Do we have the guts of our parents and/or grandparents?

[Cyrano]

Many of our parents and/or grandparents escaped some oppressive regime. The label of that regime may have been fascism, communism, or any other "ism" you want to call it. It doesn't matter. They suffered greatly and then took the great risk of coming to a strange land so their children could have better lives. And here we are today, caving in to every evil from which they tried to save us.

Yes, the evil of which I'm speaking is the Bush Administration and every Republican who supports them.

Many of us were either born elsewhere, or are first or second generation Americans. Yet, we don't seem to have the guts of those who brought us here for "safety." Think about your forebears for just a moment and try to imagine the courage that drove them to come here.

I don't know how to go about combating the corruption that has engulfed our entire system of government. But fight it we must. If for no other reason than to honor and be true to those who risked everything to make a better life for us in what they believed to be a country of freedom and justice.

[babylonsister]

1. I think we are doing okay w/the internet.

We are approaching 2000 dead in Iraq (thank you, brettdale). That is too many. Not to even mention the injured, psychologically challenged, etc.
DU has lots of positive info and feelings. It's the best!
The corruption is being addressed.
Peace.

[Cyrano]

4. Sorry, babylonsister, but it's not being addressed.

Positive info and feelings from DU are outstanding. But, unfortunately, far more is needed.

We are up against the most despicable people that have ever attained control of our government.

Singing "We shall overcome," just isn't going to cut it this time around. I really don't know what Martin Luther King or Bobby Kennedy would have done, given today's corporate media that would refuse to get their message out.

I have often wondered, what would Gandhi do today, in this country, under these circumstances.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Cyrano I KNOW what Jefferson and Franklin would have

done by this stage... and yuo know it as well, so how long?

[babylonsister]

13. You are not on here as much as I am.

And we aren't singing or dancing; get over that and get a clue.
Have you been watching the news lately?

[babylonsister]

22. I am too rabid and apologize.

Opinions are like assholes; ours differ but I surely don't want to create bad blood.

[Kailassa]

24. not sure about that ...

Surely with an opinion it's better to have more input than output?

[lectrobyte]

6. Some days I think this is just CB radio with a lot more typing.

Or as Kurt Vonnegut might put it, if the internet could change anything, it'd be against the law.

[Patchuli]

2. That's a great post!

I agree and I miss our parents. Now it's up to us though to get this country though this fascist regime, just like the folks did in the 40s and 50s with McCarthyism.

Nominated.

[texpatriot2004]

3. I was just thinking about my ancestors who came from Ireland

well on one side anyway. How hard to go to a strange land and start all over.

I am a soft American. I think most Americans are soft and spoiled (no offense) but we, especially my generation (GenX) and those after me are like, what, no diet coke? No cable? No cellphone? What's up with that? Blah blah...you know the drill.

Still, I hope we will find the political will and the courage to fight this evil regime whatever that looks like.

[GrumpyGreg]

18. As someone who was born in the depression and gave birth to a

few Boomers,I agree with you.

Materialism is rampant and most young folks don't know what the meaning of the word "sacrifice is.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. I suspect they will soon learn what it means

I truly do fear what this will do to the Gen xers and the Millenials...

[pscot]

5. In a word, No.

n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. No

I am an immigrant myself, I know how much my parents sacrificed to get me here

My father left Poland in '46 to go to MEXICO since the US would not let him in... but when they gave me and my sister the chance to come over here, they did such because they watned us to have a beter life

As an immigrant it is irritiating.. many native born do NOT know what previous generations have sacrificed, (they don't teach no history in them fancy schools no more)

My father has said to me several timse, as he KNOWS some of the things I have done... they will kick you out one day... and quite honestly he may be correct... I look at my nephews and go, SHIT I do this for them

But the true answer is no.. I don't know whether it is becuase people are too comfy, too anesthesized, or simply cannot fathom their pure gov'ment being this evil

This is the moment of decision and I wonder if it is within the spirit of America any longer.

[fooj]

9. I'd like to think so.

My nono and nona told me that they would never forget The Statue of Liberty and what it meant to them. It seems natural to want to fight for our democracy. Once, we were the shining beacon of hope for many...

Nominated.

Peace.

[Cyrano]

21. I've often seen the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island ferry.

I grew up in NY and every time I looked at that statue, my eyes filled with tears as I imagined what my grandparents must have felt when they first saw it.

The inscription, written by Emma Lazarus, reads: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Hopefully, these words will ring down through the ages.

But under this administration, that door has been slammed shut. And it well may be that those "... yearning to breathe free ..." may have to go elsewhere. One of the greatest symbols of freedom in the history of the world, has been desecrated by Bush & Company.

It's time to take back all that belongs to "We the people...".

[DivinBreuvage]

10. Cyrano (love your name!) I'm not sure the question is really accurate

The truth of the matter, historically, is that people with guts are always a miniscule percentage of the population. Compare the number of immigrants to those who stayed behind. Compare the population of the 13 colonies to the number of people who actually fought in or funded the Revolution. Miniscule.

So, yes, most of the people in the country and probably on this board (myself included I fear) are gutless, just as most of our ancestors were. But still, somewhere, there's that handful who do have guts. They're the ones who will bleed and die and possibly get the job done while the rest of us are busy keeping a low profile.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Well you are right to a point

the Revolution was fought by two thirds, 0ne third fought for the crown, the other for the Revolution and the last one, just tried to stay out of the way...

Oh well, the noose is already around my neck... once this is over I will HAVE to write this for my nephews... who knows might take it to print

[Gregorian]

12. It wasn't courage that drove them here. It was a bullet.

Fear was what brought them here. My grandmother lived in a marble palace. She rode horses. She lived with her family in a community of friends.

Now my great uncle did have courage. He stayed. He built an orphanage for the children who lost their parents. And was augered to a wall by murderous Turks. And to this day, there stands a statue of him in the plaza of his town.

There is one thing that I always fear. It's not over until it's over. I'm 49 years old. There's a lot of time left to find out if I have the courage. I just hope I don't ever have to find out. That's why I'm at DU.

[glitch]

14. I think we'll know within the next month. It's been a long 5 years waiting

to see if an intervention would be necessary, or if the system really could fight off this cancer with it's built-in defenses.

If it does I admit I'll be awestruck.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. If it does I will dance

far less painful, than the alternative, trust me

[glitch]

29. I think everybody will be dancing in the streets!

Let's visualize it.

[alittlelark]

16. My grandparents were both born pre-1900

They survived the Great Depression w/3 kids (they had more later). Grampa was WWI at 16 years old. One's ancesters came here on the Mayflower. They were both HARD CORE. They would survive anything (miscarriages, wars...)....

I wish I could talk to them in light of our present situation. I did not appreciate them as much as I should have. They were still alive when I was in HS - in their early 80's.

I know that G'pa was a nasty hard-core Republican that believed in unions and was racist as hell, and that G'ma was his apologist.

I would love to have gotten some recorded history from them.

I remember them both RAILING against Nixon.

sigh

[Freedomfried]

17. Americans today are soft and lazy....

They've lost the ability to survive without credit cards, Walmarts and Ralphs grocery stores.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. The credit card was slowly foisted on the people

remember that, ok... as to Ralphs, it is part of an urban population

Soon that also may change...

Me thinking on how to do some canning

[Miss Chybil]

23. Freedom AND Justice

We have had neither for five years. I miss my country. I want it back. My forebeares came here on the pilgrim ships. My ancestors helped forge this land. They fought in every war since the war of Independence. They dug the dirt and planted things. They cut down trees and built things. They married and had babies and they welcomed all those who came after them to a land of freedom AND justice. And now, like thieves in the night, the Bush regime has stolen all that made us American. They have tried to squelch all that was just and free. They have sold us up the river for stock options and government contracts. They will not survive their rape of our country. Their political capital is spent. Their piggy banks are empty. They are done. Justice will take them to the prisons they bank-rolled and then cleaned up on. Justice will prevail. Yes, we have the guts.

[lostnfound]

25. "caving in to every evil from which they tried to save us"

Well put.

As a parent myself, I often consider the same perspective you've written so eloquently about. The legacy our grandparents gave us was a special kind of freedom. Our failure to recognize the nature of "enemies domestic" has led us to throw it away. Plus we are 'sleep-walking into' environmental catastrophe.

[On the Road]

26. My Mother's Ancestors Left Southwestern Germany

(across from Strassbourg, France) in the 1840, reportedly to escape being drafted for the stupid little wars the petty monarchs were always starting.

This time, there's no new world to go to. We have to change this one.

[intheflow]

27. You don't even have to look at immigrants for grandparent/parent guts.

What about the families who were already living in the U.S. and fought for women's rights, civil rights, children's rights, labor rights, and against McCarthyism and Nixon?

Brave to come here, yes. Brave to stay and fight as well.

~ intheflow
Second generation Lebanese-Italian American on my father's side, DAR on my mother's side.

[Cyrano]

28. Thank you and your family for all you've done.

However, it might have been well advised to leave out the reference to your mother's relationship with the DAR.

This is not the proper thread in which to discuss this organization, but you might want to do a little bit of research on your own.

[intheflow]

30. I didn't mean it as a political organization reference.

No one in my family is a member as far as I know. I meant it as a historical point of reference: 20th century immigrant heritage on one side of the family, 17th century on the other (her family arrived in 1632). But you're right. I should have been more clear.

*Edited for atrocious typos.