Americans live in the most imaginative, productive and prosperous country on the entire planet. That prosperity was seeded by our founders in our Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each of us to the “pursuit,” notice I said “pursuit” – of happiness. That first resolute generation, sowed those seeds with blood, sweat, tears and grit. As it was for them in their time, it is now our time to build upon the legacy of those remarkable freedom fighters.
Throughout our history, Americans have unselfishly helped our neighbors, as well as just about every other nation on earth during their time of need, asking only respect and friendship in return. Sometimes we achieved one or the other and sometimes, neither.
After the “unprovoked” violence of September 11, 2001, many Americans still feel vulnerable and anxious about the safety of our nation and our families. We remain seriously concerned about loved ones deployed to war zones and continue to have anxiety about potential successful acts of terrorism, including the prospect of nuclear, chemical or biological attacks. But, allowing these emotions to rule our lives and control our actions would be a serious mistake.
The best defense is always a good offense and those who participate in the process, run circles around the spectators. Selecting a problem and becoming part of the solution will produce a magnificent sense of personal achievement. After all, life is voluntary.
American Exceptionalism came to life with the birth of the US. Explicitly designed to be a nation of laws and created on the concept of individual liberty and equal justice before the law. Our Founding Fathers institutionalized our freedoms so we would be safe from the overreaching burdens and whimsical claims of an all powerful government. Those precious freedoms allow us to live as we please, within the limits of the law to achieve, in ways large and small, to the benefit of our entire community.
Even through these trying times, American Exceptionalism survives. Faced with dark days of war, economic recession and foreign hostilities, we keep faith in the uniqueness of our American experiment. Liberty presents opportunity that inspires the engine of economic growth and influential innovation.
Critics are rarely found on the field, as they are usually safely situated comfortably in their bleacher seats. Consequently, it is not new or amazing that complainers and posers have much in common. More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt explained to his generation, “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
If we take the time to appreciate the efforts of the audacious Americans who lived before us, it is simple to see how important our actions will be to the lives of Americans not yet born. So, if you happen to find yourself stressing over a particular issue from on high, come down here on the field and tell me, what are you going to do for America today?
Henry Piarrot is the general manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at Sevierville 407. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarrot@yahoo.com
“History makes you clairvoyant.” – Piarrot
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Henry, Enjoyed your article tremendously!