A
lot has been said about America following in the footsteps of Rome in the last
years. Indeed, it is difficult to avoid drawing such parallels. History tends
to repeat itself over time, in which case America might not be an exception.
However, while people with a realistic approach believe America is a lost cause,
others will say it is early to jump to conclusions.
As
early as in the 70s Billy Graham said: “with the bureaucracy we built in
Washington we’re finished”. In his lifetime the Baptist minister got to meet
three presidents and he outlived the two of them. Being a side observer who has
yet been so close to the heart of the country, he should
know. But on a larger scale he is just a member of one of two camps. American public is basically divided in its predictions about the future of the country
into those who feel there is no future for America and those who still believe she
will overcome everything and land on her feet as before.
British
journalist Alistair Cooke, a British journalist with a soft spot for America who worked there for a long time said in 1973 in his America series for BBC, not without
grief, that he could see signs both of decay and revival, the matter being
which would prevail. In fact, we can see that what preceded the fall of Rome is
showing now: as Mr. Cooke described it, "extensive exercise of military power in
remote foreign regions”, reliance on handouts from the Big Usurer, the
Bank, in the form of loans, mortgages, governmental social aid programs and
free education; decay of morality, too much indulgence in entertainment, confusion
of talent with courage to break limits of decency, art with bizarre self-expression,
love with lust, faith with ritual.
On
the other hand, there have been feeble beams of light making their way through the
thicket of decadence. Family values have been planted, many states have been
successfully withstanding the liberalist attacks who try to pedal abortion and SSM
into society. And hey, Las Vegas now relies less on gambling money and is developing
other sources of income. And would that be an exaggeration to say: if Las Vegas
gets saved, the country is saved? I don’t think so. Besides, birthday suits in public have been legally banned in San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities.
It’s not too late to act, but it’s not too early either. Benjamin Franklin
realized it full well as he was witnessing the first American political crisis while
participating in the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 and watching the members
fighting over and arguing about the new Constitution under construction. In the
midst of all this he finally rose and delivered his famous
“Except the Lord build the house" speech, quoting the book of Psalms. And then,
after it was done, he looked at that painting on the wall above the heads of the
congressmen depicting the sun near the horizon, and thought with unease: Is it
rising or setting? And then his heart calmed at the realization: it was dawn.
What do you see now?...
