We are the Borg. Resistance is futile.

[Speck Tater]

It doesn't matter who we elect to Congress or who we put in the White House. Once they go to Washington they are assimilated by the machine and become part of the machine. It is becoming increasingly obvious that caring about politics is hopeless folly. Rooting for your candidate is no more meaningful than rooting for your favorite football team. Your rooting doesn't matter, and in the final analysis, neither do the victories and defeats of your team. The best way to truly win is to not play the game.

At this juncture in history, the only rational course of action seems to be to disengage and keep a low profile. Keep your eyes open and and your head down. Stay out of the "camps" where they will herd all the dissenters and trouble makers. When to goons march down your street just become invisible. Don't let the machine know that you exist and the machine will overlook you, which might be your best chance at safety.

If, like me, you want to help, help those at arms length from you. Stop the war in Iraq? Forget it. How is your relationship with your wife, your brother, that annoying neighbor down the block? You have the power to end THOSE wars and heal those hurts. Do it here. Do it now. Win the battles you can win, person to person, one person at a time. Make it real. Make it count. Make a difference in somebody's life; somebody in your house; somebody in your town; somebody in the retirement home you pass every day on the way to work.

Let the "big boys" play their games in Washington. In time they will all become irrelevant. In time the economy will implode, the climate will go crazy, the fossil fuels will run out. Their game can't last much longer. Forget it. Do something today that matters today. But do it without noise and fanfare, and without drawing attention to yourself. Commit a very personal act of kindness and then fade back into the scenery, unnoticed and unseen.

<engages cloaking device>

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

[physioex]

1. No thanks......

I would rather go out kicking and screaming.

[Speck Tater]

3. "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"

Make noises from your computer about the government, or find an actual living person in your own town that needs saving. Which is ultimately more meaningful? Which is the easy way out, and which takes hard work? Which matters?

[physioex]

5. Come on.....

How many people here on DU just "make noises from your computer". Most people on this forum are very politically involved and well read. I commend you for your random act of kindness but I think the umbrella is big enough to do both.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Someone's got to come unglued in the well of the Senate. Go Janeway on them. Something!!!!!

[Speck Tater]

4. And that would change what?

Maybe some kids in your town need a safe place to play baseball after school. Suppose you could start a drive to make that happen? Would you give up keyboarding fantasies about raising hell in the halls of congress to make it come true? Would you spend some effort helping the kids in your own neighborhood? In other words, do you REALLY care? Care enough to do something that ACTUALLY makes a difference?

Keyboards and computers make it just too damn easy to pretend we all care. Well, if we cared we wouldn't be here BS'ing with each other. We'd be out in the real world making a difference. That's where I'm going. That's what I'll be doing. This hollow, meaningless message board chattering has become far too pointless to continue.

We pat each other on the back and tell ourselves how righteous we are and how bad the bad guys are. But in the end, we accomplish nothing that matters. And will continue to accomplish nothing until we get our butts out of from in front of the computer screen and engage with reality instead. And the most effective way for virtually all of us to do that is locally.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. I believe you're expressing thoughts...

...that are, at least, in the back or most of our minds, if not at the forefront. Sadly, I'm afraid blending in like the chameleon will likely be the best way to survive in coming years -- sure doesn't feel good to say so.