This I Believe

This I Believe in all the principles that make our country strong. The main principle that makes our country strong is freedom and democracy. Those principles make our country a shining beacon of light for all the repressed people throughout the world to look up to. Despite the strengths of the principles that make our country strong, the values that we hold dear are being threatened every day by a variety of things. Those threats have become more and more pronounced over the past several decades.

The biggest issue facing our country is the decline of the American Dream. Through policies put forward by the federal government and by foreign threats alike, the prospects of average American citizens of finding the American Dream are becoming dimmer and dimmer. Throughout the past few decades, we have seen a major decline in the standard of living for the middle class and a widening disparity between the rich and the poor in our society. We have seen the elites in our society bring down the economy through their own unbridled greed and selfish interests. We have also been attacked by outside groups looking to bring down our country and way of life.

Despite the negative events that have impacted us throughout the last several decades, we have seen countless acts of humility and unity throughout our everyday lives. After the 9/11 attacks, there was a sense of unity in this country that had not been seen for many decades. In addition, when natural disasters hit, we have seen that people were willing to risk their own lives by helping their less fortunate neighbors. Those examples of humility helped me to understand that while the American Dream is threatened, many people are willing to look past that and still help their fellow man.

I believe that the American Dream will someday be renewed. Our country is not one to turn its back on pressing issues and harsh challenges. Through faith and sacrifice, we can overcome any problem that we face as a country. Furthermore, by overcoming such challenges, our country will become much stronger and continue to remain as a beacon of light beckoning people from all across the world looking to find freedom and the pursuit of happiness.