Today, the citizens of the world, stood by in utter disbelief as a solemn group of men and women in uniform and members of congress ceremoniously lowered the flag, of the once greatest nation on earth, for the very last time. It seemed almost surreal, the mood in the capitol of the former United States of America, was somber. Tears and the sounds of people sobbing, were heard in the distance, emanating from the crowd that was being held back by national police in riot gear. The once proud nation that was the beacon of freedom for the entire world, seemed isolated in it’s death throws, now a faded dream of many.
This brave new world that started with a revolution and a separation of ways between it and it’s European motherland, has been the worlds inspiration for over two hundred of years. Freedom and prosperity drove immigrants from the four corners of the earth to escape their squalid lives and leave their entire world behind them to settle there in search of a better quality of life. This country that started with a desire for freedom and independence from an oppressive government, was formed by the dream a few men with a common vision. Fought for, at the cost of countless brave souls whose vision of a land where; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, became the envy of the rest of civilization.
A nation that rose above all and became one of the most powerful countries on the face of the earth. A people that were as diverse as could possibly be, united by a democratic system of law and protected by a constitution, written by patriots several hundred years ago. A nation that seemed unparalleled in it’s ability to rise to a challenge and overcome. Empowered by a people that could build or make anything that they chose.
This once great nation led the way to freedom in Europe, not once but twice and shed the blood of it’s young men and women to protect the sovereignty of it’s neighbors, threatened by the forces of Nazism and Fascism. The European nations faced certain death at the hands of evil but, were saved by the industrial might of it’s great factories and the brave soldiers who fought tirelessly for their brothers in arms.
This once great nation that put men on the moon and defeated the greatest threat to freedom on earth; the former Soviet Union and it’s spread of Communism, now stands by and awaits it’s fate. Racked by years of never ending debt and inner turmoil, created by the very people charged with keeping her free. History will look back at the Presidency of Barrack Obama and it’s socialist agenda as the eventual cause of the collapse of this once powerful country. Years of excessive spending and millions of lost jobs, literally bankrupted this nation.
While this nation was drowning in debt, other nations such as China, Japan and Germany were buying up it’s livelihood, all because of it’s government leaders arrogant desire to control the wealth of it’s citizens and create a government controlled bureaucracy. The expansion of government and increases in entitlement programs for the people proved fatal to the economy of this great nation and ultimately led to the collapse, that we are witnessing today. It is truly overwhelming, to witness the looks on the faces of the bystanders who have lived to see this day and have seen with their very eyes the end of an era. An era that once prompted the following poem, that was forever enshrined at the base of a famous statue, that still sits on Ellis Island in the very harbor, where over seven hundred thousand immigrants came to this land in search of freedom, in the shadow of one of the most recognized cities on the earth:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breath free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless,
Tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning,
And her name, Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome;
Her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor
That twin cities frame.
“Keep, Ancient Lands, your storied pomp!”
Cries she with silent lips.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breath free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless,
Tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
What will become of the history of this once great nation? No one knows. As we look upon the faces of the citizens, that stand transfixed at the sight of their flag being gently folded for the last time, we wonder. Could this have been stopped? Was this necessary? What could have been done to stop this tragedy? Where were the patriots? Where were the defenders of liberty? Why did no one stand up to this?
Two hundred and forty two years ago, just a handful of men, “PATRIOTS” started a revolution and fought one of the most powerful countries on the face of the planet to establish; “AMERICA.” Today, the remaining free countries of the world mourn the loss of the last beacon of freedom and it’s enemies cheer it’s demise. The threat of war did not bring this proud nation down. Bad economic policies and endless assaults on it’s constitution, by people trying to change a system of government that was the role model for entire civilizations did.
What lessons can be learned from this? Where does the rest of the world turn to now for guidance? Who will come to the aid of those brought to their knees by disaster? Who will feed the hungry? Who will help those being persecuted? Who will lead the world into the future? Who?
The world now holds it’s breath as we all wait to see the outcome of this darkest day. The day that freedom died.
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