CONGRESS...WHAT FOR?
It is very common that people stick their loyalty and support to symbols, institutions or even perceived duties, regardless of the actual reality of its content. It happens, especially, in politics. Every citizen knows as his or her duty to participate by voting whenever the institutions that rule their community are involved (presidency, congress, governors, mayors, etc.) To do it, they generally stick to a symbol (a party) either inherited by family tendencies or acquire at a certain point in life. Their environment influences - workplace, family and friends - glue the choice.
But then the fact is that people tend to participate regardless of the actual reality of the choice. It happens, especially, regarding the Congress, that place where decision-making defines to the detail the life of every individual, where a single decision touches all and every life. People do vote to help their symbol win (the party) but sometimes, too often, it contradicts their basic natural needs. It becomes illogical. In some countries, corruption, for example, is so widely spread that Congress only serves personal, individual interests. Nevertheless, people keeps on voting for the traditional symbols rather that for the actual facts. In my country, for instance, for more than a decade and with some honorable exceptions, Congress has fed the news with regular scandals - corruption, self-serving law making, relations with outlaws, and even a remarkable lack of assistance to the sessions-. Nevertheless, every four years a good amount of the exponents of such a situation get re-elected. Illogical. Another good example of this kind of situations happens in America where the political spectrum is divided in two: red Republicans and blue Democrats. Whatever the election, Americans stick to their traditional symbols. But then, at present, the content of those symbols is that Democrats now at the head of the government are presenting to the community access to health, wider and cheaper education, raise of minimum wage, even wages for women, among others. Health, education and work, the basics to begin with in life. The reality of their symbol´s content - records say - is that some Republicans have systematically blocked those initiatives. The fact: every initiative covers - equally- both red and blue Americans making illogical for people to vote against their very own well being should those proposals come from Democrats or Republicans. This is a very illustrative example because here, as in every case and everywhere, what matters are not the symbols. What matters - here is the deep meaning of the words - is what actually matters... what becomes a tangible reality for the individual´s every day living and, therefore, for the community. Situations like this happen in many - if not every - country in the planet.
A wise mind once said that the only world we can change is our own. For the situation of every individual in society to change in any place of the World, it is needed that every citizen check the content of their preferred symbols, the actual situation, the facts, and ask themselves: Mayors, Governors, Presidents, Congress... what for? Are they responding to people´s needs? The answer in every country on Earth will change the individual´s life, that of the community, and yes, also the World. / Silvia Davila MM, April 6, 2014
