SpiderWorld Online

Hard times provide opportunity for greatness; America can redefine itself

Monday, May 25, 2009 By Chris Leeman, Class of 2010

Why is it that people who lose their jobs are ignorant to the fact that business is business? For Chrysler, it is not personal, as some of the dealers who are being forced to shut down are claiming, it is instead rather simple: Chrysler cannot afford to keep them open. If a dealer felt the wrath of Chrysler’s cuts because he had a one-on-one quarrel with Robert Nardelli, Chrysler’s CEO, then it would in fact be personal. Sure, it may sting a little, or a lot, to know that all of a sudden you’re out of a job, but it’s far from the end of the world. “When I was young my daddy said, Son Never be ashamed of where your from There's nothin’ wrong with your last name Don't be lookin’ for people to blame” The people who are suddenly unemployed have but a choice, to mope or to persevere. To mope is to be but a rotten log, useless to even a fire. But to persevere is to be American, to be true to our reputation. This is a defining moment in our history, not to be mistaken for a horror story, or even a Depression novel. “Cause hard times they come and they go Most of the time they're in the middle of the road It's the same pain in different ways Don't your know, Son, when it pours it rains” The world is not at ease, they are in our boat. Let America do the rowing, as it will do nothing but strengthen our muscles. Americans need not fret and moan; these despicable times will cultivate nothing but heroes, heroes that will lead America to greatness, to better times. “Hard times In the middle of your road Hard times Creepin’ up on the good folks you know Hard times You daddy wakes up and you lit the stove Hard times From the California hills to the Coverdale Road” Hard times are nothing but opportunities. Those who want it let them get it. Times like these are going to let those who work hard achieve their American Dream. It is easy for people to achieve their dreams in such a lighthearted, easy environment, but let not this economy be devastation to greatness; let it be instead a filter, to segregate the weak from the strong; the lazy from the hard workers; the dreamers from the doers; the world from the Americans. “You got yours and I have mine Mostly good folks have tried and tried To make a livin’ on your minimum wage Your coming up short nearly every day And what's enough and what's the cost You can't stand up cause all is lost You roll us up and your doors are locked There's a poor boy livin’ on every block” The materialistic past of Americans led in part to this economic situation that is leading America to a much needed realization. A realization in which that can, with a continuation of hard times for more and more people, be a remedy to the inexcusable materialistic values of Americans, immigration problems, and community distrust. “Hard times In the middle of your road Hard times Creepin’ up on the good folks you know Hard times You're livin’ down the rest of you knows Hard times From the California hills to the Coverdale Road” Materialism has plagued the past decades of America. It has given us a more socialist view of the world, as liberals believe that spreading money will solve problems. Money solves no problems, God does. Without this materialistic mindset, our government would (and should) be spreading Bibles instead of money. Hard times make you realize you don’t really need that leopard fur bathrobe, or that iPod, but that a strong relation with God can better satisfy the soul than money. “Cause hard times they come and they go And most of the time they're in the middle of your road It's the same pain, different way Don't your know when it pours it rains” Illegal immigration has been detrimental to our economy, and our motivation. How can we desire to strive to succeed when we’re doing everything right, and yet the illegal gets the job over us? Our blue collar, true Americans (as they seem to hold true to more American values than most others), are being the most affected by this rave of illegal immigration. Either of two scenarios needed to be put into effect for this economic attack to be thwarted. One of which requires government to put repercussions upon employers who hire illegal immigrants. The other requires an economic hardship, as illegal immigrants will find America less desirable when there are no jobs to be found. Our government gave us the short straw, yet again, as the latter requires hardships to be bestowed upon American workers. “And it’ll always be around Followin’ you from town to town But you can get up when it puts you down Cause everybody’s got ‘em if you look around Hard times” People have drifted from their neighbors; their community. When was the last time you saw a welcome to the neighborhood dinner, or a neighborhood cookout? Everyone’s busy with their own situation, caught up and lost in their own little world, trying to make a dream come true. Have you ever considered baking a cake for a sick neighbor? Exactly. Hard times such as these can draw you closer to those around you, as you are in the same sinking boat as them. Tragedies often times allow you to really divulge yourself into those suffering with you, and you get to truly know them. There becomes an indescribable bond that is utterly priceless and invaluable. These relationships bring out the inherent good in people, while as money and greed does not. Our society will better function due to these hard times, at least for a while, until the financial comfort of Americans leads to wanting more – greed – and God will once again call hard times upon us, to lead us back in the right direction. “When I was young my daddy said, Son Never be ashamed of where your from There’s nothing’ wrong with your last name So don’t be lookin’ for people to blame” Americans are putting their heads down, and it is inexcusable. It is important that in hard times such as these that we keep putting one foot in front of the other. No legislation will enable us to go to bed to wake up to a fixed economy. This kind of predicament takes time, and is an endurance event. What is the worst that can happen? You live with those around you, poor, until the gates of Heaven open up for you. Once you step into Heaven, you are not going to be burdened by your hardships from your time on earth, so don’t allow yourself to be burdened now. “But on the south side of Heaven won’t you take me home Won’t you take me where the poor man lives it’s where I call home And can't you see that a breeze is just a change in pace And money can’t buy my soul because it comes from a hard earned place” Hard times are merely an opportunity for greatness, a type of greatness that cannot be achieved through a prosperous economy, a type of greatness that has character, character that will shape America into an ideal for the world to model. Hard times would only be acceptable to be afraid of if death marked the final milestone of our existence, but it doesn’t. It instead marks the final milestone before our rebirth; our eternal happiness. Lyrics from Ryan Bingham’s “Hard Times” and “Southside of Heaven”