OUR SHAME
Our nation is said to be the greatest in all
of history. We are the most powerful and richest nation on the earth, yet
we should not be proud, but rather ashamed.
Our beloved country was founded primarily on
the foundation of the idea that people ought to be free, and that they all
had the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We are all
guaranteed individual freedoms by the Bill of Rights, those first ten precious
ammendments to the constitution of The United States, but alas many do not
enjoy the prosperity, both social and material, which is their birthright
as Americans!
We as citizens of the United States should feel
deep and hurtful shame because of the reality that many in our country do
not enjoy that which should be theirs.
Many of our citizens are disenfranchised as
a result of racial hatred which can not be the subject of legislation, while
many are denied a chance to succeed economically due to lack of education
and subtle and unseen acts which are directed against members of minorities.
As a nation we seem to be indifferent to the rights and needs of these people
who, like us rightly claim the birthright that we enjoy every day.
Members of minorities are not safe in their
person in many areas all across this nation because they are gay, hispanic,
black, oriental, elderly, women, or because they have taken a stand for
or against such devisive issues as abortion, gay rights, or other causes
which are the subject of intense disagreement and/or debate. This phenomena
is referred to frequently as "hate crimes", and the incidence
of such crimes is skyrocketing at a truly alarming rate. Our leaders offer
high-minded talk about legislation to deal with these problems, but that
is not the answer! Legislation, no matter how well-intentioned, and no matter
how harsh can not cure the disease that lurks and threatens our citizens
because it lies within the hearts and minds of many people.
Who are these people and how did they come to
believe that they have the right to claim the roles of judge, jury, and
execution with respect to other citizens with whom they disagree socially,
politically, or theologically??
They are just plain ordinary citizens who have
been taught that in certain cases, right makes might. All Americans enjoy
freedom of religion, guaranteed by The Bill of Rights, but some fail to
realize that it is this very freedom which sometimes fosters and promotes
intolerance and leads ultimately to violence. Certain movements within the
so called "christian church" have attacked homosexuality with
such vigor that they have created within their followers a doctrine of persecution
much like that which flourished within the church in the 1300's where those
who did not agree with the church leadership were tortured and many burned
at the stake.
There are those in our country who, although
they would immediately decry the deeds of The Third Reich, against the Jewish
people of Europe, believe it is permissable to perpetuate the same kind
of hatred and intolerance against citizens of color in our nation.
Our nation should indeed be ashamed! We have
so much and yet we do not appreciate our heritage enough to be committed
to the ideals upon which it was founded, and upon which it has stood for
more than two centuries. No law or group of laws, no policemen, no judge,
and no prison can cure our ills. The cure must come from within the hearts
and minds of all Americans. It must become the personal passion of every
citizen! Without this, we are doomed and deserve to suffer the same fate
as The Roman Empire which decayed within and fell, not to a conquering army,
but upon the sword of it's own evil!
We must be ashamed and sensitve to the needs
of our nation which stands at the crossroads of future success or failure.
Our children and future generations, yet unborn, deserve the blessings of
the " American Dream". The challenge is clear to all of us that
we must improve our nation from within the hearts of all of us, or surely
we will perish as a nation!