Friday, May 27, 2011

I am.....

I am an individual.  I am responsible for my own actions.  I choose who I care for, who I support, where I give what little influence I have.

I am part of my town.  I pay attention to local politics, I chat with my neighbors at the grocery store, I choose to be involved in community events.

I am part of my state.  I want to see all people - citizens and immigrants, red and blue, rich and poor - succeed and have influence on the national stage.

I am part of my country.  I want America to be the place where all have equal opportunity, but all can get help if in need. 

I am part of my world.  I do not want the US to be a global superpower only so that we can blow up the rest of the world.  I do not want us to poison another country in furtherance of private profit, because what affects other countries affects us (read Nevil Shute's On the Beach for an example of this).

I am all of these.... and so are you.  You may believe in the bootstrap myth, but no one - NO ONE - succeeds without using the hard work of others, in the past and contemporary.  

Think you got where you are all by yourself?  Did you pave your own road?  Pump your own well?  Educate your own children?  Grow your own food?  Dig your own latrine?

No?  Then acknowledge that the work and foresight of those who came before you are partly responsible for your success.  There's no shame in being gracious about this, but there is shame in believing that it's all about you. 

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