"I work hard. I'm not rich, but I have enough.
I take care of my family, provide for their needs.
I haul my weight and that of my family.
I will work to take care of them,
I don't need subsidies or tax dollars spent on me.
Nor do I want to be taxed so those who choose not to work
and procreate more of their kind can live off my earnings.
Got it? Now lemme alone so I can work!"

MY COUNTRY ~ Tis of Thee

Once upon a time, America was inhabited by hard-working, proud, legal immigrants, grateful for a place to thrive and raise their families without fear of oppression for political, religious, or ethnic reasons. From the war ravaged European nations or nations undergoing harshly difficult times, these new Americans were eager to become part of the ideal for which America stood: ... land of the free and the home of the brave! Land of the free and home to those BRAVE enough to build their dreams through blood, sweat, prayers and tears. AND Grateful, so very grateful for the chance!

Where is this American ideal today? If America was founded as "the shining light on a hill," is her light still shining?

In human terms, America was founded for a specific reason. That reason was FREEDOM > > > Freedom to worship their God as they chose. Freedom to live as they saw fit. Freedom to be who they wanted to be. A new American didn't have to be rich to own land enough to build his dream. He just had to do it! To work at it until he saw it finished.

This is America to me.

• I was taught the notion of the American "melting pot" with neighbors from just about every imaginable European background. There were the McKuen's two generations out of Scotland. The Dominico's with 5 daughters, the Midocks with a back yard ice-skating rink, the Amslers, the Dills, the Allens, Davinski's. It was not a big deal. The Polumbo's were "rich" because they had a NEW car. The Perez family talked funny, but they were really nice. America was different than other places because we could be different and still be friends.
• I was taught to be polite to everyone and to respect people, each individual. I was taught to behave. That means I was given acceptable boundaries, and if I strayed (which I occasionally did,) I paid a price (consequences!) I was taught not to lie or cheat. That when I did, I really only hurt myself.
• I was taught to treat others the way I wanted them to treat me. To plant seeds of respect to reap respect. To plant seeds of kindness, and it would come back to me in my time of need.
• I was taught to respect every person equally - There really was such a thing a "color-blindness," maybe not everywhere, but where I grew up, it existed. A person's sexuality was a completely private thing and simply not an issue. I know how foreign this sounds, but ... it was real once.

Where has MY America gone?

• I believe there are more people who care and want to help one another than there are those who only want to take.
• I believe there are more people who believe in God than those who choose not to, but I also believe NEITHER side needs to shove their beliefs on the other. (respect)
• I believe there are more people who understand responsibility and accountability than those who don't, though we may have forgotten the benefits.
• I believe there are more people who live by a moral code than those who don't know right from wrong, but those who don't need instruction and accountability ... fast.

How many Americans today have read our founding documents: The Federalist Papers, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution itself? How many have read the great works of our Founding Fathers and the works that influenced their political thought? People like John Locke, Cicero, Adam Smith, Montesquieu, and many others wrote brilliant papers on political thought that our Founders digested and miraculously amalgamated into the New Experiment that has now flourished for more than 235 years. Perhaps we are not Americans at all since we are uneducated, unlearned in what the idea of America is, what true Liberty is.

I believe our Founders knew what might happen if corrupt men and women were elected by an ignorant population - a population unaware of the Source of Liberty and the key elements to maintaining it, the utmost of which is a moral people seeking to better itself, to develop more virtuous character. This is like a foreign language to many today. Our ignorance has cost us much. Hopefully, it will not cost us

"There was a time in America when being on the public dole was a bad thing, today it is rapidly becoming a way of life. Getting this number back down to size is not going to be pain free." (Clifton is a Conservative and blogs at Another Black Conservative

America Needs to Re-discover
Her Identity

Maybe we should ask the rest of the world to help us re-define our American Identity? Do we want to be known as the Global Bullies? or the Good Neighbor? The New Age "Robin Hood" (stealing from the rich and giving to the poor?) or The New Age Emancipator, freeing individuals to rise above their circumstances and find a noble purpose in wholesome work and daily, self-sustaining life? Do we want to be known as the spoiled brats of the world? it's NOT up to government to define us. It's up to the American people to decide where we go from here. Mistakes have been made all the way around. I'm not talking about political party here. I'm talking about ideals - about what direction WE-THE-PEOPLE want our nation to go. Freedom is only freedom until mine steps on yours, that's why the Constitution is so vital and so perfect.

Somehow, we have to find our way through this fog until the Constitution once again lights our path with Providential blessing.

Good grief! This speech could have been given today ... Americans, are you listening??? UP or DOWN? THAT is our choice!

What is important to you?

• freedom to worship, or not, as you see fit, or allowing the sterilization of America from all religious affiliation and influence?
• freedom to say what's on your mind, or intimidation by way of political correctness?
• freedom to live as you choose or a multitude of restrictions on your lifestyle and invasions into our privacy?
• freedom to build a family or state issued "family units" defined by government?
• freedom to choose your friends or political pressure toward specific group affiliations?
• freedom to pursue purposeful work with reasonable compensation or government assigned "lemming" work?
• time to pursue hobbies, pleasures, enjoyments or no money or time for such frivolousness?
• happily involved in volunteerism and helping the needy or or hoarding "stuff" in fear?
• helping others out of compassion or taxed exorbitantly to feed & house those who don't want to work?
• Help up or hand out?

"I predict future happiness for Americans
if they can prevent the government
from wasting the labors of the people
under the pretense of taking care of them."

Thomas Jefferson