Someone say
"this land/wealth/whatever' was built by your ancestors,
by men of steel, working hard and paving the way for you.
We fought long and hard to give you what you have today."
I can't help but get a bit agitated.
I won't say this is utter BS, but at least be realistic about it:
they didn't have much choice now did they ?
It's not like they
went to work everyday with idealistic ideas to build a New Future
for everyone.
It was most likely just a Struggle To Survive.
There have of course been people that did have ideals and
realized them: our everyday freedom (but do be critical about
it), our democracy, men and women alike can vote, sexual
revolution, social security, ....
That these ideas have been supported... we have to be thankful
for that. But personally I believe that most people crying
the afore mentioned much heard exclamation weren't exactly
the persons actively fighting for The (or 'a') Cause.
Don't get me
wrong, i'm not saying we shan't pay respect to them. But more
for the individuals they are, for what they did for the
persons near to them. The money they put in to make it
possible for (their) children to study.
And most important of all, we have to make clear we too build the
future. Even, or maybe especially, nowadays there's much left to fight
for.
Recognize the power we all have, but most of all realize what there is
to fight for at all. It's not a daily fight, it's not standing on the
barricades all the time. It's a matter of speaking up when you think
it's time to and supporting the causes you feel are right.