For the children I know...

My particular political, social and economic views are sometimes confused with a lack of compassion, empathy and goodwill towards those less fortunate than me.  That confusion usually comes from people out of tune with my vision and how it relates to the future of the children I know.  Yes, having no children of my own has caused me to become especially attached to and emotionally invested in the children I know.  It is precisely because of this compassion and empathy that I champion a society built on individual liberty, impossible without an insistence on personal responsibility and accountability.

In order for a society to be great, it must first recognize itself as a collection of individuals, individuals with different tastes and desires, different material, emotional and social needs and wants, different values and priorities.  It must then foster a mutual respect among those individuals in regard to their similarities and their differences.

I want the children I know to be raised in a society where they can experience the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from achieving their goals and attaining their dreams through their own effort, drive and determination.  I do not want the extent of their success harnessed by limitations others feel necessary in order to provide a safety net against failure or to make sure everything is even or fair.  I want them to wake up each morning with unlimited potential to what they can make happen.  I want them to have the satisfaction of knowing that what they have is theirs because they earned it, that what they don’t have they actively decided is not important for them to have, and that they owe no one for the privilege of the life they have created.

I want the children I know to be taught that each and every choice they make comes with a corresponding cost and responsibility and that, because they are free to make those choices, they must be patient, take the time to think things through and choose wisely.  Fortunately, the children I know possess more than enough intelligence to make these right choices, and they are raised by parents who are more than capable of teaching them how.  I also want them to understand that failure is sometimes a step on the path to success.  Everyone stumbles; everyone has to learn from bad choices.  They may need some help after a couple of these falls, but it shouldn’t be their initial reflex.  If you cannot pick yourself up the first time, try again and if you still aren’t able to pick yourself up, then ask for help.  Above all, never stop believing in yourself.

I want the children I know to understand that a business owner who is successful enough to hire five people has already given back to society by providing five people with employment.  I want them to be aware that freer, less taxed people create surpluses, not only for themselves but for those whom they employ.  It is these surpluses of time, money and other resources, in the hands of passionate people, which most efficiently and effectively change the world.  I want them to see that every citizen dollar and citizen hour is far more beneficial to society than any corresponding government dollar or government hour.  More importantly, I want them to grow up with the rewarding feeling that comes from true charity, from exercising their compassion and empathy, freely giving of their time, talent and treasure.  I want them to understand that true charity means finding causes near and dear to their heart and providing support as they are able - willingly, not being coerced into funding programs that are not important to them or worse yet, contrary to their set of values.

My mission is not to have people go hungry or to live in poverty, but rather to free them from poverty in a permanent, sustainable manner.  Government sponsored handouts do not promote freedom from poverty.  They promote and perpetuate reliance, oftentimes generationally.

My mission is not to take things away from people, but rather to give them things which, in a society built on entitlement and government reliance, they will never, ever receive.  A sense of accomplishment, a sense of pride… true self-actualization.

The children I know need to be allowed to achieve unbridled success, whatever that means to each of them individually.  If this is permitted and they are willing to pursue it, I know that they will see the world in more vivid color; the air will feel better in their lungs, food will taste better.  They will have fuller, more satisfying lives.

This is my vision.  This is my mission.

At the end of the day, I AM a bleeding heart, but with a different vision of what is truly important to the human spirit.  My mission IS a mission of compassion and empathy.  My mission is my gift to the children I know.