I remember my first car. It was an old Renault Dauphine. It was a real piece of junk. But it was MY piece of junk. I had worked for it. I saved the money I earned from my after school job and paid for it myself. No one bought it for me. I did the best I could to take care of it, even though it was far from the nicest car in the high school student parking lot. Would I have been as proud of it if it were a gift from my parents? I doubt it. As I said, it a real POS.
Do we as citizens of the United States truly value our status? For the most part, I doubt that we do. Immigrants from less fortunate countries do. They have struggled to get here, because they sought opportunity for themselves and their children, not available in their home countries. Our soldiers and veterans do. They have served their country because they recognized it was essential to preserve our freedoms and way of life. I think our first responders in times of disaster and emergency do. They often risk their own lives to protect their neighbors.
How about the rest of us? Who has taken the time to read the Constitution? It is a truly marvelous document. We have ignored it, and, even worse, have allowed too many to tell us it is deeply flawed and that parts of it are over rated. Our Constitution is the protection we have against tyranny. How many of us understand that? Our military personnel do. Each of them has taken an oath to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, and bear true allegiance to the same”. As Lt. Col Allen West (Ret.) explained, there is no statute of limitations on that oath.
Today, I regret that not every American has had the privilege of serving. I truly believe it makes us better citizens. That is not to say that one must be in the military to be a good citizen. I think I was a good citizen before I was on active duty, but I think I am a more responsible citizen now that I have had that experience.
How about our elected officials? Our congressmen, senators, president and vice-presidents all swear to protect and defend the Constitution whenever they take the oath of office. Now, look to see who is actually doing that. It would seem that too many either do not know what the Constitution requires, or they choose to ignore it. If they do not know, teach them! Read it yourself, and require the candidate for whom you vote knows, respects and will follow the Constitution. That will be the salvation of our country, our government of, for and by the people, and our very way of life.
Dr. Jacobs is a Reproductive Endocrinologist, practicing in Carrollton, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas. He completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and remained at that institution to become its first fellow once Baylor achieved accreditation for an advanced training program in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Jacobs has served on the faculty of several medical schools and was director of Reproductive Endocrinology at Texas Tech Health Science Center in Amarillo. Currently, in addition to his clinical activities caring for infertile patients and those with recurrent pregnancy loss, he is Chairman of the IVF committee at Baylor Medical Center in Carrollton.
Tue, Feb 2, 2010
Activism