Who We Are as Americans

Fifty states, each with a history rich in character, tenacity, a moral fortitude and a belief in the Constitution of the United States, Bill of Rights and the rule of law. No one is above the law of the land and we are all equal in the eyes of justice. We are the people who make up this nation of immigrants and patriots, but who we are as Americans also comes from each of us.

We are decedents of a strong willed band of patriots who gave their lives willingly to create a nation that would show the world how a country governed by the people could prosper and grow strong. No king, no dictator; a simple thought that all are created equal and all people must live under the rule of law set forth by the people with the Constitution and Bill of Rights as our guide. Rights guaranteed to us, the people, that no one can take away. The men who created our democratic republic thought long and hard, argued, compromised and finally gave us the documents that would define who we are as Americans.

We have a right to our own religious beliefs as well as the right to none. We have a right to criticize our leaders openly without fear of imprisonment. We have a right to our own opinion with the freedom to express our thoughts out loud. Our freedom of speech, to peacefully assemble and our right to bear arms are only dreams in other countries. We have a moral conviction that sets us apart from those countries. An ideology that everyone is entitled to live free from fear of intimidation and reprisal from those who disagree with what is said or a belief that is strongly felt.

The framers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights laid down an ironclad frame work of rights which our government can not take away. Who we are as Americans was so strong even in 1789 that those leaders refused to ratify our Constitution until guaranteed rights of the people were spelled out in the Bill of Rights two years later.

We have a responsibility to our government and all our leaders to demand from them honest and open debate about issues concerning our well being. It's up to us to think for ourselves, search out what's true or what's nothing more than rumors or scare tactics which are designed to spread fear and intimidate. It's up to us to determine if policy debate is fueled by special interest groups and lobbyist who have another agenda they are pursuing that affects only them instead of the larger interest of the people and how it will affect us in the long run. Politics is a nasty game that most Americans would rather not play. However, our politics is also part of who we are as Americans. Those who don't pay attention and only listen to a select group never have all the facts. A respectful debate where both sides of an issue are listened to and considered result in policy and laws that are for the greater good of society.

Even the best of friends and the happily married couple know compromise and discussion is an essential part of a relationship. Without give and take, we are left with anger and resentment and a shellfish desire to have our own way at any cost. By allowing someone else to tell us what we think, we lose our voice because everything we hear is exactly what we want to hear. I'm not interested in someone else telling me how I should think. I make up my own mind with facts, listening to all sides of an issue and weigh only the facts in deciding which side is best. Those who look me in the eye and tell lies, half truths or spread rumors, to me, are not leaders and are not people who have my best interest in mind. I'm not interested in hearing only what I want to hear. No one has ever made an intelligent decision based on a one sided conversation. There is no opportunity to change your mind if you don't listen to all the voices. It's amazing how much compromise can happen when we actually listen to each other. It's always useless to cut off your nose just to spite your face.

We have always been a people willing to hold out a hand to help our fellow travelers as we go through each day. A country that has stood the test of time through turmoil, tragedy and wars and yet we remain strong because of who we are as Americans.

Even though we don't always agree on the direction our leaders want to take us or on debate and policy decisions they feel are right for the country and the people, it's ultimately our right as citizens to disagree and speak out in dissent by standing by our convictions and what we feel is right. However, our voices carry more weight when it's done respectfully and honestly. An offensive argument always leaves a bad taste in someone's mouth and never leads to compromise or resolution of a problem.

We are a proud nation of people who others thought would never last as a country. An experiment in a democratic republic where the people have a say in how the government is run. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights define who we are as Americans to the rest of the world and those documents give the people of the United States the right to hold our leaders accountable to us and preserve our rights and liberties for all time.