John Kennedy: Being Human, being responsible and accountable are key elements of any democracy

 

Several decades have passed since Johnn F Kennedy invited people to think what they could do for their country instead of thinking what the country could for them.

In essence, what he was telling was 'stand up and do what needs to be done instead of constantly waiting for somebody to do it for you.

You don't have to be born in wealth to do what needs to be done. In fact, what I see is widespread apathy, a constant state of resentment, and the belief that whatever needs to be done is not within our means.

When you think about what is happening in Afghanistan after more than 36 billion Pounds were spent far away in a country that far too many need to consult a map to find out where it is, inhabited by people we could hardly come by even if we tried to, that speak a language that the vast majority of us does not understant, with social, economic, and political realities that most of us are completely unaware of, with customs and values that for what we have been told are radically different form our customs and values, you struggle to accept that most people show no interest in asking for accountability of those who made decisions and of those who are making decissions.

You come to the conclusion that most people don't care.You come to the conclusion that most people are happy to live in ignorance. You come to the conclusion that most people don't give a damn about how their monies are being used. They don't seem to join the dots to understand that while they are struggling with bad living conditions and unemployment, that while we have people most of whom are suffering from mental illness living on the streets, somebody is benefitting from the expenditure of more than 36 billion Pound in a foreign adventure.

We hear the world democracy and people congratulating themselves 'because we live in a democratic country'. Do we live in a democratic country? Do we take care of public business that affects all of us? 

The invitation that was very much a request to get involved in public business is us relevant today as it was when John Fitzgerald Kennedy ask people to take responsibility. Taking responsibility has a lot to do with accountability and this is what has been lacking all along.