This is sadly very true; however, I believe, with every fiber of my being, that America can be again, the greatest country in the world. It can also fall to the point of complete irrelevancy. The difference between these two outcomes will be determined by the apathy of her citizens. Once America was the beacon of hope because of the opportunity given to those who would work hard in pursuit of their own personal happiness and dreams. That light shown forth to the huddled masses yearning to be free has dimmed as the populace slowly turned their expectations away from the opportunity to achieve goals with hard work to a feeling of entitlement. Not one of the founding fathers envisioned a state where the government existed to ensure every family had food on their table, a car to drive and the latest electronic gizmo at hand. What they envisioned was a government assembled to protect the country as a whole; to establish relative peace where the individual could then pursue the goals of attaining for themselves what they most needed and desired. This is why the bill of rights does not read that all men are endowed with the right to happiness, only the right to pursue it. This country was founded by people who wanted the chance to work towards their dreams. Those that came here knew that it would be difficult. They also knew that with faith in a power greater than themselves, a moral compass that guided them, and a reliance upon their own sweat and labor, they could overcome the difficulties that lay in their way. These people came here expecting to work hard, to establish something from nothing but the raw resources abundant about them and the freedom to refine those resources. They also came with a healthy respect for the hard labor, dangers and difficulties that they would face. This realization fostered an empathy for those around them that has been twisted and corrupted. communities came together to help, not to hand out. A farmer needed to raise a barn, the community arrived to help, they did not decide upon their own what the farmer needed and build for him. They assisted in the creation of his dream, his vision. Today we are surrounded by those in society that feel that we should build for them, not only the structure for their lives pursuits, but a prefabricated dream to which they would force their lives to conform. Comfort, convenience, and entertainment have become the drive. There was a time when there was pride in workmanship. What we built we built to last, not just to suffice until we could get something else. When we as a society shake ourselves from the stupor of apathy and take on the struggles and hardships, pulling our neighbor up with us, sharing encouragement rather than denigrating and destroying those around us to make ourselves feel better, then and only then can we regain the greatness that we have slowly traded for complacency.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 15:29:17 +0000
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