As I was growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s, I was proud to be an American. I was inspired by tales of how our nation rallied together during the recent war, and by the outpouring of love as our soldiers returned from the battlefields. We were a nation of compassion, understanding, and tolerance. Partially raised by my grandparents, they taught me to keep certain things in my life private, especially religion. They stressed respect for the beliefs of others, even when I didn’t agree with them.

If I was a young man today, I would be ashamed of my country. The values which made my country great are only memories. Fear, hatred, and judgement of others have replaced the good qualities I was taught in my youth. Sadly, I know how our country became a lesser nation filled with negative men and women.

One of the things my grandfather stressed was the avoidance of discussing politics in public. The subject was just too volatile. When the subject did enter conversation, issues which affected all Americans were at the center of those discussions. Taxes, international relations, and rising prices on everyday commodities frequently became subjects involved in heated discussions.

The severe level of anger our nation is experiencing today can be blamed on corrupt and self-serving politicians, and their most ardent supporters. It seems as if politics is the only subject discussed in conversation today. But the content of this subject matter has changed.

Politicians have introduced personal freedoms and individual rights into our daily lives. They have intentionally maneuvered the conversation away from the important issues and focused on what should be non-issues in or nation’s political system. They quickly learned after 9/11 that the people could be controlled by human’s greatest weakness; emotions.

The Constitution guarantees all Americans certain rights and freedoms. Freedom to practice religious preference openly, sexual orientation, and a woman’s right to choose how to maintain her own mental and physical health should have remained individual rights, individual freedoms, and never become ‘issues’ connected to political campaigns.

Politicians have intentionally allowed these liberties to become ‘hot button issues.’ One party has allowed the Christian religious right to influence their campaigns and decisions. They cast damnation on those who do not agree with Christian leaders, and have moved these issues into priority with promises to destroy the individual rights of those who oppose these men behind the pulpit.

Hate crimes are all too frequent; take a look at this case which happened recently in Atlanta. Two days before Valentine’s Day Martin Blackwell allegedly poured boiling water on his girlfriend’s son and boyfriend. Both young men suffered severe burns and spent weeks in a hospital. They were unable to sleep from excruciating pain. Blackwell’s reason; the young men were gay.

Bigotry is rampant in our nation. It has been this way throughout my lifetime, but only in the last decade has it once again become openly practiced. This hatred has been encouraged by certain politicians to divide our nation. Sadly, it has worked. Voters go to the polls and vote for parties rather than the most qualified individuals. The voting public is perpetuating fear and hatred, and therefore preventing our nation from becoming great once again.

If the principles guaranteed by our forefathers in the Bill of Rights are ignored, and even discarded, America ceases to exist; the dream will have suffered death by suicide.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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