Land of the Free?

Dear Leaders and Founders of our blessed country,

First off, I would like to thank you for the burdon and tremendous stress you put yourself through to produce our countries first set of ‘rules’. You, brave men, took your opinions and ideas and literally wrote them out to declare our independence from Britain.  Additionally, you emphasised topics that you thought and predicted would be valuable in the future, such as religion, fairness and wellness. How you have impacted the course of history is beyond me, or anyone else. Although what you have done for history is remarkable, our modern society's values have altered what you have set as standards for America.

First, it would astonish you the way our children and teenagers act in this era. In your day and age, young people were taught the real value of a dollar. They were taught how to work, how to live, and furthermore, how to grow up to be successful. Now, children would rather skip school than get an actual education in a land with endless freedoms, the wonderful united States of America. School children take for granted just about everything these days -- the shelter they have over their head, the food that they are privileged to eat, and even their own mothers and fathers.

As a result, we not only have created apathetic teenagers, but the adults of our generation are just as selfish and self centered.. Now, I’m not talking about everyone.  Many grown men and women are successful in their careers and families. But many adults are the exact opposite-- undetermined, and selfish. Back in your generation, everyone worked their fair share to support themselves and their families.  They also had a better understanding of a hard days work.  Nowadays, because of their selfishness, people feel entitled to everything and everyone.

Finally, our society as a whole has become twisted into something completely bitter, arrogant and ignorant. Most everyone tends to be hurtful towards each other, and do little out of the kindness of their heart, unlike the men and women of your generation.  You seemed to live with the idea of “do onto others as you would want them to do to you.” Unfortunately, people today tend to be unkind to each other and sometimes downright rotten. In your day, people treated each other with respect, kindness and compassion. If only things were the same nowadays.

In all honesty, I am glad that you are not alive today to witness the country you helped found. Our country has somehow lost its way. Although you started us off in the right direction, things have drastically changed in many ways  that may disappoint you. Don’t get me wrong, America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave, but the society that makes up this ‘land’ is anything but brave. But on the other hand, things have happened through the course of history that have astonished many. Maybe if we re-read the print you have left us, we can pick up where you brave men have left us off at.