January 12, 2008
by Clay Barham

Attack America from the outside and the American people unite to defend her.  Attack her from the inside and few seem to care.  That seems to be the central theme of the 2008 primary campaign.  Then, that being so, we must ask ourselves, "What is America?"

America is both a place and a concept.  There are principles associated with America found nowhere else in this world.  Almost 400 years ago, America began in New England based upon individuals and their families being free to make their own way, and responsible for the outcome.  They could prosper using sound values, and their interests, skills and talents to pursue their aspirations. 

Americans, living for their families and aspirations, not current conditions, comfort and cares for self, set the American apart from everyone else in the world. Americans and their families did prosper under freedom, and their communities benefitted.  Prosperous individuals built prosperous communities and states, then a national union of those states.  Everyone lived and worked "on the come" rather than the gimme now of the ordinary union member.

Americans wanted to be left alone to do their own thing, but willing to trade freely with other nations for the products Americans had for those other nations could provide.  The Americans had no designs of conquest.  They did not want to be involved in the conflicts of other nations not dedicated to the same freedom concepts. 

Yet, Americans did not want to be abused, and in the case of the Tripoli Pirates, reacted militarily to stop the abuse, similar to our current War on Terror. America, with only 5% of the world's population, holds close to 25% of the world's wealth.  That, in itself, tells the story that American principles of small government and large people worked best.

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Today, we accept the attacks on America from the inside by politicians advocating small people and big government.  Too many Americans have switched to old principles once rejected here, that present conditions, comforts and cares for self are more important than being free to create, challenge, and chase dreams, aspirations and interests. 

We have reached a point where satisfying the self-centeredness of individuals is more important than the self-interests of Americans for a better life in the future.  Americans are shifting away from an idea that their reach should exceed their grasp, to a position where each may grasp the property of others, through government, to satisfy their immediate needs.

This change has already occurred, itself an attack on America.  Those who brought it to us are calling for even greater change, which is more of the same, an import from the Old World that has never seen the freedoms and prosperity once defining America.

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Clay Barham [send him email] has been a candidate for the California legislature and a stand-in talk show host for ABC.  He was educated in physical and behavioral sciences, with a Ph.D. in sociology.  He is the author of five books, with his latest being Foundations of Modern American Conservatism and Liberalism: The Roots of Freedom and Tyranny.  Visit his website at http://www.claysamerica.com.

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