The Dimming of Liberty's Light

(PPI) For over a century The United States of America has been a beacon of freedom and liberty for the world. It has attracted people from all over the world to its promise of life, liberty, and prosperity. Many have been drawn to a country were they can be richly rewarded for hard work and determination. The planet has not seen another country of the size of the USA with such a independent desire and spirit. It is like anything that comes from man and is not a perfect place. But it built a reputation for a place that encouraged innovation, hard work, and prosperity. The example set made many other countries step back and respect certain aspects of their citizen's daily life. No other country has the exact freedoms that the Citizens of the United States enjoyed, but many looked to it as an example of the freedoms that they could have or should expect. But many would disagree.

The days of America standing as a beacon may be numbered. The once shining temple for those who face repression is beginning to lose its sheen. As many countries depended on the protection and influence of the US to guide them they have been aware of a relentless pursuit of human rights. But the new attitude of the rulers of the US have made it clear that they no longer are sure of the 230 year old system that has governed that nation. It would seem that they no longer look to the country's citizens and institutions for answers, but look to the rest of the world. With a mighty thud and a lot of protest, the US is moving more toward the European model of government. This will remove the example and will now allow more countries to ignore the once proud traditions that encouraged the rest of the world to follow a path of freedom.

Not all the people of the world look upon the US and see freedom. That is great. The diversity of the world is what makes the human race such a interesting product of this planet. Every culture and society has its own ideas of happiness and security. In this day of communication and travel we should celebrate our diverse cultures. But too many wish to homogenize the world into one government. Such thinking should offend all thinking people. The world and all of its great civilizations, with so much to be proud of should not fall into a trap of standardization. The US has no right to force its culture and government on the rest of the world and it should not follow systems that will damage its great heritage. We can be examples to each other, but that does not mean that we must emulate each other.

So with the failure of the American system to maintain its own freedoms, will the rest of the world follow us into more totalitarian states? That is hard to say. The world is full of those who crave power as those in control of the US currently seem to have. With the open circumventing of the US Constitution, the perceived corruption in the halls of our government, and latest power grab many, including the author, feel that our better days are behind a once proud country. I wish our country could return to a time when the people respected our freedoms and relished the liberties that were given to us. But I fear that we will follow a road that will need to a darker day for many. We have allowed liberty's light to dim. The world may never be as free. May we be forgiven for our own lack of faith in the system and the people that made it. But with hard work, a commitment, a love of liberty, and intelligence we may be able to reclaim some of our freedoms. The next three years will be the critical time.

©2010 Pedro Sykes - Some Rights Reserved

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