Well, fellow Americans, we are living in the midst of turbulent times. With all these crazy things happening around the world, national security doesn't always feel so secure. Whether these threats are militant, marketplace, or microscopic, there's a lot of trouble out there.
That being said, I think that there are plenty of issues right here in the homeland that need to be addressed--sadly, they are often looked over. I'm not going to get long-winded, but I think it's good to have a little reality check every now and then. Here are my top five:
Hunger
It's very easy to feel our hearts ache when we see the suffering images of starving and malnourished children in foreign lands. That is good--I would hope that you feel at least something. But it's all too common to forget about those hungry families right around us. They're not without food because they deserve it--no one does! Whatever the case may be, we can play a part in literally giving food and relief to our brothers and sisters. I would hope for the same if I fell into any unlucky circumstances.
Violence (Domestic or otherwise)
It's so tragic. Someone gets their "fair chance" taken away when they lose their life. Let's all learn that the first step to preventing violence is preventing anger. How do we do that? Forgiveness. Period.
Dishonesty
Perhaps you might say that this isn't quite as grave, but we hear about it all the time. Scandals, forgeries, embezzlement, thievery. And the funny thing is, it's almost always rationalized. Maybe because it's so competitive in nature, it's hard to shake off. That's like shaking off our pride. Can you imagine a world where people actually lived, worked, and interacted with 100% honesty?
Immorality
Seriously, this is one of the worst. Why? Because not everyone even thinks it's bad yet! Take drug use, or alcoholism, or any other gratifying behavior. While many succumb to it, it's still looked at as bad and wrong in a society. But sexuality? On the contrary, it is often praised, and as long as it stays that way, our families and relationships will be in continual, steep decline.
Intolerance
"Why can't you just get along?" Raise your hand if you were ever told this by your parents! On whatever end of the spectrum it is on, intolerance is one of the ugliest issues out there. Whether it's the majority hating the minority, or the minority hating the majority, it's just wrong. The worst is, we have gotten into a sort of cycle where it's increasingly okay for the underdogs to cry out in contempt against previous views or standards. In the end, we really do all need to just get along. Be tolerant.
Don't misunderstand me at all--I'm not complaining in the slightest. I just think it's prudent to not always look so far off for problems with a fearful or blaming finger. Sometimes, it's right under our nose, and that means that there's probably something we can actually do about it. While I might not be able to fight off ISIS terrorists or stomp Ebola out of existence, I'm pretty sure that I can help stop suffering, poverty, and violence in my own community by the small action that I take. And if nothing else, we can all decide to live better and give a good example, being part of the solution.
God bless the U.S.A.!
That is a great reminder. Its hard to do those things sometimes. But if we open our eyes and look around us, we will realize how important our role is in society. We all need to stop, look around, and see what we can do to help other people in their time of need. Thanks for reminding us what we need to do.
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