DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: Instead of believing the shadows on the cave wall, turn around and look at the truth!

I was having a conversation with a friend last week and we were discussing the shape of the United States as it stands in its current situation.

My friend said that while he is disgusted with Joe Joe and his administration, he also believes “The constitution is old and outdated” and it would make sense to update it for modern times.

To tell you my head did a 360 would be an understatement.

have never been good at biting my tongue, but I did not know where to begin with this one.

Sure, the Constitution can be amended. An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request it. 

At that point, the amendment then must be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.

Lately, from where I am sitting however, it seems there are laws passed (or amendments added) that could come into question if constitutional.

To my friend I replied, first, the folks who still believe Joe Joe is doing a fine job are the folks still watching mainstream media. 

And second, for those who think the Constitution of the United States should be altered for random reasons – that is the reason for our country’s downward spiral. 

I sometimes wonder as a journalist if our government is trying to rewrite the Constitution to fit the current narrative. 

Last week, two major votes in Congress took place that seemed to sicken even jaded Americans wanting to hold on to their freedom. 

For one, the warrant-less surveillance law or the FISA Amendments Act, which allows the “mass acquisition of U.S. citizens’ and residents’ international communications. 

Although the act prohibits the government from intentionally “targeting” people inside the U.S., it places virtually no restrictions on the government’s targeting of people outside the U.S., even if those targets are communicating with U.S. citizens and residents” according to www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/images/nsaspying/asset_upload_file578_35950.pdf – so if you are communicating with someone outside the US, you could be targeted. 

Congressman Tim Burchett from Tennessee said of FISA, “It is what they use literally to spy on American citizens…” and added, “It was a tough day for democracy today, folks.” 

The second vote had Republicans ready to say good-bye to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), who I’ve read has taken a major turn when doing his job lately. In fact, Georgia Congressperson Marjorie Taylor Greene said Johnson “betrayed” Americans and does not have the votes to stay in power as Speaker.

The House approved a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies last week. 

I am wondering are you guys okay with gas prices skyrocketing, groceries (if even edible these days) being the cost of an unaffordable gold bar, the illegal immigration issue at the border with The Washington Post stating, “illegal border crossings have averaged two-million per year since 2021, the highest level ever,” and the list goes on – are you okay with not having our money stay at home?

Does Ukraine really need $60.8 billion, does Israel need $26.4 billion of American’s hard earned money and, another bill that passed 360-58 was the forced sale of TikTok. 

Four bills in all including these gems will now go to the Senate as a package for possible passage. 

Locally, Ellis County’s own US Congressperson Jake Ellzey voted across the board “yes” to spending American’s dollars in this manner.

After the bill passed, lawmakers even had the nerve to wave Ukrainian flags on the floor of the US Congress. I don’t even know if they still wave American flags there anymore!

This degradation of the US is not new, and people – beginning with a parade of politicians – have been picking, choosing, and changing the face of our country and its Constitution since from (what I have researched) the early 1900s.

Are we in a position to give Israel more money? People around the country are vehemently protesting what is happening in Israel/Palestine, and while we send money for weapons to Israel we send money for aid to Palestine? Make it all make sense! 

I recently ran across the Shah of Iran talking in 1976 to Mike Wallace on 60 minutes: “Your majesty you are not telling me the Jewish lobbyist in the United States pull the strings of our  presidency” to which he answered, “They are strong and controlling many things… newspapers, media, banks, finances, and I am going to stop there.”

President Richard Nixon made a comment on the US/Israel relations in an interview discussing the power of the Israel lobby in America and how the American President must decide “not to give the Israeli’s a blank check.”

I have been wondering for years, even before mainstream media pushed the jab, before January 6 happened, and even before 9/11 where New York City Fire Fighters stated bombs were “going off in the lobby of World Trade Center 1” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gh3ErgMI4M) before all that I was wondering if anyone was aware you need no weapons to take over a country if you take over the minds through fear and distraction.

People want to believe mainstream media and government because they are told it is the truth. 

Americans cannot afford to do that anymore – mentally, physically, or spiritually.

I’ll close with Plato’s cave allegory about the shadows on the wall. 

The shadows are the “prisoner’s reality” but not a true portrayal of the real world. The prisoners watch the shadows, believing them to be the only reality there is, but the shadows merely represent the world of illusion and perception being fed to the masses by those in charge. 

Plato posits the prisoner could easily become free if he would see the shadows are false and understand reality is seen when one turns around to see the truth.

Rita Cook is a freelance writer for The Ellis County Press. She can be reached at rcook13@earthlink.net.