The State of Our Nation.

Like most Americans I was shocked by the brazen attacks on our country five years ago. We chose at that time to fight our enemies and defend the principles we hold so dear. But as that fighting has dragged on and has begun to cost us dearly in both blood and treasure, it seems our will is weakening. I see the bravery and commitment of our fine young soldiers, but it is not matched by the same from our leaders or the general populace.

On a recent business trip to Washington, D.C. I was able to take time to tour the National Mall and see the US Capitol Building in person. Standing before this great symbol of our nation led me to contemplate the current struggle as well as all of the sacrifice and dedication given by those who have gone before us. I am fortunate to be a member of the 17th generation of my family to have the privilege of living in this blessed land. My father was a member of that great generation who fought in World War II and saved our country from the threat of Nazi Fascism. Over 400,000 men and women from his generation sacrificed their lives in this struggle.

In 1941, the loss of 2,700 soldiers and sailors in the attack on Pearl Harbor awoke the “sleeping giant” of the American people. In 2001, the loss of 2,900 civilians has seemed to only slightly disturb our slumber. We collectively sighed, “Thank God it wasn’t me,” and then pacified our consciences with a moment of silence for the “victims” and a few dollars for a memorial fund.

We buy our troops the finest weapons available only to tell them not to use them. We ask them to defend our freedoms but give them no clear enemy to destroy. We ask them to sacrifice their blood and their lives but do not honor them with our own dedication. We give them empty words of praise and encouragement while quietly looking for ways to abandon the struggle.

I fault no political party or movement or leader for this awful condition for they are but a reflection of the people. We need look no further than our own daily lives to find the root of our malaise. Have we become so weak and pacifist that our national self sacrifice is inevitable? Have we lost the very essence of the nobility that lifted our forefathers to create a nation made great by the unity and strength of its common people?

Sadly, the answers to these questions are not yet known. As I thought again of the 17 generations of my family to live in this land, I never imagined that my generation could be the one to see its promise lost. I never imagined that my generation could be handing off a weak and failing country to its children. I never imagined that the hearts of the people would fail.

I prayed that this would not be our fate. I prayed that the greatness and nobility of the American people is only sleeping and will yet awake. I looked up again at the capitol of a once great people and tried to hope. I tried to hope as my tears joined the gentle rain and I cried for my country.

It is more apparent each day that the conflict now confronting our nation has only begun. Will we, as a nation, rise to meet the challenges we face on all sides? Will we, as a nation, come to together to for common defense of the people? Will we, as a nation, prove our mettle as a great generation like that of my Father?
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None of it will happen...until we again have a government that cares about its country, its people and their safety, freedoms and future, MORE THAN its own political empowerment and politics.

None of it will happen...until we again have a government that cares about its country, its people and their safety, freedoms and future, MORE THAN its own political empowerment and politics.

And not of that will happen until people start taking their citizenship seriously, and start paying attention to what is going on (turn off the lastest bimbo/junkie news marathons and other time wasters) and start doing their homework on the issues, and stop electing the low-lifes, hacks, and political careerists that we seem to have an affinity for. No more pretty faces. No more empty suits. No more voting with our hearts (or lower organs) instead of our heads. Like the writer, I have a long heritage in this country -- the 1640's in Virginia on my mother's side. This is MY country, dammit. And I'm tired of seeing a corrupt, incompetent leadership and a fat, lazy, easily-distracted citizenry run it into the ground.

There will always be a group of aspiring would-be dictators ready to destroy our country in order to remake it into their self-serving vision of utopia. I understand them well enough. The tragedy of America is that now half of the electorate seems dumb enough and willing enough to elect them. It is harder to comprehend that kind of stupidity. We will go down the path of Venezuela or Ecuador in a few years. Half of us will get the government we deserve, but all of us will suffer.

I fault no political party or movement or leader for this awful condition

Wow, I wish I could agree. I see one political party as a very anti-Constitutional, anti-American party seething with rage at what we have built over the last 225 or so years.

I agree that one political party is wildly anti-American. Unfortunately, the other major party seems to be "going wobbly". Who does that leave to lead us out of this mess?

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