Johnny O

I am angry. Over the last fifty years, our country has waged a war on moral excellence. We have diminished the achievements of those who exemplify moral excellence in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the business world, and instead have become a nation that celebrates mediocrity and entitlement. We no longer speak of God in government or schools, for fear of offending the sensibilities of anyone who does not believe. Many people refuse to accept the existence of a higher ethical code, the universal, other worldly morality that for thousands of years has been a guiding force for humanity. We have forsaken standards, and become a nation of rules. Even worse, the voices of morality have been drowned out by the talking heads who tell us that we are wrong to believe in God, and disrespectful to display our belief in something greater then us. This is not my America.

The tragedy in Sandy Hook has rightfully heightened the call for additional gun control in this country. That being said, we are once again losing sight of the real issue here: laws do not change behavior as much as high standards and moral imperatives do. Laws compel behavior, but they do not change attitudes or they way people see right and wrong. Laws are there to be tested, amended, and eventually broken by those who do not feel that the rules apply to them. Our nation has become a nation of laws, and our populace has an ever increasing number of people who preach that rules are not applicable when they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, and not self serving.

We used to be a nation of standards and righteousness. We used to speak of things such as liberty, freedom, and justice. We used to celebrate love, commitment, hard work, compassion, integrity, and humility, characteristics that all humans can, and should aspire to. They do not require government assistance, or money, or power. They just require the belief in something greater then ourselves, and a less ego-centric view of life.

A nation of high moral standards takes care of its poor, its downtrodden, and lends a helping hand to those who need one. It protects its’ children, the environment, and all people. It promotes freedom, liberty and justice because they are virtuous, and not because it is required to do so by laws and rules. A nation of standards sets the bar high for all of its citizens, and demands selflessness, not selfishness.

American exceptionalism arose from the creation of a nation that adhered to Judeo Christian standards, and not an abundance of secular rules. Our nation of standards was not, nor has ever been perfect. We became a model for the world because of what we aspired to be, and what we committed to become. Now we have lost our way. We have traded standards for rules. We have traded aspiration for compliance. We have stopped serving others, and focused on serving ourselves first.

More laws and stricter gun control will not prevent future Sandy Hooks, but they are ways for our politicians and leaders to pretend they are doing something. It is far easier for them to throw money and media at the symptoms of our moral decline then it is to strike at the underlying causes of sin and a collapse of our value system. Why? Because a focus on values would shine the light upon the putrid behavior of many of our so called leaders, the very men and women who are supposed to personify what is best about America, and not what is worst. A focus on moral imperatives exposes the values of a country that has become so corrupted by wealth, power and greatness that we no longer remember how we or why we became great. Do we really believe that our leaders - many of whom on a daily basis put party above country, and their own quest for reelection and power before the long term security and prosperity of our nation - are going to prevent the next Sandy Hook with a few new laws?

Instead, we need to begin the change at home. Our kids need parents, not additional best friends. We need to demand more of ourselves, and expect less from our government. We need more religion in our lives, not less. We need to pay more attention to our moral imperatives, and less to our secular platitudes. We need higher standards, and fewer rules. Sure we can reduce the amount of bullets in a magazine, or the accessibility of semi-automatic weapons, but if we want real change, we need people to say “These things are right, and these things are wrong, and its time to take a stand.”

I believe in American greatness, and the ability of our nation to once again be a symbol for enduring righteousness and a moral barometer for the world. I believe in the capacity of the American people to change ourselves, and change our country. I believe that we can prevent more Sandy Hook’s, and turn that incredible sadness into a moment that defines who we are as a country. This does not require acts of Congress; it requires acts of kindness, and generosity, and compassion. It requires us to hug our kids tighter, and be better parents. It asks us to attend religious services, and admit that there are moral imperatives for which we should aspire to. We can change ourselves, and that will bring about far greater change then any new laws can.

And what to do when we are confronted by the secularists, who claim that there is no moral authority, and that we should not impose our beliefs on others? Well, first we can respect their beliefs, for they are entitled to them. Then, we can look them in the eye and tell them, “I’m sorry you feel that way, because that is not my America.”