Responsibility of Citizenship

Responsibility of Citizenship

Long ago, I read a book by Robert A. Heinlein called Starship Troopers. You may recall several years ago a movie was made based upon the story of that book. The movie sucked. Denise Richards was hot in it, as she still had a look of innocence about her eyes. Now, well, she just looks like a Charlie Sheen one night date. And not a very expensive one at that. The other girl in the movie was hotter, in my opinion. She was hot when she played in Johnny Mnemonic. Anyway, I'm not here to discourse on movies or actors/actresses. That will be saved for yet another day.

Back to the story line.

In the story, the planet was under attack by an intelligent and alien 'bug race'. There was a single military and government for the planet. As I recall it was loosely based on a Democratic Republic. Kind of what the US is now, only ... different and in some ways, better. Continuing with my fading memories the book filled in missing details about the form of government in action on the planet earth. One of which was a person was a subject, unless they had served. Now the movie pushed that service had to be in the military, however, the book stated service only had to be to mankind. Civil services, medical services, military, and so on, were considered appropriate. Without that service record, you were not a Citizen. Therefore you were not a part of the electoral body. Without Citizenship, you had no word in how things were run. Oh, and being a politician was NOT a form of service. That was a form of continuing service, after already becoming a citizen. Citizenship also paid for advanced education, such as college. No citizenship, you had to pay for it yourself.

Maybe Master Heinlein had something there.

Think about it a moment. Regardless of your political views or religious beliefs, there is something positive here. Through service to others persons learned a common language to express responsibility to the whole of society, regardless of differences. Through service, respect was more easily given and received, because of self worth and value. Through this service, bigotry was set aside, because you must learn to support and accept support from those who are different. But most importantly, if you did not serve, you have no right to gripe about the current situation.

Kind of like the past presidential election for our falling nation. If you did not vote, regardless of who you voted for, you have absolutely no room to grouse about the current administration. I voted. I continue to vote with e-mails, hand written letters and phone calls to the people elected into office to represent me. I must have sent more than 70 messages against the recently passed trillion dollar, plus spending/taxation bill. But each of those calls, e-mails and letters were a vote.

People, just because the election is over, you still have to vote. The ancient Greeks tried to develop an open democracy where all persons of a certain stature of society were allowed to vote, but they were expected or required to vote almost weekly, as I recall my ancient history instruction. They soon learned that a republic made more sense. Representatives were chosen from an area to represent that area. And here started the corruption.

But back to the initial point of this posting, Get off your widening backside and partake, or shut up. I'm tired of hearing about how you are not represented. If you want representation, then VOTE, dammit!

That is all.

P.Blacksmith