Can You Imagine This Country?
We hear much today about the American dream. By “the American dream,” most people mean buying a big house, driving an expensive automobile, and making a lot of money. However, this was not the dream envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Remember that, for the most part, America’s founders gave up their material wealth and substance for something they considered of far greater worth. Unfortunately, this hedonistic generation knows little of the kind of sacrificial spirit personified in the lives of America’s patriarchs.
In the minds of the founders, liberty–with all of its intrinsic risks–was more desirable than material prosperity, if that prosperity was accompanied with despotism or collectivism. So strong was their desire that they were willing to give up the latter in order to procure the former for themselves and their posterity.
How dare Americans today refer to material gain as “the American dream.” It is not! It is the freedom to honestly pursue one’s goals that should be celebrated. Material gain is only a fruit of freedom, not its root.
Furthermore, much of America’s gain today is predicated upon dishonorable and even dishonest practices. We have become a nation of gamblers and socialists. We allow an unconstitutional tax system to tax our brains out. Rather than cast off a tyrannical tax system, however, we choose to cast away the noble virtue of industry and hard work (because government will wind up with most of it, anyway) in favor of receiving revenue from the labor and effort of others. It is called socialism, and most Americans today (including Christians) appear to fully embrace it.
We expect government to fund our retirement, to reimburse our losses, and to even pay for our health care. What we cannot get from Uncle Sam, we expect from Lady Luck. Americans today want the fruit of freedom but seem unwilling to pay its purchase price. It was not always this way.
Can you imagine a nation without an I.R.S.? Can you imagine a nation with little crime and where children were free to pray in schools? Can you imagine a nation where the father’s income was able to adequately provide for his household? Can you imagine a country with low divorce rates and where virtually everyone with a high school diploma could both read and write and was capable of earning his or her way in society?
Can you imagine a nation without an A.C.L.U. or a N.E.A.? Can you imagine a country that did not legally murder its own unborn children and that would not pander to sexual deviants or criminals? Can you imagine a country that did not glorify, much less sponsor, gambling? Can you imagine a nation with strong state governments and a limited federal government?
Can you imagine a country where you could order a firearm through a catalog and where there was no such thing as a B.A.T.F.E.? Well, you might not be able to imagine such a country, but that was the kind of nation our founders dreamed about, fought for, and bequeathed to their posterity.
Unfortunately, since World War II, we Americans have seemed willing to squander the sacrifice and repudiate the principles of our ancestors. With the way things are going, can you imagine what this nation will look like in another 50 years?
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July 10th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
In 50 years? Que? I’d be happy just without having the ACLU…ahh the bliss. As for the American Dream…I’m pretty much living it. Free to carry, very low crime, golf and fishing to my hearts content, loving family, freindly neighbors, and drink my beer unhindered. Living the dream man, living the dream. I love where am at and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Any place where they still say the original Pledge of Alligence in the public schools isn’t bad at all.
Great article Chuck. I agree with you whole-heartedly.
July 10th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
As much as I agree with this article, put into context that the “left” gave the country lots of stuff people apparently now like: In exchange for a man being able to support a family, the left offered women’s “equality” in the workforce. In exchange for low divorce rates, women had the option to leave husbands at the slightest hint of abuse or even discomfort. Most of these goodies, including abortion as you can see, were about the country pandering to women. One thing that men clearly liked was that women became more “slutty”. The puritans and their fundamentalist followers who wanted to ban legalized prostitution helped to create an environment for their own demise.
Ironically, outside of porn and women sleeping around at bars, our country is still incredibly sexually prudish. Sorry gents: The monster is chivalry and until you’re willing to think about killing that beast, you’re going to have to live with the hairballs.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Presidential Candidates In First Ever Gay Debate
For the first time the leading candidates for the presidency will hold a televised debate devoted solely to LGBT issues.
From the repeal of “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” to the recent signing of a civil unions bill in New Hampshire, there is no doubt that voters will demand answers to important questions affecting our community.
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards have confirmed they will participate. Several other Democratic candidates also may join the debate.
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/07/071007debate.htm
July 11th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Interesting observations. I’ve heard the “American dream” described all my life in get married, buy a house and car, etc. version. Not necessarily great wealth – but enough to raise a family, send the kids to college, etc. A deviation from the idea that the American dream is anything other than liberty didn’t start with this generation. It seemed clear to me however, that the other stuff like being able to support a family that was supposed to be part of the American dream wasn’t possible without liberty.
Since WWII – The 60s happened. Since then, especially during the Rehnquist years, fundamental rights (liberty) has been abandoned for the sake of expansion of Congressional powers. What things are like 50 years from now, or even 20, will depend on whether Supreme Court justices choose to fix it.