WORDS MEAN SOMETHING--OR DO THEY?

"Don't take a fence down until you know why it was put up" G. K. Chesterton

As a conservative this is one of my favorite quotes, because as a conservative I'm more of a traditionalist not willing to invest my time fixing things that are not broken. Liberals on the other hand seem to see most things as in a state of flux. Everything progresses. (Progressives?) The most significant example would be their vision of a flexible, free-flowing, malleable Constitution. An example of lesser significance in the big picture, but something we encounter every day, is taking words with perfectly functional definitions and changing them to achieve a particular political outcome. For example, let's look at the Google definition of the word "minority."

Minority: the smaller number or part, especially a number that is less than half the whole number.

Consider that definition and think about where our politicians and media spend much of their time:

African-Americans comprise 14% of the US population. Any time been spent lately on this minority segment of our society? Watching politicians dance around and cower in fear over 14% would make one think they're not too bright in the math department.

Self-proclaimed members of the LGBT community number approximately 4%. My guess is less than half would get married, if permitted. So for 2% of the population we should change the traditional meaning of the word marriage? Politicians are stumbling all over themselves to get on that band wagon

Hourly workers making minimum wage are under 3%. For 3% the government gets involved in what is strictly the business of the business (paying workers what they are worth). Messing with the natural order of economics for a handful of people affects the pay of every level in the business, the price of product and potentially suppressing hiring levels. Does that upheaval seem worth it to pass, at best, feel good legislation?

Living below the government imposed poverty line are 15% of us. In the 50 years since the inception of the "War On Poverty" U.S. taxpayers have spent over $22 trillion on anti-poverty programs (in constant 2012 dollars). Adjusted for inflation, this spending (which does not include Social Security or Medicare) is three times the cost of all military wars in U.S. history since the American Revolution. How are we doing? Looks good though, doesn't it?

Amount spent annually in the U.S. on the "War On Drugs" is more than $51 billion.

This amount is spent on 9.4 percent of the population aged 12 or older who are current (past month) illicit drug users. When you consider that expenditure on so poor an outcome, maybe we should add Congress to the drug numbers.

English is spoken in 80% of homes, so for 20% of non English speakers we should all be "Pressing 1 for English"?

We are tip-toeing around the 0.6 % of Muslims in the US, and acquiescing to every demand by the 1.6 % of Atheists. Just the other day a Massachusetts school board banned the term "Christmas Break" and substituted "Holiday Break." This change occurred because of a complaint by one family even though the board had received a petition with more than 4000 signatures to keep "Christmas Break!" You can't make this stuff up.

I certainly do not mean we should not address the needs of minorities; of course we should, but not at the expense of the majority. We must remember this country runs on the hard work, productivity, creativeness, risk-taking, and self-responsibility of the majority. Caring for the majority makes sense if for no other reason other than the fact that there are more of them. This is what I mean when I say certain members of our society may wish to disregard/redefine the meaning of the word MINORITY. They seem to have redefined it as :

Minority: the smaller number or part, especially a number that is less than half the whole number but one to be positioned for the low information voter as a large number for political advantage when possible.

So, who is this overlooked majority?

The population of the US is made up of 78% white, 78.5% Christians, 96% heterosexual, 85% fiscally sound, 91% drug free, 89 % English speakers

Sure, that group seems to have all they need and the system seems to be rigged for the white, Christian,, English speaking, financially solvent, heterosexual and that's the way it should be because they are the MAJORITY.

The Left often laments the money spent on war and declares it could be better spent at home. How about if we drastically cut the money spent on our home "wars" on poverty and drugs and pump that money back into the productive majority?

Again, the minority must be cared for, but to what degree with a finite amount of money. This is where the left and right part ways; What is the mission of government? Should it be run primarily as a business, or should it be run primarily as an adult care center?

Everyone of us has been, or will be, a some point in our lives, a minority. I'm in the "old' category. Only 14% of the US population is over 65, so each year I fade further out of anybody’s demographics. I don't expect to be catered to with advertising, movies, TV, songs, electronics, etc. In their mind I'm not worth it. Money, time and energy are best spent on the 86% of people who will use the products and services, now and in the future. I understand that, I accept it, and I hope other minorities can see more clearly and accept their place in the big picture.

I guess I'm just one of those who cling to the familiar, age old, definition of minority . Oops! Looks like I'm in another minority.