Final Draft Of A Gift I'd Like To Give Essay....

We were once a nation UNDER GOD. UNITED is how we once stood. As the time span from our declaration lengthens the more we forget who we are as a country and what we should be proud of. Patriotism. This is my gift to all those who will listen. Patriotism is anything but flag waving and blind conformity to the government. The words “hero” and “patriot” are often used as synonyms, most often in reference to a soldier performing his or her duty. Some of our nation’s greatest hero’s have also been among the most passionate of patriots. Ladies and gentlemen I give you Dr. Martin Luther King. Known for his nonviolent resistance against the government and the effort to overthrow state oppression qualifies as true patriotism. Now a little over 50 years from the day he made his first public stance against government oppression, we stand; no we sit and watch our own government continue down a path of oppression of its own. Citizens complain about the current recession, and bills that slither their way through the House of Representatives and slid past the evaluating eye of the senate, and only after it’s appointed the title of law does it rear its ugly head, and our freedoms lessen. Yet we the people sit on the sidelines closed lipped. With such things as these going on in our nation what do we have to be proud of? Probably nothing but that is what I am in the business to change. A sense of patriotism is the most important gift I could give you. It motivates change, and as it did when Dr. King harnessed its power it opens the door for improvement. What more could we want?
Patriotism is not solely present in a March on Washington or on a foreign country’s battlefield. It begins here, at home, before it even reaches the mouth of activists. It starts with the most simple and purest forms of patriotism, affection. Affection for your country and for those who reside in it. A sense of patriotism surged through the veins of every American on September 11th. Police officers and firefighters were finally granted the heroic respect they have always deserved. “United we stand” and “God bless America” became the rallying cries of both the Government and the people. It was believed that through this tragic event America would emerge stronger and more united than before. It is the affection that was shown to every hobbling survivor and the grief stricken loved ones left behind that brought us together. According to John 15:13 the ultimate display of love is when a person willingly sacrifices their life for another. Therefore I believe the Bible calls upon us to be patriots. Let us not wait till another September. 11 to renew our patriotism.
We can no longer sit silently by as our nation smothers us with oppression and our values, our rights are being slowly stripped away, and no one is looking close enough to notice. The stakes are high for the survival of our county, we as patriots must now speak up! We must question authority and become the Martin Luther King’s of our day. Now more than ever we need to create our country into a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. Only true patriotism, not blind obedience or half hearted flag waving can make America as strong as it needs to be. Only patriotism can save America from itself. Let us be united under god once more and be the powerful, influential nation we were always meant to be. Patriotism as my plea and the press as my voice I will make a difference in this country. One worth being proud of. My message may not reach many at first, but I won’t stop. My voice will be heard. And then, you’ll raise yours.