On July 20, 1969 at 4:17 p.m., the United States of America landed two human beings on the moon. Six hours later, Neil Armstrong walked on it. I was watching TV coverage by the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont with my future wife, my parents, brother, sister-in-law and neighbors. Most of the country, once again, experienced a feeling of enormous pride in yet another American accomplishment. As I watched a show featuring the NASA moon efforts on the Smithsonian Channel two Saturdays ago, I once again experienced that large swell of pride in my country. That reminded me of an incident about two weeks prior when I heard Lee Greenwood render his version of “God Bless the USA.” While listening to him and his words, I again experienced emotion and pride. And then I felt a little sad.
How many young people (millennials and younger, some older) have never experienced pride in this country? How many young minds have been fouled by certain of our educators so that they can find no pride in the accomplishments of this USA — one of the youngest and most successful countries ever to have existed? Consider some facts that are undeniable.
A ragtag bunch of Christian believers tired of religious persecution sought a new life in an uncivilized land. They had numerous failures, but ultimately with perseverance and toughness survived and succeeded in staying alive. Most all of them worked hard and struggled to survive — one of them being my ancestor.
Later, after tolerating years of persecution and abuse from their British brothers and sisters, they rebelled. Our forefathers (the founders), peopled a fledgling country from a literal wilderness. They defeated and sent packing back to England one of the strongest armies in the world. And, of course, we had help. Thank you, France. That’s what friends are for.
With innumerable past accomplishments there is a genuine source of pride for all of us — millennials included. And yet, so many have been coached to be ashamed of this country by a slanted point of view. I lament for those who may never know the feeling of pride in real accomplishment — their own or that of their fellow citizens — and the warm feelings that result.
I’m often forced to ponder, what is gained by those who have fostered such uncaring attitudes? What benefit is provided with a people who defame or deny their historical past and who, for whatever reason, disdain actual accomplishments and advancements of their predecessors? They abhor the existence of slavery while virtually ignoring the monumental sacrifices in the war that eliminated it.
I am not alone in thinking that such people are weakening our country and beginning to make us look ripe for the picking by unfriendly nations.
Neither China nor Russia is our friend, nor will they be in the foreseeable future. They are Communists who openly impose oppression on their citizens. They seemingly have little concern about what the world community thinks of them. One has a history of open aggression toward its neighbors, Georgia and Ukraine as examples. The other has a history of exploiting labor, dictating how many children you may have and what sex they may be. Nice places to live, eh? Is there anyone who is unaware of Communist nations’ increasing involvement in our internal affairs? Relying upon any Communist nation for anything is unwise.
Communists of every stripe must be giddy with anticipation given the goings on in what used to be these United States since Nov. 9, 2016. Things, if one can ignore our nation’s leftist’s never-ending fraudulent charges and accusations, were going swimmingly with employment in every category, the economy and the stock market until COVID-19 made the scene. Thank you, China.
In closing, I need to shift gears and address one issue. Leftists continue to make an issue of President Trump’s response to questions about his future acceptance of the 2020 election results. Seriously? This from people who identify as Democrats? If I were Trump, I know how I’d respond. “I’ll consider accepting the 2020 election results as soon as the leftists accept the 2016 results.”
Those who refuse to accept “the people’s choice” of 2016 want a commitment from Trump about the upcoming election process — which is clearly in more turmoil and confusion than was 2016′s process. Mail-in ballots? Democrats expect him to act in a manner that they, themselves, refuse to exhibit? Can you say hypocrite?
Rick Blatchford writes from Mount Airy. His column is published every other Tuesday. Contact him at rpblatch4d@comcast.net.