Thursday, September 21, 2006

Picture Perfect Thursday II

Statue of Liberty
Originally uploaded by JayMonster.

... And Liberty for all

How convenient for me to have practically in my back yard the symbol of Liberty and Freedom. It helps remind me of why I spend too much of my "free" time paying attention and taking action.

(Credit to my wife for getting this excellent snapshot, from a moving ferry on the way to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island this summer.)

I am the son of a a very patriotic man. A man that forever held the spirit of freedom and respect for this country near and dear to his heart. While some of that certainly rubbed off on me, it was not until my daughter was born, that I decided that change didn't start by saying, "What are you gonna do?" or "That is just the way it goes."

It was in those days that I learned to understand the saying, "Freedom is not free." That in order to keep this country right, it takes the work of the people. It takes each and everyone of us to hold accountable those that would be our leaders for their actions. It is up to us to demand that which is right. We can not just expect it, we can not just shrug our shoulders and say, "oh well" when things are not going right.

No doubt, things have gone terribly wrong. In many ways. But so long as this country still stands it is not too late. When my time is done, I want the world to be a better place than the condition that I found it. The only way to do that is to participate in that change wherever possible. Which means litterally anywhere, not just in Washington DC but in the city that I live, the neighborhood that I call home. It is getting out to vote in elections. It is paying attention to what is going on in my town and school systems, and being ready to challenge when things go off course.

It is not what I would like to do with my time. But if I want this world to be a better place for my daughter and other children in the years to come, it is something I do not believe I (or any person) can afford NOT to do.

(Why is this called "Picture Perfect Thursday"? Well you have to go visit Liz over at This Full House for more details. If you do join in, please let me know)