Infamy forgotten? On December 7, 1941 we were given a black eye from a sucker punch delivered to us by the Japanese.

This event in our history is a good time to reflect on the can do spirit that made this country great, that may or may not still exist. We briefly saw a unified effort post 9 -11 2001 but it quickly faded back in to our self centered daily lives far removed from the patriotic family once known as Americans. Before Pearl Harbor we did not widely hold the title of Super Power but as a result of the epic effort of all Americans to defeat the Nazis and the Japanese we emerged from a sleeping giant to a Super Power that was the envy of the world. Young men of every color, creed, and background rushed to volunteer to defend our country. House wives who never held a job outside of home making went to work manufacturing bombs and all other things needed in war time. We collectively rationed materials needed to support the war effort. We bought war bonds to fund it as opposed to borrowing it from foreign countries and still we accrued a massive amount of debt which even in todays money was larger in proportion than what we face now. But we even overcame that massive debt by the end of the sixties. In my life time I have only seen us act as a committed family of Americans twice. The first being the late sixties and early seventies when the vast majority of us Americans had grown tired of and had realized the Vietnam war was something we should not have been a part of. Protests were organized weekly in almost every major city were large masses

of people marched to bring an end to the war. These protests were escalated in 1969 when the draft lottery was instituted and many fled to Canada to escape the draft. This was capped off by the National Guard firing upon and killing four students at Kent State which led to massive civil unrest on a very large scale that in essence forced President Nixon to end the unpopular war. But having experienced and lived through this time, I was acutely aware that, We the People, most definitely have the power here, not those that we employ to govern us. There was no divisiveness then amongst us the American family. We stood in unity devoid of color, religion, class, or ethnic origin. We put aside our differences and did what we had to do to get the right thing done. I have seen it, The American Spirit, come together and accomplished great things so I for one refuse to believe our current status of massive debt is unsurpassable and leading to an economical Fiscal Cliff. If there is a will there is a way. What we lack is the collective will. Our egos have us standing behind our political parties, our races, our classes, and everything else except standing behind being an American that chooses to do the right thing for the country as a whole as opposed to the right thing for me, me, me. The second time I witnessed us being together as a patriotic family was just post 9-11 for a brief period when we resembled a nation of like minded citizens work toward the common goal once called the, American Dream. There have been a few collective times of American pride over the years like the landing of man on the moon but they quickly fade back into selfishness over selflessness. We have become a country needing wars to bolster our economy which flourishes while at war then goes into recession after the windfalls of war have been reaped by the elite. Some may disagree with that statement but here is what the Russians think in yesterdays Pravdas headline, USA needs more war and will never get sick of them. And if that isnt enough in the same front page they have a headline, Al-Qaeda helps USA solve its problems. Interesting reading and definitely food for thought because others on the outside can often see that which we miss much like the addict who tells all close to them that they dont have a problem that is clear to all others. Denial is kin to apathy where as will is kin to winning. If we as country are going to prevail over this looming debt and economic uncertainty we must first commit to come together as one American Family to conquer this black eye in our history like the others we have overcome in the past. anobody.com