Sending out an SOS

I am an American, I am a proud American. I love my country, I love what my country entitles me to. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution afford me things I consider very basic but in reality are very complicated and rare rights. But it is our responsibility as citizens, as keepers of these rights to use them to our advantage and not to abuse them. Freedom of speech is something I treasure in my heart. It affords me the right to do what I am doing right now, writing this piece about how I feel. However, freedom of speech will only exist as long as we use it in a framework that curbs abuse of that freedom. Slander, Libel, Hate Speech, these are things that work against the very fabric of our core, wearing it down until we no longer will be able to use it for what good it brings.

I praise what we are doing abroad from the disaster relief of Haiti to the renewed efforts to bring about a peaceful end to our occupation of Afghanistan and the repeated efforts to meet terrorism head on. However, we cannot forget what has lead the front of all these efforts is to protect and shelter people from the abuses and tragedy human beings face globally. We are the standard bearer of the modern society and with that we must always be the moral leaders. If we waver, we risk ruining everything we have fought so hard to uphold, and nowhere is this more important that taking care of our own. Social safety nets are important not only to those who use them, but to the people who never do. They are a sense of security to know there is always a bottom to the holes we sometimes fall into. Fault for ones actions is a sole responsibility of the individual, however it is our responsibility to ensure that no American suffers, for if we let our own suffer how can we even attempt to help those abroad. We are on a path to which we forget the very essence of our culture, and it even flies in the face of the teaching of Jesus, in which some are quick to point out is what our country was founded on. We all have the choice to be different and thats what unites us as Americans. And what has always made Americans the best is our solidarity to do what is right over what is easy. So lets step up, stop being children and work together to ensure everyone flourishes because without collective effort we shall all drown.