Saturday, November 10, 2012

What has America Become?


I know many of you are wondering this same thing.  What was started over two hundred years ago when our forefathers decided to start this great union unlike any other in history?  I found a recent letter to the editor by Alan Walden, and I am going to use selected portions in an effort to condense it without changing its meaning.

"I wonder how I became a stranger in my own land.

During more than three-quarters of a century on this planet I have come to believe in the greatness of America; a greatness fueled by goodness and the belief that this nation was founded to show the world how things can be when free men and women are allowed to pursue whatever dreams and ambitions they may have unfettered by social or political agendas or the tyranny of those to whom power is the narcotic of choice.   We chose, as our mantra "E Pluribus Unum," (From Many, One) as we invited others to join us and become Americans. But now, this stranger in his own land sees only the "pluribus” and wonders what happened to the "unum. "

 We created a government to provide structure and a sense of order, a structure in which the people, not the government, ruled supreme. We won our independence through eight years of blood and fire through the will of the people. We fought each other less than a century later and preserved the nation through the will of the people. We grew into the mightiest and most remarkable national entity the modern world had ever known through the will of the people. We saved the world and rebuilt it, not once, but twice, through the will of the people. We were the United States of America. But that was then.


And the "unum" is just about gone. The unity that once defined us has been superseded by the hyphen. No longer willing to proudly proclaim our status as Americans, we have become a Balkanized amalgam of tribes at cross purposes: African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic -Americans, Gay and Lesbian-Americans, et al. The amalgam used in dentistry contains mercury and is, therefore, a slow acting poison. No less poisonous is the tribal amalgam of 21st Century America. And, not to be overlooked, are the many millions among us who are not, nor do they wish to be, Americans. They're just here, to water at our trough and spit the dregs in our faces.

Around the world we are regarded with suspicion, amusement and, all too often, contempt. The America that sent the Great White Fleet around the world, the America that rid the world of the unspeakable horror of Adolf Hitler, the America of the Marshall Plan, the America that turned back the invasion of South Korea, the America that brought down the Berlin Wall, snapped the fetters that had kept Eastern Europe in thrall for decades, and dumped the tyranny of the Soviet Union on the scrap heap of history has become a source of ridicule. We have become a global punch line, unworthy of the mantle of greatness we once wore with such distinction.

The president has been reelected, and his slogan is "Forward." Toward what, I wonder? Toward the greatness we earned as the last great hope of humankind, or toward the abyss of mediocrity we are earning just as surely."



Alan Walden
Associate Faculty Member, Department of Communication Arts
Notre Dame of Maryland University







7 comments:

  1. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth... For my part, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst; and to provide for it.~Patrick Henry

    Courage. If it's any consolation at all, I now know a handful of people who have the temerity to admit that they were wrong. Small comforts.

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  2. Thanks Vee. It was not only those who were deluded on the side of the Democrats, it was those who for one or two inconsequential reasons refused to vote for either candidate. If you want to see our country get back on track, then vote for the candidate most likely to set things straight. Staying home is equivalent to casting a vote for the party who proved over four years they had no answers at all.

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  3. Exactly. At least be willing to help kick the ball further down the field.

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  4. So, do you have any information on the "Invisible Empire" or must I watch this documentary my son gave me? I've already read the back cover. It sounds like Revelation and everything I've ever been taught as a Christian who looks toward the rapture. They don't appear to be advocating any solution as far as I can tell, so what are these people suggesting we do anyway?

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  5. Martha, I watched the lead in to the documentary, but it is like most of those "Conspiracy Theory" explanations a little too speculative. Long on theory and short on fact. I seriously doubt that a huge conspiracy exists. There may be greedy men working in concert, but they all are flawed by their basic nature and incapable of maintaining a unified effort for any extended length of time. Someone in the group will always be seeking to dominate the others and this is why most conspiracies of any size fail. Will there ever be a one world government? Yes, I believe we will eventually see this. Who will lead it? Ultimately, "The Anti-Christ". At this point, the battle will be outside the scope of man's power and will lead to the final spiritual confrontation before Christ's reign. That's the way I see it anyway. All I know is that we are to stay alert and ready for whatever happens. I don't think anyone knows the timetable or the actual sequence. I'm not much on all the speculation. Pappy

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    1. Thank you for your insight. I am afraid this is another factor in many people's decision not to vote in the presidential elections this year. Since they believe that the entire system is rigged, there is no point in partaking in such events.

      I am not much on all the speculation either. If anything it seems another ploy to get those who just might vote on the more conservative side to not bother at all.

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  6. I know it seems hopeless to some to cast a vote, but I think we are commanded to participate in the process as Christians. Governments were started by God for our benefit. Without them there is chaos. (Romans 13) Not all governments are properly run, but they do provide the structure needed to survive. We are to be good examples. Leaders are appointed by God according to my reading of the scriptures. This doesn't mean that they are all noble or righteous, but they all are put into place by God so that his ultimate purpose for this old world can be fulfilled. We may not control the outcome, but we are to be obedient in spite of the circumstances. Our only departure from this, as I read it, is if the government asks us to do something that is against what God has asked us to do. Christians in the first century were in many cases treated very badly. Many were put to death for their beliefs. The Roman emperors wanted to be worshiped as gods. It must have been very tempting to stop participating. However, the apostle John wrote in his works (Circa 90 AD) that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and that he was in control and would ultimately win the battle. We are still somewhere in that final dispensation. Many in other countries have known nothing but persecution their entire lives. However, until recently , we here in the U.S. have lived in relative peace and prosperity because our forefathers understood what the role of government truly was. Now those who want to live their lives without the moral guidelines that are essential for our type of government to succeed, have become more numerous than those who know a key component of freedom is personal responsibility and moral behavior. Here is a scholarly explanation of what has happened.

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/rEM4NKXK-iA?feature=player_detailpage

    I'm going to keep participating. I don't really want to ride in the wagon.

    For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NLT

    Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Ehpesians 4: 6&7 NLT

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