The America I Believe In

I agreed with Mr. Heinlein when I first read these words in 1988 and I still believe them now. It's not too late, my friends.

No. It doesn't exist. I thought it did, but all that I've found has told me that we're just a bunch of rats in a sinking bag, fighting to see who gets on top.

And I really, really wanted to believe.

Believe. It's true today, just as it was in 1988, just as it will be 50 years from now.

Written in 1952 eh? A different time to be sure and those times have indeed passed. I like the optimism and the belief in the inherent goodness in humanity regardless of skin color or belief system, it's a nice change from the rampant pessimism and cynicism of today. Yet Mr. Heinlein's statement seems more inspirational than descriptive.

Not to say Mr. Heinlein's America didn't exist or doesn't exist rather it is part of a greater whole.

In many ways society has improved in the last fifty-seven years, I wouldn't want to return to the status quo of 1952.

"I'm tired of losing. I'm tired of turning away from the things I want to believe in..." I agree with the sentiment, but in the end I fear it's just a dream, and I couldn't help but think of the words I quoted.

If we keep wanting to believe and making it so in our own lives, we can make a difference. It's hard, but we have to work at it.

Yay for email forwards!

Yeah, it would have sucked to type the whole thing out of my copy of Expanded Universe. It wasn't a forwarded email, but I did lift the text right off the internets.