Why I Love My Country-Part 3: The Military

Three years ago, my father announced to the family that he was joining the Army. In that instant, my life was hugely changed. Two years later, here I sit in South Korea. Traveling in the military is not a privilege everyone can enjoy, but I have been lucky enough to have that experience. I have, through my father, experienced the Army life first hand. As a soon-to-be-high-school graduate, I am looking to go enlisted in the Army myself. To say that I am proud in my country's military is almost an understatement. Words cannot describe it adequately. I know that saying that might sound odd, but I write it in all honesty.

  

   The Army, created June 14, 1775, has survived over 200 years as a successful branch of the military. The Army itself employs around 1,129,275. I do not have the experience nor the time to include all the other branches of the military, therefore, for simplicity's sake, I will only detail the Army. But I know enough of the other branches to recognize their sacrifice for their country. And that is where my pride stems from. Millions of men and women, leaving their regular day-in-and-day-out lives to instead put those same lives on the line to protect people they have never met. The military is a profession that certainly deserves a lot of respect. I think that sometimes we as Americans take our soldiers for granted. Even if they aren't deployed, they are still working hard to keep our country safe and secure. Most countries have their own organized militaries, but ours stands out. For several reasons. We protect not only our own country, but aid other countries as well, the most notable being South Korea. There are those who would say that this makes the United States look nosy and bullying. Maybe this is true a little bit, but I think its important that we help those who need it. If we have the ability to help, we should.

   When I got the idea to write this series, I was thinking of the top three reasons that make me so proud of my country, and I almost overlooked the military. But once I thought long and hard about it, I realized just how important the Army is in my life. I've enjoyed experiencing the Army second-hand so much, that I want to become a part of it. I want to protect and defend my country from the terrorism of groups in the Middle East, and from the Communism of North Korea. I would be ready and willing to give up my life at a moments notice; and, while that's slightly gruesome, I mean it. The United States is a part of my family, and I feel that it's important to keep my family safe. I will continue to be proud of our military; I will continue to be proud of our country.

~Ian James~

Why I Love My Country-Part 2: Land of Opportunity and Freedom

   As humans, having 'stuff' is important to us. I admit to being this way; my guitar is very important to me. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; at least, not on the offset, anyway. If you are obsessed with your stuff, then maybe it's time to spend some more time caring about people. To have stuff, though, you need money, right? And, unless you just inherited a bunch of money from your Great-Uncle Chester and Great-Aunt Bessie, you have to work in order to have money. Now, in a third-world country, jobs and, by extension, money are hard to come by. But in America, even with our 'end-of-the-world' unemployment rate, there are jobs out there for everyone. They just may not always be easy to find. So, we are much more lucky than a lot of other countries out there. That's definitely something to be grateful for.

   America is the Land of Opportunity. It's the land of HD-flat-screen TV's, which I have nothing against. It's the land of drive-through and fast-food. It's the land of iPods, iPhones, and Ikeas. In America, very few things are in short supply. I'm hard-pressed to think of any. The rich get richer, and if the poor are smart, they get richer too. This doesn't necessarily mean that life is rosy for everyone, but for the most part, it is. America. It's the land of a strong military; life with which I've experienced firsthand. It's the land of Wal-mart and Target. It's the Land of Opportunity.

   You have to realize that opportunity goes beyond having physical stuff. It goes beyond having a job. There is one big thing, as Americans, that we have. This thing should be our most prized possession. You may be thinking freedom, and if you are, you are indeed correct. Our Freedom is our most valuable component. It makes America what it is. The United States wouldn't be half of what it is without our freedom. Our religious, our political, our personal freedom. It's certainly something we take for granted, maybe not all the time, but every once in a while for sure. I am honestly bursting with pride as I write this. I just keep thinking how I would be a totally different person, living in a totally different country if, all those years ago, the Founding Fathers did not set this country atop Freedom's Hill. The countries which share this beautiful hilltop town with us number few, and none shine so brightly as we do. Of course, there is a downfall to shining brightly, as it attracts attention, but not all attention is bad. May we shine so brightly for much, much longer.

   In the Land of Opportunity, I can thrive. I am able to grow as I should, without unnecessary restraint, without unnecessary regulation. Instead, I roam freely, not hindered by monarchies or Communist regimes. I am protected by the Stars and Stripes, along with Her appointed leadership. Sometimes, to protect Freedom, there must be war, but She never seeks it. Today, I am safe; tomorrow, I will be safe. I am grateful for what I have been given, and I hope to one day pay Her back. Just recognizing all that she has done for me is a step in that direction. May America stay strong and continue to enjoy the Freedom it has worked so hard to protect and defend.

~Ian James~

Movie Review: The Passion of the Christ

   Today, I am reviewing Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. This is a difficult movie to review for several reasons, but I will do my best. This Friday is Good Friday, the day which marks Jesus' death upon the Cross. The Passion of the Christ is the perfect movie to be watched on Good Friday night. It reminds us of Christ's sacrifice that we might have eternal life with Him in Heaven.

   The story of Christ's Passion is obviously taken from the Bible, so the story itself is not tampered with. Screenplay is well put together, and the lines flow well. The entire movie is set in Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles, which gets points for artistic originality. The costumes are well done, and as far as I know, true to the period. Directing is good, camera positions are well set up. Over all, aesthetically, the movie gets about 4 out of 5 stars.

   Some points to note are the 'R' rating. Definitely, this movie is not something to share with kids under the age of 12. The movie is bloody and gory, but let's bear in mind what the movie is about. The Passion of the Christ looks to accurately recount just that; Jesus' crucifixion and last few hours of life before. This subject, Jesus' death, is one to be treated with respect. To say that the movie is awesome and really cool would be disrespectful, seeing as this is a true story of God dying for our sins. But I would be remiss to say that this movie is not a good one. It inspires and rouses the soul. It makes one ask the Lord for forgiveness, and strengthen their resolve to not sin again. So, despite its controversial gory depiction of the flogging and crucifixion of Jesus, The Passion of the Christ definitely succeeds in strengthening the spiritual relationship between man and God. I absolutely recommend it.

~Ian James~

Why I Love My Country-Part 1 : Introduction

   Pride in your country is important. In the words of President Theodore Roosevelt:

"The man who loves other countries as much as his own stands on a level with the man who loves other women as much as he loves his own wife."

   I have always taken pride in my country, for many reasons. The United States of America have not stood strong for this long without good excuse. I think that, while there are many things in our government that are not right, there are still many parts to be proud of. Our system is not perfect, but it's on the right track. Many conservatives may look at the current state of the democratic system of the States and be disappointed. But I think there is cause for rejoice at the heart of it all. Our leadership may sometimes be leading us wrong, but the foundation they stand on still remains. It has not crumbled beneath their weight.

   I feel the need to share why I still have faith in my country. I think that people, not all...but many, have forgotten what is good about our country, our government. They instead focus only on the negative; what is imperfect and flawed. Therefore, I will be sharing with you why I love my country in a four-part blog series. This introduction is part one. The rest I plan to have released every Monday for the next three weeks, so keep on the lookout. Hopefully you will find it interesting, as well as enlightening. I do not pretend to be some sort of expert on the inner workings of our government, but I do know what in this country keeps me proud. I do know why I love my country.

~Ian James~