I'm an American!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance." Psalm 33:12 I'm an American, an American who is sad over the state of our great country. I so miss the America of yesteryear--a time when life was simple, when there were such things as innocence, honor, integrity and patriotism--and those things were celebrated. I miss the America that honored God, trusted God and prayed to God. I miss Bible reading, prayer & the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. I miss riding bicycles, playing in the creek, eating hot dogs at the ballpark and drinking water from the garden hose. What became of that America? How have we become so calloused, so cold and so divided? I am the melting pot within myself--a combination of German, Jewish, Scandinavian, Irish, French, Scot, Welsh, English and Native American (Creek) Indian. There's wealthy people & poor share croppers in my ancestral line. There are warriors of many of this nation's battles whose blood flows in my veins--both World Wars, The War Between the States, Korea & Vietnam and probably more. Most of my ancestors were immigrants, people who came to America seeking a better life for themselves & their families. They didn't come with the intention of changing the culture of the country, but with the plans to assimilate into the existing culture & society that was present when they arrived. They brought remembrances of their country & culture with them, and while they celebrated their heritage, they became American citizens and thrust themselves into their new world & the culture thereof. That's simply the way it was. None asked or expected America to change to accommodate them, but knew they had to learn the language & customs of the world they were now part of. It's different nowadays. People come from other countries with no allegiance to America, but desiring to live as if they were still part of the culture they left. If that culture was so great, why did they leave it? I can't appreciate being told that I must give up my rights & go against my personal beliefs & convictions so as not to offend those who don't want to be "American" but simply want to rob us of the culture, customs & Christian morals that make up America as a whole. My opinion? I'm sorry, but no one who is unable to swear an oath on the Bible should be elected to any political position anywhere in this great country. No one who isn't a legal or naturalized citizen should have access to any grants, scholarships or government programs this country offers. Call me cruel. Call me cold-hearted. But, our first priority should be to take care of our own. Would you allow you own child to starve while you fed the kids across the street? Of course not! I'm not against aiding other countries, but I don't understand why we are determined to help those who hate us & want to kill us. We should take care of our own (orphans, widows, elderly, veterans, etc.) first, then assist our allies by sending food & aid into their countries. What about those who oppose us? Well, let them fend for themselves. Let's get back to basic American values. God isn't done with this country yet, but we have to turn back to Him. We have to make Him a priority again. We have to repent and cleanse ourselves, purge the evil within (both individually and corporately) and let God be God in America again! I'm a mixture of European and Native American bloods. I have Confederate ancestry. I come from passionate & purposeful people, and yes, there are some crooks & scoundrels in the mix as well. I am Christian and I am Conservative. But, in the end, I'm proud of the Red, White & Blue. I love God, family & country. I love hot dogs & apple pie. I'm an American! I pray God will bless America again! There's my thoughts... Blessings! Tony