The United States of America

My mind is so full right now. I’ve had something I’ve wanted to write for a while. So now is a good time For a long time, I’ve considered joining my fellow American Patriots in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. That’s right. United States of America, all spelled out. I’ll spell it again. United States of America. I’m proud to be an American. When I read those four words, four centuries of epic history come to mind.
At the beginning there were the oppressed folks that came to this New Land to start their lives anew. It wasn’t an easy thing for them to do. Granted, for some it was compulsory. For many, though, it meant leaving family, friends, a much loved land, and crossing 3000 miles of high seas to reach a land where they were guaranteed none of these things, only an opportunity to raise be loose of the yoke of tyranny. Some came for the adventure, and the allure of uncharted places, full of dangers and problems still to be met. Some came for the chance to share their faith with others. Still others came for the gold, the silver, the pelts, and the fortunes to be made in this New World. Things that I can see they all had in common: a dissatisfaction with the status quo, and what I would call “grit” (a.k.a “guts”, “balls”). People who were happy enough where they were didn’t come in the early years. Others who stayed in the Old World may have been unhappy with the status quo, didn’t have the grit and determination to make it over here.
So, there we are around 1700 with a people who had come to experience this ideology called “freedom”. Not soon after arriving, all found that freedom was not free as it sounded. Already, many had died protecting freedom in various areas. By 1800, our founding fathers had managed to put the ideal of freedom into words. Men who believed in it spilled their blood to defend it. Our founding fathers settled in on a way of organizing, governing, and ensuring national sovereignty for such a free people. Over the next century, trials came, big and small, and were overcame. Ordinary people with great minds and initiative started the industrial revolution.
Lands that have felt the crushing force of an evil empire closing in have found themselves being backed up by the USA. The USA has always been there for freedom. Cuba, Britain, all of Europe. In the latter half of the 20th century to present it is debatable whether we’ve been successful. Somalia was a failure as near as I can tell. Iraq is an experiment, so is Afghanistan. The success of the “freedom” ideal is hanging in the balance. But, those are far away places, and, sadly, I have a feeling most of us don’t really care. You have to open your eyes and see, though, that really, America is an experiment. God gave this generation a rich heritage. It’s now up to us to see what with it. Our great grandfathers and grandmothers proved it could work. Again, they knew freedom wasn’t “free” like it sounds.
One problem today is that I believe many of my generation believe freedom is “free”. Another problem is that, after getting home from WWII, the parents of the baby boomers somehow forgot to convey the price they had paid to keep the world from speaking German. America got comfy. We were no longer the ones striving to procure a greater good, because we were happy with the status quo. We allowed our individual rights to systematically disappear after each national disaster. Now, in my generation, people are waking up (I hope) to see that this nation is in fact hanging in the balance. Our education system got so screwed up and against GOD that now people think right is wrong and wrong is right. Christians got lazy, another big problem. So now hear I am, wanting to join the military and serve my beloved country. However, I struggle with many things. Is that really the best way I can serve my country?
The fight to bring about the USA was fought on more than one front in the beginning. Some fought with hot lead and blood on the open cornfields. Some fought with a pen in a hot muggy room, stamping out the Declaration and later the Constitution . Then there were all the moms back at home who supported their men and brought up their families to respect an Almighty God. It seems that any freedom that can be gained through bloodshed can be lost in ink. The fronts are the same. Both are still very real.
If I were ever to join the military, it would be because I love my country and freedom, and really for no other reason. I’d just ask America “please, this freedom I’m sacrificing for, defend it. Be a citizen. Make sure the freedoms I’m fighting for aren’t taken away on the home front by the tyrants that sit in congress. We are still a country where the people govern. Take the reigns and do your part. Be a respectable person, vote, write your senators.” While writing this I want to just stop and thank all those troops in the service currently. They overcame this fear of dying in vain, and went. Wow. Mad props. Thank You from the bottom of my heart and I’ll do my best to do my part.
I really stink at putting my thoughts on paper, I know. Now I’d just like to take a moment and write some good old quotes.
“We already run the misfits outta our country. We sent 'em back to England.” –Matthew Quigley
“talk soft and carry a big stick” – Theodore Roosevelt
"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway." -John Wayne
“peace through superior firepower” - ???
One last thought, on the Marines’ website, they say one of their duties is to “defend the Constitution of the United States”. They can’t do that alone. Tyrants in Washington are attacking that document more than Afghanistan I dare say. K. well. ‘night. Go write your senator. And if you don’t believe in God, please some to the realization that you’ll never find peace until you find Him.