panem et circenses

Like most American conservatives, I went through November 7th in a state of shocked disbelief. I was certain the election would turn out differently. I couldn't imagine THAT MANY people would choose the status quo, when things are as bad as they are. I tried to blame it on voter fraud, the fact that Romney is Mormon, and the fact that change scares people, but deep down I know it is more than that. The American people have become soft. We are not like our Grandparents' generation. We do not want to work for what we have. We want retirement without a career, entertainment without cost, lawlessness without consequences, credit cards without debt, sex without babies, families without responsibility, recklessness without repercussions, courtesness from othes, but not for others, tolerance for immoral judgements, but not for immoral Generals. What we want is to harvest what we have not planted and not reap what we have so unfortunately sown.

In reading about the Roman Empire during the time of its decline, so many parallels can be drawn, but the phrase that keeps coming to mind is that of Juvenal, a satyrist of the time. He lamented that a people, once so great, could sell their souls for so little.

Iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli vendis, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, panem et circenses.

Now long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, we have abdicated our duties; those who once upon a time handed out imperial power, symbols of authority, legions and all else, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and games in the Circus.

I suppose you could replace that with food stamps and reality TV... and you'd have modern day America. So sad...