Posted on 06/04/2005 8:22:02 PM PDT by bitt
No country lasts forever. Thats an inarguable fact.
History reveals three primary reasons why countries fall, governments change and ways of life vanish.
The Taliban, Saddam, Nazis and many other governments fell because of war with other nations.
Revolutions brought on by internal strife, an insurgency, social unrest and disillusionment, reduced respect and admiration of the nations military (note that the Marines and Army are finding it very difficult and sometimes impossible to meet their recruiting goals), loss or reduction of social values and norms, and political extremism bring down some governments. Examples include Iran in 1979, France in the late 18 th Century, China in the late 1940s, and Mexico and Russia in the early 20 th Century.
Sometimes governments just quit for a variety of reasons, resulting in ethnic fragmentation, like in the case of the Soviet Union.
Perhaps you noted that America is currently suffering from two of the three aforementioned reasons why countries fall.
Right now, America is fighting a type of warglobal asymmetric warfarethat has never been fought before by any nation. Our enemies wear no uniforms, abide by no rules, attack civilian targets, are in 90 countries including our own and want every American dead and the country destroyed.
We are suffering from political extremism mostly on the left; a clear reduction of social values and norms; widespread disillusionment when it comes to the war, social issues, politics, and the economy; and even some strife (a huge homeless population, high bankruptcy rate, a massive illegal alien population consisting of between 16 and 20 million people, etc.).
What makes many Americans think America is invulnerable to collapse or destruction? Such a belief is spectacularly arrogant.
History applies to all countries. According to history, we are far more at risk than what most Americans believe.
Extremists in the media (the Denver Posts Reggie Rivers, the Rocky Mountain News Jason Salzman, the New York Times Tom Friedman, Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd; Bill Moyers, Air Americas Al Franken, Michael Moore, Barbra Streisand, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Ed Asner, et al), politics (Howard Dean, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Robert Byrd, et al), and our collective societal commode (Ward Churchill, Louis Farrakhan, et al) are trying to dramatically change America as we know it. From their influential (upon many Americans suffering from muddy thinking) positions, such radicals fuel the flames of hate and discontent among those who are repulsed by the very idea of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Fury, frustration and disbelief replace reason and respect when these types are forced to accept major political losses and when they realize most Americans disagree with their fanatical agendas. Their shrill fanaticism acts as an accelerant in creating an emotional inferno among the followers of such would-be tyrants, which increases the chances America falling while advancing the time line for our demise.
Nevertheless, many if not most Americans, in their complacency and ignorance of history, believe we have no reason to worry; that America will always exist regardless of history and the threats currently facing our nation.
How very, very wrong they are.
I couldn't agree with you more on this point. My youngest is in elementary school and you can see the seeds already being planted there. My oldest just graduated from high school and honestly believes that 9-11 was a plot by Bush & Cheney.
Between the education system and the totally unamerican biased media bombarding these kids daily with this crap ... we are doomed.
LOL - exactly. I'll live though. ;*)
Oh yeah...perfectly understandable, however. Just breathe. ;*)
You would not have run INTO anything in the Bay area...
you would have been run OUT of the Bay area.
One of the hallmarks of liberalism is a total inability to notice how fragile and endangered freedom is.
They will still be demanding improved school lunch programs even as the barbarians are sacking their city.
Liberalism, by any other name, is still just socialism/communism, and none of them give a rats behind about freedom. Their goal is only to rid the world of freedom.
This article could have been written at any point in American history. The country has been failing since day one.
The difference between the US and the rest is that we can correct ourselves, adapt, and adopt, fix and move on. It's our strength, which folks on this thread are convinced is weakness. Total silliness.
Bump for the inevitable, and unfortunately, very soon.
I don't forget there are teachers, bankers at Wells Fargo, salespeople at Home Depot, cashiers at Target, that have friend and family in Iraq. I have family there too. So what is an American to do when their company endorses anti-American politicians, policies? What if that company wants to be a big global player, but they have to turn their back on the country that afforded them success in the first place? Business is business.. we are just people that get in the way.
Actually, my administration here is pretty pro-military too. BUT that's not the point I want to make now. You have identified many reasons why I do what I do. I realize that it is ME that has to make a difference in my little corner of the world and that's what I try to do. I get tired of being blamed for the problems of society and of people of the "all education is bad" persuasion. I see miracles every day I teach. I get tired of a press and others who emphasize negativity in all aspects of life. I get really angry at those teachers who don't realize that when they pull idiotic stunts, they only make it worse for the rest of us and provide fodder for the education liberals. I'm tired of people complaining over mundane things without the bigger picture in mind. I'm tired of incessant poltical attacks and mind games played by others against each other for political gain at the expense of others. I'm tired of people putting down the military and not recognizing the good that they do. I'm tired of people not realizing that there are a lot of good teachers out there and that we're not all communist-promoting, nation-hating, military-bashing people. In fact I know of NO teacher who is. I could make this list go on and on, but I won't. You're probably asleep by now.
I spend all my waking hours fighting for what I believe in. BUT I try to look at myself first and see how I can improve before I try to criticize others (I'm not saying I'm perfect at it). I try to look for and exploit the good I see happening. For example, I am big on parents spending time with their kids, especially dads and really try to put forth that point. I try to give my students a good educational experience and am willing to do whatever I can to do that. I won't bore you with all the details of what I do, but just say that working with the parents and children are among my biggest joys in life. I am involved in my community and again, try to promote the good. If I make even one small difference in a child's life, then I have done my job. Actually, it's not me doing it, but the parents and the man upstairs. I have no idea why I get blessed so much each school year, but someone is looking out for me.
It seems we are focused on ourselves and want to complain, complain, complain. Sometimes, I hear, "I want, I want, I want" from some grownups with kids and I just think. I think about how I want to have a child more than anything in the world and someone who does have that privilege can do nothing but complain. I DO try to see how I can serve other's children (I do live in the community I teach) and not to complain.
Again, I try to focus on the good. I give out many genuine compliments to people when I see good happening. If I hear someone speak well of another, I stop by their house and tell them. I remember to show sincere thanks when someone does something for me. I remember to give thanks to God for the many blessings that I do have--like flush toilets, running water, a nice house, and so on and so on. We are getting spoiled nowadays and should sit back and smell the roses before trying to always want what the other guy has.
We are pawns in an ever-complex chess game. This pawn DOES not want to be the loser and will fight all he can to be a force of good in his community and little part of the world. Am I succeeding? I'm so far from perfect that I could never shoot an arrow that far. BUT I have seen many wonderful things happen and have been able to talk to and get to know many wonderful people.
I have two stories that have really helped me in my life.
1) I learned not to complain so much from my former student who had and died of brain cancer. I became really close with his family. At the time, I felt my own troubles would overwhelm me, but then God sent Carlos back into my life. He NEVER complained once, became even more full of humor than when he was not sick, and still never wanted to stop learning. My own petty troubles became insignificant as I saw my own greatest teacher teach me more about life than I had ever learned on my own.
2)I read a story about a girl who had written a letter to Dear Abby complaining about how she wasn't happy. She had said that "Happiness was when your parents let you do what you want." and similiar statements thereafter. Abby invited other readers to respond. One soldier wrote from Vietnam and said that the girl had it wrong. Happiness was each day that you were able to still walk, talk, hear, etc. when you saw so many others that could not. His letter followed accordingly. I told this story as part of a sermon in church about being thankful for what you have (I was only a teenager). One lady went up to my mom after and said it had moved her to tears because she hadn't been showing thankfulness for what she had lately. No, I don't think that the sermon was earth-shattering, but it was the message and Holy Spirit that did the work.
I remember in elementary school when we had an assembly. One of the fifty hostages had gone to MY elementary school. Pictures were shown of him and there were plenty of yellow ribbons. I thought he was so brave and was proud again, that he had come from my own school. That's when my life began.
Now, you're probably sound asleep. BUT this is one teacher/person who will never stand pat and watch the world go by. Nor will I sit on the fence and bicker and moan about how tough I have it and how it's everyone else's fault. I am on the same page as you. I am just a simple person, but trying to do my best to do good in my own little place on Earth.
BTW, I don't cow my students. I'm a bull.:)
Agreed. And the tendency to this kind of arrogance has grown incessantly in the past 20 years.'
Yup. Like my quite-successful cousin-in-law in LA, who sees the paganization of America as part of 'diversity' and a good thing, while 'reactionaries' are people 'afraid of change'.
Typical lib buzzword nonsense. What he REALLY means (but does not appreciate the full consequences of) has been known for a long long time by a single term:
BALKANIZATION
To see where such a national philosophy leads, consult the history of the Balkans; better yet, just read-up on the past 80 years history of the countries that made up the FORMER Yugoslavia (a topic with which I have extensive personal and familial experience).
Were any of these kingdoms and empires constructed with the ideals of Christianity in mind like America has been? Don't get me wrong, America has never been a theocracy and that's not what conservatives are calling for. Yes, the nation isn't indestructible. The only thing that's new in the mix is progressivism - a movement away from absolutes like what we get from God. Like I said, this is a wake up call. If we don't fight for what has been, other generations will have to start from scratch.
BUMP
We will fall the same way Rome fell - to corruption and self-absorbtion. Another nation will take up the mantle of defending civilization from the facists, socialists, and barbarians. As it stands, the only hope I see is from India.
I posted this theory of mine a number of times:
My father has been telling me that since 1973 about "America not existing" in it's present form by the time I get older. I think he was a generation off, but I think he is correct.
Will be? You must have forgotten Philly (Rendell), Chicago (Daleys forever)..however, I agree with your points.....
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