Never have I seen the American public so disgusted with our Congress. Partisan politics, negative campaigning and seemingly out of control government officials are literally sickening everyone. Americans are not only fed up with the greed, the lies, and the cheating, but they are angry. Please serve as a beacon of light to change a system that so begrudgingly accepts change.

British historian Thomas Macaulay, 150 years ago, made this dire prediction for America, “Your civilization will be destroyed in the 20th century, as Rome was in the 5th century. But the Huns and Vandals that will destroy you will come from within, from your own institutions.” I know this is the 21st century, but we had better wake up and demand that our Congress start putting the country first or Macaulay’s prediction could come true.

J. Paul Getty once said, “I fear that unless there are many drastic changes in both basic philosophies and actual practices in every sector of human existence, our society will deteriorate and decline. It may well be wracked with upheavals far greater than any in previous history. It could, and I do not take the possibility lightly, be totally destroyed.” It has been said that nobody makes a greater mistake than someone who did nothing because he could do only a little. Please contact your congressman and demand change or vote them out of office.

I have traveled in 14 countries throughout the world and fully realize there is no better place to live. However, if we truly want to make this a better place to live, we should follow Gandhi’s advice, “We must be the change we wish to see.”

While visiting concentration camps in Europe, I was appalled to see what one human being could do to another and wondered how this could be possible. At the entrance of Auschwitz, there is a small plaque that contains the answer. It reads, “The road to Auschwitz was built by hate but paved with indifference.” We no longer can be indifferent to the ills of our society. When truth is in danger, silence equals guilt.

Great social transformation such as the end of slavery, the women’s and civil rights movements and the end of colonial rule all began with public awareness and engagement. Political leaders were once servants of the people rather than dictators of policy. A few courageous and committed people fed up with the system brought about the change. Do something constructive and demand that we return to the principles that made this country the best in the world.

The system in Washington, D.C., is corrupt. It is rigged by the powerful special interest groups to benefit the very few at the expense of the many. William Bennett in his book, “Death of Outrage” said, “The leader must be whole, he cannot have his public character be honest and his private character be dishonest.” We are to blame for many of our current problems because we have not demanded enough from those in powerful positions.

All of us Americans have a duty to end the corruption, greed, ineptitude, and cronyism that have dominated the political and corporate world for far too many years. What we desperately need today on all fronts are men and women willing to stand up for decency, truth, integrity, morality, law and order and who will respond to their conscience even when it is unpopular to do so – especially when it is unpopular to do so.

So now the question is, can we change a sick system, and the answer is emphatically YES, but only if we are vigilant, committed, disciplined, determined, and courageous enough to demand good ethics and honorable leadership.

The idea of saviors has been built into our entire culture. We have learned to look to stars, leaders, and experts in every field, thus surrendering our own strength, demeaning our own ability and causing us not to act when we see incompetence, dishonesty, and injustices. Abraham Lincoln warned us when he said, “At what point is the approach of danger to be expected; if it is to reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot – we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we must live through all time or die by suicide.”

If you have had enough please let your voice be heard.

Dave Edinger

Peachtree City, Ga.