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On the road again:
Greetings from an RV park in Rockport, Texas.
Today’s Story
As we celebrate the transition of executive power in the United States government, even if in an unprecedented way, I wish to offer some observations and opinions on the state of our nation, particularly in regard to socialism and anti-socialism.
Consider political labels—like Republican, Democrat, and independent—and how meaningless they are.
Take, for example, Donald Trump who has donated heavily to Democrat Party candidates (even if for his perceived personal gain) but won the presidency of the United States as a Republican and has since devolved to be the vanguard of extremist right-wing conservativism.
Take, for example, Bernie Sanders who, as a left-wing independent, not affiliated with either political party, was the closest competitor for presidential nominee of the Democrat Party against Hillary Clinton in 2016 and then Joe Biden in 2020.
When I was in Arizona this past summer and fall, prior to the national election, there was frequently a group of people who stood at the only entrance to a shopping plaza (grocery store, pharmacy, medical ER, insurance offices, eateries, etc.) with their pro-Trump banners, megaphones, and shouts to drivers waiting at the traffic signal to enter or depart the parking lot.
One day, as I waited for the light to turn green, I shouted to the main man, who appeared to be in his 60s: “Worst president ever.” He replied, “You’re an idiot.” I thought: “Interesting. I offered an observation, an opinion; he responded with an insult, a label.”
When I saw him again in the same circumstance, he shouted at no one in particular, “No socialism.” I yelled back, “Do you collect social security?” He replied, with less volume, “No, I’m a Polish citizen and a doctor. I don’t need the money.” (Honest, that’s what he said.) I laughed.
When I saw him a third time, I yelled, “How are things in Krakow?” He turned his back and walked away.
So, socialism. This single word is a rallying cry for some, like Bernie Sanders, who advocates for free college education for all, and Barack Obama, who worked hard to enact the Affordable Care Act.
The word socialism is a rallying cry for those opposed to the concept of helping others.
Which makes me think of one of my favorite songs, “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show,” written and sung by Neil Diamond. The lyrics say:
Now you got yourself two good hands
And when your brother is troubled
You gotta reach out your one hand to him
‘Cause that’s what it’s there for.
And when your heart is troubled
You gotta reach out your other hand
Reach it out to the man up there
‘Cause that’s what He’s there for.
What is socialism?
Like in Neil Diamond’s song, it’s the notion of people pitching into a common pool—with their time, their effort, and/or their resources—and lifting each other up for the highest good of all.
What is anti-socialism?
The opposite. Going it alone. Turning one’s back on others. Hoarding. Even to the point of being a rugged individualist? Perhaps.
In the legend of America, this notion of the rugged individualist plays well.
In the purest sense, the rugged individualist is the lone cowboy out on the range, the vagabond, the drifter, the person of any stripe who doesn’t need anyone and doesn’t give a damn about anyone.
But a different tone of ruggedness is the spirit of the pilgrims who set out on sailing ships from their homes in Europe for the promise of the unknown in the “New Land.”
Ruggedness is the spirit that propelled settlers from the early eastern states to seek their fortune or a spot of land in the west.
Did they, those people, all go it alone? No, the colonists came in ships sailed by a captain and crew. The settlers went across the prairies and mountains in wagon trains.
They were social groups … helpmates … for the common good. How socialistic of them!
Over the decades, Americans have created more metaphoric “wagon trains”: social security and Medicare and Medicaid programs, the branches of the military, police and fire departments, public schools and colleges and universities, libraries and community theatres, churches and civic groups, to name a few.
All established for the public good, designed to elevate society for our collective benefit through increased health, happiness, creativity, productivity, and economic well-being.
So, for any rugged individualists opposed to socialism who might read this, I offer this list of “don’ts” for you to ponder:
- Don’t pay taxes to any level of government: federal, state, and local. Don’t put your money into this common pool.
- Don’t collect social security. If you don’t put money in, you have no claim to take money out.
- Don’t enlist in or support the military in any way. You’re going it alone, remember? You don’t need an army, a navy, or an air force … or a militia.
- When you need a police officer, don’t call the cops. Follow your belief that you can take care of things by yourself.
- When your home catches on fire, don’t call the fire department. Grab your garden hose. You can do it.
- If you have a medical emergency, don’t call a first responder. Drive yourself to the hospital.
- Oh, no, that’s right. You don’t believe in socialized medicine, so you can’t go to a hospital or an ER clinic. Hmm, who do you call? Where do you go? I don’t know; I guess you’ll just have to figure that out on your own.
- Don’t go to a school, public or private—both are “wagon trains” of education.
- Don’t participate in any classes or programs at your college or university—a bigger “wagon train.”
- Don’t use your public library, even online, or attend performances at your community theater.
- Don’t use the Internet, the world wide web of connectivity, because you have already chosen to not engage in any such “group” entity.
- Don’t subscribe to any television or broadcast systems through which you might learn information about or be entertained by others. You don’t need others, remember?
- Don’t work for any company, especially those that use terms like “associates,” “stakeholders,” and “teamwork.”
- Don’t join a labor union or any “brotherhood,” “sisterhood,” or “fellowship.”
- Don’t attend a church or belong to a civic organization. If you happen to do so anyway, don’t pay your dues; after all, you don’t believe in contributing your money to the pool.
- Don’t join a country club, yacht club, or athletic club. Those are also social “wagon trains” even if for just an occasional outing or a monthly meeting.
- Oh, and you do realize don’t you, that as an anti-socialism member of society, you, by principal, certainly would not enter into any public government building, use any government services (including voting), or even park in a government parking lot.
- Likewise, don’t drive on highways, county roads, or city streets. Don’t walk on public sidewalks. Those were paid for by community tax dollars, which you have chosen not to pay, and laid down for use by the society in which you have chosen not to participate.
So, Mr. or Ms. Anti-Socialism, can you do—or not do—what I’ve listed here? Can you be—or are you—such a rugged individualist that you forego all of the above?
Unless you’re a true hermit—born by yourself, raised by yourself, living totally by yourself, and preparing to bury yourself—probably not.
Humans, like all other mammals, are social creatures. We need each other—our families, our communities, our society.
To be anti-socialism is to be anti-human, which is why this list of “don’ts” is so absurd.
Which is why some people are afflicted with cognitive dissonance, even if they are not cognizant of that dissonance.
Instead, I suggest, get on board the train … the “wagon train.” Your community needs you.
I mean, what is a bucket brigade if not a line of people—you and me and others—working together? Will we put out the fire?
Yes, with enough buckets and enough water and enough effort … with enough people who share a positive, forward-focused priority.
And why not?
We already have the socialistic systems, mentioned above, in place … and they are, for the most part, serving us well. Or, at least, they are better than not having them at all.
We have social security and public roads and government services at the national, state, and local levels.
Why not expand the concept?
Free college education, forgiveness of student loans, free or low-cost health care for everyone are all doable.
So are poverty relief, help for the homeless, food for the hungry, and any program that enhances human rights and dignity.
In other words, the point I’m trying to make is simply this: We already are, by nature, a socialistic society. Thank God for that.
Now let’s expand our horizons to be even more “all for one and one for all.”
Thank you.
Please feel free to share this with your network, especially to those who profess to be anti-socialists.
PS: I wrote this between 3:30 and 5:00 this morning after awakening from a very vivid dream about talking with a group of young people who had never heard about Arlo Guthrie, “Alice’s Restaurant,” Woodie Guthrie, “This Land Is Your Land,” Pete Seeger, and “If I Had a Hammer.”
On another note: I’m working on a series of eBooks about my travels and adventures over the past 40 years. This series, titled Journey ..., will be coming hopefully soon in 2021.
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Thank you for reading my stories.
Thank you for caring.
God blesses everyone ... no exceptions.
Robert (Bob) Weir
