Putting apathy and divisiveness aside

To the Editor:

According to the Rhode Island Board of Elections, voter apathy in our state is approximately 42 percent. Also, according to the Rhode Island reform group Freedom and Prosperity, 32 percent of those who do vote are either presently employed or retired from civil service, including household members.

Is it any wonder that according to WalletHub, our state is ranked fifth for the most burdensome taxation in which our state is one of 13 states that taxes Social Security benefits, etc.?

Realizing that approximately 90 percent of our state politicians are nowadays Democrats that embrace big government, open boarders, are soft on crime and now embrace socialism, etc., it has never been more imperative to wake up the sleeping giant of voter apathy. So why should we vote?

Over the course of our country’s history, fellow Americans gave their lives and limbs for our freedoms. On D-Day alone, in just a 24-hour period, over 10,000 American soldiers between the ages of 18-21 succumbed to horrific deaths as they never got to experience having a loving marriage or the joy of having children, etc. Over the course of the war, countless Americans never walked through their doors again.

And, let us never forget the incredible hardships that countless families had to endure when their sweethearts came home broken with profound special needs as those sacrifices and hardships continue to this day. My aunt was a nurse during the war. When I was a young boy, she would tell us how she cried her eyes out every night trying to comfort the soldiers that came to the hospital with no legs, no arms, blinded or profoundly disfigured wishing they had died. Need I say more?

When people tell you that you should never talk politics in mixed company or ever mix politics with religion, they are either fools or deliberately misleading you. Why wouldn’t we want our laws, programs, policies and taxation to reflect common sense and moral absolutes? When the citizenry of any society would feel reluctant to express their concerns, you can kiss your freedoms good-bye via uncaring, unscrupulous, ungodly and dictatorial leadership as our society continues to spiral downward financially, morally and spiritually.

We must always think in terms of what is best for all the people, – including tomorrow’s generation – keep up with the issues to the best of our ability and again, make sure we vote. When we talk about the issues of the day, we must always be respectful and courteous to one another, as we would share our knowledge of the issues and learn from one another. Talking politics should be fun and enlightening. People who would shout you down, burn the flag, destroy public property, destroy your livelihood, prevent you from public speaking and even cause physical harm to you because you disagree with them are unappreciative and un-American to say the least.

In closing, over these past five-plus decades, dishonesty and deception have become the norm in which we no longer expect much from our so-called leadership. There are countless alternatives that would greatly reduce taxation, which would elevate the financial security and peace of mind for every honest hardworking American that conservative leadership would accomplish. When people are working, paying their bills, pursuing goals and have fewer financial concerns, everyone is happy. When people don’t vote, it’s usually because they believe their vote won’t make a difference in which at a minimum our state needs balanced representation across the board. In the effort to awaken this sleeping giant, I hope the readers will show the courage that those brave young men showed as they stormed the beaches and glided and parachuted to their death and pass this commentary around that may open a few more eyes, minds and hearts.

Peter A. Filippi III

Johnston