Driving on the road, what do you see?Shopping at the mall, what do you hear? Symbols is the answer. Symbols are something that stand for or represent something else, and Symbolism is everywhere. From a stop sign to a gecko. So what makes a symbol? What makes a word mean something, a finger offend, a sign tell you to stop and a smile tell you I'm happy? You give meaning to symbols. My middle finger is just a finger. But because I give it meaning, it can and most likely will offend you if shown. Another example would be money. Money today is just paper. In reality it has no worth, but because we give it meaning it now gives you the power to control, and to have things. Words are just sounds, and gestures are just movement. It is the meaning that you intend behind it that truly gives it life. So, what does our country symbolize? It should be a beacon to the world. Our flag should represent life, freedom, happiness, and liberty. But because we the people make up America, we become the meaning behind it. How we act and what we do gives the meaning to America. So when someone goes out and womanizes; when someone steals, lies, cheats and has loose morals; what is that telling the world? We need to be a city set on a hill, showing people the way for a better future. America is like a table, and we the people are the legs. If you take one away, say something like the value of family, the table might still stand. But if you also take something like the economy, or the love of a neighbor away, that table will fall over. America will fall over! How long before it gets to bad? How long before we get concurred or over run because we can't even keep ourselves in check? You make up a town or a community. That community will make up a state and that state makes up America. America's future starts with you, and without you, thats just one part of a leg ready to fall over. Please give an effort, because even if just one person reads this, I know I made a difference!