LETTERS: HOLIDAY PROMPTS `GOD SAVE AMERICA'

To the editor:

I was going to send you a short piece in honor of the Fourth of July. It was a letter I was going to call "God Bless America," filled with wonderful, positive things about this great land in which we live. As a citizen who has surpassed the big 50-age crisis, I thought that this year I would take a different perspective concerning this holiday we celebrate. In years past, it has meant barbecue in the backyard and fireworks by evening.

What began as a God Bless America letter, became a God Save America article. As I traveled back in time reading about the conditions that brought forth the Decoration of Independence, a fearful chill swept over me. Suddenly, recent news events and comments being made by citizens all over this land, came flooding in my soul. Things such as Ollie North said while he was in our city: "The people of the United States of American want a government that takes less, spends less and intrudes less."

I saw a dark vision of history repeating itself. Only this time the intruding government is the government the people created. This creature created by the people has become an aggressive creator of ideals, that were not what the people desired.

Have we been sleeping while our freedom is being taken away? Have we shunned responsibility for too long, asking our government to accept it?

To lose faith in our nation means we have lost faith in ourselves for "We The People" is the nation. Are the cries of a revolution really a "sound the alarm" as to our country's future? Isn't it time for all of us to pray "God Save America?"

RON FARROW

Cape Girardeau