Right from the Middle: How we can bring America back
Right from the Middle: Former Congressman Bill Lipinski advocates Americans to reverse the nation’s downward trends that include a very significant decline in America’s religious beliefs and in attendance at religious services, decline in marriages, families, patriotic spirit and individual responsibility. He asks public to share their ideas on how to strengthen America
By Bill Lipinski
In my last column, I talked about America’s decline since the late 1950’s and why this has occurred.
I listed the following causes; a very significant decline in America’s religious beliefs and in attendance at religious services, decline in marriages, families, patriotic spirit and individual responsibility.
It is my firm belief if we can reverse the downward spiral in these areas, we can reverse the decline of America and if that can be done it will not only be good for America but good for the world.
These will be my ideas and suggestions. I am sure many of you have you own ideas and suggestions and I am sure they will be just as good as mine. I would like very much to hear your suggestions and ideas we need all the help we can get in this Crusade to bring America back to its pinnacle of influence for good in the world.
All optimistic thinking Americans should join this Crusade for their own benefit, their families benefit, America’s benefit and the benefit of the entire world I believe God made America special and unique to serve as a beacon of hope and dreams for the rest of the world to emulate.
Let us — that’s spelled capitol U.S. — to find our moral compass and lead the world to peace progress and prosperity under God. Now let’s get to work.
The first thing we can all do is believe in and practice the Golden rule treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Religious leaders, educational institutions, Government, Business, Labor, entertainment Industry, News media, and individuals must advocate publicly often and accurately the value of God and religion to individuals and to our democratic republic.
Study after study in the last 25 years has proven the enormous importance of religion for individuals and for our country.The practice of religion appears to have great potential for addressing many of the problems of our present society.
The strength of the family is directly connected to the practice of religion. Church attendance is most often the predictor of marital stability and happiness.
Religion, marriage and family are the best ways to inoculate individuals from a host of social problems, such as divorce, crime, out 0f wedlock births, suicide, drug abuse, alcoholism delinquency, welfare dependency, and depression.
The Practice of religion is good for individuals, families, states, and our democratic Republic. Our founding fathers, perhaps the greatest lovers of freedom the world has ever seen promoted the freedom of all Americans to practice their religious beliefs.
Unfortunately the courts and our law makers have worked extremely hard to move religion out of the public square because they say it robs individuals of some of their freedom and discriminate against nonbelievers.
Americans have always worked to protect the rights of nonbelievers despite persistent complaining on the subject nonbelievers rights have remained totally unthreatened. Positive thinking Americans must work to bring religion back to the public square.
America cannot reverse its decline without calling on the strengths that come to it from the practice of their religious beliefs. Powerful strong religious beliefs make many things possible that would be unobtainable otherwise.
An area where this has been proven time after time to be true is where strong, lasting religious belief, marriages and family can be particularly helpful to minority children in achieving the American way of life.
Studies have shown religious minority families have produced children more optimistic about their future, have better relationships with their parents, more likely to have serious and realistic goals , not see themself as victims of discrimination, but individuals in the mainstream of American life. We all must work diligently to rekindle a true patriotic spirit in all Americans.
I believe this can be done by continually pointing out the great benefits that all citizens of this country enjoy. And how we have continued to work very hard to remove prejudice and discrimination in our land of liberty. In the history of mankind man and woman have never been freer and have had more opportunity then in this Democratic Republic of ours.
This spirit of patriotism can be manifested by parades, celebrations of our nations holidays, and the erections of statues of our great American Patriots.
And by making American history part of the curriculum in elementary school middle school high school and college so that individuals will know the great accomplishments of this Democratic Republic of ours for its citizens and for the world. And for the great sacrifice of it’s men and women in numerous wars to bring freedom and opportunity to individuals in other lands.
It will be necessary for positive thinking Americans to become involved in politics, not just donating money to parties and candidates, but working for candidates that represent our views and have the same goals for our country, by running for public office themself and becoming involve in putting together the parties agendas.
We must become involved in all areas of society too blunt the forces working against the America we believe in, an America that is a positive force for good on this planet.
Now I would like to quote Pres. Washington and Pres. Reagan. First Pres. Washington who stated in his famous farewell address”of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports and morality cannot be maintained without religion.”
Pres. Reagan forewarned “with out God there is no virtue because there’s no prompting of the conscience. And without God, democracy will not and cannot endure. If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
And last but certainly not least instill the spirit of self-reliance in all American, the spirit of self-reliance that allowed us to create this Democratic Republic in first place.
(William O. Lipinski served as the Congressman originally representing the 5th Congressional District and later the 3rd Congressional District from 1982 until 2005. Previously he served as the alderman for the 23rd Ward between 1975 until 1983, and as Democratic Committeeman for the 23rd Ward. Share your comments with Lipinski by email at [email protected].
Lipinski writes the "Right from the Middle" Column twice each month.
Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill and graduated fromSt. Patrick High School, Chicago, Ill., 1956; attended Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, 1956-1957; United States Army Reserves, 1961-1967.
Lipinski was elected alderman, Chicago, Ill., city council, 1975-1982; He was a delegate to: the Democratic National Midterm Convention, 1974; Democratic National Convention, 1976 and 1984; Illinois state Democratic convention, 1977.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-eighth and to the ten succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1983-January 3, 2005)
His email is [email protected]
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