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