Posted on 05/30/2005 12:01:15 PM PDT by wagglebee
If a country – my country – the United States of America, could look into a mirror, what would it see? What would be reflected to illustrate what kind of country it is – today, in the year 2005? What would that reflection tell us about who we are and the kinds of lives we live? What hints might be in that reflection of what our future holds?
If the truth were told, it might not be the reflection most Americans would prefer.
Yes, we still fly the stars and stripes and maintain our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We go through the motions of government. We're a free country and in fact, are the freest land on the planet.
If we opened our doors to anyone who would like to be here, most of the world would pour in, especially the poor. They may not have material possessions or education, but they're smart enough to know that it's only here where they might have a chance to improve their lot in life and live safely, pretty much unbothered by government.
That's about the best selling point I can think of. What this country has, and what it puts within reach of all citizens and legal immigrants, is the opportunity to take control of their lives and future. Just about anything is possible if a person is willing to work, persist and be smart in how they conduct their life. Life is, pretty much, what you make it. And people here are free.
If ever there was an immigrant lure, that's it. Anyone with doubts, only need look at the long list of those wanting to immigrate legally and the estimates of those who want the shortcut of sneaking into the country illegally and staying here below the radar of law.
The illegals are like the stubborn child who wants what he wants when he wants it – and throws a major fit. Mom and Dad are so intimidated by the audacity of the tantrum, that the kid gets exactly what he wants.
The illegal alien is just that. He does what he wants – sneaks across the border by the millions – and Daddy (or Uncle Sam, if you prefer) is so intimidated by their chutzpah, that virtually nothing is done to stop him. Indeed, once here, he's rewarded with all the largesse of a guilty population.
What a deal! As I said, they may be poor, uneducated, illiterate and untrained – but they're not stupid.
On the other hand, what does that say about us?
Why are we a "guilty population"? What is there about having so many blessings that we think we're undeserving? Perhaps it's because we know what a blessed country this is. We know we have freedoms and abundant resources and high technology and natural beauty.
We know we have opportunities for all of us, of any age, to be educated for a job or profession so we might earn enough money to care for our loved ones and ourselves. We're able to seek personal happiness and fulfillment in an atmosphere of privacy and freedom.
We're a country relatively free of the dirt and disease that plagues the rest of the world. Our children can be born and actually grow up in good health. It's possible to live to a healthy old age with all of our teeth and most of our hair. Yet if we're ill, we have access to the best medical care in the world.
We have a lot and instead of reveling in our blessings, too many of us wallow in guilt about those not similarly blessed. We have all this and there are those who don't. We should spread the wealth.
The problem is that the wealth the guilty want to spread usually isn't theirs. It's always easy to be generous with someone else's assets.
These same people cast a blind eye to the illegals in this country, upward of 12 million! They look only at the jobs these people hold and that their lives are better than before, but they ignore the horrific financial burden to the country in social services, housing, education, law enforcement, health care, prison expenses and more.
They ignore that we're experiencing the spread of Third World diseases that have reappeared here years after we eliminated them. It's impolite to speak of such things, though they're true.
Are we stupid? Uh, yes. Anyone who leaves the door of his house unlocked or wide open when prowlers are in the neighborhood is stupid. He deserves what he gets.
We're a very fortunate country, but we're not lucky. In fact, luck had very little to do with it. Every one of the freedoms, opportunities and benefits we enjoy, were hard won by civilian men and women over the years and by the millions who served in the United States military protecting and defending our freedoms and way of life.
Our willingness over the nearly 229 years of our history to defend freedom the world over and to keep despotism at bay is the hallmark of the United States. We are blessed, big and powerful.
Not surprisingly, we're hated. But rather than give in to the "guilty," who beat their breasts as to why some may hate us, we must stay strong. Don't give in to the naysayers, the ones who would enjoy nothing better than to see the United States brought to its knees. Not because we're bad, but because we're so good.
And we are. On this Memorial Day, 2005, remember what we have and why we still have it and never forget the millions of our military who continue to this day to protect our freedoms. That's the least we can do.
Amen!
Bookmarked, thank you
Yeah, when a token resistance is put up to enforce INS laws on the illegals then we have all the human rights activists and organizations bypassing the laws of the land to aid and abet the illegals entry and staying power, followed by various state govts giving free medical (that even the citizens can't afford), state tuition to illegals (while thumbing their noses at the citizens paying for the freebies), and even get the illegals signed up for social security (and the citizens wonder why social security needs fixing). No other country is as stupidly runned.
Excellent article by Simpson. Thank you for posting it.
Beautiful essay about how America is truly the best.
God, Bless America - Land that I love.
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Amen. And thank you, waggelbee, for this great post.
Me, too, AFPhys...with all my heart.
Beautiful, wagglebee.
8yo daughter and I walked through the local graveyard before going over to a picnic with her friends. She's such a doll, and seems to understand this stuff beyond her years - probably because I've always kept it in front of her a little bit. Freedom isn't Free. She just says, I know, daddy.
Tears in my eyes just remembering this.
We went over to the picnic, and I mentioned our little side trip while there - mentioned to all the kids the reason they didn't have school today. The parents all nodded their heads, and agreed with me - but none had paid their respects for Memorial/Decoration Day. I suspect my bringing up the subject will have an effect of at least some of them thinking more about doing so next year.
Thanks for your ping.
AFPhys, I was thinking about your sweet daughter as I was writing my post to you.... You are such a good father. :-)
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