THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE——————————————————————————————————A MESSAGE FOR AMERICA – REPOST

~ thereluctantpoet

THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

BY CHARLES ROBERT LINDHOLM 

How free are the free
How brave are the brave
In America today? 

Have we learned our lessons
From the past
Or are we doomed
To repeat our errors, again? 

Have we learned nothing
From the mass killing
Of  Native  Americans? 

Have we learned nothing
From the evils and racism
Of slavery that stained
The soul of our nation? 

Have we learned nothing
From the fears and shame
Of putting Japanese American
Citizens in prison camps? 

Have we forgotten our nation
Was founded by immigrants
Fleeing persecution
For their religious beliefs? 

Won’t our faith and belief
In the values we claim to hold
Allow us to grant
“Liberty and Justice to all”? 

When we quote
The articles
The verses
The documents
And “The Book”
We say we love
Are they just empty
Meaningless words
From hypocrites and pretenders? 

From our families and churches
And our communities and towns
To the great states across our land
We are “not strong”
We are “not free”
We are surely “not brave”
If we cannot stand and protect
The weakest,
The vulnerable,
And the oppressed
Among us 

Don’t sing songs
And quote
“America, Love it or Leave it”
To me
If you live in fear and hatred
Of my fellow citizens
Because of their race, religion
Sexual orientation or ethnicity 

You don’t deserve
To waive the American Flag
Or say the “Pledge of Allegiance”
If you don’t believe in
“Liberty and Justice for all” 

America is “not strong”
Just because we are mighty
America is not brave or just
If we give in to fear 

My fellow Americans
Be not afraid!!
Keep steel in your spine
Keep an open mind
And courage in your heart
With a love for one another 

Keep this country
“The Land of the Free
and the Home of the Brave”

We are all Americans!

Copyright © 2017 Charles Robert Lindholm – All Rights Reserved

6 thoughts on “THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE——————————————————————————————————A MESSAGE FOR AMERICA – REPOST”

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  3. This is the best thing I have read of yours! You should send it to a newspaper like the Sun or the Statesman for publication in the letter to the editor section. Brilliant! These things need to be said to help provoke dialogue.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Chris! Wow! You made my day!! I have sent this around to the NYT, Senators and Cable News show with no takers yet. The Sun wouldn’t take it, goes against the core of their subscribers.

      I will definitely keep trying to get it published. Maybe the Sun City Democrats Newsletter? Ha!

      So happy this hit home with you!
      Chuck

      Like

    1. Ahh, You just made my day!! Now there will be a Happy Me all day! Thanks so much! You know all the right words to say. Ha! I feel exactly the same. But then you already have proof of how yours words move me!!

      Thanks for the hearts!!! Nice!!! Have a Great Day!!!

      Liked by 1 person

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