We all admire people who in the face of adversity don't give up. Many of us have been inspired by the famous quote of the coach, Jim Valvano, "Don't give up. Don't ever give up" in his last speech shortly before his death from cancer.
We have all been inspired at times but we're also tempted by the comfortable complacency of our normal lives. It's easy to see problems as someone else's, or to wait for some other person to do the necessary thing, since we are busy or feel we have paid our dues already.
We often are taken in by the sense that we are doing something significant by being outraged, or shaking our heads and wringing our hands about significant issues that need attention. Or we believe that we make a difference by watching the ongoing debates about what President Trump might or might not have done or whether we can force the Russians to admit to hacking our elections.
We can sit and analyze and make judgements about these things, but we really play no significant role in their outcomes, nor is anything likely to happen quickly. But we follow these proceedings with rapt attention; we want to think, by doing that, we are fulfilling some vital role as citizens.
Meanwhile the economic system continues to damage the nation, the 1 percent still makes the decisions for the 99 percent, health care costs continue to rise and environmental change continues as a growing threat to our futures.
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If this nation is to survive as a viable and sustainable democracy it will only be because of those who are not distracted by the establishment games, are not cowed by the overwhelming job to be done, who do not give up, but act for the good of humankind.
Bob Passi
Baxter
