It is something that is hard to see and to believe. Being an observer of such things, I have noticed however. America, the America I grew up with has changed in a fundamental way. No longer is America what I was taught, now it is what I have learned. There is a stark difference. A difference that I admit feeling a bit of disappointment in. It is rather like finding out your biggest hero has a fault. You make excuses for that fault, for a time, but then you become disillusioned. It is a sad feeling. The character of America has changed. It has changed in response to the character of its' citizens. That is the way our founding fathers intended and we should not do nothing to alter that. America was founded on good intentions.
Now I have no explanation for it and can only offer my perceptions. They will certainly differ from yours, that is to be expected. I think that America has lost some of her nerve. No longer so self assured and confident of our truths. The truths we once held to be self evident. Now, we attempt to justify, codify and legislate those truths. We have become uncertain of the foundation. Just what was that foundation built upon ? It was built upon white, Christian, Europeans. That is the easy fundamental answer. America is no longer that demographic. The numbers may appear otherwise, I don't know, I haven't checked, but I'm talking about character. The character of our country does not embrace the same ideals as the ones I was taught. There has been a transformation. The foundation is being questioned.
I stated that the foundation of the country was built upon white, Christian Europeans. The stories I was taught in elementary school differ from the reality. We are aware of the Pilgrims and all that folklore. It did put us Europeans in a better light. We were taught that Columbus discovered America. He was first and now we know that just isn't so. The Native Americans were savage people that attacked our settlements ! They were wrong to do so, isn't that what we were taught ? Yes, and we were taught about Manifest Destiny. It was our destiny to expand across the continent and bring civilization to the wilderness. To create a new " Europe " that was just and fair to its' citizens. Not ruled by Kings but ruled by the people. And we were told how we accomplished that. We were told how we preserved " freedom " throughout the world by fighting in the Wars. It began when we fought for our own independence. By extension we were told it was our " manifest destiny " to lead the world ! I wouldn't say that is what is being taught today. That is the foundation that is being questioned.
Of the three components of that foundation the changing of white and Europeans is no surprise. Back in the beginning it was the Europeans that had the means and desire to travel to foreign lands. Commerce is what drove exploration, it has ever been so. It is no different today. I was taught that the Europeans were explorers, not conquerors. In many instances today the Europeans are shown to be deceitful opportunists that took advantage of the ignorant savages. We can teach that now because we don't consider ourselves Europeans, that was past generations, not us. The past generations are responsible and it is this generation that must make amends. The America I knew didn't offer apologies, only truths. That other races should join in our democracy was encouraged by the founders. In fact, it was guaranteed. Skin color was not of great importance. It was the quality of character that was most important. True, the color of your skin became an identifier. Just as the appearance of animals and birds define them. They are all birds or animals but different one from the other. I was taught that we were all equal, that we had risen above the injustice of the past. All that was necessary was hard work and an independent spirit. In America you can become anything you want to be. Now I hear more about entitlement, than possibilities. More amends for the past.
The third component of our democracy was its' Christian base. Yes, you can argue all day long about that but to me it is clear. The United States of America was founded by Christians, on Christian beliefs and principles. How could it be otherwise ? Just who was here ? Europeans. Yes they were well aware of the Muslims. Remember it was they that we engaged in the crusades against. After hundreds of years of them conquering our holiest of lands, we fought back. Isn't that what we were taught ? Fact is, the Muslims were controlling the trade routes. Commerce was affected. But, the point being the Europeans did not look favorably upon the Muslim population or their ideology. One side has never trusted the other, and most likely never will.
It is the waning of the third component that troubles me the most. The integration of other races, although often painful, can be achieved. The inclusion of those that are not of European ancestry is not a real issue. The removal or rejection of Christian values and principles however is a game changer ! It is those Christian values that form the core of character that made America. Where those folks flawed ? Of course they were, as we all are today. The fact is they were joined by a common cause. The cause of freedom. Freedom is fueled by commerce. Always has been and always will be. Freedom can not be obtained, on a personal level, as a gift. It must be earned. The reason is a simple one. The one " gifting " freedom to you will always feel that he can withdraw that same freedom at any time. You " owe " them. It is only when we satisfy our debts that true freedom can be obtained. Forgiveness can be granted, but forgiveness does not satisfy that debt ! It is merely a deferment.
Freedom can only be achieved by labor. Do not use the mistakes of the past as the building block of the future, for then you are building upon debt. Commerce fuels freedom. If you want it, you have to fight for it, then defend it.
Commerce has always been conducted with foreign nations. As long as everyone was making equal profits, there were no complaints. The United States of America rose to the top in trade. Why ? Because of the beliefs that founded the nation. Those unalienable rights. We owed no one for what we won. We stood firm in our beliefs. America truly was " For God and Country. " What does America stand for now ? Each of us have our own answer to that question. The current answer I have does not please me. We have become a nation of individuals ! We need to unite as a nation once again. We achieved great success when we believed as a nation and acted as a nation. I'm thinking it is time to renew those beliefs, teach them again. Somehow, somewhere the lesson is being lost and with it a nation.
Now I have no explanation for it and can only offer my perceptions. They will certainly differ from yours, that is to be expected. I think that America has lost some of her nerve. No longer so self assured and confident of our truths. The truths we once held to be self evident. Now, we attempt to justify, codify and legislate those truths. We have become uncertain of the foundation. Just what was that foundation built upon ? It was built upon white, Christian, Europeans. That is the easy fundamental answer. America is no longer that demographic. The numbers may appear otherwise, I don't know, I haven't checked, but I'm talking about character. The character of our country does not embrace the same ideals as the ones I was taught. There has been a transformation. The foundation is being questioned.
I stated that the foundation of the country was built upon white, Christian Europeans. The stories I was taught in elementary school differ from the reality. We are aware of the Pilgrims and all that folklore. It did put us Europeans in a better light. We were taught that Columbus discovered America. He was first and now we know that just isn't so. The Native Americans were savage people that attacked our settlements ! They were wrong to do so, isn't that what we were taught ? Yes, and we were taught about Manifest Destiny. It was our destiny to expand across the continent and bring civilization to the wilderness. To create a new " Europe " that was just and fair to its' citizens. Not ruled by Kings but ruled by the people. And we were told how we accomplished that. We were told how we preserved " freedom " throughout the world by fighting in the Wars. It began when we fought for our own independence. By extension we were told it was our " manifest destiny " to lead the world ! I wouldn't say that is what is being taught today. That is the foundation that is being questioned.
Of the three components of that foundation the changing of white and Europeans is no surprise. Back in the beginning it was the Europeans that had the means and desire to travel to foreign lands. Commerce is what drove exploration, it has ever been so. It is no different today. I was taught that the Europeans were explorers, not conquerors. In many instances today the Europeans are shown to be deceitful opportunists that took advantage of the ignorant savages. We can teach that now because we don't consider ourselves Europeans, that was past generations, not us. The past generations are responsible and it is this generation that must make amends. The America I knew didn't offer apologies, only truths. That other races should join in our democracy was encouraged by the founders. In fact, it was guaranteed. Skin color was not of great importance. It was the quality of character that was most important. True, the color of your skin became an identifier. Just as the appearance of animals and birds define them. They are all birds or animals but different one from the other. I was taught that we were all equal, that we had risen above the injustice of the past. All that was necessary was hard work and an independent spirit. In America you can become anything you want to be. Now I hear more about entitlement, than possibilities. More amends for the past.
The third component of our democracy was its' Christian base. Yes, you can argue all day long about that but to me it is clear. The United States of America was founded by Christians, on Christian beliefs and principles. How could it be otherwise ? Just who was here ? Europeans. Yes they were well aware of the Muslims. Remember it was they that we engaged in the crusades against. After hundreds of years of them conquering our holiest of lands, we fought back. Isn't that what we were taught ? Fact is, the Muslims were controlling the trade routes. Commerce was affected. But, the point being the Europeans did not look favorably upon the Muslim population or their ideology. One side has never trusted the other, and most likely never will.
It is the waning of the third component that troubles me the most. The integration of other races, although often painful, can be achieved. The inclusion of those that are not of European ancestry is not a real issue. The removal or rejection of Christian values and principles however is a game changer ! It is those Christian values that form the core of character that made America. Where those folks flawed ? Of course they were, as we all are today. The fact is they were joined by a common cause. The cause of freedom. Freedom is fueled by commerce. Always has been and always will be. Freedom can not be obtained, on a personal level, as a gift. It must be earned. The reason is a simple one. The one " gifting " freedom to you will always feel that he can withdraw that same freedom at any time. You " owe " them. It is only when we satisfy our debts that true freedom can be obtained. Forgiveness can be granted, but forgiveness does not satisfy that debt ! It is merely a deferment.
Freedom can only be achieved by labor. Do not use the mistakes of the past as the building block of the future, for then you are building upon debt. Commerce fuels freedom. If you want it, you have to fight for it, then defend it.
Commerce has always been conducted with foreign nations. As long as everyone was making equal profits, there were no complaints. The United States of America rose to the top in trade. Why ? Because of the beliefs that founded the nation. Those unalienable rights. We owed no one for what we won. We stood firm in our beliefs. America truly was " For God and Country. " What does America stand for now ? Each of us have our own answer to that question. The current answer I have does not please me. We have become a nation of individuals ! We need to unite as a nation once again. We achieved great success when we believed as a nation and acted as a nation. I'm thinking it is time to renew those beliefs, teach them again. Somehow, somewhere the lesson is being lost and with it a nation.
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