The CHIMES

Issue date: 12/11/09 Section: Opinion

The decline of our national pride has never made me as upset as it did at the basketball game here on campus, Nov 18. Students were sitting, talking to others or on the phone and kept their hats on their heads. Now, here was the problem for me. The national anthem was playing.

I would like to say "Bravo!" to Sharry Woodcock, because she actually stopped students from continuing to walk across the gym looking for friends or seats. She made them take off their hats and stand still for the national anthem. It's OUR national anthem, something that should make everyone proud. It represents our freedom and everyone should get up, shut up (unless you're singing along) and honor our country.

Our country could be much worse. We could have mass genocide because the government feels threatened; we could be stoned because they laughed out loud in public; or even killed because you practiced a different religion than the government allowed. We could have a ruler that gave us no choices or ruled for life just because they said it would be so. We could still have the draft or slavery and women could still be forced to stay in the home and not allowed to work. So, stand up and take pride in OUR country!

I have never seen so many people complain about our country and our leader. Yes, the President may not be who you voted for, although if memory serves, most people voted for Obama. So what if he may have made a mistake here or there? He is human and will make mistakes. If you really think he is not doing a good job, stop complaining to your friends and talk to your congressman/woman or local representative. If you want things changed tell the people who can change them. Complaining to your best friend is not going to do anything - unless your best friend is the president or a politician.

The war is another topic that people complain about. Yet when Bush wanted to go to war, the country was behind him and wanted to go to war. Now, all you hear about is how Bush screwed up and got us into a war nobody wanted. Really, people? A lot of people wanted to go to war right after 9/11; not just Bush.

You can also start voting. The younger generations need to start caring about this country, because believe it or not, one day we will run the country. No, I am not running for president, but I am still going to be voting for the person in power. We should care about the health care issue, the war, the economy. I get upset when I hear people complaining about the president or mayor, or whatever politician you complain about, yet when you ask who they voted for, they reply, "I didn't vote." Hello? That is part of the problem.

I am shocked at how many college students think these things do not affect them. News flash! It will; it may not affect you today or even tomorrow, but when you graduate and can't find a job because the jobs are all overseas, it will affect you. When you get sick and cannot go to the hospital because it costs too much and you have no health insurance, it will affect you.

People are worried about money, but not the economy. They're worried about looking good and getting all the latest stuff, but not the problems these gadgets can cause. People are worried about feeding third-world countries, but not taking care of the homeless or poor people in our own country. People are more upset about what type of dog the president got than where he went last week and what he talked about with other leaders of the world.

So please, start caring about our country. And stop whatever you're doing when they play the national anthem.

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