| America years ago was the eye candy of the | | | | venture out and make a difference. It's not |
| world. People around the globe who knew | | | | safe enough besides all of that. John Alston |
| about us thought this country was worth dying | | | | gives a funny demonstration on stage when he |
| for just to try to get here. There are still | | | | shows how people live their lives. Go to his |
| some people who believe that, but the numbers | | | | website, johnalston.com, and see excerpts of |
| are dwindling. Jobs are being shipped | | | | it, I promise it's worth the effort. He says |
| overseas, goods are being created and | | | | that every day people get up, go to work, |
| produced by borderline 3rd world countries, | | | | come home, and go to bed. 5 Days a week they |
| and in this country violent crime is higher | | | | do that. There's also a statistic out there |
| than in any other country in the world to the | | | | that I've seen, and I don't have a link for |
| best of my knowledge. What happened to the | | | | it I'm sorry to say, that says the majority |
| days of "Made in America" being the most | | | | of heart attacks happen Monday morning. I |
| sought after label? What happened to the | | | | wonder why that is.Open your minds to |
| days of baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and | | | | something new. Don't accept the status quo as |
| Chevrolet? What happened to our ingenuity | | | | being the only solution. Don't accept |
| and innovation? Why are our kids calling | | | | someone's interpretation as being written in |
| each other stupid for trying to be smart? | | | | stone just because it's in a book (even an |
| How can we regain our composure? How can we | | | | old book) or just because so many other |
| become all that we're capable of as a nation? | | | | people believe it's true. There's normally |
| How can we be the role model for the world | | | | another viewpoint that's just as valid or |
| instead of just the protectors?First off, I | | | | more so. The problems in the middle east are |
| say we must stop complaining about | | | | because of closed minds and closed hearts |
| everything. This would be a great start! If | | | | with a little bit of pride mixed in. Ok, |
| you read the message boards on the internet, | | | | maybe a lot of pride. The point is that if |
| or listen to the majority of the radio talk | | | | Israel and Palestine would both open up to |
| shows, or watch the evening news you'll know | | | | more than negotiations of land ownership and |
| what I mean when I say too many people | | | | settlement, if they would not be so stuck in |
| complain about too many things and the | | | | the idea that theirs is the only |
| majority of what they complain about is | | | | interpretation of the world that's correct, |
| either something that can't be changed or | | | | if they would not be so stubborn as to insist |
| something very insignificant on a big picture | | | | the other side is evil because of their |
| standpoint. Plus a great majority of the | | | | interpretation, then maybe, just maybe peace |
| complainers offer no solution of their own or | | | | would follow.Here in this country I |
| ideas of their own as to how to come up with | | | | experienced something that unfortunately is |
| a solution. Wouldn't it be nice to hear | | | | becoming a norm among teens. I was waiting in |
| someone say "I don't like it this way, and | | | | the middle of the street on a bicycle waiting |
| here's how it can be changed and why" and | | | | for a friend to catch up and I was looking in |
| follow it up with the best explanation | | | | that direction. It just so happened that |
| why.I've had many such experiences and I've | | | | there was some teen sitting on a milk crate |
| read about many many more. For example, my | | | | between where I was looking and where I was |
| father moved us to a beautiful island in | | | | standing. Instead of looking to see what I |
| South Carolina named Hilton Head. Now, he | | | | was looking at, he decided he knew everything |
| wasn't rich but he was full of energy and he | | | | and said in a pick-a-fight manner and tone |
| was a retired Army general and so was very | | | | "Whatchu lookin' at!?" Besides the incredible |
| opinionated as well. When we moved there, our | | | | grasp of the English language I could tell |
| community had a lot of problems financially | | | | that his mind was closed to everything except |
| and otherwise. The island was owned by a town | | | | his own little gang-related world where |
| that really wasn't very close to us and they | | | | anyone who looks his direction must be |
| were imposing rules and policies that weren't | | | | interested in fighting.Third, focus on |
| in the best interest of Hilton Head but | | | | excellence rather than tomorrow's paycheck. |
| rather were in the best interest, of course, | | | | Every day we witness the aftermath of this |
| of that town. To make a long story short, my | | | | issue. Greed is the common word for it in |
| father and some of his friends went to work | | | | some circles. Rut is the word for it in |
| to stick up for our community and ended up | | | | others. Either way, the money is portrayed |
| successfully securing it's independence. He | | | | and thought of as more important than being |
| didn't just complain about the situation like | | | | happy or of doing what you do best as well as |
| many people were doing as evidenced by | | | | you can do it. Termination, or at least |
| editorials in the newspapers. Instead he | | | | drastic reduction, of some "diseases" such as |
| decided there was a better way of doing | | | | cancer has been long overdue because of |
| things and set out to persuade people that it | | | | corporate greed. Homelessness and theft are |
| was in their best interest to do so.Second, | | | | because of greed. Apathy is because of the |
| open your minds and your hearts. A closed | | | | rut. We could, as a nation, come together and |
| mind is a terrible waste of intelligence. As | | | | cooperate on a plan to solve many of the |
| soon as someone thinks he or she knows | | | | money related issues and perhaps even |
| everything, it's over. If the world had | | | | eliminate the need for money altogether. |
| listened to people like that, America would | | | | Something I say often is that the world will |
| still be a big forest with Indians hunting | | | | live in peace and joy and abundance when we |
| with bows and arrows. Many in the Western | | | | all decide to do so. Hollywood, Government, |
| world had visions of a flat world and were | | | | and media among others could play a very good |
| afraid to venture out too far because they | | | | role in helping this come to pass. Will they? |
| would surely fall off the edge of the Earth | | | | That's up to you and I. If we all focus on |
| and fall into oblivion and many in the | | | | doing what we believe will create a better |
| Eastern world didn't have aspirations to | | | | tomorrow for the world, if we think about |
| explore that far. One group of people, most | | | | each decision we make in the light of a |
| famously Christopher Columbus, decided that | | | | bright future, if we take our minds off of |
| they didn't know everything and set out to | | | | "what's in it for me" and put it on "what's |
| find answers.Renaissance really is about | | | | best for my kids' grandkids" then we will |
| people opening their minds and being | | | | have a focus of excellence and excellence is |
| creative. In my own life I've experienced | | | | what we will have as a nation an as a world. |
| many occasions where I could just give up. My | | | | We all of excellence inside of us. Let's |
| parents were very strong willed. They grew up | | | | release it so that we and the world can all |
| in a specific society and way of life where | | | | benefit from it.Scott Keller - Author, |
| they thought and still think today that | | | | speaker, philosopher, visionary. See more at |
| working for someone else is the only way to | | | | newamericaparty.org |
| become successful and that no one in our | | | | scott_keller_author_speaker.htm and |
| family is qualified or deserving enough to | | | | associated websites. |