A good friend of mine gave me a card that describes how we used to live, work and enjoy living in a great country.
REMEMBER THE REAL AMERICA
WHEN: RIOTS WERE UNTHINKABLE. WHEN: YOU LEFT THE FRONT DOORS OPEN. WHEN: SOCIALISM WAS A DIRTY WORD. WHEN :GHETTOS WERE NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN: THE FLAG WAS A SACRED SYMBOL. WHEN: CRIMINALS ACTUALLY WENT TO JAIL. WHEN: YOU WEREN’T AFRAID TO GO OUT AT NIGHT. WHEN: TAXES WERE ONLY A NECESSARY NUISANCE. WHEN: A BOY WAS A BOY, AND DRESSED LIKE ONE. WHEN: A GIRL WAS A GIRL, AND DRESSED LIKE ONE. WHEN: THE POOR WERE TO PROUD TO TAKE CHARITY. WHEN: THE CLERGY ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT RELIGION. WHEN: THE CLERKS AND REPAIRMAN TRIED TO PLEASE YOU. WHEN: COLLEGE KIDS SWALLOWED GOLDFISH, NOT DRUGS. WHEN: SONGS HAD A TUNE AND THE WORDS MADE SENSE. WHEN: YOUNG MEN TRIED TO JOIN THE Military. WHEN: YOUNG PEOPLE KNEW WHAT THE FOURTH OF JULY STOOD FOR. WHEN: YOU NEVER DREAMED THAT OUR COUNTRY COULD EVER LOSE. WHEN: A SUNDAY DRIVE WAS A PLEASANT TRIP, NOT AN ORDEAL. WHEN: YOU BRAGGED ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN AND HOME STATE. WHEN: EVERY BODY DIDN’T FEEL ENTITLED TO A COLLEGE EDUCATION. WHEN: PEOPLE EXPECTED LESS AND VALUED WHAT THEY HAD MORE. WHEN: POLITICIANS PROCLAIMED THEIR PATRIOTISM AND MEAN IT. WHEN: EVERYBODY KNEW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. WHEN: THINGS WERE NOT PERFECT- BUT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT THEM TO BE. WHEN: YOU WEREN’T MADE TO FEEL GUILTY FOR ENJOYING DIALECT COMEDY. WHEN: OUR GOVERNMENT STOOD UP FOR AMERICANS, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. WHEN: YOU KNEW THE LAW WOULD BE ENFORCED, AND YOUR SAFETY PROTECTED. WHEN: YOU CONSIDERED YOURSELF LUCKY TO HAVE A GOOD JOB, AND PROUD OF IT. WHEN: THE LAW MEANT JUSTICE, AND YOU FELT A SHIVER OF AWE AT THE SIGHT OF A POLICEMAN. WHEN: YOU WEREN’T EMBARRASSED TO SAY THIS IS THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. WHEN: AMERICA WAS FILLED WITH BRAVE, PROUD, CONFIDENT, HARDWORKING PEOPLE.
THANK YOU RON KINSELLA FOR PROVIDING A STEP BACK TO A TIME THAT WAS.
You never appreciate what you have until it’s gone.
WRITTEN BY: DELMER ELDRED pulse-of-america.org
Pulse of America 