I feel as though I was born 50 years after my time.
Reading about the Humberto Leal Garcia case is almost enough to make my blood boil. This man raped and murdered a 16 year old girl in San Antonio while staying in America illegally. In a rare strike of judicial justice, Humberto was put to death today after being given the death penalty sentence in 1994 at the conclusion of his trial. Any logical (I know thats asking a lot in the 2000's) person would see this as justice at its best, a man losing his life for killing an innocent girl and forever changing the lives of the people she was close to. The "international community", however, sees it differently, branding Texans as barbarians and criticizing Perry for allowing his execution.
Their argument is simple, since Garcia is not an American citizen, America has no right to execute him regardless of his actions. Well if we can provide non-citizens with education, medical services, welfare, etc. and they don't have any problems with that, why is it any of their damn business what we do with people who rape and murder our citizens? It shouldn't be. If I went to Mexico tonight and got pulled over by a crooked cartel cop and didn't have enough money to buy my way out of Mexican jail, would the international community weep for me? No because I am an American and I am not "helpless".
This is the problem I have with progressivism in general. As a country we spend so much time and money helping those that "can't" (don't want to) help themselves that we have lost the competitive edge that has historically made us a powerful nation.
Ideals such as personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism, personal freedoms and hard work are what this country was built on. The idea that given the freedom to prosper, a person can do great things with hard work is the notion that made America great. As the country has aged, people have slowly started sacrificing these freedoms in favor of government assistance in the form of handouts and regulations.
Instead of being an individualistic nation, in which each person is responsible for their own happiness and success, we have developed this mentality of "they can't help it" and "it's not their fault". "She murdered her 8 children because she is crazy, she can't help it", killing 8 children is crazy... its crazy enough to warrant the death penalty. "He dropped out of High School and doesn't have a job, it is our responsibility to take care of him", if we didn't take care of him maybe he'd get his GED and find a job. Some of the greatest men in history stepped up and became men out of necessity, we are depriving our most vulnerable citizens of this chance but not allowing them to accept personal responsibility.
Being soft is no way to be a great nation. We became the best because as a country we could kick ass and take names without thinking twice. World War II wasn't won through being a humanitarian, it was won through the individual efforts of Americans using force and ingenuity. We didn't go easy on Hitler "because he's crazy", we did what we needed to win and we weren't afraid to work hard to do it.
It is imperative that as a nation we move away from this trend and soon. Mediocracy should not be something celebrated but something feared. To be a great nation you cannot just settle for good enough, you have to aspire to improve with every step you take. This is not a harsh critique but a reality: If we do not work harder as a nation, we will be surpassed within the next two decades.
As a child, Teddy Roosevelt was frail and not expected to live to be an adult. Doctors continuously used the words won't and can't and Roosevelt's father presented him with a choice: live a short, half-hearted life or prove them wrong. Roosevelt worked hard and strengthened his mind and body, becoming a successful outdoorsman, businessman and most memorably one of the greatest presidents we have ever had. Men like Roosevelt were not born, they were made.
America, lets stand up and make some more great men.
