We all know how it happens. We hear about a bill or some other unfair law that the senate, house or the congress wants to pass, and because many of us tell ourselves that no matter even if we did make some noise, it will not make a difference, because our votes don't matter.

I'm sorry, were you there when we voted last time? Did you see what happened this time around? What happens when you don't vote is that laws and bills that we do not want, would never create ourselves, would not vote on if we were paid to vote "yes" for them end up passing, becoming law and then, ultimately, we end up bitching about the very thing that we did not want. We end up having laws that make sense only to a certain number of people.

We hold the power in our hands, and in our voices. We have the uniqueness of the Constitutional right to freedom of expression, and with that one tool, we have power. Because of that famous First Amendment, we are granted not only the power to speak against those things we do not want, speak for things we do want, we are granted the ultimate power to make decisions.

Instead of standing still and talking about the laws that we do not like, are not comfortable with, would never vote for passage, we should be calling our senators, congressional leaders, local government officials, and we should be making some noise. We have the power of the internet and email, of myspace and facebook, of creating our own web presence.

Sadly, even as we all know this to be true, many sit and do nothing more than just talk amongst ourselves as if talking amongst ourselves will do more than only fan the flames of resentment, of powerlessness, of doing only what it is that we have done thus far: wait four years until we have another guy in office we can complain about.

If you have not already registered to vote, do it...in fact, now is not too late. If you have not already attached yourself to a cause, to something that you identify with, something that you know you are not alone in, fighting for or against, do it. Do it for yourself, and for your kids. Do it for that nice little old lady down the street who is on a fixed income, and do it for that nice young couple on the corner who are just starting out, dreams in hand and future ahead of them.

Make some noise, folks. We have the power, the right and the duty to speak out against those things that we feel are not in our best interests, and we should not stand down for the things that we know are not being done for us but rather for those in office whose aspirations are self-centered and completely for reasons of arrogance. These guys - at least some of them - like believing that we are idiots, that we won't get angry and that we won't say things that might make passing stupid bills that cost us money a dream that will never become real for them.

We have seen great change just in this presidential election alone, and we have been witness to signs of the times that have either propelled us into the future or thrown us back in time to when it was ok to be judgmental, to care about what happens behind closed doors and in the private lives of people who we otherwise would not even bother. It is nice being neighborly, but that is nothing without a reason why we like being that way. We like solidarity. We like feeling the energy fed to us by a crowd of people who are of like mind. We like being together on things, and we like causing a stir. It is our right to be this way, because we are Americans. Many young lives have been lost preserving the rights that we so hold dearly and simultaneously take for granted. If you like your freedom, thank a Marine, a Soldier, a Navy-man or woman, an Airman, because it is they who risk their lives for the rest of us.

We can vote with our voices, not just at the polls. We can call our civic leaders and we can petition those things that we do not like so that they do not become yet one more foolish law that we all end up paying for. This is not being written because I personally have a bone to pick with anyone. This is being written because as a whole our American citizens have become cynical, dispassionate and turn a blind and ignorant eye to those things that happen because we let them happen.

We are not obliged to allow our leaders to lead us into situations that we cannot get out of, and we are not required to do what they want us to do, but rather, it is the other way around. We are the puppet masters, guys, and unless and until we all speak up, make some noise and get things done, we will continue to be the bitter, angry mob that we are.

We have a process in this country, and that process is in place for our benefit. We should be happy to work toward a better future for our children and for our childrens' children. Staying quiet and being good, model citizens is something that we can no longer spend our time thinking is the best idea we have. It is not the only idea. We have the option, the duty take a stance against all those things that are not for our benefit, but for the benefit of those whose only agenda is to satisfy a small, quiet bunch who already believe that we are just going to stand there and take it like they expect us to.

To hell with that.
Stand up and make some damned noise, folks.

It's called exercizing our freedoms, which is something we should all start doing before those freedoms which we so hold dearly as our American born right vanish like the Southern California sunset in the summer time.

Wave your hands in the air, then wave your flag- Old Glory...be glad for the fact that yours is the only country where you have a say so...

Stand up.
And MAKE SOME NOISE!!!!

MAPU