Secure in our happy, warm box, we sometimes find it hard to remember that not so long ago we cast aspersions at those other countries who didn't share our belief in our own cultural superiority. After all, they were 'commies' and whatnot. We are good and they are bad. They in this case were, Russia (the old USSR), China and others like them. They were horrid because they spied on their own people and listened in on their conversations.They watched what you read at the library and told you where you could go. They controlled your money and controlled the media and fed you the party line. They could search your home, deny you rights even their own constitutional rights. If you dared question any of it, you could be arrested and declared a traitor, or you could be arrested because 'they' had a suspicion you might question policy. You might even be arrested for no reason at all.
    What have we done? Where did the rights and freedoms that we enjoyed and made our country grow and prosper go? Did we give them up or were they stolen?  Have we been so busy living the good life that we will deny the same to our grandkids?
    We have a responsibility to our kids and grandkids to leave things on our planet, big and small, in better shape than we found them. We want them to be glad they were born in America. We don't want them to curse us for leaving the country they have to live in shambles. We need to start living outside the box. Even if it's safe in the box, it's still a box.