Who's to blame?

Corrupt politics, high crime rates and uncontrollable teenagers are a few subjects debated by citizens of the United States. People may discuss these subjects till the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, but will the problems ever be resolved? Talking doesn't change anything. I believe that these problems will continue to sicken America until some genius figures out how to cure the illnesses. I'll try to come close.

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. However, it is also the land of too many freedoms and the home of wannabe heroes. The most frequently abused freedom in America, in my opinion, is the freedom to help cause a problem and then escape the burden of fixing it. Guilty people aren't sorry anymore and therefore do not feel obligated to help in any way. For example, the American population whines about corrupt politics, how the "leaders" of this great land impose high taxes and fail to benefit the common man. When I watch my parents argue about what this mayor should do and what the president could have done better, I howl with laughter. The president and the mayor didn't elect themselves into office, the American public did. Any voting citizen offering a negative opinion about the candidate that he elected should hold that candidate's office and experience the pressure of trying to please everyone.

Other pains in America's backside include high crime rates and uncontrollable teenagers. Many people feel that technology and the media have caused a decline in discipline and an increase in newer ways to commit crimes. That may be true ... to an extent. Television is blamed for much of the outcome of present-day America. For example, a kid jumps off a roof pretending to be a Power Ranger. The parents then sue Fox Network to get the show canceled. Come on! Who let the child watch the show in the first place? The parents, not Fox Network. And where were they while the child was on the roof? These are "concerned" parents?

The kid then becomes a teenager with radical hair who hangs out in dark alleys and brings home drugs. Should musicians be blamed for the kid's behavior? No, the parents should have disciplined the child better. Then the kid grows up and commits a serious crime. Who should be held responsible for the child's fate? Did TV raise the child? I believe that the parents are entirely accountable for whatever their child does, good or bad.

The point is, America's problems cannot exist without citizens' contributions. We are responsible for everything in this country. We need to realize that change can only be brought about by us. To cure America's illnesses, we must first cure the causes. Leo Tolstoy agrees: "Everybody always talks about changing the world, but no one ever talks about changing himself."

Lisa Smith is a student at Jackson High School.