Collegiate Times

America is at a crossroads. To the left, we have the Democratic Party. To the right, we have the Republican Party. And, straight ahead, beyond the challenges of our time, destiny awaits.

 But, in order to overcome these challenges--and we will--we must not forget where we've been and how we got here. Ever since our forefathers provided us with a powerful plan in the U.S. Constitution, the dynamic evolution of our government has been critical to our survival as a nation. It has made this nation the strongest democracy in the world.  

But, I am not so sure it remains a democracy at all, anymore. 'We, the people' are becoming less and less involved with the political process. We're losing faith in our political leadership, and we're losing touch with the increasingly convoluted process, causing people to feel powerless, hopeless, and disenfranchised. As a result, political ignorance and apathy spread across America. People care about the future of this nation; many just do not know how to change it.  There seems to be a sense of entitlement, that a person is owed something or should be given special treatment by our government just for being American. It is as if everyone expects someone else to fix the problems, believing that some scientist, researcher, or think-tank will come to the rescue.

I named my latest book Entitled to a Nation for two reasons. First, I think we have become a nation dependent on entitlement programs. Second, I believe we are entitled to take back America. I see this as a fundamental shift away from a current view that government should solve all of our problems (Although there are some issues that require the full focus of our national resources, such natural disasters and threats to our national security).

Right now, this nation needs Answers for America. We must build and unite a nationwide grassroots network so that we can identify major issues and develop effective solutions. Importantly, government funding should only be catalytic to the solutions with public activism as the driving force behind the problem solving.

In moving forward, partisan politics must not get in the way of our progress. As a man in Roanoke, Virginia once said to me, "It's not about red states and blue states. It's about being American and doing the right thing."

One need not be a politician to the do the right thing. In fact, that is hardly a requisite for the job these days (An entire book could be written on the hypocrisy of public morality).

There are bright minds in every part of America, working all kinds of jobs, who have the know-how to solve local, state, national, and even international issues. Let us put our freedom and talents to good use and solve the problems we are facing. Each person can make a contribution to this process.

Finally, as this nation increases its connectivity to the rest of the world, the unique opportunity to identify and solve global issues arises. Equipped with the necessary intelligence and resources, the people of this nation have the good judgment to do that which is right for America, right for the world, and ultimately, right for humanity. The first step toward fulfilling moral responsibility to humanity begins with being Entitled to a Nation.

Eric M. Latham graduated from Virginia Tech in 2003 with a degree in Communication Studies. He is the founder of Vote About America, helping college students realize the power and importance of their involvement in the electoral process. Latham's second book, Titled to a Nation, was released on Monday.