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Show UTAH Page 2 August 1969 FARM BUREAU GUEST EODYORDAL goals. As one plateau NIIIIIIHIIIIBIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiaNllliaHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBfllllHIIIIHMIlNIIIIHHHaiNIIHMIllllNIMIIIIIIItlBMUMIMMIHaillini The Forgottteini American By RICHARD THERE IS occurring in America today. Some call it the revolt of the middle class. I prefer to describe it as the voice of responsible America. Who is in this group? The 90 percent who are proud Americans and conscientious citizens. The millions who have become the forgotten Americans. They are the black, white and all shades in between. They started out as the son of a coal miner and became a famous doctor. They worked their way through college by washing dishes. They swept out the lobby of a bank and later became 1 A NEW UPRISING its president. They produce most of Americas goods and services. They bear the burden of inflation. They ask very little of their government but work 2 hours each day just to pay its cost They are laborers, office workers, farmers, Republicans and Democrats. They are the first in line to share with others when catastrophe strikes whether it be across the street or half way around the world. In the past 20 years, they have authorized their government to give nearly $130 billion in foreign aid. They are concerned about crime, rising taxes and inflation. They dont like politicians who overpromise and underfulfill. They are opposed to teachers who encourage riots, and they do not understand the clergymen who preach civil disobedience. They are ashamed that our nations capitol must be guarded by thousands of soldiers to prevent it from being burned to the ground. They are unwilling to excuse the actions of criminals just because they were deprived as children. They also are opposed to having policemen ordered to stand by and watch while looters steal. These forgotten Americans have built this country, and I think they are prepared to do it again, if necessary. We Have Digressed It seems incredible that America could have digressed so far so soon. However, this predicament was not created overnight To a large extent our crises have been caused by a prevailing attitude of permissiveness from to pampering parents political leaders. We have seen permissiveness in the attitudes of right and wrong. No longer need a person be held accountable for his actions. A whole generation of youngsters has grown up under this permissive philosophy which urges instant gratification and the avoidance of unhappiness. Children want what they want, when they want it and they want it now. This permissiveness has extended across the country. In our streets we allowed a little bit of law breaking in the interest of free speech and academic freedom. At the national level, we started out permitting a little bit of deficit spending, in the belief that this approach was healthy for our economy. That little bit" of deficit spending started out at $1 billion, then $8 billion and finally $25 billion for the fiscal year. We started out by tolerating a little bit of destructive criticism on the war in Vietnam only to encourage the enemy to believe that we were seriously divided at home, that we didnt have the will to win. over-promisi- We are so reluctant to infringe upon the rights of others that we have overlooked injuries to innocent people just because the hopes of all the poor and prejudiced have not' been fulfilled. Some Americans have become obsessed with a seemingly endless concern for those who refuse to help themselves. By focusing so much attention upon such misfits, our critics happily believe that the criminals and hippies are typical of life in America. G. CAPEN, JR. our problems we have gena erated national guilt complex, a depression of national spirit. After all, if you tell a person often enough he is sick, he actually can become sick. By overemphasizing Time to Challenge the Critics we challenge those critics who seek to destroy America rather than to rebuild it. We cannot afford to stand by idly while this small minority of irresponsible people brings shame and humiliation to our country. There is no doubt that some Americans have legitimate grievances, and it will be imperative that we correct any barriers to equal rights and opportunities. But this cannot be accomplished by shallow exaggerations or false promises. Nor will it be achieved through mob action. There are too many today who suggest that man can pick and choose among those laws he will obey. There are too many who believe that social reform is sufficient excuse to violate the rights Its time of others. We are told that poverty is a root of crime. Yet often this is not the case. In Detroit, more than funds had been spent $175 million of just prior to the rioting there. Poverty supposedly was the issue of Resurrection City, and yet nearly $2 million was squandered on that sorry mess. In the Chicago riots, the 1800 persons arrested were found to be carrying $85,000 in cash. One anti-povert- y person had $563 in his possession. Poverty is a feeble excuse for outright lawlessness. A crime is a crime and the only way to reduce this rising crime rate is to demand prompt apprehension, a prompt trial and a substantial sentence commensurate with the crime committed. It is my personal opinion that much of todays unrest can be attributed to the frustrations of those who have expected immediate results from the promises of others. Certainly no one objects to the goal of conquering poverty, but our leaders can be criticized for generating false hopes that the answer would come immediately. In recent months, we have found increasing crises on the college campus. Too often, campus aggression has been met with appeasement Too often, faculty members - have hidden behind the facade of intellectual attainment and academic freedom to encourage lawless activities. Certainly we have an obligation to preserve the right to dissent But that does not include any special right to ignore the law. No Reason to Sell America Short Too many have been selling America short Too many have forgotten all that is right about our country. Too many have lost faith in themselves and in the will of the people to build a better America. Certainly the United States has its weaknesses, but our strengths far outweigh any shortcomings. Probably no other country criticizes itself as frequently, or as publicly as we do. Americans are always seeking new and higher is reached new pursuits of excellence are sought Certainly we have proved that things could be done, that dreams could be embodied in action, that a better life in fact could be achieved provided we were willing to work for it The United States has faced serious crises before. But we overcame them not by convincing ourselves that we would fail, but rather by believing that we would win. Today, there are too many Americans who are convinced that we will fail They throw up their hands in complete helplessness. But why should we be led by these prophets of despair or the peddlers of hate? Collectively, we all have been blamed for the senseless rioting and violence, but since when does one sick person make a sick society? In conclusion, let me say this. Sure, our problems are awesome indeed, but lets not forget that there is a massive will to preserve our precious American dream. We still remain the strongest and richest nation on earth. Go into the heart of pur land, and you will find millions of churchgoers, orderly students, conscientious parents and promising families. You will find minority groups moving up the economic ladder at a speed undreamed of a few years ago. Barriers to jobs and education are crume low bling everywhere. Illiteracy is at an e coland School and affluence at an high. lege enrollments are setting records. Wages are the highest in the world, savings accounts are bulging. Lets not forget that we still enjoy the most envied way of life ever known to man. Lets stop apologizing for our success. After all, it is the current adult generation that built the worlds strongest economy out of the ashes of a major depression and two wars. Lets challenge the thought that the world owes anybody a living. I have little tolerance for those who thrive on self-pitor who attempt to drop out of society in protest against problems they say they did not create. Lets encourage our young people to seek the challenge of opportunity, rather than any false hope of security. Lets remember that a college education is a precious privilege, not a constitutional right. Those undergraduates who cannot give complete loyalty to the college they attend should leave and make room for others who would. In addition, we must urge complete respect for law and order. Lets recognize that there are far more who support the law than who defy it Lets remember that for every one law breaker on the college campus there are thousands of serious students. For every five persons who would desecrate the American flag, there are five million who all-tim- all-tim- y, revere it Despite our crises at home and abroad, lets not be discouraaged by failure. The history of our country is rich with individuals who used their own disappointment as stepping stones to achieve- ment Americans have built the greatest nation on earth, simply because we, too, believed it could be done. In the future, an even better America can be created provided we do not forget the Forgotten American the responsible citizens who are cent of the Americans. 90 per- UTAH FARM BUREAU (Tft NEWS Published each month by the Utah Farm Bureau Federation at Salt Lake City, Utah. Editorial and Business Office, 629 East Fourth South, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102. Subscription price of twenty-fiv- e cents per year to members is included in membership fee. Entered as second class matter March 24, 1948 at the Post Office at Salt Lake City, Utah under the act of March 3, 1879. UTAH FARM BUREAU FEDERATION OFFICIALS Elmo W. Hamilton, Riverton President S. Jay Qiild, Cleafield Vice President Mrs. Willis Whitbeck, Bennion Chairman, Farm Bureau Women V. Allen Olsen Executive Secretary Kenneth J. Rki Editor DIRECTORS District One, A. Alton Hoffman; District Two, William Holmes; District Three, Jack Brown; District Four, Don Allen; District Five, Ken Brasher, District Six, Lee Barton; District Seven, Richard Nelson.. |