Nothing is sacred. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights are toilet paper to these people (NSA, FBI, CIA, DOD, Basically the entire alphabet soup of gov't agencies along with the administration). Our last few administrations have created a climate of fear through which the regular disregard of personal liberties is viewed through a warped lens as somehow patriotic. All the while those that champion the US Constitution, The Bill of Rights and even the Declaration of Independence are marginalized and stigmatized as second class citizens. Allow me to make a confession of sorts. I have never feared nuclear annihilation. Even in the light of 9/11 I never feared a terrorist attack in my back yard. What I am concerned about. What I never in a million years believed would come to pass is what I studied in grade school, that our forefathers were not concerned with forces from without; rather they warned us to be ever mindful of the enemy from within. That is what concerns me today. I don't ask my God to bless this shadow of a land, this imposter that stands in the place of my America. I ask my God to bless the land of our forefathers. The land of the free and the home of the brave. A land that isn't shackled by the chains of crony capitalism, but true commerce based on the needs of each individual. A place where we concern ourselves less with tweeting and twerking; and more with the welfare of our fellow man. A place where we would never dream of turning a sick man out into the street because he couldn't pay his bill. A place where everyone would band together to help a man rebuild his lost home instead of exploiting it for monetary gain. I do not believe that this wretched facade of a nation belies the true man within. I have to believe that the roots of this Democratic Republic remain strong. I have to believe that we still believe in civil liberties, religious freedom, and the right of every man to pursue happiness. In many ways our forefathers were idealist when they wrote that "All men are created equal". We all know some people are born into better situations than others. Some richer, some poorer. Some with parents, some without, etc. However, I'll take that idealism any day. They expected more from themselves than anyone could have, and because of that there are still people from around the globe who, from the time they are children, dream of growing up and one day coming to America. The thing is, they don't want to come to this America. They want to come to the America they still hear about. Where free is still really free. Where no-one starves in the street. Where no-one dies from the common cold. Where everyone has a chance at an education, and through hard work a job and happy future. I heard a nine year old girl from Africa make that wish the other day on the radio, and it has really stuck with me. I would give just about anything to feel that way about my country again. I believe I can. I believe we can.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Paper Thin Rights
Nothing is sacred. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights are toilet paper to these people (NSA, FBI, CIA, DOD, Basically the entire alphabet soup of gov't agencies along with the administration). Our last few administrations have created a climate of fear through which the regular disregard of personal liberties is viewed through a warped lens as somehow patriotic. All the while those that champion the US Constitution, The Bill of Rights and even the Declaration of Independence are marginalized and stigmatized as second class citizens. Allow me to make a confession of sorts. I have never feared nuclear annihilation. Even in the light of 9/11 I never feared a terrorist attack in my back yard. What I am concerned about. What I never in a million years believed would come to pass is what I studied in grade school, that our forefathers were not concerned with forces from without; rather they warned us to be ever mindful of the enemy from within. That is what concerns me today. I don't ask my God to bless this shadow of a land, this imposter that stands in the place of my America. I ask my God to bless the land of our forefathers. The land of the free and the home of the brave. A land that isn't shackled by the chains of crony capitalism, but true commerce based on the needs of each individual. A place where we concern ourselves less with tweeting and twerking; and more with the welfare of our fellow man. A place where we would never dream of turning a sick man out into the street because he couldn't pay his bill. A place where everyone would band together to help a man rebuild his lost home instead of exploiting it for monetary gain. I do not believe that this wretched facade of a nation belies the true man within. I have to believe that the roots of this Democratic Republic remain strong. I have to believe that we still believe in civil liberties, religious freedom, and the right of every man to pursue happiness. In many ways our forefathers were idealist when they wrote that "All men are created equal". We all know some people are born into better situations than others. Some richer, some poorer. Some with parents, some without, etc. However, I'll take that idealism any day. They expected more from themselves than anyone could have, and because of that there are still people from around the globe who, from the time they are children, dream of growing up and one day coming to America. The thing is, they don't want to come to this America. They want to come to the America they still hear about. Where free is still really free. Where no-one starves in the street. Where no-one dies from the common cold. Where everyone has a chance at an education, and through hard work a job and happy future. I heard a nine year old girl from Africa make that wish the other day on the radio, and it has really stuck with me. I would give just about anything to feel that way about my country again. I believe I can. I believe we can.
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