Petitions Rise From Post-Election Anger Asking Secession from USA [OPINION]

There is a groundswell happening across these United States of America. People, most of whom are Republican and live in the south, are signing petitions to tell President-elect Barack Obama, a recipient of 51 percent of the popular vote, that they want their state to "peacefully secede" from the Union.

It all began with a noble cause by the White House and an initiative called "We the People", where any citizen may create a petition for a cause in which they believe. President Obama's administration aims to be transparent, and in an effort to do so, has pledged that any petition to receive 25,000 or more votes will be addressed and acknowledged.

And as is the American way -- and to a greater extent, the Texan way -- the project has been manipulated and irresponsibly taken advantage of to propel a dangerous idea, instead of shedding light on an actual social or political issue. People in Texas and over 20 other states have created and signed petitions calling for secession from the Union. New York is among them.

The Lone Star State has nearly 80,000 signatures on the petition asking for secession. They want to be cut off from government funding, all Federal laws, all local governments -- everything -- so it can create its own, "NEW" government.

Now that it has gained traction, if Obama is true to his word, the petition will be addressed by his administration.

A state secession will not happen. If it did, Texas would become a third-world nation in days, if not hours. Behind closed doors, I'm sure Obama's administration is laughing at this.

Technology and the Internet have proved both an incredible tool for perpetuating "good" ideas and causes and, unfortunately, also idiocy. "We the People" has turned into a platform given to the far right and the far left alike. Those village idiots who have spouted the same nonsense for generations are finding each other and their ideas no longer falling on deaf ears.

The 80,000 who have signed that Texas petition used to live without contact, in the security of their own heads. Now, though, they can find each other, connect, and perpetuate ideas that, unfortunately, promote a selfish, disturbing, and disgusting attitude.

"The govern'ent ain't doin' nuff fer me," they say, "so I want out."

I can almost hear the spittoon ding.

Even more disturbing is that just three years ago, the state's Governor, Rick Perry, acknowledged the idea of secession. He has since ignored it and, today, dismissed it entirely.

The greater issue here is the question of where are we as a society to not only acknowledge this as a serious issue, but to nurture it?

Nearly 80,000 people, probably more by the time you read this, have signed on to this "cause". 80,000 people who would rather live without the freedom this country guarantees. 80,000 people and counting who are pissed off over an election -- a right given to us by men willing to die for it -- because they didn't get their way. 80,000 village idiots.