Beacons of Common Sense

American Privilege

8/21/25

Aspiring, working hard, and stretching beyond limits are core to human nature.  The sparks of curiosity and drive are in all of us, and through the many years, they have driven mankind to survive and flourish.  There are few qualities more American.  They are core to the American Dream.  They point to a bright future for "We The People" and the rest of the world.  President Reagan often referred to America as a “Beacon of Freedom and Opportunity.”  As Americans, we all share this Dream and see it as a common privilege.  It frees us to pursue our dreams.  The resulting aspirations and achievements are personal and only limited by our abilities and drive.  

Today, this privilege is frequently confused with a historically attained advantage.  Or, by denying another person something through wrongful or illegal acts.  Probably the most commonly referred to privilege is white privilege.  We are led to believe that privilege knows skin color, when in fact, privilege is really color blind.  Whether we are liberal or conservative, left or right, man or woman, young or old, no matter our color, no matter our custom, no matter where we’ve come from, no matter our language, no matter our religion, no matter our sexual orientation, and no matter what divides us or makes us different from each other, it’s time for all of us to put aside these labels and create a label-free zone for all humans. In America, there is only American privilege.  As Americans, we are all privileged.

Our most crucial privilege is voting.  We all share this privilege as citizens in America.  Each vote is equal to every other vote.  "We the People" all bear this right and responsibility.  It is the core reason that no matter who we are or where we come from, all of us have the freedom and liberty to become whatever we want and reach as high as our effort will allow.  For each of us, this American privilege points optimistically to the future. 

So, if you are an American citizen, your future is entirely in your hands.  There are steps you can begin taking immediately.  Take them!

Step 1:  Personal-Look in the mirror.  What are you doing with your privilege?  It’s a gift.  Your responsibility is to make the most of it for yourself, your family, your community, America, and the Human Race.

Step 2:  Family-Pass on a legacy of privilege.  A legacy of honesty, hard work, and fulfilled responsibilities.

Step 3:  Community-Do public service and give back.  Use your privilege to help others.

Step 4:  VOTE!  Use your most important privilege and fulfill your most critical responsibility for yourself, your family, and America.

Copyright © 2025 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

(REPEAT POST) BEACONS OF COMMON SENSE-The Middle of the Road

Below is a post from 2018 about "the middle of the road."  I had posted it "a few short months" before the fall election.  Now we are close to the 2020 election.  Not much has changed, and I still think the message hits the bulls-eye.  What you think?
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In a few short months, another election will be here.  We the People will have another chance to “speak,” and tell our leaders what we want them to do.  

When we elect representatives in our American Democracy, we ask them to represent us because they come from us, and are like us.  They should do their work on behalf of us.  They should serve, not rule.  They should serve briefly and then make room for others.  They shouldn’t have perks, literally, they should have what we have, and live as we do.  They should be honest so we can respect them. 

It’s time to begin a new era!  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.  (REPEAT).  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.

So now, please join me in the middle of the American road with a new focus on possibility and potential.  Let’s not drive on the left or right shoulders, but travel down the middle of the road, where the language spoken is common sense supported by HONESTY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.  While the shoulders certainly define the outer limits or extremes of the road, and every road has its shoulders, they aren’t where we should be traveling down, and certainly not governing from.  

Just as the speed bumps on the shoulders can shake a car apart, literally shake a car apart, in some kind of grand intramural tug of war, the left and right are shaking our country apart.  IT’S DISGUSTING AND JUST PLAIN WRONG!  IT NEEDS TO STOP!

If we can find balance in the middle of the road, a destiny of continued blessings for each of us, and for America, will be assured.  Yes!  Let’s meet in the middle of the road where common sense lives.  Let’s use our right to free speech responsibly.   However, with the right comes the responsibility to listen.  Even more, listening must mean we are willing to change.  We must be willing to let the other person, or the other argument, or the other viewpoint change us.  If we all come with that commitment, we will indeed meet in “the middle of the road,” and continue building an incredibly strong Common Sense for America.

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2019 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

BEACONS OF COMMON SENSE-The Middle of the Road

In a few short months, another election will be here.  We the People will have another chance to “speak,” and tell our leaders what we want them to do.  

When we elect representatives in our American Democracy, we ask them to represent us because they come from us, and are like us.  They should do their work on behalf of us.  They should serve, not rule.  They should serve briefly and then make room for others.  They shouldn’t have perks, literally, they should have what we have, and live as we do.  They should be honest so we can respect them. 

It’s time to begin a new era!  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.  (REPEAT).  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.

So now, please join me in the middle of the American road with a new focus on possibility and potential.  Let’s not drive on the left or right shoulders, but travel down the middle of the road, where the language spoken is common sense supported by HONESTY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.  While the shoulders certainly define the outer limits or extremes of the road, and every road has its shoulders, they aren’t where we should be traveling down, and certainly not governing from.  

Just as the speed bumps on the shoulders can shake a car apart, literally shake a car apart, in some kind of grand intramural tug of war, the left and right are shaking our country apart.  IT’S DISGUSTING AND JUST PLAIN WRONG!  IT NEEDS TO STOP!

If we can find balance in the middle of the road, a destiny of continued blessings for each of us, and for America, will be assured.  Yes!  Let’s meet in the middle of the road where common sense lives.  Let’s use our right to free speech responsibly.   However, with the right comes the responsibility to listen.  Even more, listening must mean we are willing to change.  We must be willing to let the other person, or the other argument, or the other viewpoint change us.  If we all come with that commitment, we will indeed meet in “the middle of the road,” and continue building an incredibly strong Common Sense for America.

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2018 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

BEACONS OF COMMON SENSE-INTRODUCTION

What is common sense?

In the weeks and months ahead, I plan to write a series of Voting Alert Beacons posts called “Beacons of Common Sense.”  Issue by issue, it will be my goal to find “common sense” expression of the challenges we face and what the solution(s) might look like.  This view of common sense will hopefully transform and take us to a higher plain of civics and civility.  A place where we aren’t Democrats, Republics, or Independents.  A place where we can all just be citizens of the United States of America.  

I find my inspiration for Beacons of Common Sense in the book written by Thomas Paine before the America Revolution.  At the time it was a best seller.  If you thought the British should go back to England and leave the Colonies alone, you thought it expressed common sense.  Interestingly, the thoughts Paine expressed proved to be truths through the American experience of self-government.  In many cases, common sense became common practice through the US Constitution.

I’m also taking advantage of the internet.  How could I not?  I’ve compiled a list of words that express different forms of common sense.  Here’s the list:  Good sense, native wit, sensibleness, judgment, levelheadedness, prudence, discernment, canines, astuteness, wisdom, insight, perception, practicality, horse sense, gumption, savvy, and street smarts. 

I plan to write about the topics and issues we should all watch closely as the next election approaches.  What are my goals as the author?  It is my hope that in a tiny way I can help people realize that even Common Sense must be willing to change.  It is critical that we all respectfully use our 1st Amendment right of free expression.  However, with the right comes the responsibility to listen.  Even more, listening must mean we are willing to change.  We must be willing to let the other person, or the other argument, or the other viewpoint change us.  If we all come with that commitment, we will indeed meet in “the middle of the road,” and build an incredibly strong Common Sense for America.

As one writer, and indeed one voter, I hope you will follow along in the weeks and months ahead.

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2018 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.