Crossing the Rubicon

The phrase "Crossing the Rubicon" stems from Julius Ceasar’s crossing the Rubicon River on Jan 11, 49 BC. The act of crossing the river was considered an act of war by Ceasar against Pompey and the Roman Senate. He acknowledge that his act was an irrevocable one, when he uttered the phrase, "The die is cast."
Great changes came about in the Roman Empire that extended its grand world position an extra three or four hundred years. It was in rapid decline with leaders, heroes, entertainers, businessmen, and priest acting utterly acting out of self-interest. The nobility of being concern with the welfare of the people was lost in the drive to nab power in any which way you could.
On November 6, 2012 I wonder if our great nation is facing another Rubicon Crossing. Since the 1960's we have been approaching the banks of our Rubicon and I believe we have arrived. It is time not for change but renewal of the Founding Father’s original intent - Freedom for the individual with responsibility for the whole. This was a unique conception, and when Washington made his river crossing, "the die was cast’ and a unique Constitutional Freedom evolved.
That original intent built a nation where immigrants were proud to come in through the front door; where wealthy individuals were philanthropic toward educational, medical, and social endeavors; heroes were modest and remembered their roots; politicians were not career people; religious leaders were more interested in souls than their own image and wealth; businessmen looked upon their employees as their personal responsibility in terms of financial survival; and the individual citizenry voted for principles and not images.
When did we lose our responsibility for the whole? I believe my generation planted it and those following developed it into what we see today - fewer and fewer wealthy philanthropic acts; breast beating heroes with lifestyles that belong in a pigsty; lifetime politicians who stay beyond their usefulness; religious leaders who represent violence in words and deeds; greedy businessmen are more the norm than not; and citizenry who don’t vote, but will never fail to complain when they don’t get their share of the Pork Barrel.
Everybody is calling for change, but it is time for renewal more than change. We need to go back to the basics with changed ideas. When Washington cast the die at that river it was for basically an all white male, liberal Christian society that honored the working man. His Rubicon Crossing brought a simple social system to this group that for the first time in modern history - a nation where all were concerned with freedom for the individual with responsibility for the whole.
The renewal is needed today with a few changes in concept. Substitute the phrase white male for all humans; add basic respect of all beliefs and individuals for liberal Christian; and expand the concept of honor to mean respect, educate, and enable individuals to fulfill their destinies in life and to accept their own responsibilities for self and the whole equally.
Now, all I have to do is find another Caesar or Washington to lead us across today’s Rubicon.