We, too...

I have been reading Jon Meacham's "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House." I am seeing some interesting parallels between 1830 and today. This passage was written for all, but directed at a segment of our citizenry that felt a bit disenfranchised; maybe a bit mistreated; certainly misunderstood and mis/under-represented.

"Contemplate the condition of that country of which you still form an important part. Consider its government, uniting in one bond of common interest and general protection so many different states, giving to all their inhabitants the proud title of American citizen, protecting their commerce securing their literature and their arts, facilitating their intercommunication, defending their frontiers, and making their name respected in the remotest parts of the earth. Consider the extent of its its territory, its increasing and happy population, its advance in arts which render life agreeable, and the sciences which elevate the mind! See education spreading the lights of religions, morality and general information into every cottage in this wide extent of our Territories and States. Behold it as the asylum where the wretched and the oppressed find refuge and support. Look on this picture of happiness and honor and say, We too are citizens of America."

Reading this makes me think about where we are. Have we come very far from our infighting 180 years ago? If I thought I could get our elected representatives in federal government to listen, I think this is what I would say after making them write the preceding passage on the chalkboard 20 times (to you younger readers, ask your mom or dad).

Good or bad, it is OUR country. She has weathered wars external and internal, disease, natural disaster, hatred from without and within, yet she stands. She stands, and is the desire of the world. Don't kid yourself. People all across our world still long to live in this place. We are envied - not for what we have, but for what we can become. That has not changed in all these years. 

Scan the papers, watch the news, read the internet. Why would anyone want to come to our house?? There are days I am not sure why anyone would want to come and live here. We fight like cats and dogs. We call names. We lie. We misrepresent. We should be sent out in the backyard to get a switch (youngsters, see parenthetical statement above) and then have it applied where it will have most effect. 

 I was taught there is no problem that Americans, working together, cannot solve. 

I have had the opportunity sit on the "sidelines" for some 17 months and observe. I am disgusted. No, I am saddened. We are better than this, as a country. You are better than this, as men and women elected to SERVE your country. I was taught there is no problem that Americans, working together, cannot solve. We have certainly done it throughout history. Have we lost the ability?

If our elected officials cannot see their way to work together and find solutions, then vote them out. Democrat, Republican, and Independent. If they can't do it, let's give someone else a shot at it. Just because they can't see fit to do their job, we can't give up our job in the voting booth. Write letters; send emails; make telephone calls. Let them know you don't care about which side of the aisle they sit on. We don't want them in their chairs, anyway. We want them up, walking, and talking together.

I want to leave a place where my grandchildren can, "Look on this picture of happiness and honor and say, We too are citizens of America."