Posted on 11/01/2004 6:08:04 PM PST by RedWhiteBlue
*** Of Thee I Sing ***
Take this as fair warning. I may get somewhat emotional here.
I might because I am writing about one of my favorite topics. My America. So please accept my apologies in advance, sometimes I do get carried away.
We near Election Day and it seems that all eyes are focused on the contenders for the World Heavyweight Title of politics. The right to occupy the White House for the next four years, the ability to guide the US into a direction either away from or closer to the magnificent experiment of Jefferson, Franklin and the Founding Fathers. A government where the power lies with the people, for the people and by the people.
In 1964, long before my arrival, Ronald Reagan put into words a thought that to this day holds true as he said: “This idea that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man.” Indeed Mr. Reagan, indeed.
I sorely miss President Reagan. I miss him and the vision of America that he brought back into style, his “shining city upon a hill.” I miss the way I felt every time I saw the Great Motivator speak to us, his “fellow Americans”. I believed him when he said those words, I believed that he meant them. I know I felt like Mr. Reagan’s fellow American.
I still do today.
In times like these, Presidential election year, we Americans spend a lot of time talking about the future of our nation, where we are headed and what is in store for our children as it relates to our government. Now, I know that most of us here in Free Republic concern ourselves with these topics regularly and the discussions are heated and passionate. But the majority of Americans rarely give a fleeting thought to these lofty topics. Walking down the street, most people will recognize Richard Hatch of “Survivor” fame long before they recognize their own State Representative.
A few weeks ago I explained to my next door neighbor that our Governor and the Presidential candidate for the Republican party were related, having established that he proceeded to proudly announce that he was voting for Gore because “he is for the little people”. He doesn’t know it yet but I sold my house this past Saturday. Good thing I did. I need better neighbors.
But I digress.
Let me take you all to a place where most of you have never been before. Let me take you with me to a life without Freedom. I’ve been there.
In a land without Freedom there is no hope, there are no dreams of a better tomorrow for the children. My parents faced that.
In a country where there is no Freedom there is no way to face the dawn and say “today will be better than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow.” We lived that.
In a place where there is no Freedom there is no pride in self. There are no reasons to accomplish because the fruit of your sweat and hard work belongs to others, never to you. Ask my people, we’ve been there.
In a place like my homeland all you can hope for is America. The dream and the promise. So we made a choice, a difficult choice.
Stop and look around you right now. Stop reading and look around you.
Think of the things around you. The pictures, the mementos. The children’s shoes you still keep in a drawer somewhere. The first card from a grandchild with scribbled letters reading “I love you Grandma and Grandpa”, maybe yellowed with age, maybe just received yesterday.
Touch the walls on the home you grew up in, the walls that still resonate with the voices of those loved ones long gone. Feel the warmth of a household at night, when you’re up and everyone else sleeps. Safe and secure in their beds.
Walk outside and stand barefooted on the cool grass, reach down and grab a handful of soil. Your soil, and breathe deep the night air. Look at the heavens above you and the familiar stars over your corner of the world.
Touch and smell everything that makes you a family and a people. Let it sink into every pore on your body until it reaches the very center of your being.
Then pack all you can into a solitary suitcase, turn your back and leave. Never to return.
We’ve been there. My people and me.
But we were blessed. We were blessed indeed.
You see, we heard a call. We heard a voice calling saying “Come. Come be Free.” And we came. We came as did hundreds of thousands more. Looking for the fulfillment of a dream. A dream of Freedom, a promise of a better tomorrow for all.
We came by air and we were the lucky ones. Some chose to risk death rather than live without Liberty and braved the treacherous straits. One hundred thousand didn’t make. They lie in a watery grave, forgotten by all save those of us who faced the same choice. They sank to the depths embracing their children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, or even a stranger. Some died all alone.
All in the name of Freedom. All looking north to the promise.
This is my story, and the story of my people.
Like millions before us we came to America to make a difference. A difference in our lives and a difference in the future of this wondrous, magical, brave and generous nation. With a fierce determination to live and prosper. To stand as free men and women and grab handfuls of life and say “mine!”. To work hard and build a home on this fertile soil, and make it our own. To follow the steps of Americans before us and become them.
This is my home. This is my piece of the dream.
I have seen the purple majesties and touched hollowed ground in Gettysburg. I have stood and faced the painted desert and I have seen the sun rise over the fruited plains. I have walked through amber waves of grain, softly swaying in the breeze of a cool morning in the heartland. I have walked the trails were Tecumseh fought to be Free.
I have walked the road to Freedom, paved by the sweat, blood and tears of countless Patriots and seen the realization of my parent’s dreams. They dreamed for their children and sacrificed all to give us everything they had lost.
Now is my turn. Now I am making my stand.
And I choose America.
I choose the dream of Freedom we came searching for.
I choose the dream of a shining city upon a hill.
These words are framed and hanging on the wall before me as I write. I live by these words, once again spoken by the Great Motivator.
“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”
After years of a journey, I am home at last.
“My Country, ‘Tis of thee, Sweet land of Liberty, Of thee I sing.”
Praise be to God, I am home at last.
The end is in sight, and the powers that would have us be governed by the will of the few rather than the will of the people are growing desperate. You can see it in the news, you can hear it in their voices.
They're coming at us from every corner and they are firing every gun.
These are the actions of desperate people.
We have fought an awesome fight Freepers, and I am proud to call myself such.
The end is in sight and the prize is the future.
Rally the troops and
Let Freedom Ring!
Luis
I vividly remember reading it. I was sitting in a hotel room, on a business trip, in Rio, trying desparately to get news on the upcoming elections. The only station I could get in my room that was discussing the elections at all was CNN International (gag). So I booted up the laptop and went to see what was happening at Free Republic. And there, I found this beautiful essay by Luis.
Enjoy. I sincerely wish your spirits are lifted by reading this.
Hope you don't mind.
Let me try this again ....
Luis: Hope you don't mind.
Luis is an impressive writer, and also has an adorable voice. Cuba Libre!
bump
Wow!
I can't believe you actually remembered this!
It's time again, "once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more."
Vote!
VIVA BUSH!
...and someone found this old friend of mine.
Well said...
Are we ready?
Couldn't forget it!
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