About the note: I am on a medication for my knees that causes insomnia. It was 0300 in the morning when I wrote this. So, please forgive me for not cleanly/properly writing it.
Please do not take this and post other places. I was unsure of sharing it at all but am doing so on the request of a forum member. Thank you
A Concerned American wrote:I do not align myself with any particular political party. However, I find that my beliefs lean more to the right then to the left. I also understand that today’s world is a far cry from the world of our Forefathers. However, I firmly believe that the ideas that this country was founded upon and our constitution was written for still apply.
Is religion such a horrible idea that we must fight to take it away from our children and out of our country? What is it about religion that is so horrible? Is it the fact that the vast majority of religions teach their followers to be kind and respectful to others? Or is it the thought that there may be a higher being that is capable of unconditional love? Or maybe the idea that forgiveness is actually ok? Let us not forget that this country was founded by very religious men that not only truly believed in their respective religions but practiced them faithfully. People complain because religious symbols offend them and infringes on their right not to believe. What about our right to believe. Since when is one right more important than the other?
The people of this country take advantage of our freedom of speech and we let them get away with it. Please enlighten me on what you are trying to say when you burn Old Glory? Are you telling me that you do not agree with or even like this country? If that is the case then please feel free to leave and reside in a country that you do not hate to the extent that you feel the need to burn its flag. What is it about this county that you hate so much that you burn our flag yet want to live here and take advantage of our freedoms? Since the beginning of this country men and women have fought and died for those colors. They gave their lives for a cause much greater than themselves and you disgrace that by burning the flag because you hate the country that has given you so much. Am I the only one that has a problem with this? Is it really freedom of speech when the Westboro Baptist Church protests at military funerals? It seems to me that this is harassment and therefore illegal. All fifty states have statutes against harassment. "Harassment statutes typically prohibit the intentional or knowingly engaging in a regular course of conduct (which may include sending mail - including electronic mail - or other written communications) designed to alarm or seriously annoy another." It seems pretty clear that they are guilty of this as they are intentionally and knowingly engaging in a regular course of conduct to seriously annoy others. So, how is it that this is considered freedom of speech and not harassment?
Since when did proudly displaying/flying the American Flag become such an offensive eye sore? Unfortunately there is an abundance of news reports of people being denied the ability to fly our nation’s colors. I understand that homeowners under contract with an HOA signed the paperwork but is the American Flag really offensive? Is it really an eye sore? After all this is still America and it is the American Flag. If someone feels that the American flag is offensive then why is it that they choose to live here? I find it very offensive when people take down the American flag and fly the Mexican flag in its place. If you want to do that there is a country called Mexico where the Mexican flag is the nation’s flag. I do not have a problem with people flying other nation’s flags so long as the American flag is also flown. Again, this is America. Before you do so you should educate yourself with the Flag Code. It details the proper way to display and fly our nation’s flag.
Assimilate! To be a true American one must assimilate. Why do people feel they must bring their entire culture with them to America and be accepted and if they are not then they are being discriminated against? I agree that one thing that makes America great is her diverse cultures but this is not your old country. This is America and we have our own culture too. In order for you to call yourself an American you must assimilate. Everyone wants to come to America and be an American yet they insist that we speak in their native language, teach schools in their native language, accept their culture, and recognize that they are not Americans but Mexicans, Iranians, Libyans, Albanians, etc. I am sorry but that is no longer true. If you are a legal citizen then you are now an American. If you want to be called something other than an American please leave and become a citizen in a different country. Woodrow Wilson could not have been more right when he said, “A man who thinks of himself as belonging to a particular national group in America has not yet become an American. And the man who goes among you to trade upon your nationality is no worthy son to live under the Stars and Stripes.” You left your country to come to America and to enjoy her freedoms so why is it so hard to assimilate and be an American? Why is it so hard to show as much pride for America as you do for your old country? Obviously, you feel America is better since you left your old country to come here so why so much pride for your old country and none for America?
Why is it that we feel the need to cater to illegal immigrants and how is it that they have rights under the Constitution of the United States? They are not citizens hence the term illegal aliens. We allow them to come into America and not pay taxes, apply and receive welfare, and take jobs away from Americans. Why do we allow this? If they want to live in America great! They need to do it the right way. Go through the legal process, become a citizen, pay taxes, and ASSIMILATE!!!
I have a high school education. I have a job that does not pay me extra for each of my children. I pay my taxes. I am regularly drug tested. I am NOT on welfare. How is it that we find it alright to allow people to live off welfare for their entire lives? We even allow them to use as many drugs as they want because we do not drug test them. Not only that but we tell them it’s ok to have more children because they will be paid more money per child. It is not the job of the taxpayer to support these families. It is their job! Why can we not have a welfare reform? It is pretty easy and should go something like the following:
You must have a high school diploma or GED in order to apply.
You have to apply for a certain amount of jobs each week.
If a job is offered to you, you must take it as welfare is not an entitlement or right but a "get you back on your feet" type of program.
You are only allowed to be on welfare for one year.
There are random drug tests weekly. If you fail or simply do not take a test you will be taken off of welfare indefinitely.
Welfare is a set amount for everyone (minimum wage x 20 hours).
Recipients will be required to pay taxes on their Welfare payments and will not receive a tax return. This will serve as a way to pay back a small amount of the taxpayer's money that they took.
Is the thought of an armed society really that scary? The second amendment is very clear. It states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The right of the people to keep and bear arms is very clear! So, why is it that we allow our elected leaders to continue to try and abolish this right? Citizens that legally carry guns do not go out with the intent to shoot others or use the gun whenever they desire. There are many laws that regulate the use of deadly force. Law abiding citizens follow these laws. Criminals on the other hand do not. Do you really think if we make guns illegal that criminals will abide by these laws? Of course not this is what makes them criminals. They commit crimes and break the law. The only thing that making guns illegal can succeed in is rendering law abiding citizens completely defenseless against these criminals. Many states allow the carrying of firearms whether it be concealed or carried openly and they have done so for many years. There has not been an epidemic of the fabled gunfights of the Old West as was predicted. Law abiding citizens carry guns for self defense purposes only and the majority of them will never have to display their guns much less use them. Is this the type of world you really want to be unprotected in? There are actually rulings by judges that state Police Officers do not have an obligation to protect citizens. So, if Police Officers are not obligated to protect us and we make it illegal to protect ourselves then who is going to take on that burden? Even if Police Officers were obligated to protect us they cannot be everywhere at once. As the saying goes, “When in a life or death situation and only seconds count, the Police are only minutes away.” I am not knocking Police Officers. I have nothing but respect for them and the job that they do but as I stated earlier they simply cannot be everywhere.
How is it that we allow Congressman/Senators such an amazing pension? They make over $100,000 a year. Upon completion of 20 years they get 80% of the average of their highest three years of their salary. They are eligible for this at the age of 50. If they complete 25 years or more they are eligible at any age. Yet in the military one must complete 20 years of service in order to receive 50% of the average of their highest three years of their salary. A MSG in the military makes roughly $56,304 a year. If he made that for his last three years of service he would only get around $18,768 a year in retirement. Congress also wants to make this eligible to service member only after they reach the age of 62-67. How is this acceptable? Congressmen/Senators make $100,000 plus a year and after 20 years receive 80% of their salary at the age of 50 while service members who barely make $60,000 a year only get 50% in retirement after 20 years and do not get that until they are into their 60's! Congress is telling us that the military retirement reform is really about saving money. If they really want to save money then they need to take a long hard look at their salaries and retirement. How about a Congress retirement reform or is that asking too much for them to actually give something up? They seem to be more than ok asking everyone else to give something up so why not them? How can they justify making the military give up some of their small benefits they get when they are not willing to give up some of their own? Lead by example! Being elected to serve as a Congressman/Senator should be an honor. If they do not want to cut their salary and retirement benefits then they should be paid a per diem (daily payment for everyday they are in session). Once they are out of session the payments stop. If they cut their salaries and retirement then they should be paid yearly. However, the cuts need to be substantial. Regardless of what happens we need to see more practical progress from them!
A concerned American
thanks TAM 
Love it. Very well said IMO. If only the gov't would actually listen to people like you/us.
