit prior to that. The Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America were penned and adopted about a decade apart . . 2 lifetimes and 1 unit back. Hopefully, by this point, we are on the same page. Men stood up to be more than the audience not long ago, they spoke words of the greatest weight and backed them up, statues were erected in honor of them less than two centuries ago.

We the audience have looked at great men of American history on currency and in statues since birth, celebrated what little we know of their existence, and smiled about the "freedom" their sacrifices left for us. Other than a few profile busts and made for TV coins of recent commanders in chief, who was the last leader we held to such stature? Who took office and genuinely changed the way we looked at the position as he worked to actually fix some of the major ills of the world? Jack Kennedy? Before he was able to deconstruct the rogue American intelligence apparatus, he was killed by it. So when was the last time we looked up and truly admired, adored, and backed the president for all the right reasons? Lincoln perhaps? Maybe, though he too was hated by many and killed in sinister plot. Roosevelt? Truman? I would not like to face the demons in their closets, let alone carry the burdens of their actions while in office.

Could it be their has not been a truly celebrated president in so long because no one has had the brass to buck the system since our nation was at war with itself? I know, I know, "YES WE CAN". Lets explore the volume of Barack Obama merchandise out there. Frequently, images of our president appear next to the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some shirts include the likeness of Rosa Parks . . I’ve even seen some air brush work placing Malcolm X in the scene. Perhaps most ironic of all, silk-screened images of the president in the Rastafarian colors with the words "one love" printed underneath.

The true American Idol.

We the audience put this man on a god-like plateau months before the primary. How did he rise from obscurity to celebrity overnight? How can you explain a man raised in the society described in my last posting rising to the top of the free world with all that stacked against him? Easy. It wasn't stacked against him, he is not from that world, the ball has been in his court since his first day in politics. Perhaps the strongest race, with the greatest case for revolution, has been pacified. The people the president works for are the same ones with blood on their hands from executing true black leaders from decades past. The president is like the host of a game show, a news anchor. He is simply a weather man, in place to tell you the way things are, speaking about events beyond his control.

We must become champions of consciousness.

It is a choice that must come from within. We cannot campaign or advertise. There is no agenda or way to generate profit. Our cause should be dedicated to one thing, the common good.

The progression of our species . . .

The perseverance of all life on earth.

"Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day" -THOMAS JEFFERSON