"Clean Your Own House Before You Tell Me What's Wrong With Mine"
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
October 20, 2008 5:58am CST
We hear that line (or variations) all the time. We even use it when we feel like someone is putting their nose firmly where it doesn't belong. We often use it when it comes to a president's foreign policy, or if some other country is disrespecting our own.
But do we practice what we preach?
More and more we are demanding the President of the US take on more and more authority. Why? Because we seem to expect the president to be much much more than he was ever meant to be. We write our Congressmen and call our Senators, complaining and telling them how they should be voting or what issues they should be championing... again, even if those issues were never meant to be taken on by the federal government.
But what about our local government? Do we even know the names of our aldermen, city council members or others in our town, city and county government? Are we giving our state and local leaders a pass, when the very things we are demading of the president or congres rightfully belong on in the city or state buidling?
If we are supposed to clean our own house first, that means that the bulk of our activism should be done and targeted to the local level.
Want to fight hunger and poverty? Quit sitting on your butt waiting for the federal government to do more... get involved with local organizations that help the poor and hungry.
Want to have better schools? Then quit making excuses and get to know the problems and successes of your local school district, private and charter schools.
Want more cultural or social community events? Then get out and support the ones that you already have. Talk to the people who organize such things and see what you can do to help.
If none of these things exist in your community, then do what you can to organize some yourself.
A great state is made up of great communities, great countries are made up of great states (or provinces).
Sitting around making demands of the federal government is for the lazy, the heartless and those who would rather make excuses than a difference.
7 people like this
6 responses
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
20 Oct 08
True, true but I believe the reason most act the way you describe is because of the view of a never ending supply of money. Most do not think of their local government as having a never ending supply of cash. The demands follows the cash.
Become a community organizer and one day you will be qualified to be President:-)
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
21 Oct 08
True, which is ironic since most cities and states aren't trillions in debt. lol
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
20 Oct 08
I wish more people would wake up and realize that most of their problems start and end with their local governments. That often goes for schools, libraries, and of course, police and fire departments.
In Tampa many people were blaming the property tax cuts pushed by Governor Crist for ruining the library and their budget. They failed to realize that the libraries in Miami-Dade County and Orange County were doing just fine. Then after firing hundreds of low level part-time employees the county audited the library and discovered that they'd waved over FOUR MILLION DOLLARS in fines. That's why the library was ruined by the cuts in funding. They were literally throwing away millions of dollars. They also had a top heavy system where they continued to hire chief librarians making over $80,000 while laying off low wage workers to cut the budget. Anyone who looked at the books could clearly see it was local government running it into the ground yet everyday I would hear patrons complain that it was Bush's fault that services were decreasing and hours were reduced.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
20 Oct 08
I couldn't agree with you more about the problems at the local level. Glads County seems to be allergic to progress and new businesses, which would bring much needed jobs and revenue into the county, are routinely blocked from coming here by the Good Old Boys who run the show and want to keep things quiet and peaceful for the Snow Birds. We know the Sheriff personally, and he's a decent guy, so we'll vote for him again this year but there are a few others running for re-election in this county who we're voting against. 
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
20 Oct 08
If this election did anything for me it taught me to get involved in local government. I had already volunteered for local outreach organizations, joined two PTO's etc.. and I can tell you there is never enough help along those lines. However, I learned that my alderman is useless,it took 5 emails and 10 phone calls to even get a response from him. So I took our neighborhoods plight along witha petition to city council, I got a whopping three minutes and I swear that one of the members yawned while I was speaking. Now I am taking it higher, we'll see what happens. (I live at the bottom of a hill that curves and the kids trying to "drift" have caused quite a few serious accidents...hit telephone poles and such. 3 in one week.) all I'm asking for is speed bumps in the road. We have a lot of children here, and soon it won't be just a telephone pole that gets hit. I tell ya there's nothing like waking up to a car almost hitting your house.
It's not just the federal government that's lazy, but you make some great points Para!
@devylan (695)
• United States
21 Oct 08
Well said, but I think his real point here is that we should always start at the bottom as you have done in your situation before going directly to the top. Just like if you have a problem at a fast food establishment with your oder being wrong. First you tell the cashier, and if he/she refuses to fix it, you ask for the manager. If there's still no satisfaction, then you go corporate. Same thing.
1 person likes this
@grammasnook (1871)
• United States
20 Oct 08
Very well said, we all know that people take care of people. Once person nor several hundred can change this country themselves. It is a group effort. I happen to be very involved in many different things.
I help with food drives, myself and my children help the food kitchen to feed the homeless, we are very involved with collecting and sending to the troops abroad. We have made lunches and brought them to the local armory to say Thank You. We collect unwanted jackets and blankets year round to help the homeless keep warm. I help with the battered womans shelter.
I would agree that the government should not be responsible for every little thing that happens but I also believe they should be able to "Help" some on the financial end. There are thousands of homeless vets and this just shouldn't be. Most of these vets have PTSD and the military resources should be keeping up with thier needs.
We the people should be opening our eyes, if someone is out trying to collect money in front of Mcdonalds saying they are hungry do not give them money but go in and buy them a burger for a buck. Do not complain about a problem if you are not willing to help your fellow person.
Please remember life is not about always taking, we must give back to feel whole.
We all piss and moan how tough times are but remember than is always someone much worse off than ourselves.
1 person likes this
@evanslf (484)
•
20 Oct 08
A very good discussion and I totally agree. There is so much we can do at the local level and it doesn't have to be an elected office either. Too often people think that I have got to be some kind of politician to get things done but that is far from the case, particularly in one's local community. Indeed, in many communities there are some local people who are so active that they wield far more influence and are respect far more than any of the politicians!
