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Wake Up Call for America
The
United States of America is too powerful, too strategically positioned,
and too rooted in the potential of wonderful ideals, to consider itself
just another nation among a host of others.
With great power comes great responsibility,
so the saying goes, and never was this wisdom more correct.
Unfortunately, the hope that lies with America,
the destiny which summons it from within, without and from afar, cannot
be realized from a fixation on self-interest. Nothing could be more clear,
and recent history bears this out. Self-interest clashes with the ideology
of hope and the benign intent of stewardship and leadership.
We cannot have it both ways. If we want to become
the inspirational leader of the world (and we must choose before it's
too late), that calls for a new international perspective, and a new internal
vision along with it.
Never was a light so brilliant in the dark, so
promising, and yet so flawed by the quivering of its flame.
In our democratic society, we believe in the
beneficence and wisdom of the people, as well we should. Unfortunately,
we then blindly and willingly subject that beneficence and wisdom to a
constant barrage of political trickery, short-sightedness and, most insidious
of all, greed. We tend to ignore these allegations under the excuse of
freedom, but by doing so we forget that freedom is synonymous with responsibility.
It is for grownups, not children, who may hurt themselves and others.
When our government falls short, as it often
does, we forget that our government reflects us, what we believe, our
values or lack thereof. Like us, it raises the flag of high and wonderful
ideals. Like us, it tends to ignore those ideals for any number of small
reasons. This projects the Dream of America, along with its legitimate
inspiration, as something small and self-serving in the eyes of the world.
We are amazed at how the people of the world
no longer trust America. Like spoiled children, we prefer holding them
in contempt rather than asking why. So sure are we of our ideals, we scarcely
bother to examine how well we follow them ourselves.
Let me be more direct:
There
is nothing in place protecting our ideals but us,
and the way we live them.
There
is nothing threatening our
ideals but us as well,
and the way we fail to live them.
While
it is admirable to promulgate freedom of speech, we must then remember
that we are responsible for the words we say, and influence they generate.
Freedom of speech without conscience is morally inhuman,
and denigrates the very essence of freedom. Freedom is capable of reflecting
what is best about humanity, but also what is worst. It is up to Americans
themselves, individually, to decide which direction their freedom takes,
and accept the consequences of that decision across the globe.
Consider:
- We
don't have to abuse our freedoms just because we can. What does that
say of us when we do?
- We
do not have to embrace hedonism just because a torrent of commercials
continually bombards us. There's more to us than that.
- We
don't have to be locked-in by the same, corrosive political strategies
just because the experts (who are perpetually out-of-touch with the
times) insist that we should.
- We
don't have to be so caught up with our own personal and national well-being
that we ignore and een trample of the well-being of others.
- Most important of all, perhaps, money doesn't have to be our universal measure of worth.
We
can't afford to base our international policies according to election
year strategies, political funding sources or catering to extremism. That's
not serious world leadership, nor should it be construed as the prerogative
of the powerful. Too many opportunities are lost; too many people suffer
and die; the whole world is thrown in jeopardy for the short-sightedness
of our vision.
We are facing a new presidential election in
2008, and that means the possibility of new and hopefully more inspiring
leadership, preferably disentangled from extremism and religious bigotry.
We have to make sure that the next generation of leaders takes the existence
of humanity, the Earth and all its creatures with dire seriousness. For
the consequences are dire indeed.
Let's start by jettisoning the political jargon
and clichés of the past, and establish real, civil dialog instead
of ruinous stalemates. We need unity of purpose, not divisions or self-serving
wars of ideologies.
Let's find unselfish, incorruptable leaders
who are worthy of our founders' vision, and yes, even exceed them.
Why not? Why settle for mediocrity and lack of inspiration?
The very best of Americanism is that which is
dedicated to a higher cause. Unfortunately, the worst of Americanism
finds itself hooked by ethnocentricity and selfish hedonism. We cannot
sustain the best along with the worst, just as we "cannot serve two
masters." We have to choose the better, or fall.
If our founders were willing to die to make us
free, the least we an do is live rightly and purposefully to make that
freedom count as a true inspiration to the world. We can inspire change
through example, not bombs.
It is not enough to say what we are against (Communism,
Islamic Terrorists, etc.). We need to articulate what we are for. Not
just freedom. Not just Capitalism. But justice, equality, respect for
others, truth, protection of the world around us, character, honor over
pride, civility and an open mind.
We don't need a president who tells us how wonderful
we are. We need one who leads us to greater heights.
We don't need a Congress idebted to campaign
donors and lobbyists. We need it to represent good, substantial, long-term
policies that will earn the respect and emulation of others.
But think abou tit. When we complain about the
presidency and Congress, who are we really complaining about? This is
a democracy. We are complaining about ourselves!
I
bring this appeal to us, the people, not to those uninspired,
so-called leaders who spend most of their time posing and raising money
while lowering consciousness. Only the people, can change
things for the better. Only as concerned, knowledgeable individuals can
we free ourselves from failed policies and make our voices heard.
Isn't
that what America is all about?
