Just like everyone who was alive when John F Kennedy was shot still remembers where they were, what they were doing, how they found out, if you were old enough to know the significance of what was happening, then you remember exactly what was going on when the first plane crashed ten years ago, tomorrow morning. September 11th is always going to be an important day in my life.
I think a lot of people take their life for granted. Some are much better off then others, but the majority of our population live better then the average citizen in many 3rd world countries. Things that are a normalcy in my house would be unheard of in the slums of the republic of Congo. I sometimes sit and think why do I deserve more then another? Why is one part of the world in such disrepair when other parts are on the other end of the spectrum to the point that if I walked down the street myself, I would be looked down upon? A report by the United Nations says that about 25,000 people die in the world every single day. READ THAT AGAIN AND LET IT SINK IN. 25,000 PEOPLE ARE GONE EVERY MORNING WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND GO GRAB A DRINK OF WATER FROM THE REFRIGERATOR, POUR A CUP OF COFFEE, TURN THE COMPUTER AND AIR CONDITIONER BACK ON, TURN ON THE TV AND JUMP IN THE SHOWER BEFORE GRABBING A NICE BIG BOWL OF CEREAL BEFORE STARTING YOUR CAR FROM INSIDE WITH THE REMOTE.
I just can't get my head around these statistics. Almost 3.5 BILLION PEOPLE out of 4.8 billion people listed in the entire world live on $2 a day or less. That's the change in your pocket if you work in a building with a soda machine/candy machine at the end of your day. That's less then the amount you could get if you went and picked up cans and bottles for an hour around the big apartment buildings at the local colleges after a night of drinking from the kids. That's 25% of the cost of a beer at a Red Sox game. So, if you wanted to have a beer with your wife you'd have to work for 8 days or more. And these are not 8 hour days in your office with "casual friday's". Think about a 16-20 hour day on your feet without shoes in 105-110 degrees. These numbers account for almost 75% of the people in the world guys. I get so frustrated just thinking about it.
Ok, I bring all of this up because even when we get home after a bad day or a bad week or even a bad month sometimes it's just really time to put it in perspective. Stop feeling sorry for ourselves when there is someone else always having a worse day, worse week, worse month. The men and women serving our armed services right now need to be thanked. They need to be thanked endlessly. Whether you agree with the war or not is a moot point. It's not their choice to fight, it was not their choice to invade Iraq, it's not their choice to be away from their families and loved ones for months at a time. It was their choice to say I want to protect this country. It was their choice to say I want to stand up for human rights. It was their choice to do what they believe in. I'm proud to say my father served in the Army many years ago and I am proud to say I was born at Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville, NC. I am free and able to sit here and write this right now because of the sacrifices that the men and women of our armed services have made. Thank You. Thank You EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I WAKE UP AND HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO WHATEVER IT IS I WANT.
When those planes crashed Al-Qaeda wanted to break the resolve of our country. They wanted to cause unrest, hate, divide our citizens. The issues certainly have caused unrest, even hate sometimes and there have been many issues which the country disagree's on. In the end though, America is still somewhere that I am proud to say is home. America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave. I think there are many many people who would agree with me when I say.I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW AS I READ ALL OF THE SUPPORT WE HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
I think a lot of people take their life for granted. Some are much better off then others, but the majority of our population live better then the average citizen in many 3rd world countries. Things that are a normalcy in my house would be unheard of in the slums of the republic of Congo. I sometimes sit and think why do I deserve more then another? Why is one part of the world in such disrepair when other parts are on the other end of the spectrum to the point that if I walked down the street myself, I would be looked down upon? A report by the United Nations says that about 25,000 people die in the world every single day. READ THAT AGAIN AND LET IT SINK IN. 25,000 PEOPLE ARE GONE EVERY MORNING WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND GO GRAB A DRINK OF WATER FROM THE REFRIGERATOR, POUR A CUP OF COFFEE, TURN THE COMPUTER AND AIR CONDITIONER BACK ON, TURN ON THE TV AND JUMP IN THE SHOWER BEFORE GRABBING A NICE BIG BOWL OF CEREAL BEFORE STARTING YOUR CAR FROM INSIDE WITH THE REMOTE.
I just can't get my head around these statistics. Almost 3.5 BILLION PEOPLE out of 4.8 billion people listed in the entire world live on $2 a day or less. That's the change in your pocket if you work in a building with a soda machine/candy machine at the end of your day. That's less then the amount you could get if you went and picked up cans and bottles for an hour around the big apartment buildings at the local colleges after a night of drinking from the kids. That's 25% of the cost of a beer at a Red Sox game. So, if you wanted to have a beer with your wife you'd have to work for 8 days or more. And these are not 8 hour days in your office with "casual friday's". Think about a 16-20 hour day on your feet without shoes in 105-110 degrees. These numbers account for almost 75% of the people in the world guys. I get so frustrated just thinking about it.
Ok, I bring all of this up because even when we get home after a bad day or a bad week or even a bad month sometimes it's just really time to put it in perspective. Stop feeling sorry for ourselves when there is someone else always having a worse day, worse week, worse month. The men and women serving our armed services right now need to be thanked. They need to be thanked endlessly. Whether you agree with the war or not is a moot point. It's not their choice to fight, it was not their choice to invade Iraq, it's not their choice to be away from their families and loved ones for months at a time. It was their choice to say I want to protect this country. It was their choice to say I want to stand up for human rights. It was their choice to do what they believe in. I'm proud to say my father served in the Army many years ago and I am proud to say I was born at Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville, NC. I am free and able to sit here and write this right now because of the sacrifices that the men and women of our armed services have made. Thank You. Thank You EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I WAKE UP AND HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO WHATEVER IT IS I WANT.
When those planes crashed Al-Qaeda wanted to break the resolve of our country. They wanted to cause unrest, hate, divide our citizens. The issues certainly have caused unrest, even hate sometimes and there have been many issues which the country disagree's on. In the end though, America is still somewhere that I am proud to say is home. America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave. I think there are many many people who would agree with me when I say.I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW AS I READ ALL OF THE SUPPORT WE HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
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