August 6, 2007
by Keith Simerson

Well, I guess its that time again for all the political hopefuls to busy themselves with their cerebral messages that promise a brighter future for the masses, answers for why the present administration does not work, what they are going to do to turn it all around should they be elected ... ad nauseam.

I also find it quite touching to realize that these same brave souls somehow will find the strength and courage to endure the grueling fund raising drives, black tie dinners, and other related events over the course of the next year and a half that will hopefully place them into an exalted position of public power.

If elected, their platforms will afford them the opportunity to liberally apply whatever healing balm and band aid they feel is required in their feeble attempt to treat a deep, gaping, national wound that is developing into an outright infection. An infection that is accumulating among the rank and file middle class Americans who have been taught or led to believe that they could trust their cooperate and political leaders.

As long as they worked, invested wisely, and behaved as nice pawns are supposed to, the ruling elite would in turn establish and enforce laws that would protect them, their rights, their jobs, and their pursuit of happiness. I am going to go out on a limb here to assume that they are now wondering about the wisdom of that trust. They are becoming increasingly aware of what the lower class of society have known for years ... that they are the sacrificial offerings of the upper classes and are being used to increase someone else's financial portfolio.

I am not a politician, nor do I pretend to be, but I know when something is not right, thus the title of this article. It should read, "Capitol Hill and The American People" but it seems that they are doing their best to work against us instead of for us like they should be doing. Everywhere I go I keep hearing people talk about how much distrust they have for our political system. "Something is in the air and it ain't sweet" is the best way to describe our ominous, present day situation.

I am neither a doomsday prophet nor a naysayer and have always been a proponent for positive thinking. I just believe that you can accomplish more with a positive mindset than from the negative side. I wish I knew where that mentality came from because it wasn't something that I grew up hearing. Somewhere along the line I just came to adhere to that kind of thinking and it has served me well ... most of the time. There are those that would consider me an idealist on various topics. But there comes a time when you must call a spade a spade and admit that the horizon may be showing us an impending storm instead of only a beautiful sunset.

We really should rethink this issue of trust. I know that I had to reconsider who and what to trust after I was convicted of a heinous crime several years ago in which I was tried, found guilty, and severely beaten not once but twice for my transgression and then released on my own cognizance. What was the crime and where did it happen you might ask? It happened in my home and the crime was tickling my sister while she was eating a piece of hard candy which resulted in her becoming temporarily choked. Even though she immediately coughed the candy out and thus saved from any more suffering, I was made acutely aware of the danger of my actions by a brutal beating from my dad that left me bloodied and bruised. A punishment that definitely did not fit the crime.

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Afterwards, mom told me that I had scared dad and it was because of his fear for my sister's safety that led him to his actions against me. I was told that he still loved me but I had to understand the severity of what I had done. I guess that explanation was supposed to help me to rationalize the blood and bruises on my back and legs and to acquit dad from any wrongdoing. Although I acknowledged my grave mistake, I never believed that dad was concerned for my sister's safety as the reason for that particular beating anymore than I believed he was concerned for mine. But since I had no where else to go I had to learn how to walk on the proverbial thin ice so life could resemble some level of peace.

What had become readily apparent to me was that there was something about me that he despised. Maybe it was because I looked like mom or maybe it was because I wasn't like him. Regardless of the initial reason for the beating, he and I both knew why it became so severe ... because I refused to acknowledge the pain that he was inflicting upon me and that meant that I was threatening his power and authority. That's one hell of a feat for a nine year boy. When the beating continued with a leather strap and a metal buckle I eventually gave his power back to him for I had become guilty of self-preservation by that time.

So, what is the point of following this rabbit trail? Simply this ... dad should have never been a dad. He did not want to be a dad and he was miserable and by god he was going to make someone else pay for his misery. Some would believe that his original intentions in becoming a father may have been good and noble. I don't. I know differently since he told me that the only reason I was around was because "the rubber broke". My birth was viewed by him as a mistake that forced him into fatherhood and the accompanying duties that made him resentful and bitter toward me and mom. Those resentments also created a myriad of problems for anyone else that was connected to him.

The same thing could be said for any priest, politician, surgeon, sculptor, professor, police officer, waitress, farmer, housewife, or fathers that are in the wrong career field or position in life. If they find themselves in a position that is undesirable it changes their intentions and motivations and the quality of their decisions. Their actions will eventually betray what they secretly hide in their heart.

If I had to choose between two doctors, I will choose, if that knowledge is possible, the one that became a doctor because they really love and enjoy working with people every time over the one that wanted into the profession primarily for the money. You may differ with me here but I believe that the decisions of the former will be stronger and clearer.

I am one of those that will watch you for a long while before I decide whether or not it is safe to entrust my future on your promises. You might say that I distrust human nature for it can be extraordinarily deceptive one minute and then capable of the noblest deeds the next. Therefore you must prove yourself to me over time.

I think it safe to say that politicians really do believe that they know what is best for the people. They have the right to think that just as I have the right to believe otherwise. There are times that they do. I am sure that there are politicians in office right now that are doing their level best to effect a positive change for the people and they need our support. That is why it is so important to know about their stated positions on different topics and whether or not their voting record reflects those stances. If they don't, forget about 'em.

As a sculptor and foundry man I do not have to swear by any oath to do my job like many professions. But my personal pride is on the line by the quality of work I put out. If, for example, I was to fabricate a sculpture that fell apart and injured numerous people in a park, you can bet that I would be called on the carpet to explain why my work was so shoddy and inadequately executed. I would also expect future clients to be wary of what I do from that point on until I could prove that I had corrected all the design flaws. It is not that I will not make any more mistakes but that I be willing to acknowledge my mistakes and change my tactics for the good of everyone concerned.

Capitol Hill should be no different.

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Keith Simerson [send him email] is a self-employed foundryman and sculptor as well as an Air Force veteran in the security field.  See his blog at http://www.goodnevilguy.blogspot.com/.

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