The Land of the Free-Patriots

With Memorial Day coming up, I wanted to write a couple blogs about our Patriots and Our Military

No matter who attempts to rewrite our history; the Land of the Free has always been a special place. As I have said before, no one is here by accident. So what does being an American mean to you?

To me, it means a rich heritage of history and blessings because a handful of people decided that America should be free from tyranny and autocratic rule. I am so thankful that our forefathers were inspired to draw up a document that has stood a test of time and interpretation for over 200 years.

Many lives were sacrificed to give America her beginning. Men, Women and Children supported a cause greater than themselves and they did so gladly.

For the first time in their lives, people were able to own land and were thankful for the opportunity to prosper under a government that encouraged free enterprise and the freedom to worship God under their own dictates.

When the immigrants began to cross over the pond to become Americans, they did so believing our streets were paved with gold. We know that they worked hard, learned the English Language and built up businesses and industries with their skills and labor.

If you asked any one of these people if they ever regretted their move, even in time of great hardship and deprivation, I think that their response would be "Here, we are free, our children will have a better future, We are Americans now"

So who and what inspired a group of men to break out of the mold and begin the very foundations of our country? Today in the history books they would apologetically say that they were Christian men who followed the dictates of Christianity. I say that they were inspired by God and they did it for ALL RELIGIONS AND ALL PEOPLE!

Did everything run smoothly at the beginning? No, of course not. Were there falling outs between these men about certain issues? Yes. But what united them and kept our country strong was their inspired vision of what America could be.

Do I consider myself a Patriot? Yes, I do. I would defend anyone's right to free speech and religion any time of the day.

So what has happened to our country to make it feel as though we are weaker than two centuries ago? I believe is is because we have all strayed from our original purpose.

This country is open to those who want to become citizens and patriots. The process might be rigorous, but if you want to be here, sacrifices must be made. We have put forward a social justice system that cannot be sustained, neither financially or spiritually.

Why is America a choice land amongst all other lands? Because we can still express our opinions, buy and sell property and our futures can still be filled with endless possibilities. Even the poorest of our citizens seem wealthy compared to the poor of other nations.

Our stores are filled with all varieties of food and supplies. We still have wide open spaces with breathtaking views and vistas. And most importantly, we are able to worship as we please.

We must never apologize for being an American. Have we made some mistakes? Oh Yes! Did we oppress any certain race for a period of time? We did. Have things always been fair? No. But that is the crux of the problem, in a huge melting pot of humanity that is America, we cannot always ensure that everyone will be happy all of the time. Some of this must come from your own strength and self-will.

There is a rising tide of determined people who want to hold our government and president accountable, which is our right to do so as Americans. We have been stretched too thin financially and spiritually by the events of the past 60 years. And now is the time for ALL Americans to take stock.

We cannot entirely blame our politicians or the government for our recent woes. Our lack of vigilance has allowed them to sign blank checks for every whim and lobby group in Washington. We have not audited their actions with our votes and as a result, NO One is really minding the store, but EVERYONE is taking money home except the taxpayers.

The land of the Free, does not mean a hand-out, but a hand-up. It also means that our personal lifestyles need to change. No one is the exception to the rule and for the next few years, God willing, we simply have to put our nose to the grindstone and get to work.

I get teary when the flag is presented for our National Anthem. This symbol has given us great strength and courage for over 200 years.

The good news is that we are Americans, and the bad news is that some of us do not realize how much our country has been blessed with protection and prosperity.

I remember my Dad telling me that a cowboy isn't necessarily the one wearing the boots, the hats or the spurs. A true cowboy doesn't need window dressing, he already knows who he is.

A true Patriot is not someone who can wave a flag during a parade or make a political speech. A Patriot is someone who feels the history and pride of our forefathers as we sing our National Anthem and will gladly stand to recite the pledge of Allegiance.

God Bless America is not an empty phrase, it has meaning to those of us who want to keep our country Great and Strong for future generations.