Fowler commentary: Where is the burning desire for freedom in today’s America?

A ragtag army of militia crossed the Delaware River on December 25-26, 1776, and saved the Continental Colonies which had become the United States on September 9, 1776. The foe was the British military, the mightiest navy and military in the world. If not for that heroic decision, the United States of American would likely be a British possession still.

In the War of 1812, Andrew Jackson defended New Orleans against a British invasion, defeating a much larger military, still the mightiest in the world. Jackson’s army were, like Washington’s, a conglomeration of Kentuckians, Tennesseans, backwoodsmen, and various other assorted militia including the privateer, Jean Laffitte and his men. Thousands of British army and navy men died in the bayous and marshes near New Orleans, but they never gained the city itself. Again, this was a decisive battle which prevented the United States from becoming a British possession once more.

In the Civil War (the War Between the States), Robert E. Lee’s fatal mistake at Gettysburg by sending George Pickett’s men against a superior position held by the Union Army, turned the tide of war against the South and preserved Abraham Lincoln’s union. There was to be no permanent Confederate States of America.

In World War II, unlike Word War I, the United States was surprised and defeated for the first two years by the Japanese in the South Pacific. Then the industrial might of the United States created an overwhelming war machine that, along with the patriotic love and pride of its citizens and the men who rushed to protect the country from tyranny, turned the tide of war in both the South Pacific and Europe. This was done, of course, with support of its allies, principally Britain. Russia was involved as well, but not for love of freedom. As shown after the war, Russia’s interest was that of conquest.

Then came Korea and Vietnam, wars which were run by politicians rather than the military. Restrictions were put on the military which handicapped its ability to win a war. The results were wars without purpose, a waste of manpower and treasure. And thus it has been ever since. As Pogo the Possum noted in a cartoon many years ago: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

It seems that little patriotism exists in the youth of America today. In fact, it appears that if another country (probably China) were to declare war on America today, there would be no rush to the military recruiting stations to fight tyranny. In fact, to hear the “woke” generation’s lack of knowledge concerning the history of the United States, one can see why the decline of America is occurring. The progressive schools have progressed right out of a basic education. Instead, they are teaching social injustice and racism, terms which have become a mantra for “Progressives,” i.e. “Regressives,” an ideology which is really bigoted and racist itself.

One may look Only at Joe Biden’s America to see the damage this ideology is doing to our country. If we have closed borders, we are racist. After all, migrants are looking only for prosperity for themselves and their families. Such is true. But we have laws which define what an immigrant must follow to enter the United States legally. An open border is not one of the laws. An open border invites many more than impoverished peoples to enter the country illegally. The border is also open to drug cartels, drugs, terrorists, etc. How do these “migrants” benefit the United States? The answer by the Biden administration is to deny that we have an open border. Of course! And the emperor has no clothes.

I wonder how illegal immigrants are going to buy electric cars? I suppose one way to stifle illegal immigration to California is to ban gasoline powered vehicles. After walking a thousand miles to enter the country illegally, the immigrants will likely not want to walk through California along with the legal citizens of California, a likelihood when the state has not enough electricity to power its electric vehicles. Talk about social injustice.

Joe Biden has shut down the oil and gas industry and, with trillions of dollars to implement his social injustice programs, has sent us spiraling into an inflationary economy in which even baby formula, of all things, is unavailable. Biden, along with Bernie Sanders and the “squad” are obviously lacking in their own education. With the abject failures of socialism (read Marxism), in every country where it has impoverished its people and enriched its dictators is well documented. Perhaps they would benefit from the lessons in history concerning socialism. But, of course, ideologues have a blind eye to the truth.

Carl Fowler is a retired professor of English at Amarillo College and lives in Amarillo.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Fowler: Where is the burning desire for freedom in today’s America?