San Marcos Writers Network

I suppose like so many others I spent most of my adult life oblivious to what was happening in the political arena.  If things seemed to be doing ok, I never questioned anything until last January when the Presidential Campaigns began in full force.

I have always followed the Presidential Campaigns, had my own opinions about the candidates and whom I would like to see elected.  However I had never used my right to vote.  Ashamed to admit it but true.  My knowledge of any details of the politicians in Washington was very lacking.  I did keep up with the news and from time to time some events would catch my attention but not for long until 9-11.  The events of that day were like a wake up call not only for me but for so many others.  The pity of it is that  the wake up call didn’t last very long, soon things slowly went back to the normal day to day living.

In January 2008, something told me to pay attention,  one of those feelings in the pit of you stomach that said…things are about to change and change quickly.   Barak Obama actually scared me and I knew that he would be our next president.  Obama had a charisma that could charm a massive amount of people.  I knew I had to pay attention and begin searching for all the information I could find not only about the candidates but for information about our government and it’s elected officials.  Believe it or not I didn’t even know what “pork” was.

However, real anxiety did not take hold until one day when my daughter called and asked me if I had heard about the FEMA Camps. It was something she had just stumbled on while surfing the net.  Could this really be true?   The web links she sent me were almost unbelievable.  I felt as if I had just “stepped into the Twilight Zone,” but it was real — way too real. That was the true turning point for me.  Not long after that I met Stewart who has been so faithful in forwarding information to me and I am very thankful for his vigilance.

I am proud that this time I registered to vote and it felt so good to have the freedom do so.  Election day meant a lot to me this time.  Never again will I not know what is happening in Washington.  The future of our country is so fragile right now.  Awareness is vital for all of us.  We must stand up and be heard!  Knowledge is power only when we put action into it.  I tell everyone who will listen what I know and continue to find out.  Although I have made some of my friends think I am crazy, never again will I stay in oblivion or be silent.