America, the world’s greatest nation, or so they say, has lost its grip on what it means to be a well-respected, unified country. We have overlooked the principles and framework our country was founded on for far too long. On September 17, 1787, this great nation formed the constitution and deemed its authority over the states. Yet today June 1, 2016, our nation has seemed to have lost the values and integrity we once had. May I remind you of the preamble, in which OUR constitution states,
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
These are the principles our nation was founded on. Our nation is not a nation of one race, one gender, or one educational background; Our nation is a nation of growth, diversity, and global force. Where have these characteristics gone?
This day and age our presidential candidates, the nation’s top representatives, whine like two-year-olds who can’t have cake before dinner, meanwhile men like Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, and the Roosevelt’s, fought for the reputation and well-being of America. They did not compromise the nation’s morals in order to gain attention or to conceal their past failures. They owned what they believed and worked for what they achieved. Throughout history, these men embossed a spirit of gratitude and dedication on the nation. However, instead of encouraging students and the “next generation” we have diminished the impression that you have to work towards success. America has become a selfish nation where people want prosperity handed to them.
School districts have lessened the workload and modified curriculum in order to “ease up” on the students. They have instituted new ways of teaching math in elementary school and thrown out fundamental truths found in history books. Our schools have exposed students to the idea they can decide whether or not they are a male or female. Some school districts have declared they will not be recognizing the valedictorian and salutatorian, nor allow students to wear National Honor Society cords at graduation. These decisions have corrupted the innocent and brought forth irrational ideas. If our students and future leaders of this great nation have nothing to work towards, then what will happen to us?
Well, take a look. We hear of a shooting on the news almost every day, a new drug consuming lives of our citizens, arguments about minimum wage, and we watch our children live in a world of vice and deceit. Our citizens were not meant to live with malice towards one another; we were meant to “promote the general welfare” and do our best to ensure success. We are in a time period of seeking answers. Whether it may be the cure for cancer or the ability to save endangered wildlife, we are searching. Yet, how does one think we can possibly find these answers by weakening the curriculum students receive, telling students it’s okay to live on minimum wage, and questioning the core DNA as to how we were made.
How has our nation depreciated the morality of our once strong foundation and instilled a spirit of self-servitude? Well, however we have done it, we have only retreated further towards hell in a handbasket, and as an incoming college student, I can only pray that we turn things around and realign with the principles and policies of this once great nation.
Britain Leigh 