YOU. ARE. NOT. DUMB.

God made mankind creatures of intelligence, equipping us with the capacity for objective reasoning and logical analysis. But there are things that stand in the way—hindering one’s ability to recognize deceit, determine truth, and even see reality. Personal bias is one of the biggest obstacles, and we’re dealing with far too much bias in our society today.

But there are other things which are specifically designed to keep people from knowing the truth or perceiving objective reality and which we are seeing at an unprecedented rate and in unprecedented extremes today are lies (and other forms of deception/misleading), misdirection, and propaganda. I would like us to consider this unfortunate and dangerous reality for a few moments.

Full Disclosure: I am NOT a political person. Actually, that’s a flagrant understatement—let me try again: I absolutely despise politics, almost more than anything in the world. I believe politics are the creation of the devil, himself, being spawned from the deepest recesses of hell. I am not associated with any political party. Frankly, I’m completely fed up with the political establishment as a whole, and have no use for any of them. I’m an Independent “Millennial” who stands on the sidelines and observes both sides of the political spectrum as objectively as humanly possible—not as a Republican or Democrat, but as a person, a Christian, an American. I do not approve of (again, understatement) the “Us vs. Them” game that has taken over 21st-century American politics, where the only objective is for “my team” to win, regardless of what “my team” winning might mean for our country, its people, and its future. Thus, I don’t play “party politics”—I will always favor the candidate whose governmental philosophy is most in tune with the U.S. Constitution, and whose world philosophy is most in tune with the Word of God—no matter what political party might be attached to that candidate’s name.

So one thing I care about, and that every voter should care about, is the truth (including good and right). No matter what the truth might be, or who it might affect, and how, truth is truth—and, as such, it should be at the top of everyone’s “Important Things” list. However, the politically ambitious have ways of manipulating people into thinking otherwise (or into not thinking at all)—and this is precisely what has been done increasingly over the last couple of decades (and alarmingly so in the last 5-10 years).

You see, in order to accomplish their obscure political objectives, these self-serving politicians depend heavily on your ignorance, and if your enlightenment of the truth will hinder their self-serving cause, they’ll do whatever it takes to deceive you, even lie to your face.

And here’s perhaps the worst part: They think they can get away with it, because they think you’re too dumb figure it out and see through their deception, that you’re feeble-minded enough to fall for their smoke and mirrors tricks and dog and pony shows; and, even if you did figure it out, they think you’re too weak and powerless to stop them or do anything about it.

Well let me tell you something, dear friend: YOU. ARE. NOT. DUMB. God made you in His image, and gave you the ability to think rationally, analyze objectively, and thus detect deception and falsehood, and not be fooled by misdirection and mental trickery.

And let me tell you something else: You are neither weak nor powerless. Don’t let crooked politicians and closet extremists use you as a pawn in their selfish pursuit for power, wealth, and transforming your country in a way that suits themselves. Your mind is YOUR OWN. You don’t belong to the corrupt politicians, or to the media goons they have in their pockets, who deliver nothing but “their team’s” talking points and speak with their blessing.

Never has there been more fertile soil for brainwashing than the 21st-century West, and that’s exactly what they are trying to do: brainwash you. Only YOU can stop it, by processing the information with which you come in contact rationally and logically—not falling for the lying ploys and propaganda of those would choose their last bowel movement over you.

Don’t fall for the mind games of power-hungry, self-worshiping politicians. Don’t let them take you for granted. Don’t repay their lies with your vote. Do your homework. These sleazy politicians will feed you nothing but lies and manipulation; the media is certainly not going to educate you in anything but hate and propaganda; so you must educate yourself. Look behind the curtain, and deeply into these people. Search for what they believe, what they stand for, what they think about our country, and what they want to do to it. But, most of all, put their claims to the test—logically, rationally, and reasonably—and see through the shroud of deceit. Anyone who must use deceit, propaganda, and misdirection to win an election should never be given a position of power. Sounds like common sense, doesn’t it? Well, that’s just the thing: all you have to do is think (rationally and reasonably), and that’s exactly why the corrupt power-seekers don’t want you to.

So let’s refuse to be among those who care more about ourselves than our country, our fellows, and the God under Whom we stand.

Let’s demand more from our leaders, and those who aspire to be—starting with simple honesty and truth.

Let’s think twice before we vote for those who must speak in intentionally misleading euphemisms and harmfully ambiguous catchphrases because they know the vast majority of Americans would be united against their cause(s) if they spoke of them openly.

Let’s refuse to go into the voting booth with our own biases, with the lies and propaganda of the corrupt and wicked, or with eagerness for “my team” to win; but instead, let’s go in equipped with truth and motivated by love—love for your country and your fellow citizens.

Let’s show the elitist politicians and their TV puppets that “We the People” are done with their propaganda, their mind games, their manipulation, their attempts to control us with dishonest, self-serving tricks; that we will NOT be deceived, will NOT be used, will NOT be bought; that we will NOT allow them to divide us and pit us against one another to serve their own selfish purposes, and that those who try to “woo” us with lies and manipulation will never win—ever.

On November 3, let’s stand together hand-in-hand, and send the lying, conniving, propagandizing, fat-walleted career politicians a message: “You’re not in charge here—we are.”