America's Greatest Enemy

A TV commentator said last week that, with the death of Gadhafi, all of our major enemies have been killed.  Whether or not that is true, maybe now we can concentrate of that which is and always has been our greatest enemy--ourselves.  We have long been the wealthiest and most privileged of nations.  When my father was in his teens, his family came to this country from Germany as part of the early twentieth century's Great Migration--not because they were poor or starving but because the U.S. was, as Dad once put it, "the land of abundant opportunities."  We were and still are, but whether that will continue is a big, bold question mark.  

We are at a crossroads today.  We've made some mistakes that are working against our own best interests.  Several of them, in fact.  Here is a starter list to get us back on a healthier track:

1.  Bring God back.   This nation was founded as a faith-based country.  We've accumulated a Heinz variety of religions, but that's the way our founders wanted it.  Religions strengthen people and lead us to higher and nobler goals.  Spiritual diversity is the way that works best, to avoid the corruption that human nature brings to distort great moral and spiritual ideals.  The Almighty's truths will rise to the top and shine brightest.  (I do not include atheism here, as it is essentially a non-religion and a negative that, to my mind, serves no useful purpose.) 

2.  When we bring God back, other constructive values will return.  Chief of these is respect.  Respect for people in authority such as police and other law enforcers, teachers, parents, bosses, and the like.  (Yes, we can include politicians, too, if they follow the noble purpose of truly representing the best interests of the people who elected them.)   There will always be boneheads in all fields who are the exception to the rule, but our authority figures have a big and important job to do.  Most of them try to carry out their responsibilities well.  We have been living through a Golden Age of Criticism.  That has to change.  To do their job best, our persons in authority need our respect and emotional support. 

3.  We need to respect the right of law, as well.  We have an immigration problem we are not dealing with properly and effectively.  We've gotten soft on human decency, depriving people of respect toward others and victims of self-respect.  Lack of respect for good laws brings social chaos.  There are numerous other cases of disrespect for law, but the important thing to note here is that law brings order.  If a certain law is not bringing safety and justice, the best policy has always been to change the law, not disobey it. 

4.  When respect takes its rightful place in our society, our national attitudes will change.  The return of modesty will ennoble men and women.  Pleasures will satisfy, at a soul-deep level, replacing the shallowness in much of society today.  A return of appropriate censorship will protect society, especially its children, from the degraded ideas and modes of living we see so prevalent on TV shows today.   Relationship habits that build healthy interpersonal attitudes will build better character and bring adherents genuine deep-seated, lasting love.  All of these will generate a healthier standard of living for the future, giving our children and grandchildren better living in a country that improves the odds to make the best possible. 

Hoping to see a more positive future for our people,

Margaret