My father is very angry at the economy right now. He’s very angry that he’s unemployed, angry that we have a democratic BLACK president, and angry that the president he didn’t even want and didn’t bother to vote against is driving this country into economic hell.
My father doesn’t realize that our economy is not the product of one man’s 5 months of employment. Our economy is not the product of one man’s eight YEARS of employment. Our economy is a result of the lifestyle that MILLIONS of people have grown up with and chosen to live. Our economy is the product of DECADES and DECADES of decisions by MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people. We got into this mess as a COUNTRY – one nation, under God (whoever’s God) – united we stand and divided we fall.
Every man is his own vessel here – every person in charge of their own life. Americans need to shake off the shackles of victimization – we need to quit pointing our fingers. Where did we learn to do that? When did we, as a nation, learn to sit on our asses and cry out “Why me?” Where is the pride we used to have about the struggles we’ve OVERCOME to live our lives the way we WANT to – why did we throw that responsibility – that PRIVILEGE – away? And if we join together – many vessels sailing towards one goal in one direction, we become a fleet – an overwhelming horde that become unstoppable.
Last year while I was still working a corporate job, I bought myself an ornate captains hat. It’s black velvet brocade with silver threading, lace at the sides, and a long ribbony tail. I had loved this hat since the moment I saw it. I bought it to remind myself that I am the captain of my own life and my own destiny and I am responsible for what happens in it – nobody else. I cannot point my finger at anyone else for what is happening in MY life. And when I forget, I put my hat on and I become captain again.
So remember – we are a nation that prides ourselves on pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps – that prides ourselves in reaching out to our neighbor and helping him pull himself up by HIS bootstraps! We got into this mess together and we need to take the responsibility to get out of it. United we stand, divided we fall. United we stand, divided we fall. United we STAND, DIVIDED we fall.
