What Has Happened?

[Thunderw]

This was written by a veteran who goes to my church. He is very worried about our country and isn't afraid to voice this. Call me naive or what you want, but I think it is very good. Still, I do not think he gives enough credit where it belongs.

MA4H Thunder Will

What Has Happened?

As we find ourselves on the verge of election day, let us remember the history of our great nation. This nation was born out of strife and war; it has known the difficulty of conflict and does now. Yet as I look around, I see people not even conscious of the great struggle in the world today. I see people going about their own lives, not considering others around them. What has happened to our country?

Our young men and women are volunteering to go off to war, a war that many people do not understand and frankly do not care about. It was different three years ago. After September 11, 2001, the country pulled together and supported our President, our troops, and our cause. Eventually the media stopped showing the destruction of that day, saying it will hurt our kids to see it. They stopped showing one of the most infamous and horrible days in our history, only to show the disgrace of the Super Bowl scandal. They stopped reminding us of what we are fighting for only to show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”. The media thinks that showing what has shaped our country will damage our children, while these other pieces of media debris will not. What has happened that we accept this?

We are sending our loved ones to a war that draws little attention. More people watched the last episode for ‘Friends’ and talked about it for weeks than they did about the war and the future of our nation. I see people sit at their computers for hours on end while listening to raucous music, oblivious that day after day, people just like them are fighting and even dying for them. These same people do not care about the country, saying America should follow instead of lead. Let me pose a question: If we do not lead in this world, who will? The U.N. is made up of weak socialist states who could care less about other people and countries. It took the United States and her allies to enforce the U.N. sanctions and remove Saddam from power. Even then, many in the U.S. opposed the war in Iraq, though it was ultimately the right thing to do. They argued that the war and the following stabilization would hurt the economy, increase the deficit, and that it would not help the U.S. in any way. Rather than helping a country under the thumb of a ruthless dictator, they wanted to watch their pocketbooks and 401(k)’s grow. We are turning into what the U.N. is: a bunch of people who care more about their own wealth and dignity than justice and the lives of others in this world.

If we become passive about the safety of our country and the safety of the world, we will fall with the rest of the world. If we stay petty and shallow, with our morals and beliefs heading downhill each day, we will fall. America is still a great country, the greatest in the world, but if we continue on the downhill road we will end up like many countries in the world today.

[Snowden]

... I see people not even consc[ious] of the great struggle in the world today. I see people going about their own lives, not considering others around them. What has happened to our country?

Our young men and women are volunteering to go off to war, a war that many people do not understand and frankly do not care about. It was different three years ago. After September 11, 2001, the country pulled together and supported our President, our troops, and our cause. Eventually the media stopped showing the destruction of that day, saying it will hurt our kids to see it. They stopped showing one of the most infamous and horrible days in our history, only to show the disgrace of the Super Bowl scandal. They stopped reminding us of what we are fighting for only to show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”. The media thinks that showing what has shaped our country will damage our children, while these other pieces of media debris will not. What has happened that we accept this?

Well, some of us don't accept it, of course - this man does not, nor do most of us here. But I know what he means. At the same time, we must go about our lives. We simply must not forget that we are at war.

If a Democrat had done what Bush did in going into Iraq, bit would be a just war. That's very cynical; it's also true and most of us know it. The media has for some years been getting away with shaping the news to fit their own perception. We have freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but they take these freedoms and use them to create false impressions because of their own points of view - and their political objectives.

We put up with is because we've become so used to seeing it that we hardly know what has happened along those lines. I'm saying "we," although I don't watch TV. I don't know the answer to this problem, but I do know it exists.

Maybe we put up with it because those of us who see it don't know how to stop it.

[JohnRN]

The day politicians start treating citizens are human beings instead of ballot-stamps, is when things will change.

The day politicians and society in general started paying a bit more attention to the youth is when things will change.

The way when we stop simply turning our heads away from the pain, sadness and misery that exists around us, is the day things will change.

The day people start using their minds as well as their hearts is the day things will change.

The day people stop going in for quick fixes and think about long term futures is the day things will change.


It's easy to blame someone else for the way things are. Too often, we say to ourselves 'what? I'm not like that! Don't point that finger at me buddy'. Apparently it doesn't work that way. Apparently, we 'who are not part of that' aren't doing enough to stop they 'who are part of that' from being the way they are. Human beings are creatures of habit that seek comfort. Convenience is the name of the game.

All this is happening because it is convenient. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Hoss68]

Far too many people are under the belief that their solitary voice will not be heard, but they are wrong...

wrbones proved that with his daily column~ Mornin' Coffee. Suddenly it was a book, now working on the second. It proved that one man's "simple" thoughts could influence many. (although his thoughts are not simple, he claims them to be most of the time)

We let our media get this way, we gave them the leeway to spout their beliefs and agneda on us, we have not taken enough of a stand to correct how they report and what they report. The blame not only lies with them, it lies with us for being passive veiwers and readers.

I do not have tv (loacl news) or cable. I read the paper, both hard copy and online. I chose what I read and by who on what sites, the media outlets I choose are not baised to party/agenda. I refuse to be that passive.

[JohnRN]

Originally Posted by Hoss68

We let our media get this way, we gave them the leeway to spout their beliefs and agneda on us, we have not taken enough of a stand to correct how they report and what they report. The blame not only lies with them, it lies with us for being passive veiwers and readers.

Thank you!

[Hoss68]

Originally Posted by John.

Thank you!

You are most welcome!

Freedom of the press is like teaching our kids in school~ DO NOT preach YOUR beliefs as though they are gospel!

State the facts (good, bad and ugly), then let US choose.