Well…barring any major developments at the conventions, it looks like we now have our official Republican and Democratic Presidential Nominees. I expect the next few months to be insane.
Over the last several months I have watched many debates, listened to interviews and news stories, and read many articles about the various candidates running for president. With that said, in case you are wondering, I have not officially decided which presidential candidate to vote for, so this post is in no way an endorsement.
What I do want to share with you is what’s “On My Mind”. As I have read and heard more about the presidential election and the candidates, many thoughts and opinions have plagued me. Most I have not shared with anyone other than family members, but today I would like to share one central thought that has come to mind and hopefully learn what your thoughts are.
A lot of the comments individuals have posted in response to various blogs and articles are aimed at blaming the government, federal and/or state, for the problems they feel exist within our country. The candidates themselves are blaming the government. This is nothing new; it’s been like this for generations. As a people we are always quick to blame others for problems that exist, but when something goes wrong and we suddenly need help we don’t hesitate to run to the government for assistance. Let me just get to the point. THE PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT – IT IS THE PEOPLE.
The problem is everyday citizens like you and me. We are greedy, prideful, lazy individuals who continually make the wrong choices. We are obsessed with the idea that to be happy we must be wealthy. We are obsessed with what others think about us instead of what we can do to make ourselves and the people around us better and happier. We seek after government and charitable aid instead of putting aside our laziness and working to make ourselves more self-reliant. We blame others for our problems instead of taking responsibility. We, THE PEOPLE, are the ones that ultimately have the responsibility and the power to make our world a better place.
The preamble to the Constitution of the United States clearly states, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” It does not say we the politicians.
It is up to us. We need the government to help maintain order and structure, but as citizens of this country we have to change. Donald Trump’s campaign slogan is “Make America Great Again.” I still believe America is great, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Do I think it will ever be as perfect as the preamble to the constitution implies? No, I don’t. In fact, I personally think the words “to form a more perfect union” are wrong and need to be changed. If something is perfect, you can’t make it more perfect. What we can do is make it greater. As citizens of this country, to make it greater, here are some things I feel we need to do:
- Respect One Another. Respect the fact that others may have viewpoints, opinions, beliefs and personalities that conflict with yours, and that it is okay to accept individuals without necessarily agreeing with them. Respect that people have the right to choose to live their life the way they want, as long as their choices are not violating others’ rights.
- Accept Responsibility. When a mistake is made, correct it. Apologize. To those impacted by one’s mistakes, remember that no one is perfect and that people can change. Be forgiving.
- Stop the Racial Hatred. Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter. Personally, I have never met a person whose skin color is black and I have never met a person whose skin color is white. We are all different shades of brown. We are all Engineered to Be Weird.
- Obey the Law. This should be pretty straight forward.
- Swallow Your Pride. It is okay to be proud of your accomplishments and the accomplishments of others, but vain, narcissistic, or egoistical thoughts or behaviors will not make this country better.
- Get Educated. Invest in yourself. Take the time to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed live a better life, to be more self-reliant.
- Work Hard. We need to stop relying on the government to do everything for us. As Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana, once said, “Where do you go if you want special favors? Government. Where do you go if you want a tax break? Government. Where do you go if you want a handout? Government. This must stop.” Take responsibility for your own situation and work to get to where you need to be in order to live a happy life.
- Eliminate the Greed. Money is the root of all evil. Our obsession with money and wealth, and our belief that wealth makes us better than others, is what is destroying us. More money does not make one better.
- Unite. This is probably one of the most important things we can do to make our country greater. We must work together. We must share our time, knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources to build a greater union. It is up to us. This reminds me of what is probably President John F. Kennedy’s most famous statement, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” WE THE PEOPLE are responsible for the state of our country. The constitution of the United States talks about forming a more perfect Union. A union is group of individuals who are united. We are the UNITED STATES!
I’m sure there are more things that we, as people, can do to be a greater nation. I would love to know your thoughts. Please feel free to comment. Also, if you feel inspired to do so, please like this post and share it with others.
On My Mind 
That’s a good start! Be a responsible person and don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your grandma to find out about!
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