How many of us have seen some unappreciative waste of space whose parents try to do everything possible to make him or her happy up to and including purchasing them some expensive status symbols like a Porsche or a Mercedes, all in the hope that the spoiled little monster won’t turn on them and kill them in their sleep?
Typically these spoiled little brats will demonstrate their appreciation to Mom and Dad by wrapping the expensive car around a telephone pole or by driving it into a ditch. At the very least the kids will add significantly to the vehicle’s cost of ownership by amassing a huge collection of traffic citations that will be blissfully ignored by the miscreant youth because they know full well that their parents will bail them out again and again and ag… well you get the picture
At the opposite end of that spectrum are the kids who work every summer from the time they turn 12 and then sock away each and every penny earned during those miserable fun-less summers until they have attained the age and finances required to purchase their dream, their first car. Perhaps it’s a little beat up and slightly worn out, but despite these dents and dings it’s all theirs.
These kids (unlike their spoiled counterparts) will spend any spare time they might have from that point on scrubbing and polishing their treasure. They will also become amateur mechanics, knocking out dents and studying auto repair, working hard to make their purchase as perfect as possible.
So what’s the difference? Well it’s not always what you might think. The income of these families can be almost identical, the real difference is how much each child is required to invest in the ownership of their auto. Naturally the more something costs you personally, the more you tend to value it. This holds true for cars, and it also holds true for citizenship.
Talk to a veteran about what his country means to him and the odds are very good that you will receive a simple but heartfelt explanation of what freedom and liberty mean to that individual. Perhaps he or she will explain to you how much it means to them that their children are growing up in the greatest country on Earth, and how the veteran wants to ensure the country remains free.
Listen however to the liberal progressive elements of our society however and it appears this type of “patriotism” is no longer in vogue. Nowhere is this more evident than in the recent changes that have quietly been made to the oath of citizenship.
Historically this oath was intended to instill at least a small portion of the type of pride and patriotism that is felt by most veterans into our newest citizens. In fact, while taking the oath the citizen’s to be were reminded that they may be asked to ‘bear arms on behalf of the United States’ when required by the law.” This was quite possibly the most somber portion of the oath and you can imagine the wide range of emotions it envoked in those about to become an official part of America.
But as if further proof was required of the liberal progressive’s disdain for this type of patriotism lets look at the Obama administration. These hero’s of liberals everywhere decided in their infinite wisdom that rather than make even this small investment in their new country the oath taker can simply state, “It is against my conscience to take up arms to defend the country I am now becoming a citizen of.” http://www.infowars.com/obama-takes-actions-to-increase-immigration/ Doesn’t quite provoke the same level of self reflection does it?
Continuing in the same manner, President Obama has spoken quite derisively of Donald Trump (without speaking his name) and what Obama considers Trump’s naivetity and his “hearkening back to days of order (and) national glory”. He (Obama) is also dismissive of Trump’s stance on immigration and Trump’s beliefs that America should “…build walls, disengage (and), rid ourselves of immigrants to regain control of our lives” http://talking media.com/quick-morning-news/2016/06/30/obama-slams-trump-trade The sad part of Obama’s remarks is that he attempts to makes it sound as if patriotism is silly and that the really cool kids are all about global government. His seemingly open disdain for pride in one’s country begs the question “How much does this guy have vested in America?”
When Obama displays this anti-patriotic stance it reminds us of other less than patriotic Obama moments. Moments such as Michelle Obama not being proud of this country until her husband was elected President http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/…first-time-my-adult-life-I-am-humiliated… Or the controversial “All this for a Damned Flag?” Video www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJgWM10hch8 story. When thinking about the Obama admin and the question of pride of ownership you can be forgiven for wondering whether or not the Obama’s have any.
Hopefully the days of the Obama administration are numbered, but America would do well to insure that whoever the mantle of ownership is passed unto has a little pride in their country and maybe a little of that silly old fashioned patriotism to go along with it.
