How much we take for granted

[eisely]

Like so many others I am still trying to understand all the events of September 11 and figure out what it means for people everywhere. We are truly blessed in the US. Through the efforts of those who have gone before we are both wealthy and free, and fortunate to occupy a wonderful piece of real estate. We have taken our privileged status, and life itself, for granted for so long. I only hope that a people that has become self indulgent, self absorbed, less god fearing, and overweight (self included) can now rise to the occasion. I pray that we do not lose too much that is good in dealing with this threat. The US is not the simple place it once was. We are now blessed with a leavening of immigrants from places many of us never heard of just a few years ago. Let us set the example and remind our scouts not to lash out at people of different color and faith, moslems in particular. We need to keep in mind the sacrifice the NYFD last week, and heed their example of selflessness. God bless America.

[Glenn]

Eisely,

 

How true your words ring. I have posted at another forum (Catholic) about the terrorist activities and my words have echoed similar to yours. I still can not get over the tragedy of last week. There are times (for instance in leading my 6th grade Sunday school class in prayer) where I get choked up. I can't get my hands around what exactly upsets me so. I guess it is partly for those who lost their lives, their families, and especially that the United States of America was desecrated.

[Uncle Bob]

Amen gentlemen !

 

 

Uncle Bob

[jmcquillan]

eisely,

 

Well, said. I do not fear for the future loss of anything we have. I do not fear the changes imminent for America. In many repsects, I welcome them. For they may truly open the eyes of the self-indulgent you so eloquently spoke of. My only wish, is that the initial cost to open those eyes was not that which we beheld. But, what's done, is done, and can not be withdrawn.

 

Change is in the air for our culture and country. Whether or not you sided with our President on election day, I personally respect his committment to this country, and to his God, especially today. I believe I was witness to much of his God-fearing, patriotic being last night in his speech to Congress. He spoke to our fears and concerns, and I believe, your topic here, even if indirectly. We have indeed taken much for granted, Now we must realize that the oceans that were once so wide, have become but a river. We are not so secluded and safe. We are not on the other side of the world, anymore. The world now has no sides.

 

I do not fear losing what we have. I cherish all the more today. And I hope that we, as a people, are willing to sacrifice a little of our self-indulgence, in order that we might be vigilant against further attack. That is not a loss to me, it's a price to pay for all that we have. And a small, very small price at that.

 

If I could make a suggestion to our President, for his next speech, it would be to attend just a little more to the subject you so appropriately stated. We should not be taking our frustrations and hurt out on our neighbors, simply because they hail from a different culture, in this case Islam. They are, I trust, no less American than you, or me. BUt I think he's given us his tilt on the subject already. I just don't think it can be said too many times.

 

Be well, and God, (whichever God you see), Bless America.

[yarrow]

Just something mailed to me that fits with my thoughts. First those who must pay should but then:

 

> Let us deploy our troops. Let our diplomats seek broad international

> agreement. Let our soldiers advance first, to clear the field of

> violence.

>

> Then let us unleash our most powerful weapons!

>

> Let us lay down roads where none have ever been. Let us dig wells of

> clean water where people can safely drink. Let our armies build

> hospitals and schools. Let our warriors teach hygiene and

> mathematics. Let our doctors innoculate against disease, and our

> soldiers battle malnutrition. Let us scour the Earth clean of

> terrorism through the merciless application of knowledge, compassion,

> hope, and tolerance.

>

> Terrorism is the weapon of the desperate and hopeless, the brutally

> blinded, and the deliberately blind. And we can defeat terrorism.

> We, America, have the power to do so if we are not ourselves blinded

> by vengeance, anger, and fear: we hold the light of Liberty.

>

> So let us unleash our weapons of mass construction, even as we deploy

> our gunships and missiles to defend our endeavors. Let us carry the

> battle into the tent-cities of the Palestinians and the arid crags of

> Afghanistan, the doctor and the engineer shoulder to shoulder with

> the U.N. peacekeeper and the U.S. soldier. Let us hurl homes at

> homelessness, unleash law upon lawlessness, and let justice roll down

> like a mighty river and wash away the unjust.

>

> We have an opportunity, now laid so grievously before us, to start

> and win a war with our most powerful and uniquely American weapons:

> love, opportunity, education, and hope. England and Israel teach us

> that the battle against terrorism takes decades. Let the next

> generation all over the world say to the terrorist recruiters "Why

> would we want to harm America, who innoculates our children, houses

> our poor, champions justice and feeds our hungry?" Only then shall we

> have defeated terrorism. So let us arm our soldiers and mourn our

> dead, and take up both the pen as well as the gun.

>

> Let us fix a steel-eyed gaze on the true costs and the real efforts

> involved, let us gird ourselves against our inevitable losses and

> unavoidable setbacks. Let us join with all people in all nations who

> worship in truth and love, and let us set forth on this, the true,

> final World War.

>

> Let us incessantly, relentlessly wage Peace.

[jmcquillan]

In the spirit of "taking things for granted", I offer the following, which was emailed to me, as another example of that which we take for granted, but may lose all too soon if we are not vigilant...especially when we think about how much the flag and patriotism means to us in Scouting.

 

"Broken Arrow, Oklahoma School officials remove God

Bless America signs from schools in fear that someone

might be offended.

 

Channel 12 News in Long Island, New York, orders flags

removed from the newsroom and red, white, and blue ribbons

removed from the lapels of reporters. Why? Management did

not want to appear biased and felt that our nations flag

might give the appearance that they lean one way or another.

 

Berkeley, California bans U.S. Flags from being displayed on

city fire trucks because they didnt want to offend anyone

in the community.

 

In an act of tolerance the head of the public library at

Florida Gulf Coast University ordered all Proud to be an

American signs removed so as to not offend international

students.

 

I, for one, am quite disturbed by these actions of so-called

American citizens; and I am tired of this nation worrying

about whether or not we are offending some individual or

their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11,

we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of

Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely

settled in New York and Washington D.C. when the politically

correct crowd began complaining about the possibility that

our patriotism was offending others.

 

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against

anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. In

fact, our countrys population is almost entirely comprised of

descendants of immigrants; however, there are a few things that

those who have recently come to our country, and apparently

some native Americans, need to understand.

 

First of all, it is not our responsibility to continually try

not to offend you in any way. This idea of America being a

multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our

sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have

our own culture, our own society, our own language, and our

own lifestyle. This culture, called the American Way has been

developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by

millions of men and women who have sought freedom. Our

forefathers fought, bled, and died at places such as Bunker

Hill, Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea, Vietnam,

and the Persian Gulf, for our way of life.

 

We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese,

Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to

become part of our society - learn our language!

 

In God We Trust is our national motto. This is not some

off-the-wall, Christian, Right Wing, political slogan - it

is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House

of Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our

currency. We adopted this motto because Christian men and

women, on Christian principles, founded this nation; and

this is clearly documented throughout our history. If it is

appropriate for our motto to be inscribed in the halls of our

highest level of Government, then it is certainly appropriate

to display it on the walls of our schools.

 

God is in our pledge, our National Anthem, nearly every

patriotic song, and in our founding documents. We honor His

birth, death, and resurrection as holidays, and we turn to

Him in prayer in times of crisis. If God offends you, then

I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new

home, because God is part of our culture and we are proud

to have Him.

 

We are proud of our heritage and those who have so honorably

defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day,

Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day. We have parades,

picnics, and barbecues where we proudly wave our flag. As

an American, I have the right to wave my flag, sing my national

anthem, quote my national motto, and cite my pledge whenever

and wherever I choose. If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or

you dont like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a

move to another part of this planet.

 

The American culture is our way of life, our heritage, and we

are proud of it. We are happy with our culture and have no

desire to change, and we really dont care how you did things

where you came from. We are Americans, like it or not, this

is our country, our land, and our lifestyle.

 

Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express

his opinion about our government, culture, or society, and we

will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are

done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our

pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly

encourage you take advantage of one other great American

freedom, the right to leave.

 

Barry Loudermilk"

 

[P_Swigs]

Amen, brothers, Amen! Their are people in this country so tied up in knots over not offending anyone, they offend the very people who make up the country. THIS IS AMERICA for goodness sake, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! We're darn proud to be Americans. Why wouldn't we be? What would any visitor or immigrant see as being wrong with that? What could possibly be offensive in flying the American flag or saying the Pledge of Allegiance? While our country isn't perfect, no one's is, it is OUR country and it's the greatest on earth. Putting our patiotism on display is not only appropriate, but a wonderful freedom.

 

We, here in the great state of Wisconsin, just had the Madison school board ban the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and, get this... the LYRICS to the Star Spangled Banner! They didn't want to offend anyone with the words "under God", and the supposed militaristic style to the National Anthem. This is the problem with many high ranking educators in the country today. They've lost touch with common sense, but more importantly the common good. (By the way, Madison became such a laughing stock and embarrassment locally, state-wide and nationally, the board reversed their decision with some members still not sure what all the excitement was about).

 

As an ending to this post, I'd like to leave with you the following link. Some of you may remember Red Skelton. He did a piece on the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. I hope you enjoy!

 

http://members.tripod.com/~usa_pride/skelton.html