At school we were covering the War of 1812. One of the points it touches us today is the National Anthem. As I was watching the students during a video I was wondering if they had any idea what this country is all about. One of the phrases in the Star Spangled Banner refers to America as “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. How does this generation see that.
My fear is that “the land of the free” means they don’t have to pay for anything. This is all those bright-eyed, shinny-faced, dim-brained young people flocking to the Bernie Sanders banner. He promises them “free stuff” starting with college and health care. It is the same way that the Progressives have been buying the votes of the dependent classes for ages. Remember the video of the woman who thought Obama was going to send her a check for her rent. In Rome it was bread and circuses. Today it is phones and rent.
And what about “the home of the brave”? Keep in mind their concept of speaking “truth to power”. This is supposed to mean courageously standing up and declaring truth in the face of the powerful, of not being cowed by their threats and coercion. Think of the signers of the Declaration of Independence who knew they were singing their death warrants. Today what it means is saying what is politically correct and acting like it is original. Think of a Hollywood celebrity “boldly” taking a stand in favor of gay marriage.
Young people don’t have a clue. One of the reasons is that a lot of older people have forgotten the clues they once had.
Freedom and economics run in cycles. We are losing one and undermining the other. Will we recover and get stronger or cave and join the ash heap of history?
Stay tuned.
homo unius libri
Sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things us old fossils take for granted that the young are not even aware of.
DeleteGrace and peace