Thaddeus Kosick “Can you say why America is the greatest country in the world?” Yes, America is a county. The United States is a government. America, and we the people, are Americans. Not United Staters. America once was a country a dream come real. A land of unlimited opportunities. A dream that could be reached, it was attainable, and all that was needed was an idea, self-determination and hard work. America is a land of immigrants as well as those that were here to greet them when they arrived. They came here, not with their hat in their hand, demanding that the dream be handed to them. No, all they asked for was just the chance. A chance for a better life for themselves and their children. They rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves in this dream with a vengeance. They worked in the mines, the forests, on the roads. When the tools to complete their task didn’t exist, the invented and made them. From this crucible, this “melting pot,” came the American spirit. They passed this spirit on to their children who, in turn, passed it on to us. The neighborhood, where I grew up was a mini United Nations. People from many counties and, yes, different faiths! We children were taught to respect these differences, to embrace it, to cherish it, because from all these different walks of life, came the American Sprit. I remember, as a kid, tree forts, skate keys, making fishing poles, catching lighting bugs, soap box racers, making our own kites and flying them, ice cream from snow. We were resourceful, we scrounged for materials to make our idea a reality. We used materials that were cast off, pulled and reused old nails. And we did it without a trip to the Home Depot or an advanced degree in engineering. A snow storm wasn’t just a day off from school, it was an opportunity. We shoveled snow, cut lawns, delivered new papers, did odd jobs to earn money. We worked and saved for what we wanted. And when we attained our goal, we felt the pride in knowing that we earned it. We were taught that we are responsible for our actions. If a neighbor caught us misbehaving, we were grabbed by the collar and brought to our parents. And I never heard my parents say, “Oh no! Not my kid!” And we damned well answered for our actions. Somewhere along this journey that American spirit died. We are no longer resourceful, we are no longer responsible for our actions. We shift the blame away from us. We try to keep up with the Kardashians or hang on to every word from Baby Boo Boo. When the real world invades our “ideal” world. We blame the politician, clergy or some prominent figure for awakening us from our stupor. I watched a video where a man made a fake petition. It was a petition to repeal the “Bill or Rights.” I watched with a heavy heart as person after person signed it, with the exception of one person, without any hesitation. Then we rile, in our ignorance, at the politicians. “Vote! Vote them out!” We never stop to realize that power flows from the people to the government and not from the government to the people. Our government is a reflection of us, we the people. Our responsibility does not end when we leave the voting booth. It is an ongoing process. We are responsible for contacting our elected officials, though out their term, and making our voices heard. Yet, to expect this from people that would repeal the “Bill of Rights,” let alone know how many amendments are in it, is lost. Our grandparents and parents, that came to this country, came not only for the chance to live the dream, but also to express their faith without fear of persecution. Yet I see a new religion spreading across our county. A religion that espoused their liturgy, that there is no religion, no God. “Don’t shove your religion down my throat!” Yet they proselytize their new found faith with such fanaticism that we are afraid to utter the words, “Merry Christmas.” And how do we repay those generations? With mockery. I watched as Bill Maher made fun of World War II Veterans. He went on to say, “They may be the greatest generation, but not the brightest.” Did anyone realize that this was a slap in the face to, not only us, but our grandparents and our parents? Was there one “Boo” or hiss? Was there any righteous indignation? Did one person get up and leave? No. They just laughed and bowed down to their anointed one. One who produces nothing, contributes nothing. And one who makes his perverted salary by standing in front of a television camera that was invented by that greatest generation. Unlike · Reply · 6 · October 30 at 8:43am
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:31:03 +0000
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