You Owe Me!

What ever happened to the old America? You know, the one most of us grew up in during the 20th century. I am old enough to have experienced a little of it, yet young enough to still remember. Many of you know what I am talking about but for those of you that don't or are too young and missed out, let me share with you a little about what it used to be like in America. When most of us were proud of our country (despite it's flaws) and not just because our spouse was running for president.

I was raised by parents that were born in the mid-1920's, between two of the largest, most destructive and deadly wars that man has ever known. My father entered WWII by enlisting in the Navy, lying about his age at the time so he could go to war. The second world war pulled us out of a depression with massive defense spending on military items of every description. This was a time when our existence as a country was threatened and countries around the world were falling to fascist regimes. Even then, with the obvious evil perpetrated by the Nazi Party, there were those here in America that strongly opposed any involvement in a war that was none of our business.

It was during these times, I believe, that my father's character and life principles were developed. He learned that some things were more valuable than your physical comfort, finances and life. These were defining principles that led him through life's journey and helped him to make the right choices, even when it was perhaps the hardest choice to make. Although I tried hard at times to escape this influence and choose a path of less resistance and more temporal pleasures, these principles were passed on to me and have become the foundation for my adult life. I thank God that this is the strong foundation that was built for me, and many others, by a hard-working, patriotic generation of Americans.

America has been a place where individuals have been limited only by themselves. Our system of free enterprise and individual freedoms, guaranteed by the Constitution, has provided the best environment ever known to man for reaching dreams, goals and visions. A person lacking the funds for a secondary education can visit free public libraries and educate themselves on a multitude of subjects. Those born in poor economic conditions can work and save to start their own small business. The idea of America has always been (if you don't believe it, read the writings of the founding fathers) a weak central government that does not interfere with the lives of those it was created to serve.

What has me confused is how we have arrived at where we are as a nation today. The politics of class envy is taught to our young at supposed institutions of higher learning. Those in power use the selfish desires of the populace to further their own agenda. Why do some of us feel that it is our inherent right to be given things we did not work for? It is like a demented Robin Hood story with a theme of take from the rich to give to the poor. We have politicians that tell us everyone has the right to a nice home, two cars, free secondary education, free childcare, free healthcare and HD Television. When did our right to pursue happiness translate into the right to have what we have not earned?

I fear that America has fallen asleep. We are missing the conservative moral values and principles that used to guide us to work at being the best and most productive members of society. We are quickly turning into a hedonistic society where the pursuit of comfort and pleasure is replacing what was once a desire to exercise discipline, self-control and to achieve. We have forgotten that adversity is what develops character and motivates us to work for the betterment of ourselves and others. Our educators have been negligent to teach our history, as it really happened, and to remind us of the great men that have been grown from the poorest of conditions.

If America is to survive and once again be that shining light of freedom and God's grace that all the world looks to, we must examine ourselves. We must get back to the foundation of truth and freedom that was laid for us nearly 250 years ago. We can no longer be consumed by self-interests, but must work for what is best for our country. This is the greatest country on the face of the earth and we alone can make it better. We must adopt policies that encourage our citizens to be productive, hard-working and caring. If we don't shake off our complacency soon, I am afraid it will be too late and we will fade from our former greatness into mediocrity and forced servant hood to the state.