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Show -v Are We Individualists By RUTH TAYLOR We are a nation of individualists Those who would isolate us from the world urge us to stand upon that individualism, hoping thus to keep us from concerted action. Those on the other hand who believe be-lieve in a collective society, whether wheth-er it be , under the rule of the State or of a Dictator not that I have ever been able to see any distinction condemn our individualism individ-ualism as archaic. We as individualists will listen to NEITHER critic. We have regard re-gard for the person and belief in the sanctity of the individual. We respect and defend the State because be-cause it represents the composite convictions of its individual citizens. citi-zens. We believe in the responsibilities responsi-bilities as well as the rights of the individual. We also believe in the responsibility of the State both toward its citizens and toward those States who likewise join in the fellowship of nations. It isn't always easy to be an individualist. in-dividualist. There are many times when it would be much simpler to accept the mental rule of State or Dictator, to be told what to think, to have our minds rued for us. We who have the heritage of free men must, however, do our own thinking day in and day out, in war as well as in peace. Just now when attempts are being be-ing made from every side to push us this way and that, when the full forces of clever propaganda are unleased upon us we must be clear and individual thinkers. The enemy propaganda has one aim in view, to divide and disrupt us to turn us, from a nation of strong Individuals working side by side without regard for birthplace, work or religious faith, to a collection i of small, impotent groups, bickering bicker-ing and warring among ourselves, pushing for personal advantages, and allowing prejudice and bia6 to make us obvious to the enemy whose aggressive tactics are always aimed first at the minds of those whom it wishes to conquer. Let us therefore, in this hour of world travail, stand firm in our individual liberties, fighting and working together as one for the good of all. We know that if the rights of one are threatened, tho rights of all are in danger, for no great country has ever been defeated de-feated from without that was not first defeated from within. Let us who wish to be free men, to maintain main-tain our individualism, stand firm on what we believe holding only that all men are created equal and avoiding all generalizations of our neighbor by his class, his creed or his color. Let us at all times preserve that unity of purpose which has made us a nation of individuals and which has given us freedom to live and to pass on a greater measure of freedom to each succeeding generation. |
