A Bright Future of Hope and Opportunity!

Okay, I don’t know about all y’all, but I’m kind of weary, worn out and tired! Not so much physically, but mentally, and emotionally. Here’s the deal.

First, it’s this presidential campaign. Will it ever end? I mean, really, the stumping, rhetoric, accusations, and discussion feel perpetual. And for now, they are short on substance, and long on emotional manipulation. I’ve always prided myself on being relatively immune to the manipulation aspect, but, for some reason, this time around it is really abrasive. I’m not even talking about the actual issues of either campaign, it’s mood and methods. We can devote another post to the candidates’ issues, but not today.

The next thing I can consciously put my finger on is the frenzy about world energy and pending global environmental collapse due to carbon levels. Yes, oil prices are high; yes, we need to conserve resources; yes, we are experiencing dramatic increases in food prices! All these are happening, but I don’t get the panic and despair mentality. It doesn’t resolve anything to wander around the world bemoaning our circumstances, and complaining when others don’t bemoan with us. It only adds to fear, despair, and eventually apathy. When people feel helpless often the only way to deal with it is to ignore it. It also makes us more willing to accept just about anything that looks like an attempt at a solution; this can lead to poor and ill-advised actions in the long-term view!

What is the solution? Perhaps, I’m not qualified to say with certainty, yet I have a few thoughts about it. When people are presented with a tough problem to solve, they are inclined to attack it with energy, if they believe there is some type of reward upon defeating the obstacle. Hope! We need to recognize our situation, but also look back and see that we have solved many tough, challenging problems already, and are just as smart and capable (perhaps more so) to do it now. The world and people are resilient! Look at the monumental achievements throughout history. I’m not talking Pollyanna, here, but a realistic, eyes open optimistic enthusiasm to tackle challenges with energy, drive, and balance--avoiding, panic, despair, and desperation. This will require cooperation, moderation, and even some realistic compromise from the extreme views on all sides.

Our nation was founded on the concept that given an opportunity to control their destiny, people will most often achieve greatness. Many times they will surpass expectations. We need to regain that optimism for opportunity, and responsibility for our actions—good or bad! Blaming our neighbor, the church, or the government, shifts our energy away from the individual, and drives away creativity and determination. Allowing ourselves to be told we are not responsible for our actions, because somewhere in our past—near or very distant—some injustice was inflicted on us or our family, makes us exempt from tapping into the personal hope and energy that can take us away from the negative situation.

Of course, I believe at some point along this path, we cannot have a complete hope, until we acknowledge God in our sojourn here on earth. All things are His, and he can help us solve problems we create for ourselves, but He generally won’t act unless we request it!

I'll Gladly Stand Up

These days, you can hear them just about everywhere; those who want to make us feel guilty for being Americans—citizens of the greatest nation, ever. Yes, we do consume more energy per capita than other nations. But the abundance that we’ve created for ourselves, and the rest of the world is breathtaking. Grains of all varieties, finished goods from electronics to Egg McMuffins, seeds of freedom and self-determination, have infused the whispers of hope and prosperity into every nation, culture, and neighborhood.

In the immortal words of a well-worn Sinatra tune, “Regrets, (we’ve) had a few; but then again, too few to mention. (We) did what (we) had to do And saw it through without exception.” Sure, this country has stumbled a few times. But when, in the history of the world, has there been a conquerer, that consistently gave back the captured land; just walked away, and expected the conquered to behave? Has it been done perfectly? No. Did we stay some places too long after the clouds of war wisped away? Probably. Have we ransacked, pillaged, and enslaved the nations we’ve ‘conquered?’ Hardly.

The irony of it all, is we have become so accustomed to this perspective, we don’t recognize the monumental generosity that is the United States of America, to the rest of the world. We start to feel guilty for consuming ‘too much.’ We continually challenge ourselves, looking inward for ways to improve. At times it backfires; our small, inconsequential errors, seem like the objects in the rear view mirror ‘larger than they appear’.

This nation should never cease to refine, reassess, and review our actions, at home and abroad. Arrogance will lead to weakness and disintegration. But the opposite can be just as destructive. Undue self-flagellation, will tear us down, and snuff that spark that burns deep. “Yes there were times, I'm sure you knew, When (we) bit off more than (we) could chew, But thru' it all, when there was doubt, (we) ate it up, and spit it out. (we) faced it all and (we) stood tall, and did it (our) way.”

It is time to be grateful, not guilty for this land "made for you and me." Hope not hysteria. Dialogue and debate, not dissention and divisiveness. There are divergent points of view, there always have been. Rancorous elections are not new. Anger and hatred are older than the nation. True greatness comes when we are able to respect all points of perspective, and find a solution that, at least, considers the minority voices.

I’m sorry Rev. Wright, God bless America, is the only dictum we have the right to muster, the rest is in His hands! Perhaps we should read, sing, and listen to all of the versus of the National Anthem, here is the last:

Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand. Between their loved home and the war's desolation: Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Power that has made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just. And this be our motto: "In God is our trust". And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.