The Greatness of America

It's called American Exceptionalism, the belief that the United States of America is one of the greatest nations in history.  Born out of protest, forged in battle, as Americans we have endured the worst the world has had to offer, which has only made us stronger as a nation.  Our citizens have immigrated to our shores from all corners of the world looking for a better life.  Like my great grandparents before me, they came seeking the promise of freedom offered by this fledgeling country.  For generations, the United States has been a beacon of hope for the poor and oppressed of the world.  My own grandparents came to this country escaping the Nazi invasion of Finland in World War two.  It's  no coincidence why they and millions of others chose this nation to make a new start.
Despite the fact that, as a nation, we have grown into a beacon of hope for the rest of the world, it is our people who have made us what we are.  From the patriots fighting against a harsh British rule, to citizens fighting for racial justice, we have always fought for what we believe is right.  We have had our mistakes, but what sets us apart is that our mistakes have never destroyed the fabric of what makes us great.  There are still very few places in the world where people are afforded the economic and political freedoms we enjoy in America.  Our citizens have the right to voice their dissent without fear of being thrown into prison.   Although our history is rooted in christianity, we are free to worship as we choose.  We are free to pursue economic opportunity and prosperity.  Our history is filled with those who have immigrated to our shores to prosper financialy.  If there is one thing that has been the base for our success as a nnation, it's freedom.
In recent years there has been a movement among us to downplay the greatness of this nation.  Our sitting president has often made it a point to publicly appolagize for the past actions of this country.  We have been downplayed and villified by a few leftist career politicians seeking to score votes with those on their side.  Even though this behavior is reprehensible to me, we must continue to defend the freedom of those who choose to voice their opinions.  That is  what continues to make this nation special.  We have, as a nation, lost many generations of young men fighting not only for our own freedoms, but for those of others.  The cemetaries of Arlington and the French countryside attest to our sacrafice as a nation.  We do well to remember that sacrafice.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
~Inscription on the Statue of Liberty~

I Saw It On TV

I know it's true, oh so true, because I saw it on TV...
"I Saw It On TV"  John Fogarty

For any of you that haven't noticed lately, we live in a information age.  Breaking news can flash worldwide in an instant via satalite TV and/or the internet.  I can recall numerous world changing events flashing across the TV as I watched.  From two gulf wars to the fall of the Berlin Wall, we were witness to history.  In fact, I'd venture to say that not too much is private anymore.  This can be a good thing, but it can also be dangerous.  Relying too much on broadcast media for our news and opinions can open a pandoras box eventually.  If you're the kind of person who will believe just about anything someone tells you, then you may be a good candadate for a fan of broadcast media.  Sadly, there are too many people out there who take what the media says as gospel.  This was not too much of an issue back in the early days of television, when journalists were just that.   However, these days it seems that these so called "journalists" are nothing but overpaid political hacks.  Seriously, each time I dare to watch mainstream media (ABC,CBS,NBC,MSNBC or CNN) I could swear I'm watching a Democrat party pep rally!  There is a reason that conservative outlets like Rush Limbaugh and Fox news are so popular and that outlets such as CNN and MSNBC can barely keep a minimum of viewer base.  Ever wonder why that is?  I think the answer is obvious.  
So, with so much information being spoon fed to us by the media, WE need to be the filter.  Simply put, just because some shmuck with a journalism degree claims that the sky is falling, it's probably not true.  Obviously,  these days it may require a bit of common sense to even watch TV news.  Gone are the days when journalists were there to investigate the news, so take it with a grain of salt.  However, if you're one of those people who still trust in the broadcast media, then you probably still believe that Al Gore invented the internet.

~Scott~

The Value Of Life

Lately I've seen alot of nonsense out there about the "Black Lives Matter" movement.  Some of these terroristic yahoos have even gone so far as to call for the execution of white Americans and police officers.  Now, I'm sure alot of these people got caught up in the hoopla of a few recent police  shootings and needed some way to vent their frustration.  Let's face it, race relations in our country have a pretty ugly history.   However, how long does it take before we all just move on?  Granted, I've never received the type of rascism that many african americans have in this country, but I've had people mistreat me, we all have!  For some black activists to say that their situation is unique is to ignore human history.  There once was a man by the name of Adolf Hitler who thought that if he just eliminated all Jews that all the problems of Germany would be solved.  I'm sure there were far more Jews killed in the Nazi genocide than in the racial killings in America.  However, the liberal media doesn't want people to see this fact.  There are other examples as well, many immigrants to this nation faced discrimination of one kind or another.  Are they any less important?  Now, I agree that anyone killed unjustly by a police officer  has a right to be outraged.  Unfortunately, we've seen this situation in our country as well.  I believe the phrase ""Absolute power corrupts absolutely" comes into play here.  Giving some people the power and authority over others can be a dangerous combination.   Supposedly, the screening process for our law enforcement agencies is designed to filter out these bad apples, but it doesn't always work that way.  The background check for getting into law enforcement is long and intensive for a reason.
In the end, we all need to realize that whether black, white, Asian, European or whatever, EVERY life God has  created matters!