Downfall

Since yesterday was Independence Day, I've been thinking (even more than usual) about America and the freedoms we have, notwithstanding the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding private property; and how as a nation, especially the rightly-dubbed MTV generation, we take them for granted. We praise and pledge support for the Military; we swore we would never forget the 9/11 terror attacks; but what do we actually do? How often do we remember to pray for our troops (whether we agree with the politics of a certain war or not)? How often do we evaluate and re-evaluate our positions on political and social issues? How informed do we stay? If there is one thing that I've learned to expect from humanity--especially in Western nations--it's convenient amnesia. We live in a sensate society; we're obsessed with pleasure, entertainment and self-indulgence; we've rejected what is sacred. How do we expect this to continue? Why do we believe that we can live indefinately with freedom without laboring to ensure justice and liberty not only for ourselves, but the generation to come? I don't see a lot of justice and liberty in this nation today. It seems like we've lost our ideals, our perspective on justice, our vision for tomorrow. We have lost the romance of hope. America is not what it has been. Can we be heading toward anything but a compromise or downfall? Let's pray I'm just being cynical.