As our history shows, a few good people can make a difference, if they are willing to stand up and speak out

Recent news has been … upsetting.

The Republican presidential candidate debate did not inspire. None of them articulated a proposal to move the country forward. Most of the time was spent attacking and pandering. Most supporting the man with 91 felony charges against him in four different jurisdictions. At this point, only two of them could have my support.

I confess I’m not upset with the former president being indicted in Georgia. But it is upsetting that the Republican-dominated Georgia Legislature wants to start proceedings to have the district attorney who filed the charges removed from office. For the record, the DA is a Democrat, female and Black.

Gun violence continues. The most recent shootings were in Boston, my hometown of Chicago, at a high school football game in Oklahoma, and in Jacksonville, Fla., a town I spent much time in when I was boating.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives continues its smear attempts against anyone who disagrees with them. Speaker Kevin McCarthy is moving forward with impeachment discussions of President Biden. No specific charges have been stated yet.

Physical and legal attacks against gays, lesbians, transpeople, women and minorities are on the rise.

And then there is climate change. It is obvious things are changing. Yet most elected officials, primarily Republicans, seem unwilling or unable to acknowledge the issue. Nor are they proposing any solutions.

Education and teachers are under attack by groups proclaiming to be about liberty and freedom, while denying facts and taking away freedoms from teachers and students.

Scary things are happening because of unruly passengers on airplanes.

Finally, there are too many people proclaiming to be Christians, who are not. They obviously are not followers of Jesus. 

All these things got me to thinking about how to turn this around.

Trump’s slogan is “Make America Great Again,” but his words and actions have opened up Pandora’s Box. Civility, manners, morals and ethics have all but disappeared. Our safety is in jeopardy. Our country is moving towards the edge of a cliff.

To save ourselves and the country, you and I need to stop sitting at the sidelines. We need to get on the field where all the damage/carnage is taking place. No guns please.

If you think teachers and education are getting a raw deal, speak up.

If you are tired of attacks on women, gays, lesbians, and transgender folks, speak up.

If you are tired of elected officials spending more time bashing each other than helping improve the country, speak up. Vote them out of office.

If you are tired of wrong-wing political commentators spreading disinformation (lies) and hate, speak up. Write letters to the editor, post on Facebook and other social media.

There are numerous groups at the national and local level promoting good government and good behavior. Join them. Support them. Moms for Liberty is NOT one of them.

Be advised, there are many people whose income is based on conflict. They don’t want solutions to any of our problems. If solutions are found, they will be out of a job. They will no longer be able to promote division, fear, and hate. They will no longer have power.

You and I need to stand up to them. Challenge their lies. Banish the fear and hate they promote.

Most movements start with a few people promoting an idea. 

Think of our Founding Fathers (as seen above in a 1940 painting by Howard Chandler Christy as a work for the U.S. federal government). Others joined them. Because of their words and actions, tyranny and oppression lost.

They did it. So can we.

Rick Knobe is a former mayor of Sioux Falls and a longtime radio talk show host, now retired.