1. Liberty Enlightening the World
With children coming over our Southern border, we need be reminded of Emma Lazarus’ words on the Statue of Liberty, “Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me, I lift my lamp besides the golden door.” Though there are no such words welcoming these youngsters from Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, we must have an open mind, and remember the original name of Lady Liberty, “Liberty Enlightnening the World”, for America must continue to live true to this message to the world.
2. Children in Central America
While we are on the subject of those children, why are we not spending more time caring about the conditions in those Central American countries that are forcing these people out. Not a word is spoken in media, and not a cent is spent! It is time for the United States to devote time and attention in our Americas’ hemisphere to make every child safe in his/her home country, and to create a better future for them. That’s also an American responsibility.
3. A Message of America’s Founders
All men (people) are created equal, with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Along with these rights come responsibilities. Liberty is not license, it has built-in expectations of a way of being that makes it work, not a free-for-all. Even the pursuit of happiness had service to others as an underlying expectation. Too many in America are self-interested today, and America was founded on public good. If America is to continue on the path of being a grand experiment, a model to the world, we citizens need to heed the Founders’ messages.
4. On Making Demands for America
Yes, we have to uplift people who have fallen, and yet we must have the intention in America that everyone must give something back to our country (and I am not talking of taxes). Why should not everyone in America have to give some time of service, whether by reinstituting a National Draft perhaps for American Service, or mandating an annual community take-on during one’s life?
