Hello O-Mamas!
Around April 1st, I started writing some comments for our Independent Mamas. Then family matters got me sidetracked. However, I was still thinking about you, and what would be a good subject to consider and discuss. A number of thoughts came to my mind, and then I got a suggestion from MichelleO-MAMA ~ she asked me what I thought the priorities should be for our nation, our beloved United States of America.
So, here we go!
The first thought I had when I considered America’s priorities was the Boy Scout and Girl Scout motto: “Be Prepared.” Why? I don’t know?! So I looked it up to see what it was about.
This is what I found: Someone asked, in response to this motto, “Be prepared for what?” The founder of Scouting said to be prepared for anything. And he added that the training received in Scouting helped the Scout to live up to the motto. But according to the founder, he wasn’t just thinking of emergencies. He wanted all Scouts to prepare themselves to be, in his words -productive citizens and to give happiness to other people. And he wanted every Scout to learn to be ready to meet whatever challenges were ahead of them.
The Scout was trained to live up to the motto.
What are America’s priorities and how do we live up to them? We all have thoughts on what America’s priorities should be. But do we think about how those priorities should be implemented? Do we even know how?
Bloggers on the internet have all kinds of ideas about what should be America’s priority: Get out of debt, secure our borders, end the wars, fix the educational system, install a high speed rail system for America, fix the economy, secure the internet from attack, strengthen the military, step up the fight against terrorism, and better American services for veterans and children, etc. etc.
Here is my top priority and why: I believe we need to reset the nation’s moral compass ~ get back to patriotism and a belief in God. We don’t all necessarily believe in the same God and some may not believe in God at all. But most people have a standard they have received from their religion, philosophy of life, or moral upbringing.
I believe that without adhering to the guidance and training of moral or religious standards and values, none of the priorities we suggest can be easily achieved, if at all.
I believe morals, religious standards, and values are on the decline in America. Without those, we loose our freedom to think, to act, and to speak because many have resorted to vicious lies, cruel name calling, and putting others down in whatever form comes to mind at the time. All because we can no longer agree to disagree. Maybe we should all agree on our common American values? What does it mean to be an American?
Some have become like unruly children who always have to have their own way and if they don’t, they resort to whatever means will get them their own way – they turn into bullies. Is that who we want to be? Is that what we teach our kids?
America was founded on certain standards and guidelines that came from good and healthy thinking and planning. Perhaps, we stopped adhering to the guidelines of patriotism, and the values and morals that come from a faith system. And we have lost our way.
What is our motto or national priority? Are we prepared to meet whatever challenges are ahead? Or, will we continue to act like obnoxious, ill behaving children. Do we need to go through a national “recovery” program to find our moral compass? Maybe we can borrow an idea from The Twelve Traditions of the Twelve Step Programs chose as their first tradition: “Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.” Unity. What a wonderful idea! The Twelve Traditions were written to promote harmony and growth … and that unity depends upon adherence to these Traditions. Harmony! How wonderful that would be!
Maybe America should be in a 12 step program!! I doubt that any of us can get into the Girl or Boy Scouts anymore!
For peace, liberty and justice for all…(and independent thinking, of course!)
~ Granny La Te Da
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