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Joy of Achievement -vs- Sense of Entitlement
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet


My wife and I were watching TV news recently.  The story concerned some new assault on the freedom of Americans.  Both of us were repulsed by the story.  In a rare comment on the news, my wife turned to me and said:  "I've about had my fill of this."  The inference was -- the changes in modern America are just too painful to bear for those Americans, like us, who remember when America was truly free.

No too long ago, America was a vibrant growing country, which had no horizons -- in any direction -- even up, and out, into space.  That is not the case today.

Thinking back over past decades I think one of the most devastating assaults on the freedom and liberty of Americans, and American society, was the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

For most Americans, I suspect President Richard Nixon will forever be reviled for what is remembered as the Watergate fiasco.  For me, however, signing into existence the EPA did far more damage to America (and continues to do colossal damage to the country) than a cussed burglary of the democrat's election headquarters in the Watergate complex.

Nixon's Watergate caper broke the law.  The EPA makes the law.  Every new regulation handed down by the EPA means less freedom and liberty for Americans.  Oh, but they claim all their rules and regulations will make us healthy!  Allow me to ask please -- what good is great health if one is a slave to one's government?   I will happily take my risks with air and water and maintain my freedom.  But, today, it appears I am in the minority in America.

Have you ever visited an animal farm?  I mean a farm that is set up to produce healthy animals for the market.  Let me give you a very brief description of the life of those steaks and drumsticks that you take home in shrink-wrapped plastic packages from your favorite supermarket.  They live their entire lives in cages.  Some are so constricting that the animal has little, if any, freedom of movement.  It just exists in that tiny space for its entire life.

Oh, but that animal is in great health.  All it's health problems are taken care of and it is perfectly healthy -- when it is killed.

Americans can be compared, today, to that caged animal.  We are free -- within our cages.  The EPA -- and all the other alphabet agencies of the federal government, takes care of us just like those animals.  In turn, all we have to do is -- give up our freedom! That's ALL!

When a man or woman is free, their minds are free, as well.  The creative juices flow.  They naturally seek to improve themselves, their surroundings, and their lot in life.

There is a spark within every human being that demands that he be free.  Restrict his movements, fence him in, and he will climb over or under the fence.  Fence him in mentally and he will wither and die.

Restrict man's physical freedom with rules and regulations/laws and he eventually he will rebel.  It may take awhile for a head of steam to build up, but-- at some point, he will rebel.

We don't like to remember it, or even admit it, but original man even rebelled against God.

When we look at America's history and consider all the achievements by Americans we can see the evidence of the fruits of freedom and liberty.

By the same token, we can also see the achievements of Americans begin to tail off about the 1970's when government regulations began to squeeze our freedom and liberty.

America's last great national achievement was space exploration and placing men on the moon and bringing them back home safely -- several times. Now, we can't even get into earth orbit as John Glen did during the decade of the 1960's!  How pathetic is THAT?

Our great military can no longer fight and win wars. The troops are not allowed to practice their war-fighting ability because the commanders at the top are more politician than soldier.  We have to talk our way out of countries we invade.  In the meantime, our enemies grow stronger and stronger. 

Our current President has even deliberately taken America from the foremost leadership position in the world and now feels compelled to go, hat in hand, to the most corrupt organization on earth, the United Nations, and ask "permission."  Again, how PATHETIC is THAT???

I catch some flack for harping on American socialism so much.  But, I submit, what you are seeing in America today, its deterioration, is a direct result of American-style socialism adopted from the European model.  Europe is in shambles and America is hot on her heels.

That sense of entitlement, the hallmark of a people saddled with socialism, is crushing the breath out of a once vibrant America.

Americans have bought into a strong central government providing for its every need from cradle to grave.  All it cost -- was our freedom.

Remember the animals in cages I noted above?  Americans are like that today.  We dare not dream because we KNOW we cannot act on those dreams.  So, we smother them in their cradles.  Without freedom -- what's the point of dreaming?   

America's cage may be made of pure gold -- but it is still a prison.

We Americans don't like to think of our wonderful country in decline.  But -- if we look up from our feeding dish and water bowl for a moment, it becomes frighteningly apparent.

Even as I sit here writing this -- the news anchor on TV, playing in the background, is telling of new government regulations that will forbid children living on farms from doing farm chores -- even mowing the lawn!  For as long as there have been farms, doing chores on those farms was a time-honored and proven way to teach a new generation the value of hard work, discipline, and self-responsibility.  No longer.  There is no need because the government is going to take care of us.

There is no joy of achievement in America any longer.  It has been replaced by a robust, and growing, sense of entitlement.  Just as in the last days of the Roman Empire it is all "bread and circuses" now.

It is clear that the next President of the United States will undoubtedly be the candidate who promises the most government bread and circuses.  Just as with the Roman Empire, this state of crushing socialism in America can have only one ending.  After the decline comes the inevitable fall.

J. D. Longstreet