A New Beginning

Opposition to the American war in Libya was, for the most part, a financial opposition.  Absolutely a just opposition considering our current fiscal situation, because of this I don’t think we ever cared about any positive outcome.  We may not have agreed with the reason why we went to war, but we can definitely embrace the outcome of our intervention.  Recent news reports state that the Libyan tyrant Muammar Gaddhafi has been killed and the mission has been a success.  Libya declared their liberation from oppression on October 23, 2011.

We don’t know what the future lies for Libya.  We don’t know the true identity of some of the rebels and whether they are Iranian funded insurgents or Al Qaeda operatives.  What we do know is that the Libyan people are going to experience something that they haven’t experienced in 42 years, a choice.  They have a choice that belongs to them, not a dictator.  They have the rare opportunity for a new beginning to create a nation that acts as an example for the Arab world.  Obviously we hope they choose to implement some form of a democracy, and they use their natural resources as a tool to propel their economy to a more modern state.  We have done our part though.  We have given them the opportunity to determine their own fate.  All we can do is hope they do the right thing and take advantage of this opportunity.

This recent event should make us all reflect on how fortunate we are to live in this country.  We are lucky enough to live in a place that encourages new ideas and embraces liberty.  But what would we do if we were all given an opportunity for a new beginning?  What would we change?  What would we keep?  And I’m not talking about reforming the healthcare system or the tax code, I’m talking about a new beginning for society.  At the end of the day the strength of our society determines the strength of our government.

We ask our government to be better.  We ask our government to keep everyone in mind when implementing new policy that doesn’t favor the rich and punish the poor and vice versa.  But when was the last time we looked at ourselves and made a decision to be a better person?  Are we doing our part to be the best father, mother, son, daughter, neighbor, or coworker?  Are we doing our best to help the less fortunate in the world and at the same time helping those close to you?  If your answer is yes you wouldn’t change anything, then that is your first problem.  We can always be better.  There is always something we can do to be a little more well rounded. 

We can’t demand change from our government when we won’t demand change for ourselves.  If you’re disgruntled with your career and discouraged that everything you have worked for is for nothing, then you need to work a little harder.  That is something I don’t think we all fully understand anymore.  To be successful in this world you need to work hard, there is no way around that.  It is pointless to get caught up in the fact that 2% of the population control a majority of the wealth.  This is something that is out of your control, and if anything should make you strive to be included in that 2%.  It all starts with taking ownership over yourself and your career, and doing everything in your power to be great.

A new beginning comes in many forms.  It doesn’t have to be through a revolution, it can be through a revelation.  It comes from a commitment to yourself to change your past ways and become a better person in the future.  This is the type of change the country needs.  We can argue about the budget all day.  We can argue about the interpretations of the constitution and how it relates to a modern world, but what we should be arguing about is how we improve the nation’s moral character.

Politicians are a function of their constituents.  We complain that all men/women in power are corrupt and don’t have our best interests in mind, but when was the last time we consistently held them accountable for their actions?  We have leaders that mirror the moral character of the country, and this is a shock to some people.  My argument might sound ideological but everything is ideological until it’s achieved.  We all need to make a commitment to be better people and to embrace and live by a certain set of morals.  Once this is achieved our society will change for the better, and once this happens the moral character of our leaders will change as well.  If this is done, policy will fall into place that allows us to have more liberty, to experience more success, and to enjoy life a little bit more.  The purpose of government is to provide us the setting for a prosperous life full of wealth and liberty.  I can assure you that this can be achieved, but with less government not more.   

In conclusion, we should all celebrate the opportunity that the Libyan people now have.  We should hope that they take advantage of this rare chance and they don’t succumb to the temptation of greed and power.  More importantly though, we need to reflect on this event and think what we would do if we had a new beginning.  Your first instinct shouldn’t be revisions to government and policy you deem unfit.  You should think about how you would change yourself, and how great it would be to give society another chance to be better.  If this is achieved, you will see better leaders in Washington and on Wall Street.  The solution doesn’t lie with government, it lies with us.