Ignorance Is Not Bliss

I am going to come right out and say it, Americans are, for the most part, a very ignorant people. Now before you pick up your baseball bats and come looking for me, allow me to explain something. There is a common misconception that ignorance and stupidity are synonymous, and that isn't the case.

According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, ignorance means, a: destitute of knowledge or education; also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified. While on the other hand, stupid is defined as, a: slow of mind : obtuse b: given to unintelligent decisions or acts c: lacking intelligence or reason.

Do you see the difference? I could call myself ignorant about many things. I do not understand physics, calculus, or the workings of complex electrical circuits, yet I do not consider myself stupid. It is just that I have not had the opportunity to learn about those subjects.

However, there is a correlation between ignorance and stupidity. As Webster's dictionary said, stupid can mean given to unintelligent decisions, if a person therefore is ignorant in regards to a subject, they may make stupid decisions because of their ignorance. Therefore, it would make sense that people would want to do something about their ignorance so that they could make intelligent decisions. Hence the title of this article, Ignorance Is Not Bliss.

Prior to our nation's war for independence, Patrick Henry delivered a stirring speech. On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry said the following, "Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide for it."

Patrick Henry made a conscious decision not to be ignorant, he was willing to hear the truth, no matter how bad it was. How this country needs people like Patrick Henry, people who are willing to question what their elected representatives tell them, examine the facts, and learn the truth, no matter how painful that truth may be. Unfortunately, people insulate themselves in their own little cocoons, going about their daily lives, ignorant of the fact that our nation, and what it stood for, is on the pathway to its destruction.

Crisis upon crisis confront us to the point we are overwhelmed, our capacity to handle them in a state of overload. Yet still we choose to remain ignorant when it comes to the cause of these problems. The truth is far too scary a thing for many, something that they refuse to even contemplate, let alone believe. Therefore we hide within the sphere of our own problems while ignoring the root cause. It is far more comforting for us to find a scapegoat upon whom we can place the blame for all our woes, and that makes us feel better. It is far easier to blame someone else, something else, than to admit that we are ultimately responsible for all that ail us as a nation.

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear people blame 'the government' for all our nations problems. Yet who do people turn to when it comes time to solve our problems, that very same government. That is like going to your drug dealer to help you with your addiction, the candy store to help you with your obesity. The government is the problem, on that point I cannot argue. But what is the government but those whom we choose to represent us. They pass laws that are unconstitutional, and morally reprehensible because we allow them to. They don't enforce the laws that are already in existence because we allow them to. They are elected by the people to do the will of the people, and if they do not do their jobs they should be removed from office and replaced with someone who will. Yet these same people who we blame for our problems, and turn to for solutions, are only a part of the problem.

Daniel Webster told us who would be responsible for the destruction of our nation, "Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government."

James Monroe reiterated that when he said, "It is only when the people become ignorant and corrupt, when they degenerate into a populace, that they are incapable of exercising their sovereignty. Usurpation is then an easy attainment, and an usurper soon found. The people themselves become the willing instruments of their own debasement and ruin."

There is that word ignorant again. We have forgotten what principles this country was founded upon. We have allowed our government to assume powers that are not their to assume. How many government programs do you know that run efficiently? Our government has the reverse Midas touch, everything they involve themselves in turns sour. When it does we turn to them to enact new laws, create new agencies to fix the problems they created. It is ludicrous. Instead revoking laws that do not work, dismantling agencies that do not work, we ask the government to increase its size and the sphere of its operations to fix the problems it is responsible for creating.

Our nations financial backbone, the manufacturing industry has slowly been dismantled and shipped overseas, at the cost of how many American jobs? Yet we allow our Congress to give these corporations tax breaks for doing business overseas, while we sit at home and watch television.

Our government spends us into bankruptcy while we greedily hold our hands out for an economic stimulus check so we can rush to Wal Mart to buy goods made in China, never wondering how our government can afford to send each and every citizen a check for $600.

This nation is in debt to the tune of $9.3 trillion. You can see for yourselves at (http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/). That is how much money this country has borrowed, just so its government can continue to function. The debt increases at a rate of $1.46 billion a day. If our government were to tax us all to pay this debt in full, it would cost every man woman and child $30,825.93. This economic stimulus package is adding another $168 billion to that debt, and we act like it is a free handout!

Because of the steady influx of illegal aliens, our nations identity is eroding, crime is increasing, our schools and social service programs are going broke due to the massive numbers of children born to illegal aliens, yet we rejoice in our multiculturalism and the price of cheap produce.

The work ethics of our children continue to deteriorate as we have embraced the concept of political correctness. Diligence and hard work no longer matter, as all are deserving of success, no matter if they work towards it, or waste their lives playing mindless video games instead of studying and planning for a future career. We are raising generations who are taught that dependence upon government is natural, and that is not what made this country into what it was.

Finally, our nations morals have gone down the toilet. I know I may offend some by the comments I am about to make, but you know what? TOUGH. Far too many people call themselves church going, or God fearing, yet they sit back and do nothing about the moral decay that is a cancer eating away at the soul of America.

Our belief in Jesus is just as politically correct as everything else, it is okay, as long as our beliefs don’t offend anyone. Did Christ worry about what people thought when he called the scribes and pharises when he called them hypocrites? Did He concern Himself when He overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple, calling them thieves?

Yet today we are taught to accept homosexuality, as it is a lifestyle choice, not a sin. Far too many of our churches have become feel good centers where political correctness reigns and the concept of standing up against evil is not taught. Listen to Joel Osteen or any other of the televangelists and all you hear is that ‘God wants you to be happy’. There is no talk of standing up for right and confronting evil.

Then there is Oprah Winfrey and her legions of fans who would follow her blindly straight into hell. How many people have been led astray by this woman? First it was “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, then it was The Purpose Driven Church, now it is Eckhart Tolle with more new age mysticism.

I am wondering, after all my ranting, do you see the common pattern in all this? It is the fact that Americans want to be followers of something. We no longer have the ability to think for ourselves, to reason for ourselves. We would rather believe what others tell us, be they government officials, or celebrities, instead of seeking the truth for ourselves. We have become a nation of sheep being led to the slaughter instead of independent thinking people who can discern when we are being lied to and misled.

The current presidential race is a perfect example. There is but one candidate who stands for the same principles that this country was founded upon, Ron Paul. The media shunned him, his own political party shunned him, the American people, except for the few who understand the dangers this country faces, shunned him. Instead people choose to follow a candidate that promises us more of the same business as usual that has brought this country to its knees. No matter what these candidates say, if you look at what they stand for, it is all about more government control over our lives. Democrat, Republican, it makes no difference. These are the parties that have had their chance and have failed, miserably. Ron Paul could have made a difference, but the American people laughed at him.

There is another alternative for those who are fed up with the status quo of Republican and Democratic candidates. That is the Constitution Party, whose candidate is Chuck Baldwin. If you want to know what Chuck Baldwin stands for, go to http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2008/cbarchive_20080502.html and read for yourself. Unfortunately Chuck Baldwin will receive even less media attention than did Ron Paul, and the lack of attention will come at a great loss to this country.

All I can say is that ignorance is not bliss. Look at how painful our lives are today due to our ignorance. Our country is broke, our jobs have been sent to India, China, or some other country, the economy continues to suffer because our Congress has allowed the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank to scam the people out of their hard earned pay. So, keep watching your television, keep believing the news media, keep your faith in those in whom you elect to represent you. I have long since lost faith in them, and more importantly, I have lost faith in the American people to do what needs to be done to save this country.