NEW AMERICAN TRUTH: October 2007

American Thinking: From My Soapbox
Frank Borelli

When any new book is released or being prepared for release, reviews are sought. Obviously every writer would prefer to receive positive reviews, but one of the main purposes is to receive feedback that will ultimately better the book – or the ability to sell it. When my publisher was preparing to release my book “American Thinking: Sustaining The Warrior Values That Made America Strong – And Still Can!” we sought out reviews. Because of the communities that I work in – law enforcement and military – many of those we received reviews from came from those communities. 99% of the feedback was strongly positive.

Recently I’ve been receiving some feedback from the civilian community; still of the warrior mindset but not folks who serve in uniform. Amongst that feedback is the common criticism that the book’s title leads someone to believe it might offer lessons to ALL Americans, rather than focusing on military and law enforcement. As I’ve heard that criticism more than once and I’ve been specifically asked how I feel about “American Thinking” in general, I sat down to type out this article. Let me try to best offer my outlook on what American Thinking should be. To do so I will use more than a few quotes from famous Americans and will offer my commentary appropriately. Remember as you read that this is MY opinion and not everyone will agree with all of it. I happily accept dissenting opinions via email to frank@newamericantruth.com.

“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” ~Adlai Stevenson

I specifically sought out such a quote to open with. Being an American and thinking / living / acting in a patriotic fashion isn’t something that can be accomplished one day each week or only in the few days after someone has attacked our country (as happened after 9-11). Living your life as a patriotic American requires a daily commitment to the values and liberties that were secured for us by our forefathers and which have been maintained by the commitment and sacrifices of great men and women across the lifespan of our country. If you are an American, BE AMERICAN every day. Be blatant about it. Be forward about it. Be clear and outspoken about your willingness to support your country, even if you don’t support politicians. Most of the time I don’t support politicians… but I will ALWAYS support the United States of America.

“A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.” ~George William Curtis

America isn’t just a place. It’s a concept. It’s an outlook on human rights, liberties, freedoms, and representation. What our enemies haven’t seemed to realize is that as long as one American lives to pass along the message of freedom and liberty, America cannot be destroyed. Geographic space can be invaded and attacked; citizens can be killed and wounded; politicians can argue. AMERICA doesn’t change. What I believe truly angers many in the world today is that America the concept is spreading around the world with minor changes and in various forms. But in the end, most of the citizens of the world would prefer to live under the mantle of our opportunities and freedoms than under any dictator or more restrictive form of government. America is a place. American Thinking is spreading like wild fire…

“There are those, I know, who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American dream.” ~Archibald MacLeish

What human alive today doesn’t desire freedom of choice? I’m not talking about the choice of abortion or the choice of sexual orientation or anything so specific. I’m talking about the simple freedom of choice that we Americans enjoy to walk around in peace and freedom; to voice our opinions without fear of government prosecution; to vote in elections; to pursue an education either publicly or privately and more. We have enough common prosperity that the large majority of us can choose what to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner and even have multiple choices of desert. We Americans enjoy a freedom of thought and expression that is unheard of in many places around the globe. Unfortunately, we often take it for granted and don’t use it or don’t defend it. VALUE it every day. As Paul Sweeney said, “How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy.”

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” ~Elmer Davis

This is a HUGE point and concept. In today’s world – indeed across the past few decades – many American have grown to value conversation and negotiation more than standing their ground and fighting for what they believe in. There are those in America today who would tell you it’s better to give something up rather than fight. I have news for them: Some Things Are Worth Fighting For! As country singer Toby Keith says in one of his songs, “Freedom isn’t free.” The price to be paid is the willingness to fight for it; to defend it; to protect it at all costs. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m as willing as the next guy to negotiate with my enemies and work on a few compromises. That said, NONE of those compromises will EVER minimize my liberties or freedoms, and second to that, none of those compromises will reduce the level of security my family enjoys. Two quotes are applicable here:

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” ~Thomas Jefferson

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ~Benjamin Franklin

The blood that Thomas Jefferson referred to is part of the price we Americans have to be willing to pay to maintain our liberty. All too often in today’s world there are Americans who value their liberties so little that they are unwilling to fight for them. Instead, they’ll compromise away their liberty and eventually end up living on their knees.

Those Americans are the same people who willingly give up liberty to seek safety. The safety they seek isn’t permanent or true. It’s really a temporary reprieve from a fight. The child who runs away from a bully and thinks he has escaped a fight is wrong and we all know it. That child has done nothing more than put the fight off to another day. The bully will never stop being a bully until he’s taught that he no longer has willing victims. The bully’s days are ended when one child stands up and says, “Nope. I’ll fight you and you might win but you’re not walking away unmarked.” The safety sought by the child who runs away is exactly the false security I’m talking about. If we, as Americans, are willing to negotiate with our enemies in an attempt to appease them to prevent further violence on their part, we’re only buying time until the next conflict. At SOME point we have to stand our ground, say NO MORE and be willing to fight. When we fight we have to be committed to it and determined to WIN without apology or shame. If our enemy doesn’t want their ass liberally handed to them then they shouldn’t have picked that fight.

“And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” ~Lee Greenwood

But many of us do forget them every day. We forget what they sacrificed. We forget the lives and blood they gave for future generations unknown to them. We dishonor their memory by not having the same commitment and willingness. If we are truly going to be PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN then we have to think and act in a way that puts America in the forefront of our mind.

For far too many people “being a good American” means carefully watching what the government does to make sure our liberties aren’t infringed upon. I think that’s great. I think it’s wonderful. While those people sit and examine and often bicker and complain I ask this: What are you giving back to the country you spend all your time complaining about?

“Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” ~John F. Kennedy

All of us, every day, have to do what is necessary to care and provide for or families. However, we should all be able to do so without creating a drain on the resources of our country. We should be able to care for our families AND give something back to America. Volunteer at your local school; do something to support your local youth groups; go walk the edge of a roadway in our community and pick up the trash. DO SOMETHING to improve the part of America where YOU live. In one of his songs Garth Brooks sings, “We don’t reach for handouts; we reach for those who are down.” This expresses one of the best characteristics of Americans. We don’t ask for something we haven’t earned, and more often than not, we’ll go out of our way to help others who DO need assistance in some way.

“Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.” ~John Dickinson

"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation of all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities." ~Teddy Roosevelt

I have said this before and I’ll say it again: I don’t care WHAT cultural background you hail from. At birth I was a mix of German, American Indian and other peoples. I was adopted into an Italian family and raised as an Italian. I DON’T CARE what your cultural background is. I don’t care if you want to identify yourself in such a way as to include your cultural heritage. However, if you INSIST on putting your cultural heritage BEFORE being American – then I invite you to go back to whatever country your culture is from. If you don’t value America enough to put it first, then go back where you think is more important and valuable. I’m an AMERICAN. I’m not an Italian-American, German-American, Native American, etc. I’m an AMERICAN. If you insist on including your cultural background the put it AFTER AMERICAN. If we don’t ALL consider ourselves Americans first and foremost then we most certainly have divided ourselves into different nationalities and doomed ourselves as President Roosevelt specified.

“Sometimes people call me an idealist. Well, that is the way I know I am an American. America is the only idealistic nation in the world.” ~Woodrow Wilson

Amen. I have been called an idealist more times than I can count, and it wasn’t until I read this quote that I was proud of it. What is wrong with being an idealist? Certainly there is a difference between idealism and realism, but are they mutually exclusive? Can’t we be idealists who strive for a greater existence within the realistic boundaries of life? America was created on the best ideals of the time; ideals that would never and will never decrease across time; the same ideals we should all be striving for today. Be an idealist; be an American.

“Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong.” ~James Bryce

Again I say, Amen. But doing so demands a commitment to putting our own energy and effort into America every day. It is done by showing respect to the country while striving to effect positive change or improvement. Being proud of the country and taking pride in our citizenship is what we need to maintain even if we are dissatisfied with some item of contemporary American citizenship.

If you read through all of the above you’ll understand why I think warrior values are necessary in a strong America. We can’t stand to be bullied. We will not have the most basic values of our liberties and freedoms bargained or negotiated away for the false perception of increased safety or even decreased chance of conflict. Americans stand their ground, helping where they can, fighting where they must.

I’ll step down off that soapbox now…