In this column I'm going to vent many emotions. I'm sad about the way our country has lost its image to the world, especially to us. We have lost our reputation, our respect and most of all our identity.
Our representatives have lost my respect. They don't care about the people. They just care about being re-elected or elected and lining their pockets. Isn't it ironic that the rich, the Republican party, are adamant about giving to the government but are raising umpteen dollars for the campaign?! Obama would do the same, but he doesn't have the background, so he's going after the Latino vote. He even wants to pass a bill giving children of illegal immigrants free college! That's crazy. The cost of education is going up for our kids, and they are going to get their education for free? No way.
Now I come from an immigrant family, but before they could come, they had to have a sponsor. My father's sister was married to John Joy of Water Street and had to sponsor them for four years. Now if these people don't have relatives here, why not let their employers sponsor them? Find a way, but not at the tax payers expense! Let's get real.
What's wrong with our country? We're so arrogant, prideful and money-hungry! Where is our humility and love?
9/11 proved to us that we were not invincible. The enemy struck. So what was our natural instinct? We would rebuild and make the new building bigger and better. We were disdainful. This reaction is par for the course.
I'm reading a book called "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn. In this book, he compares the downfall of Israel in the Old Testament to the coming of the downfall of America. The similarities are incredible! It makes you think. We definitely are on the road to destruction and what can we do about it? We can change, turn around and live by our old standards of morality.
Let us start in the home. Let parents be parents. Teach your children respect. Make them use clean language. No profanity, no sassing back. Teach them to have respect for their elders, for their teachers, for church people and for friends. Love them a lot and act accordingly. Praise them, dress them properly and be an example of what you want them to be. Teach them the rewards of living clean, keeping the house clean and themselves clean. Others will approve of them and they will have good self images.
The schools must continue with these principles and add to them. Their experiences at school and the attitudes of the teachers and their experiences will add up to make them happy campers. If the majority of the people have these good experiences, we will have a good society. We have lost so much of this and we have to get it back.
Now the church should play a big part in doing the same things and much more. Now society would be much better off if they used the same principles. So many of them are the same! Let's forget the labels. If the principles work to make us better people and happier people, we would be foolish not to apply them to our lives.
I always remember my brother-in-law Angelo. He was my favorite. He used to love to tease me and act like he didn't like me. Like he would say things like, "Here are some cookies. Pass them around but not to Margaret."
I would say, "That's O.K. I like you and liking you makes me feel good, so I'll keep that good feeling."
You see, we have choices. Make good choices and you'll be rewarded with good feelings.
I have no confidence in our congressional system and I wish there were enough voters to let them know they have no confidence in them and are going to hold back their votes until they know they are going to work for the good of our country and not just concentrating on making their opponents look bad. Remember, you reap what you sow. We are all farmers in this field of life.
Margaret Valone is a Fredonia resident. Send comments on this column to lifestyles@observertoday.com
