PEOPLE: ‘We should always be the first to do right’ as a united people of the United States
Contributed
January 14, 2023
WASHINGTON (AGN.News) – Americans are a united people. United in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. United in our determination to secure the life of our families, our health, our jobs, our homes, our communities, our neighborhoods, and the security of our travel.
Unity is reflected in our actions
Today, we live in an all-hands-on-deck world requiring everyone to disavow actions that threaten that unity. While not everyone will embrace this united spirit, we can individually embrace the concept of unity and display it in our own lives.
All across this land are people who want things to change so life can be what was promised in the United States Constitution. Our attaining those promises are not elusive. They can become true for more and more people when everyone who desires them can be the ‘first to do right’ in their own lives.
Doing right has many rewards
Some people seem to always do the wrong thing. Later realizing the error of their ways, they want to change course. The good news about that realization is that often many people have found themselves at the proverbial ‘fork in the road’.
What should I do now… becomes their dominant thought. At that point, they are faced with a mind-bending thought and a choice to either do the right thing first or the less than desirable thing.
Now their dominant thought is… Which direction should I go, left or right? Do I take the ‘left fork’ or the ‘right fork’ on the figurative road.
The ‘left fork’ goes in a direction with unpredictable and often out-of-control consequences. This is a road leading to any grouping of negative experiences. A path where almost everyone often regret their decision of having gone in the ‘left fork’ direction.
By contrast, the ‘right fork’ goes in the direction of goodness, prosperity, happiness, greatness, and a life of liberty and freedom. This is the life we’ve always found to be filled with the undeniable rewards of security and promises. Here is where we find out the truth of the biblical words, ‘You reap what you sow!’
‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness’
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, in his Gettysburg Address, said that “our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
It is with that belief Lincoln successfully led the nation through the American Civil War. He wanted to defend the country as a constitutional union. Lincoln succeeded in abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.
Why? Among many reasons was Lincoln’s desire to see a nation with freedom and liberty at its core. Lincoln knew we could be a nation of people who were dedicated to the “great task remaining before us … that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom”, he said.
Lincoln knew people, when free, could build a nation “dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” Those Union soldiers fought and died for all Americans living then and those not yet born, could be free to prosper with their unlimited potential.
Freedom leads to doing ‘right’
Americans can and do benefit from the unity Lincoln guided America through during those war years. Some wanted to maintain the institution of slavery to remain in place because of the wealth they enjoyed with “free labor”.
By 1861, as a result of those separatist ideas, others desired their own country carved out of the Union. As time passed, they formed the Confederacy and went to war against the Union. Their leaders inspired and encouraged them to fight. The Confederacy attempted to divide the country, but failed.
Many later saw the fallacy of those ambitions. Many came to understand that we’re stronger together than we’re apart. By 1870 all of the secessionist states were back in the Union.
Lincoln wanted Life, Liberty, and Happiness
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the slaves in the states “in rebellion” to be free. It also directed the Army and Navy to “recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons” and to receive them “into the armed service of the United States.”
The pursuit of happiness became real for millions of Americans because Lincoln did ‘the right thing’. Upon that foundation has come a nation of prosperity and successes that are so numerous they can not be counted.
Upon that foundation has been built the greatest nation in the history of mankind. While some countries have come along way in gaining prosperity, none have achieved the same level of prosperity as the people of the United States of America.
Imagine how much better, stronger, and more united America would be today if everyone had been on board with building a united country, “dedicated to the unfinished work”, rather than attempting to wreck havoc upon the country by pulling it apart.
Today, it would truly be called the UNITED STATES conceived in liberty for every one of us, not just some of us.
Where do we go from here?
The ‘pursuit of happiness’ is an ongoing goal millions of Americans desire to reach. Obtaining true happiness is not an elusive goal. As one of our advisors stated, “The pursuit of happiness is attainable based on the actions of the person desiring it.”
The war taught the nation a memorable lesson. Violence and destruction never solves problems it only creates new problems. When the southern Civil War combatants returned home, what did they find? Mostly a community in despair, depression, loss of life, and destroyed property.
Those are the very things Lincoln wanted the country to avoid. Then and now, corrupt leaders promise a life of liberty and happiness but subsume them with death and destruction. These leaders see themselves as ‘rulers’ rather than true ‘leaders’ who are concerned with being the ‘first to do right’ for the people not themselves.
Lincoln wanted to preserve the union without war. He knew that war was not a solution. That is why he’s often ranked in both popular and scholarly polls as the greatest president in American history because of the actions he took to preserve the union for the people.
We should be ‘the first to do right’
We should be the first to do ‘the right thing’ for our communities, our neighbors, our employers, our families, our relatives, our country. Even when many people feel things may be going in an undesirable direction, we should always be the ‘first to do right’ as a united people of the United States.
During this holiday weekend and everyday we are presented with an opportunity to do ‘the right thing’ for others. No, not everyone will do ‘the right thing’ but we can be the first do ‘the right thing’ for everyone we encounter.
Above all, we should be the FIRST to do ‘the right thing.’ We can take the initiative to do good for others. We can look for opportunities to do good for others. We can do ‘the right thing’ for our fellow Americans.
Crimes and unlawful behavior
While it is easy to commit a crime, it’s harder to get out of the consequences of crime. Everyday the nightly news is filled with crimes of every sort. We know something needs to change when a six year old child brings a gun to school and shoots his teacher. Change in behavior can lead to greater happiness.
Parents, can you provide more help for your children? Are you taking your responsibility seriously to properly provide guidance for your children? If you have guns in your home, are they in a safe and secure location, out of the reach of your children?
If you’re a young adult, can you seize the economic training needed for future economic security? Are you willing to do ‘the right thing’ for yourself and your family’s economic security? Are you reading and studying in a way that accelerates your economic prowess?
Crime does not lead to happiness!
Ask yourself… Do I want a life where being confined in a cell as a person with limited freedom or as a free person, making choices where you can pursue a life of true happiness?
You might say, “It’s so hard to get ahead in life?” And you’re absolutely right! No one has ever promised us life would be easy. People with unlimited money and resources have found that to be true. However, something else is always true. There will always be people who want to kill your dreams.
Most of all… we can not let these distractors send us on a fool’s errand. We have to win the struggle by being the ‘first to do right’ in our own lives. Neither friend nor foes should be allowed to take away from us our desire to be the ‘first to do right’ for ourselves and the people we care about.
Unlawful behavior has no rewards!
Unlawful behavior leads to lasting consequences with few lasting rewards. As one our advisor once said, “It does not matter what people say about you, its what you know about yourself that matters.” People will always say something about you when you’re doing good things to distract you.
All of America’s history contains an ever-increasing list of people who wished they had taken a different course in life. The joy comes when we see the ‘fork in the road’ before we get to it. It’s at that point when the choice to be the ‘first to do right’ is rewarded.
Always doing the right thing pays off, always. ‘We should always be the ‘first to do right’ as a united people of the United States.
#GoldOverBlack
COVID-19 PREVENTION
STOP THE SPREAD! GET VACCINATED!
VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE!
Everyone is being urged by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov) to get vaccinated, wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash hands as a way to cut down on the transmission rate.
For more information on local responses to the novel coronavirus also called … COVID-19, contact your local healthcare provider, visit coronavirus.gov or visit cdc.gov for the United States response to the coronavirus.
News you can use! Enjoy the best of news from your community by Alphabet Global News.
ALPHABET GLOBAL NEWS
Reliable. Trusted. Local. News.
On Mobile … Fast!
Written by
AGN.News Team
Disclaimer: This post does not represent the views or viewpoint of the owner of AlpLocal.com, AGN News or its representatives or reporters. Any content which references any person, entity or group with similar names, descriptions, or business interest in any geographical location or similar businesses is merely a coincidence and not directed at said business.
This site may contain references to current or past news relating to people, places, things, business, or businesses, new business openings, startups, technology businesses, or any and all references to crimes, local, state or federal crimes. All postings contained herein are not for any purpose other than for educational purposes or for entertainment purposes only. Nothing herein should be considered investment or legal advice.
AGN News is compiled from submissions by contributors or other sources. We are not responsible for information found on external links. Those clicking on these type of links bear sole responsibility for visiting these sites.
