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# America needs a wake-up call
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/america-needs-a-wake-up-call-editor/
- Published: 2008-02-01T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T18:16:04.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Mark Lipman Westwood*

What the hell is going on in America? Help, they’re stealing our democracy. The elections are a fraud. The media is nothing more than a corporate mouthpiece. Our rights are being stripped bare. The corruption within our governing bodies is so absolute and blatant that they’re not even trying to hide it any more. All any one has to do is ask themselves, what isn’t being reported, and a whole plethora of information would fall into their laps.

All you have to do is look at the facts and compare that to what we’re being told. How many Democratic candidates are there? Two? Three? No, five There (were) five candidates, but we only hear about two.

Anyone want to take a stab at who came in second in Nevada on the Republican side — Ron Paul. Why isn’t that headline news?

I’m sick of it. Where are the international observers when you need them? Where’s the outrage? It’s not that people are afraid— I can’t buy that argument anymore People are sheep. They’re stupid and selfish and can’t see beyond their own noses. Why else would they vote for Hillary and Obama? Not because either of them are going to do anything to help us. No, she’s a woman, he’s black — end of story. What about the issues? What about responsibility to society? Does that hold any place in our decision making process?

This country has been dumbed down so much that we’re now all a bunch of intellectual retards. We can regurgitate and repeat all the slogans, but can anyone think? Does independent thought have a place in anyone’s head these days?

Am I furious? Damn straight I am and you should be too. They keep crossing every line and we keep redrawing them in the sand, just to have the sand kicked back in our faces. Well, I’m at the end of my beach.

Global warming is a real threat that will not go away. It is the most important issue of our day and there is nothing we can do about it as long as we’re at war. Half the planet is burning while the other half is melting.

We have no jobs. We have no health care. Our homes are being stolen from us and sold to the highest bidder. Our God given human rights — not citizen rights, but human rights — are being stripped from us more and more every single day. Our dignity is being lost with each new atrocity and all anyone cares about is who won the game last night?

People, it’s way past time to wake up. What are we doing? Just going to work to pay bills so we can get through just one more day so hopefully we’ll be able to just die before the whole thing goes up in flames. Is that what’s going on? Cowards.

I will not just sit down and take it anymore. All these politicians do is promise us suffering. When in the history of the world has the willingness to use nuclear weapons been a selling point for obtaining office? Are you people nuts? What are you voting for? Wake up.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 1, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/020108.pdf?ref=smdp.com)