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Phanteur, whole no. 3, July 1946
Page 4
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4 PHANTEUR 4 we have; not by trying for miracles, but by using every means possible to defeat the forces of reaction and defeatism; and in this we will be working with millions of people with fine ideals and confidence in our ability to solve the pressing problems of the immediate future. The most important single element with which every progressive and idealistic individual can work effectively is through the ballot box. And lately, a second line of attack--really an extension of the first--has come into general use; that is the letter or telegram to the member of Congress who represents your district. There are, of course, theoretical arguments aginst using this last means in a republic; it interferes, 'tis said, with the privelige bestowed upon our representatives to interpret the will of the people in the light of their own exalted convictions and superior familiarity with and understandings of the problems in question; in other words, it is viewed with alarm as an attempt to superimpose something akin to true democracy upon our republican form of government. Quote so; and I'm all for that. There is also the practical consideration that letters on every subject from every voter would swamp the mails and swamp the secretarial forces of the legislative bodies. It may be pointed out that neither of these considerations have ever in the least interfered with the exercise of this right by organized groups with paid lobbyists. There is no particular reason why the rest of us should step aside and let these groups do all the work of "democratizing" our republican form of government. Machine politics owes much of its power to the fact that millions of honest and idealistic people refuse to vote, because "one side is as bad as the other," or else throw away their votes by casting them for the candidates of some obscure party representing an ideal completely beyond the grasp and immediate aspirations of the rank and file voters. Be it noted that those who cast their ballots at the dictates of the highest bidder vote; those citizens who have an axe to grind vote; and because those who have no axe to grind, or who will not sell their rights as citizens to the highest bidder refuse to exercise those rights on their own account, the anti-social minorities are able to remain in power. And, in spite of all the efforts of thefew intelligent, liberal crusaders who manage to get elected into the office, the reactionary elements remain in power, because they are willing to stoop to methods their more honest colleagues will not use. The future is what we make it--and that includes atomic annihilation, for we will be responsible for that, too if it comes. Progress in the commonly accepted sense is not inevitable, certainly; but it is ours if we work for it. Such progress has never been fast enough for the young man who is out to reform the world, but their is some compensation in the thought that it is always far too fast for the confirmed reactionary. Fans certainly look out of place among the calamity-howling worshippers of "The Good Old Days;" those bitter reactionaries to whom change means destruction; those persons who will not and cannot comprehend change except in a retrograde direction. They dwell lovingly on the merits of "The good five cent cigar" and the nickel stein of "suds," but say very little--at least for publication--about $9.00-a-week tops for common labor. ---: o0o :--- "Sell Me A Ticket, Mister" "Sell me a ticket, Mister. I'm tired of seeing A human being On every foot of space; I'm tired of the sight Of artificial light-- I want to see the stars! Sell me a ticket, Mister. I want to stand alone Where the thin winds moan Across the desert's face; I want no more of men-- I want to live again-- I'm going home--to Mars!" ---: o0o :---
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4 PHANTEUR 4 we have; not by trying for miracles, but by using every means possible to defeat the forces of reaction and defeatism; and in this we will be working with millions of people with fine ideals and confidence in our ability to solve the pressing problems of the immediate future. The most important single element with which every progressive and idealistic individual can work effectively is through the ballot box. And lately, a second line of attack--really an extension of the first--has come into general use; that is the letter or telegram to the member of Congress who represents your district. There are, of course, theoretical arguments aginst using this last means in a republic; it interferes, 'tis said, with the privelige bestowed upon our representatives to interpret the will of the people in the light of their own exalted convictions and superior familiarity with and understandings of the problems in question; in other words, it is viewed with alarm as an attempt to superimpose something akin to true democracy upon our republican form of government. Quote so; and I'm all for that. There is also the practical consideration that letters on every subject from every voter would swamp the mails and swamp the secretarial forces of the legislative bodies. It may be pointed out that neither of these considerations have ever in the least interfered with the exercise of this right by organized groups with paid lobbyists. There is no particular reason why the rest of us should step aside and let these groups do all the work of "democratizing" our republican form of government. Machine politics owes much of its power to the fact that millions of honest and idealistic people refuse to vote, because "one side is as bad as the other," or else throw away their votes by casting them for the candidates of some obscure party representing an ideal completely beyond the grasp and immediate aspirations of the rank and file voters. Be it noted that those who cast their ballots at the dictates of the highest bidder vote; those citizens who have an axe to grind vote; and because those who have no axe to grind, or who will not sell their rights as citizens to the highest bidder refuse to exercise those rights on their own account, the anti-social minorities are able to remain in power. And, in spite of all the efforts of thefew intelligent, liberal crusaders who manage to get elected into the office, the reactionary elements remain in power, because they are willing to stoop to methods their more honest colleagues will not use. The future is what we make it--and that includes atomic annihilation, for we will be responsible for that, too if it comes. Progress in the commonly accepted sense is not inevitable, certainly; but it is ours if we work for it. Such progress has never been fast enough for the young man who is out to reform the world, but their is some compensation in the thought that it is always far too fast for the confirmed reactionary. Fans certainly look out of place among the calamity-howling worshippers of "The Good Old Days;" those bitter reactionaries to whom change means destruction; those persons who will not and cannot comprehend change except in a retrograde direction. They dwell lovingly on the merits of "The good five cent cigar" and the nickel stein of "suds," but say very little--at least for publication--about $9.00-a-week tops for common labor. ---: o0o :--- "Sell Me A Ticket, Mister" "Sell me a ticket, Mister. I'm tired of seeing A human being On every foot of space; I'm tired of the sight Of artificial light-- I want to see the stars! Sell me a ticket, Mister. I want to stand alone Where the thin winds moan Across the desert's face; I want no more of men-- I want to live again-- I'm going home--to Mars!" ---: o0o :---
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