The year 2010 can’t come fast enough as 2009 introduced some rather complex problems for our country, state and many of our cities. The failure of some of our largest financial institutions, record home foreclosures, record high unemployment, insolvency of our state, threats of an H1N1 pandemic, continued wars and global warming provided some of our darkest days. Let’s face it, 2009 was a tough year.
Of course, individually none of us are responsible for the current economic crisis and the bail out of our financial institutions, the enormous increase in our national debt, the 42 billion (projected) debt of our state, the high cost of crime in our cities or the failures of our schools, yet, collectively, we are 100 percent responsible.
We blame our president, our legislators and our courts; after all, they are the ones who have led our country and our state into the abysmal problems we now find ourselves in. It’s their fault! Republicans blame Democrats and Democrats blame Republicans. It’s always the other guy. These times are too grave and the challenges too urgent to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are a nation of cheerleaders watching the game and hoping that our team wins, but God forbid we should participate. What a helpless feeling when all these problems are out of our control. We can’t change them, they are the result of the actions or inactions of others; not us.
I sometimes wonder how the people of Rome were feeling and behaving as their empire crumbled and their society fell apart. Their financial systems were in havoc and their borders under increasing threat from without and within. I’m certain they blamed it on their leaders, their institutions, their enemies, etc. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it was everyone’s fault. The historical truth is that Rome entered into a time of increasing demise of the family and family values. The result was an overwhelming increase in depravity and moral decay. Crime was rampant, and a sense of community was lost. The debt of the empire increased tremendously with seemingly no limits.
In his historic masterpiece, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, author Edward Gibbons identifies five major causes that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire: First, the breakdown of the family, second, increased taxation, third, an insatiable craving for pleasure, fourth, an unsustainable buildup of armaments and fifth, the decay of religion. You tell me, is history repeating itself?
I wonder if we, as the citizens of this great United States of America, don’t change our thinking and subsequently our ways we too will watch the demise of our great nation just as the people of Rome witnessed the demise of theirs. This is a time for courage in a time of great challenge. We shouldn’t be quarreling amongst ourselves when our nation’s future is at stake. We must stand together with a renewed confidence united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future.
The strength of any nation is only as strong as the collective families that live within its borders. If you are wondering what you can do in 2010 to help change the course of our nation, look within the borders of your own home. Make it your goal to strengthen family ties. Be a source of encouragement and hope to family members and friends. Encourage the education of your children and never stop educating yourself. Take the time to learn what’s going on in your community, your state and your nation and voice your opinion and always vote when given the opportunity.
I wish you all a very successful, joyous and thoughtful New Year! I appreciate comments on this and other issues. Email: lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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