By Candace Salima, Contributor of US Daily Review
Continuing from Monday’s article, The Death Knell of a Nation, Part 1
An illiterate nation is a third world nation. Yes, the current political climate is insane, the economy even more so. Our southern border is so porous entire classes of criminals waltz back and forth over the border without hesitation, taking over American border towns without a single shot fired. The governors of the border states pay no attention. The law enforcement agencies pay no attention. Our president ignores the situation. These illegal immigrants can’t speak English, let alone read it. But portions of our American government want to give them the right to vote so they can choose that man, or woman, who will give them the most stuff. God forbid they should actually work to improve themselves, their situations and circumstances. How could they start? By learning English, but no, they want everyone to learn Spanish so they don’t have to stretch themselves or their minds. They’ve come to America, learn to read and speak English.
Americans need to start reading. Fiction, nonfiction, I don’t care. Certainly, readers of fiction think outside the box, tend to reach further and accept fewer limitations, but read . . . I don’t care what. (Okay, scratch that. I’d be forever grateful if you would forego Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. That’s just drivel.) If every American today had read the works of the Founding Fathers, studied the U.S. Constitution and thrown their all into living up to the responsibilities and privileges of being an American we wouldn’t be in trouble right now. However, most Americans haven’t read the U.S. Constitution. Most Americans have never looked past the first few lines of the Declaration of Independence where we told the King of England . . . see ya! And then we backed those sacred documents and sentiments up with the blood and lives of Americans. Most Americans have never read the collected works of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin . . . pick one, how many can say they’ve read them?
But people just don’t have time to read books. But time needs to be made. You can’t afford to buy books? There’s always the public library. You can obtain a library card and check out as many books as you want, free of charge, as long as you bring them back on time. You can educate your minds and fill your souls . . . but why do that when you can be playing World of Warcraft?
To know the salvation of our nation lies in the education of a people, an education free of hidden agendas, yet completely steeped in American principles and values; and to know that all we have to do is open a book and enlighten our minds . . . to know this may never happen. This is the saddest thing of all, and an uneducated populace is the death knell of a nation.
So what was the last book you read?
Candace E. Salima is a syndicated talk show host, author, and columnist. Learn more about her at www.CandaceSalima.com.
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