But here we are on the fourth of July, both with and without these beautiful singing women. Though we shouldn't compartmentalize patriotism or interest in this country, there are times when it should be magnified. Memorial day is one of those times-though we should always remember. Christmas is one of those times for me as well, thinking about freedom to worship and the King. The fourth of July is really the time to go all 'Merica on everyone. To me, that means just loving life and appreciating what we have here. And celebrating the audaciousness of over the top fireworks displays.
I don't get political here, and will not do so now. But I will say that people need to figure out what it means to be an American and what America is all about. Platitudes about injustice and whatnot don't wash with me. This country is the single best hope for the world.
It was, in its inception, a new paradigm of individual freedom. The people who came here had a clear concept of tyranny. And with what remains the greatest treatise on human freedom, they whipped up our founding documents. At this point in time, they dreamed of a land with a small government and the necessary checks and balances to check a usurpation of power. And with all the faults along the way, from then till now, this is the greatest concept of liberty the world has known.
It was upon this founding that the republic decided to end slavery, seeing clearly the hypocrisy in the practice while touting the merits of freedom. After being freed, Frederick Douglas had thoughts about government intervention. When asked, "What should the government do to help you now?", he replied, in effect, "The government has done enough already. I want to succeed or fail on my own merits."
And now there is this concept of government refereeing life. With the wealth and power of this country, a new paradigm is being clung to. The wealthy are vilified and characterized as unfair to those who aren't as wealthy. I don't like it. I am not wealthy myself. I would probably benefit in the short run by jumping on this band wagon. That is not what America is about. Happiness is not about wealth, either. The pursuit of happiness, however, is totally dependent on the concept of a job well done and a sense of accomplishment for one's efforts. This distraction of flashing shiny lures to the fish in this sea is nauseating.
No one is guaranteed wealth. No one is guaranteed a job. No one is guaranteed a wife. Nothing is guaranteed. But this thing that people cling to called hope is not only a right, but an intrinsic piece of humanity. And these modern day sophists use the term while whittling it away. They deceive with clever words and loosely defined end games while implementing the very things that are humanity's undoing.
This American Dream is not to be given the scraps off of the table. And liberty is not having life mandated by bureaucracy. Hearing someone suggest from on high that we need coercing for our own good is disgusting to me. America is about living in a civil society on one's own terms. With one's own goals. And miss me with that greed business. Americans are the most generous people on Earth. Every time a disaster hits-in any part of the world-Americans donate the most money. And I'm talking about citizens with the Red Cross etc. Many talk about how America hates Iran etc., but when that Earthquake hit, Americans donated more to the cause than even the oil rich Muslim countries.
That greed argument is just a way to get class envy and class warfare going. I don't like it. America isn't a jealous place. We should be happy for others who have done well for themselves and try, if it's something we want to do, to be like them. Not knock them down a peg. However greedy corporations and the mega rich might be, they aren't nearly as greedy as a tax hungry government. Walmart at least has to sell stuff that we want to get our money. If we aren't satisfied with a company's policy we can go shop somewhere else. When it comes to the government, we have to wait till it's time to vote. And then we are only basing our vote on the information available. If they can lie and swindle to the point of selling a turd pie, then that's what is voted for.
So maybe this was a bit political. So what? I feel strongly about this. We need to think hard about what kind of place we want to live in and what kind of place we want to be. For me? I say let people live how they care to live as long as it isn't coercive to others. I don't need the government telling people they can't drink a 20 ounce soda like they do in New York City. I don't want them telling me what kind of car to drive. I don't really want them doing anything other than upholding the law and protecting us from our enemies. As far as I know, that's their job.
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