Ed Konecnik,Contributor,The American Dossier
Elections have become public auctions of private goods. The voters have figured out that they could get more free stuff by voting for people who promise to give them their “fair share”. The rhetoric of the horde of Democratic presidential candidates consists of self-righteous platitudes lamenting inequality, condemning capitalism and extolling wealth redistribution and socialism.
The people getting free stuff outnumber the people paying for that free stuff. We are nurturing contempt for private property, destroying self-reliance and self-responsibility. Will we vote for those who will redistribute our wealth and limit our freedoms in the name of “social justice”? Will we acquiesce to bureaucrats who are determined to dictate how we live our lives? If we sanction the subserviance of individual interests to collective authority, we disregard the Constitution at our peril.
History is replete with chronicles of the immorality, dishonesty and oppression of collectivist societies. In those societies, the individual has a reality only as part of the group, value only insofar as he serves it. People who join demonstrations and protests demanding somebody’s “fair share” do not recognize private property and they reject personal responsibility. Collectivist ideology contends the government determines how individuals may live their lives for the benefit of society. Individual rights and choices are limited or eliminated for the “greater good.”
There are some who think it is unimportant who wins or loses in the next election because the changing of “masters” has no effect on freedom. However, the results may reveal the depth of our dependency and aversion to individualism. If choices and decisions required to effectuate self-sufficiency and self-determination are an irksome burden, we will vote to join the mob and mass movement to escape individual responsibility and be free from freedom.
Edward Konecnik is a retired music teacher, musician and singer. He produced the original Value Music Video for the NY State Curriculum Guide, “Lessons In Values Education” and was awarded first place prize for his anti-drug value music video “Don’t Start” by Governor Mario Cuomo (1986).
Konecnik was invited to perform in Slovakia on TV and in festivals by the Slovak cultural agency, Matica Slovenska.
He is the first American artist invited to record in Slovakia for OPUS Records. “Prisiel som ja z Ameriky” Slovak folk songs. (1989) Instrumental accompaniments performed on synthesizer by Ed Konecnik “Lovely Lady Liberty” (1990).Slovak melodies with English lyrics in country style.
He is also District 30 Media Center Director.