Tuesday, July 03, 2007
My Country!
Tomorrow is my country’s 231st birthday. A long time to be alive but slowly and sadly not well as the saying goes. I have been with my country for 72 of her years. I have stood with my hand on my heart pledging allegiance to my flag and my country for many of those years. I have put my faith in the leaders of my country not devoted my life to degrading them. I have voted even though my choice didn’t always won at least I tried. I have paid my taxes whenever called upon to do so and even voted for more when it involved educating our youngsters. I have tried to help others less fortunate than I where I could.
But today my country is filled with people I don’t understand. Businesses that used to take you, train you and give you a chance to make a living until you were ready to retire. Today the need to profit dictates that our work be sent to other countries. The excuse being that American’s don’t want the jobs. When in reality Americans want a living wage for their work.
Our leaders expect us to accept their rules and laws without question despite the fact that many times they are wrong in their in their judgment. They tells us we must change the way people in foreign lands live for their own good. They never think that these same people have lived, fought, and practiced their faiths for years..That maybe they don’t want to change!
In my country today our parents have forgot to parent. If a child is in trouble it becomes the school’s, the neighborhood’s, the church’s, or anything else’s fault they come in contact with. But it is never the parents. Neglect of duty that parents practice today leaves the child to try and set his own limits, targets, and goals.
Not that all parents are to be blame. But if a child gets his x-box., cell phone, i pod, cars, designer fashions, and all the other gadgets that can be bought to make up for the absence of guidance and discipline he never cares about others needs. How many kids smile when you pass them on the street? True the dangers they face today are many times worst then 60 years ago. But how did they get that way?
I could go on but what good would it do? Would it put pride back in our life for our country and ourselves? Would courtesy and respect for others and their possessions return? Would it make living in my country safe again?
No I guess many of the things that were important to us have turned the corner as they say--never to return. So I close with a sad Happy Birthday America I’ll miss you when you are gone!
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