You

"Oh! Had I ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would today pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; its' crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced!"

Look around, people... open your eyes! Do you see what is happening all around you? The above quote was sounded out 157 years ago by a man named Frederic Douglass. Yet I believe it is more applicable today.

A lot of my articles will find yourself asking, "What does this have to do with dogs?" Well... plenty. When people change... dogs change. When our country is strong... our dogs are strong. When our country is weak... our dogs are weak. So how does a great country like ours grow weak? One individual at a time.

The wisest author ever has told us that, "the love of money is the root of all evil." Apply that to the economic bailout recently passed into law. Apply that to our government. Apply that to yourself. Everything comes down to one man... one woman. One person can,in fact, change something for the better. One person can indeed change something for the worse. But as more and more people become selfish and only care about themselves, society has no other avenue to take, but down.

Recently in Kentucky, we had an ice storm which caused extensive damage and many were without electricity for an extended period of time. My family went 18 days without power. This situation actually provoked many into helping others. Then, those that were helped, in turn helped others. People were thankful and considered how their neighbors were doing. Many, many acts of kindness were sincerely committed... one individual at a time. Funny thing is, my family enjoyed many aspects of not having power for so long.

Hard times bring out the best in people... and undoubtedly the worst. And as the hand of time moves forward, rest assured there will be many hard times for America. How will she respond? How will this country react? Most assuredly, it will be measured... one individual at a time.

Are you ready for the hard times? How will you affect America? Don't be fooled... though you are only one person... You... are.... America. You are part of the country. What you do matters. Who you are affects others around you.

So... look in the mirror and ask yourself, "Am I an American?" Or are you just into yourself? Everybody makes choices... good or bad. Our future will be the end result of these choices. The feeling of the nation will be quickened by the acts of... one individual at a time.

You.