Thoughtful Thursday ~ Patriotism

Last week my family and I had the opportunity to gather with a whole lot of other like-minded conservatives to listen to Glenn Beck as he unveiled his "9-12 Project".  There were about five hundred people at the gathering in South Jordan where we were, and there were thousands more in similar groups all around the country.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what I got.

I thought Glenn would tell me stuff, fill my mind with his views. Instead, he encouraged me to discover for myself what I believe. Educate myself. Know myself. 

Glenn suggested that each of us read, if we haven't done so already, The Thousand Year Leap and The Real George Washington. Form a book group, of sorts, and discuss what we learn from these books. Keep abreast of the news and apply the things we have learned from these books to the news of the day.

In six months, Glenn wants to 'meet' again, and see how we have grown and what has been the product of us educating ourselves.

As a Canadian, I am rather excited by this assignment. I am shocked at how quickly it is turning from it's capitalist and conservative roots. I want to better understand what is happening to know what, if anything, I can do to help restore the United States to the strength and beauty it once possessed.

Even though I am not yet officially an American citizen, I want to stand up and be counted among those who love this country and and will fight to retain it's founding principles

Beck '08

Tonight my great friend (and YW President), Wendy, took me and David out to see Glenn Beck's live Election '08 show. I wish we'd gotten a picture!

It was a great show. For one thing, there were two theaters filled to capacity at our local movie place, and there were theaters around the country hosting the show as well. It was inspiring and made me feel hopeful that there were other people nationwide who felt as we do about this great nation and its potential for good in the world.

Glenn told a story that sums up how I feel about this great country. He talked about his little girl who, at the age of eight told him that she wanted to attend Yale University when she grew up.

At the time, Glenn was barely making ends meet and could barely afford to pay is meager $695/month rent payment. How in the world would he ever pay for Yale?

He told his little girl that he bet if she worked really hard, she could one day go to Yale, if she really wanted to, and secretly he hoped that she would work hard enough to earn herself scholarships!

Well, this spring he walked with his daughter on the campus of an ivy league school. He painted the picture for us:

A lovely spring day walking among the old ivy-covered stone buildings. He strode behind his daughter who walked side by side a professor while the cherry blossoms were caught on the breeze and swirled to the ground at their feet.

"This," he thought, "this is the moment to remember." This was the moment he had worked hard for--and his daughter both, had worked for. She, to earn a place in that esteemed institution, and he to achieve economic freedom sufficient to help his daughter fulfill her dreams.

That is America.

The land of opportunity. Each of us has the opportunity, the right, to be all that we dream we can be--through hard work and perseverance. It doesn't require a government hand out. Not a stimulus check or free healthcare. What it requires is guts.

I sat in a room tonight with thousands of other people across the country who all believe in the same thing ... our God given freedom and right to be all that He created us to be. I will stand in defense of that freedom. Will you?