The Children I Will Never See…The Country I Will Never Know
Friday, May 18th, 2012 by admin | Posted in Unconventional Thinking | Comments
Someday when I have grandchildren, I will tell them about the extraordinary land I grew up in. A land that had no boundries, was endlessly inspirational and that laid out an uncluttered path for me to make my way to whatever level of success I chose to pursue. A land of shopkeepers, manufacturers, doctors and inventors. Of rich and poor, winners and losers, dreamers and managers, CEOs and auto mechanics quietly saving money to buy a Texaco station of their own.
It was the America I was blessed to be born into. The one I pledged allegiance to every morning in a school where teachers taught us to respect the flag and to understand the true glory of July 4. The one I felt proud and special to belong to.
I was born on the poor side of the tracks and lived that way until I was old enough to change that, or not. The choice was mine. As was the responsibility if I so chose it. And as a looked around and absorbed the magic of people freely moving upward–selecting colleges, opening shoestores, making hoola hoops, inventing instant cameras, hitting the jackpot, failing and trying again– I knew I wanted to toss myself into that arena of opportunity. I wanted to own a home, have a business, buy nice cars, have money in the bank: all of the things I could only dream about and observe in my youth.
Yes, I was born on the poor side of the tracks but not the wrong side because in the America that I had the privilege of knowing, there was no “wrong side”….just one from which there was a steeper and more exhilarating ride to the top.
Yes, I will tell this to my grandchildren, and with pride. But the ones who are borne to them, the children I will never see, I am afraid that the America I adore, the America that is so woven into my DNA, will be unknown to them. As sad as I am to say it, they will likely live in a place that is riddled with envy, senseless rules, roadblocks, demonization, whining, entitlements, jealousy: even a sense, or perhaps a miserable reality that the flag and the pledge to it should be folded into a global Wizard Of Oz who demands that every piece of the American legacy be scorned and banished from the land.
I am an optimist and I wont give up without a fight, but I see America sliding into the sea of the discontented whiners determined to destroy her. Who will tell the children I will never see about this miracle that was once a beacon for the millions who packed their rags, slept in steerage and cried as they saw the statue of Liberty come into view.Someday when I have grandchildren, I will tell them about the extraordinary land I grew up in. A land that had no boundries, was endlessly inspirational and that laid out an uncluttered path for me to make my way to whatever level of success I chose to pursue. A land of shopkeepers, manufacturers, doctors and inventors. Of rich and poor, winners and losers, dreamers and managers, CEOs and auto mechanics quietly saving money to buy a Texaco station of their own.
It was the America I was blessed to be born into. The one I pledged allegiance to every morning in a school where teachers taught us to respect the flag and to understand the true glory of July 4. The one I felt proud and special to belong to.
I was born on the poor side of the tracks and lived that way until I was old enough to change that, or not. The choice was mine. As was the responsibility if I so chose it. And as a looked around and absorbed the magic of people freely moving upward–selecting colleges, opening shoestores, making hoola hoops, inventing instant cameras, hitting the jackpot, failing and trying again– I knew I wanted to toss myself into that arena of opportunity. I wanted to own a home, have a business, buy nice cars, have money in the bank: all of the things I could only dream about and observe in my youth.
Yes, I was born on the poor side of the tracks but not the wrong side because in the America that I had the privilege of knowing, there was no “wrong side”….just one from which there was a steeper and more exhilarating ride to the top.
Yes, I will tell this to my grandchildren, and with pride. But the ones who are borne to them, the children I will never see, I am afraid that the America I adore, the America that is so woven into my DNA, will be unknown to them. As sad as I am to say it, they will likely live in a place that is riddled with envy, senseless rules, roadblocks, demonization, whining, entitlements, jealousy: even a sense, or perhaps a miserable reality that the flag and the pledge to it should be folded into a global Wizard Of Oz who demands that every piece of the American legacy be scorned and banished from the land.
I am an optimist and I wont give up without a fight, but I see America sliding into the sea of the discontented whiners determined to destroy her. Who will tell the children I will never see about this miracle that was once a beacon for the millions who packed their rags, slept in steerage and cried as they saw the statue of Liberty come into view.
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May 30th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Mr. Stevens, thank you for your inspiration and all that you do.
I am a grandmother, and recently had an epiphany related to my wonderful grandchildren. I realized it was my duty as the family matriarch to tell them as much as I could about their wonderful ancestors. From my great grandfather, a member of the infantry of the Union Army, who captured a flag at Appomattox, and received our country’s Medal of Honor, to my own father, a greatest generation Air Corps vet who flew over 30 missions. To my husband, their grandfather, a Marine Corps officer, who served honorably in Viet Nam.
I also told them about their great grandmother whose husband was badly hurt in a farm accident, and managed to raise seven honorable children, without a penny of gov’t help, and kept her family together.
My stories are not unique, the same stories can be repeated all over our nation. They are stories of grace under pressure,and always about Honor and
Patriotism.
Whether they will change anything, I have no way of knowing, I won’t be here. I will say however, that among the older grandchildren, I see that same goodness and resolution, that brought another side of my family here from starvation in Ireland to graduating Boston College, in the same generation.
Pride of country and pride of family, will be my legacy, I can only pray it will be enough. I would encourage all grandparents to do the same, we all have an ancestor that overcame a struggle or a disadvantage. It is our duty to honor them and pass on their resolve.
May 31st, 2012 at 11:35 am
Dear Mr. Stevens,
Thank you for your inspiring comments. Like you I own a business, bought and renovated a historic property, raised 3 children – saw them graduate college, held my wife’s hand when she died prematurely, and sit here writing to you terrified, bordering on despondence. (I heard your interview with Ms Thomas)
I blame myself. I am part of a generation that willingly bought the lie – “everyone is equal in every way”. It is this lie that is central to all of Left’s other lies, deceptions and threats. Once this lie is exposed, all the others fall like dominoes. We are not all equal. Thank God – we are different – physically, mentally, emotionally, financially. What made America great was an ability to use those differences to what ever end we could – avoiding injuring our countrymen in the process. That is not enough for Leftists. The Big Lie – Liberals can assure an equality of outcomes – is used inflame prejudices, encourage hate, and reward envy, and… importantly – BUY VOTES! The Left is doomed once they lose the ability to tempt citizens into dependence. Take away that ability and the Left loses its enslaved minions and their votes. Only then are they compelled to engage in the battle of ideas.
The Big Lie demands ALL must achieve equally – or none shall achieve. This dogma is expounded into every arena. In my opinion, the greatest wastes are found in areas where idiotic, unrealistic, unattainable ambitions are termed noble, folded into open-ended policy, and forced upon the public. The public is threatened with a racist label should they reject the premise. Notice how race is woven into all Liberal ambitions. Race is the central mechanism applied to silence objection and color nobility.
Presuming an equality of innate intellect is the source of our greatest costs. This presumption is misused to guarantee everyone equal access; and to tax and threaten. The penalties associated with a racist label are real and intimidating. Jobs, careers, and promotions are implicated. Straight White males must assume the role of second class citizen – and like it. Object, and who knows what may happen? Few risk it. Meritorious accomplishments are devalued so the less able, the less accomplished may be given the benefits earned by another. No society will withstand this long. Incompetence eventually assumes control. We are nearing that end.
Liberals use gov’t programs to excuse away the failures of their minions. Liberals abhor absolutes the way nature does a vacuum. They rush in to gift benefits (taken from others), excuse failure, and provide the means to conceal failure. If ever the results of Liberal policy making were examined, or made to survive a cost benefit analysis… or their own outcome based goals, the public might rise up. The fiction Liberal ideas are more noble is glaringly discredited by their copious failures. Nobility and failure are not analogous. The opposite is true. This is perhaps most evident in the failures that fall along racial lines. Race is the Left’s Go-To club. That is why Liberals obsess over racism and refuse to acknowledge any improvement. The nation cannot heal until every policy delineated by race is eliminated. Ditto sex & income. This is another planned outcome of Leftists and the path to incompetence. Generations of people are raised with no perception of accountability, cause and effect, and, they are handed a pre-packed racial, sexual, income grievance/animus. The application of animus and grievances are encouraged and lauded.
God help us and God bless your good work going forward.
June 27th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Dear Mr. Ross,
Thank you for your very articulate response. I enjoyed it as much as the original blog post.