In reflecting on this sad fact I googled the term, “The silence is deafening”, and came across some good definitions:

Deafening Silence:

1. A silence or lack of response that reveals something significant, such as disapproval or a lack of enthusiasm. In other words, not saying something can reveal something so shocking that you feel like you can’t hear anything else above the silence.

2. Deafening silence in simple terms is silence that tells you something no one wanted to say. For example, say you thought your spouse cheated on you, so you asked about it. you: “Did you cheat on me?” spouse: says nothing . You automatically know there is a reason for the silence, and you can conclude the answer yourself. Many times this is because a person may think not saying anything will prevent hurting the other person, when in actuality it says just as much, maybe more.

From where I stand, these two definitions sums up what I see has been happening in our fair State for far too long, namely, most citizens are silent when it comes to the incompetence and corruption that is very prevalent among those in public office. This issue crosses party lines and should no longer be tolerated.

If the majority of Michigan’s citizens would come together and say with one voice, “We will no longer be silent; we will not go quietly into the night”, our collective voices will shatter the silence, and bring about a second American Revolution. Only this time not with bombs and bullets, but with hearts and minds united in a just and noble cause. I propose that this just and noble cause be to restore the greatness of the Great Lake State. (I really miss that slogan). One person, which is each and every one us can make a difference, many of united in a just and noble cause, will make a miracle.

We must also not allow our collective voices to be weakened by the voices that choose to overly focus on socially divisive issues, while important to many, such as abortion and same sex marriage. The sad truth is that many politicians use these and other divisive social issues to drown out the voices from being heard on such issues as transparency in government, which will lead to accountability for the corruption and incompetence in government, as well as the disenfranchisement of many people in the Democratic process.

It is also a sad truth that too many citizens do not demand better from candidates for public office, and from those currently serving in public office. As the old saying goes, “We get the kind of government we want by the choices that we make, or fail to make”.

As Ronald Reagan so eloquently put it in his “Time for choosing speech”:

“You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well, I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism”.

It is my well thought out conclusion that we are losing our individual freedoms at an ever increasing pace due to those in public office hearing the deafening silence from the majority of the citizens of Michigan.

Robin Sanders
2636 Bernice St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-662-6225