Hope and Change

Thanks to the Obama administration, two very powerful words, hope and change, have been rendered virtually meaningless. But, it is time to reclaim these words for hope is what sustains us when nothing else does, and change is what allows us to move forward. It is a facile solution to lay all of the blame for our current problems at the door of liberals, particularly those in Washington. But, there are things that must be changed; we all must make the effort. We need to make a return to civility in our discourse. Tolerance for other points of view must, once again, be present in all forms of dialogue and political activity. We must equally encourage critical thinking and a sense of pride in being an individual. Lastly, the importance of accepting personal responsibility for one's lot must be emphasized. Once we make these changes, there will be real reason to hope.