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TAKING RESPONSIBILITY - LIFE'S BIGGEST QUESTION

Copyright (c) 2004-2023

When did Americans stop taking responsibility for their own actions?

In fact, I was having this conversation just this evening with a gentleman who was alive to see the turn in attitudes. I put it to you this way because my feelings were that it began in the 1960's, but I could not know for myself since I was born in the mid-sixties.

My friend is at least a couple of decades my senior, so he was there seeing it for himself as it happened. My friend agreed that the slide began in the late 1960's with the growth of the drug culture.

But he was quick to emphasize that although the sixties began the slide, the real sharp slope did not arrive until the 1990's. Along about 1993, the slide began to sharpen. It was not until early 1998 that the slope became a steep cliff.

It happened with the utterance of only eight words, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." ...Followed by the explanation of the original lie, his actions "did not constitute sexual relations as I understood that term."

Who uttered these famous words? Of course, we all know it was Bill Clinton, the former President of the United States.


CLINTON'S LEGACY

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/12/98/review_of_98/themes/208715.stm

Bill Clinton will always be known as a man with a strong sexual drive and a desire to hide that fact from the people. He will also be known as the second U.S. President in history to be impeached.

Actually, the American public sooned tired of the Republican tirade against Clinton's sexual indiscretions.

I theorize that the reason people tired of this matter so quickly is because each person took a good hard look at Hillary and understood the reasons for Bill's philandering ways.


BILL CLINTON'S REAL LEGACY

Bill will be known for several things by different people. No one will ever forget the sexual exploits of the man, but that will not be his real legacy.

His real legacy will always be that he refused to take responsibility for his own actions.

There are far too many actions, denials and misdirections to catalogue here. Although I could pass on a few, the only purpose it would really serve is to bore you to tears. So, I will just move on.


THE RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY

Do you remember the great "Right-Wing Conspiracy?"

Sure you do. And so does everyone else. Hillary was the first to suggest that they were responsible for Bill Clinton's woes.

But, the "Right-Wing Conspiracy" did not lie to the American public. Bill did.

The "Right-Wing Conspiracy" did not try to play off their dishonesties as a misunderstood word in the English language. Nope. Bill was the one who did that.

Did the "Right-Wing Conspiracy" smoke pot? Certainly not. It was Bill who smoked the pot, although it must be noted that he "did not inhale." So, why did he even bother putting the joint between his lips if he did not intend to inhale? Odd.


THE AFTERMATH OF BILL

"I did not do that."

"I did not say that."

"That is not what I meant to suggest with my words."

"The Right-Wing Conspiracy did it."

"The Right-Wing Conspiracy is responsible."

"I want you to know that I am innocent." --- Martha Stewart

"I simply returned a call from my stockbroker," Stewart wrote.

"Based in large part on prior discussions with my broker about price, I authorized a sale of my remaining shares in a biotech company called ImClone." --- The Innocent Martha Stewart


THE DENIAL IS PERVASIVE IN OUR CULTURE

Martha has become a focal point for the new American culture of denial and misdirection.

We, the people, imitate the actions of our leaders and other personalities. If those we respect have taught us not to take responsibility for our own actions, who are we to question their leadership? Let us do as they do. After all, if they are doing it, then there must not be anything wrong with it.


THE SCRUBBING BUBBLES

Like the scrubbing bubbles swirling down the toilet in the commercial, the American population is swirling down the toilet of denial.

"We do the work so you don't have to..." --- The Scrubbing Bubbles

The only way we can prevent America from going the full length of the flush is to put our feet down and begin to begin to take responsibility for our own actions again, one person at a time.

You must step to the plate and take responsiblity for your own actions. If you do wrong, say so. Don't make excuses.

Then, by example, you must show others the right way to behave.

Right behavior is infectious, just as wrong behavior is infectious.

One action at a time, I implore the people who read this article to infect others with the desire to act properly and to take responsiblity for their own actions.

It is up to you whether you follow my guidance. I am doing my own part at my end, and I hope others will jump on the band wagon and do the same.


JOKES ABOUT THE PLAYERS

Martha Stewart http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blmarthastewartjokes.htm

Bill Clinton http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blclintonquotes.htm

http://humorvault.tripod.com/clinton/clinton_13.html

Hillary Clinton http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blhillaryquotes.htm




About The Author: Shop Amazon - Top Gift Ideas
Richard *Sparky* Bryan was born into a family of Southern Baptist true-blue Democrats. Given such a rich Democratic background, Richard defied all odds to become the first registered Republican in his family's history. Richard's friends call him *Sparky* because of his tendency to elecit impassioned and heated debate on matters of religion and politics. Read Sparky's Commentaries online at: http://sparky-speaks.blogspot.com Or Subscribe by sending an email: mailto:Sparky_Speaks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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