516 Days
As a proud citizen of the great nation called the United States of America, I believe in our government. I have faith that our society is truly the great experiment and can and does succeed. I love that we can debate the issues and ultimately, we the people will do what is best for we the people.
Being American is unlike being a citizen of any other country. If you are Italian, or British, or Japanese, you are so because you were born there, your parents were born there, and your ancestry is entirely from there.
But being an American has nothing to do with bloodlines or a mother country or father land. It means believing in the three noble truths stated so eloquently in the Declaration of Independence. It means believing that every citizen has equal say. It means believing in We the People.
Our nation has had crises before, some that have threatened to destroy its very existence. We have always endured these hard times. We have always prevailed. We are Americans. We do that.
In every crisis of our history, however, the strength lied both in our people and our government. Even during Watergate, both We the People and the government prevailed. The government worked. It worked as it did during World War II and the Great Depression and the Civil War. It worked even as the White House burned in the War of 1812. It worked because the government was We the People.
This time, We the People and the leaders of our government are at odds. By politicizing the Justice Department, by outing CIA agents for political gain, by weakening our military in an unjust war, by violating the very freedoms our Founding Fathers fought to create for us, the Bush Administration has done what has never been done in our history. This administration has separated We the People from its government. The two are no longer one and the same.
I know that we have only a short time remaining with this problem. The Bush Administration becomes a part of history on January 20, 2009. In 516 days, the storm will pass.
I fear that our nation cannot wait that long. The rift between We the People and its government can and will likely continue to grow in those 516 days. I fear the damage may be irreparable.
History will point to George W. Bush as America's worst president. What We the People decide to do between now and the end of the 516 days may very well determine the future of what it means to be American.
Being American is unlike being a citizen of any other country. If you are Italian, or British, or Japanese, you are so because you were born there, your parents were born there, and your ancestry is entirely from there.
But being an American has nothing to do with bloodlines or a mother country or father land. It means believing in the three noble truths stated so eloquently in the Declaration of Independence. It means believing that every citizen has equal say. It means believing in We the People.
Our nation has had crises before, some that have threatened to destroy its very existence. We have always endured these hard times. We have always prevailed. We are Americans. We do that.
In every crisis of our history, however, the strength lied both in our people and our government. Even during Watergate, both We the People and the government prevailed. The government worked. It worked as it did during World War II and the Great Depression and the Civil War. It worked even as the White House burned in the War of 1812. It worked because the government was We the People.
This time, We the People and the leaders of our government are at odds. By politicizing the Justice Department, by outing CIA agents for political gain, by weakening our military in an unjust war, by violating the very freedoms our Founding Fathers fought to create for us, the Bush Administration has done what has never been done in our history. This administration has separated We the People from its government. The two are no longer one and the same.
I know that we have only a short time remaining with this problem. The Bush Administration becomes a part of history on January 20, 2009. In 516 days, the storm will pass.
I fear that our nation cannot wait that long. The rift between We the People and its government can and will likely continue to grow in those 516 days. I fear the damage may be irreparable.
History will point to George W. Bush as America's worst president. What We the People decide to do between now and the end of the 516 days may very well determine the future of what it means to be American.
posted by E-Luv at 3:44 PM
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