Rebellious Children

Kids are smart.  And they are all different.  Over the years, I have noticed that children respond to unreasonable parents in one of two ways.  Either they learn to manipulate their parents for their advantage or they become rebellious.

When parents set boundaries, explain their position and consistently administer fair discipline, children are generally well adjusted.  On the contrary, parents that stifle their children with suffocating rules, unjust discipline and unequal expectations, produce children that are angry, sullen and discontent.  These kids become manipulative strategists or powder kegs waiting to explode.

Enter our country.  Our government, for far too long, has played the role of dysfunctional parents.  Rather than encouraging the people to be responsible for themselves, fight their own fights and enjoy the sweet taste of success earned through hard work and perseverance, they have put themselves in the position of "adult" to our "children".  Knowing that we couldn't possibly work our way through life's challenges on our own, they instituted rules, regulations and laws to keep us in line.  As we bickered and argued amongst ourselves, "Mom" and "Dad" stepped into draw lines in the sand.  As one "kid" tattled on another, more and more rules were put into place.  Child after child, convinced that he knew what was best for all the kids, talked "mom" and "dad" into instituting new requirements so his "siblings" didn't get out of line or hurt themselves.  Each child was certain that he had the corner on the market of "right".

Year after year, rule after rule, our nation was crippled.  It was crippled by rules, regulations and laws.  It was crippled by tattling children and overbearing parents. Rather than encouraging lawfulness and productivity, our "dysfunctional parents" have created a nation of scofflaws and malcontents.

And it is coming to a head.  On one side, we have the manipulative children, coaxing "mom" and "dad" into burdening the other kids with more rules.  They wax eloquent about why they need more lunch money and a heftier allowance.  They orate on the necessity of a social conscious, placing themselves as the arbiter of that consciousness. They play goodie two-shoes while they suck their parents (and everybody elses) pocketbooks and souls dry.  The kids on the other side of the playground have had it.  They are tired of unreasonable rules.  They are tired of supporting their deadbeat siblings.  They are tired of holding the whole dysfunctional family together.  They are angry and they are rebellious.

As a nation, we are at an impasse.  We either have to succumb completely to a nanny state or we have to reclaim our independence.  We either have to manipulate or rebel.  Now is the time to find out what we are made of.  Will we stand up, overcome and regain our self-respect?  Or will we revert to childhood, content to let someone else choose our path and determine our way.  Choose you this day.

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined. 
                      Patrick Henry