I am curious just how much community work has been done collectively by the folks that have signed the petition for the Natural State to go it alone. Are these folks that are generally unhappy with being a part of the United States, or are they just messing around on the Internet with nothing better to do? Do they really think that there is a chance that Arkansas and other states may actually leave the Union? Hasn’t this been tried before? Or are they nothing more than folks that did not get their way in the election and are trying to take their ball and go home like a little child?
Maybe the real problem is that these folks don’t have enough to worry about. Sadly, I know some folks that have been pushing for a departure from the bonds of the United States, and some are fairly successful folks who have made a pretty good life from themselves under the flag of red, white, and blue. In fact, I have trouble identifying one person that is worse off now than they were four years ago, and most of them have obviously benefitted from the existence of government in their lives.
I would think those folks that have trouble breathing when they think of four more years of Obama would at least breathe a little easier knowing that he cannot be reelected. In the same way, the euphoria that is being felt by Obama supporters might be a bit exaggerated. He won, but the mandate is only a couple of percentage points, and we are in many ways philosophically divided as a county. Ironically, the philosophical divide is a lot smaller than most of us think. It is the extremes in this country that get the air play, and the extremes represent very few of us.
Last I heard, 3,000 people had “signed” the Internet petition to set Arkansas free from the chains that keep us tied to this great country. Even in a small state, that’s not very many. Heck, I bet with a little effort, I could get 3,000 people to sign a petition that says I should be the next head coach at the University of Arkansas. It’s ridiculous idea, but I think there are folks that would go for it if I fed them the right line.
One of the great things about this country is our history of getting past elections and getting behind our leaders for the greater good. Technology puts some of that history to the test by educating the masses at the same time they are being fed propaganda. Today’s citizens have to trudge through a lot of information to get to the truth. There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing with our leaders and those that are elected. The way to deal with your disagreement is not to take your ball and go home. If you don’t like the way things are going, then roll up your sleeves and get to work. Very few things have been fixed by yelling in the wind. For some, Facebook and the like is the modern day way to yell in the wind.
I have high hopes for the future of this great country, but have no real belief that Arkansas has a chance of going it alone. I would personally be embarrassed to have my name listed on such a petition. We don’t even have a professional football team, so how are we going to succeed in the real world all by ourselves?
I’m looking forward to the holidays. If things go differently than I have predicted, it might be the last holiday I get to spend as an American Citizen. Of course, we all know that’s not going to happen. That’s true for anyone with any sense, even those of us way up in the CHEAP SEATS!
Bill James is a co-founder of the James Law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway and Fayetteville, Arkansas. His primary area of practice is criminal defense. He can be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com