Unity in the Christmas Season

In this holiday season., it would be nice if our country achieved some political unity and reconciliation.  The divisiveness in congress and elsewhere in the nation is hurting everyone.  With policies that reflect everyone's values, or at the very least, the majority of the American people, America can become a better place.

Citizenship: What We Really Need

In our country, we cannot have a system that restricts who is a citizen merely by where they are born.  We should instead pursue judgement of character as the paramount criterion.  Instead of worrying whether or not someone is from the US and isn't an illegal immigrant, we should instead look to those who will make our society better.  that's the kind of people we want making our decisions, that's the kind of citizen we need in America.  Rigidity in who we call a citizen or not a citizen will restrict who can take part in benefiting the nation, a situation America cannot afford to pursue.

This does not mean we will let all illegals in and legalize them.  No, but it does mean we need to have a new outlook on citizenship.  We want people to pursue active citizenship, trying to benefit society, no matter who they are or where they are from.  This can be a call to action for all Americans to step up and help society.

We hope, that one day in America, we will consider a citizen not just someone born in this country, or looks like they are from this country, but whether they want to improve and benefit this country.  In order to become a great nation, we must have great people.  In order to establish such a nation, we must all take action in our respective communities.  We must usher in a new age where Americans must take pride in their country, take pride in their work, and take pride in calling themselves citizens of the United States of America.  After all, we are not Whites, or Blacks, Caucasians, or Hispanics, legal or illegals, or even Democrats or Republicans.  Instead, we are Americans.  Though in will not be easy, we should all yearn for the day when everyone here in the United States of America will truly be United, and then we can truly call ourselves America.

Peace

This is a difficult and trying time in the world.  War is raging. People are hungry, sick, and devoid of hope.  What we do have is a sense of human dignity that unites us all.  Our belief in good and our desire to help others transcends all barriers and boundaries.  It bursts through walls and turns them to shambles.

Yet the iron grips of tyranny and oppression have not left this world.  We still live in a dangerous world, as evidenced by numerous wars and killings.  We need to tell the politicians and leaders who endorse this conflict that we will not take it anymore.  The world stands much more to gain from peace than from war.  If we join together as brothers and sisters, we can rid this world of evil.  We need to join together and help each other, help the world become a better place.