In my last column I wrote about the need for a civil society and how the progressive left actively is working to destroy our republic.  That was before Baltimore and the riots.

The media, all of them, jumped on the Baltimore story and again fanned the flames of unrest for ratings.  No one is denying something happened to Freddy Gray and it needs investigation and proper charges against anyone who are knowingly responsible for his death; but that is not the point of this article.

In an old book called “The Naked Communist” by Dr. Cleon Skousen, he lists the declared goals of the communist party.  This book should be required reading for anyone who still wonders what is happening in our society.

To be clear, we are no longer a civil society.  Yes we personally may be civil people; but we are a civil people living within an uncivil society and right now most of us are overwhelmed by what we see and hear via media.  Our instinct may be to turn it off and think of happier things or never turn it on in the first place.

Since Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty”, American’s have poured a ton of tax dollars into poor communities to provide them a hand up.  Unfortunately that has resulted in a hand out.  Giving a hand out takes away a person’s pride and gives a sense of hopelessness.  I don’t for one minute think that is what Johnson envisioned; but it has been the result of a flawed policy.

In the great depression, my father was enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in his teens.  He was youngest of a large family in New York and he was stationed at Hyde Park, the Roosevelt Estate.  The purpose of the CCC’s was to help American families weather the depression.  He worked, was paid a small amount; but was fed well and had a good roof over his head.  A large portion of his pay was sent to the family to help them through a very tough time.  All of my life my father worked two jobs to support his family.  I lived well; but certainly was not rich or entitled and learned from my father the value of hard work.

So what is the solution to what is clearly an American problem?

We cannot just throw money at this problem.  We need to address it in a way that lifts people out of poverty with their help and work and we need to get to the youth in these communities who are so easily influenced by the criminal elements that bring a fast buck with no future other than time in jail.

Is this a liberal way of looking at the problem?  No it is responsible conservatism.  If we allow the progressive left to continue their policies of destruction of the family and abuse of the poor we will lose more than a city we will lose the country.

Talking about the issue and sharing personal history with others is one way to help, another is understanding that capitalism is good for society.  Not crony capitalism that benefits politicians, large corporations and media via advertising and ratings; but capitalism that offers opportunity to all American’s just the way it used to.

Connie Foust is President of the Virgin Valley Tea Party, Mesquite Nevada www.virginvalleyteaparty.org