As I was watching the House vote on SB 1263, I noticed the mural of our founding fathers on the wall behind the Speaker's chair. No wonder they have their backs turned away from the house. I'm surprised they weren't holding their noses.
There was a time in this country when we didn't stop to think if we could win a battle. We stood up and fought for what was right, knowing that we could lose, but took on the fight because it was simply the right thing to do.
As Ben Franklin once said after deciding to stand up to England: "Gentlemen, one thing is certain. We will hang together, or we will surely hang separately." In other words, win or lose, we must fight because it is the right and moral thing to do.
There was a time when we made laws based on what is right, what is moral, and what is just. Now, we establish laws based on what is profitable, and politically acceptable, then the people who are negatively affected suffer needlessly while others approach our elected officials with 'hat in hand and bend in knee' and beg for justice. How pathetic is that? Haven't we figured out that there will be no justice until we demand it?
SB 1263 is not just 'bad legislation'. It's immoral, and an insult to every Pennsylvanian living in a county that is having Act 13 shoved down our throats.
Some of us attempt to 'speak truth to power'. The problem is 'power' doesn't care so they're not even listening. So, maybe it's time we turn and face the people and try to 'speak truth to apathy and stupid'.
Maybe I'm too idealistic about these things. If I am, so be it. But I still believe that anything worth having is worth fighting for, and if we're not willing to fight to defend what we claim to value, then perhaps we don't deserve it.
I've no doubt that some will be angered by this rambling. Some may even be offended. My hope is that many more will be inspired to step out of their twitter/facebook comfort zones, and their home, and start becoming seriously and actively involved in defending our civil and constitutional rights.
After all, it is our duty and obligation as American citizens to stand up and resist tyranny and oppression, even when it stems from our own government.
There has to come a point when we decide we're not going to be led about like sheep anymore.
John Trallo
Sonestown
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
