If you fall down that’s an accident. If you stay down, that’s a choice.

Over the last few months it seems we have been finding a lot of ways to stay down as a society and as responsible adults.

Surely, we have had our battles in this country, but the never ending avalanche of problems seem to have brought many to be resigned to “stay down.”

I can’t buy that. I can’t believe that we as Americans can let things like a virus, social injustice, uneven politics and numerous other problems keep us down. We have bounced back from other problems in our country in the past and this needs to be a point of emphasis as we move forward. I’m not big on participation awards, but it does seem like a big part of our citizens want to pass them out on a daily basis.

Instead of solving problems we have a lot of people getting patted on the back for not doing something.

Don’t want to come to class? Not a problem, just show up when you can or go virtually.

Don’t want to come to work? Not a problem, work from home and if that becomes too hectic, we’ll change some things around. Can’t find a job? Not a problem, we will pay you money not to work and in fact, we will pay you even more than you make. Don’t rush back. Seriously?

It took some hard times for me as I matured to get my act together, but even more important, I was never going to “stay down.”

I know a ton more people who would never accept the “stay down,” stance on life. They have pushed forward and become successful even when times have been tough. Talk to almost any veteran who has served our country and, well, I can’t repeat most of their responses when it comes to some of our citizens seemingly taking a chance to shirk some of their responsibilities.

Before anyone starts to get their noses out of joint, I’ll go ahead and say some of the people who I might have mentioned above have legitimate reasons and their concerns are real, but I think I also speak for a lot of folks who know there are people out there milking every little problem or nuisance for all it’s worth.

I don’t think as a country we can accept that from our citizens. I don’t think we can let people shirk responsibilities and I certainly don’t think we can reward them for non-activity. We can’t let them get rewarded for “staying down.” With that being said, I think our upcoming election is going to be a barometer for what’s to come in the future. Our citizens should get out and vote in record numbers, not because of promises made to them, but because that’s the American way and our freedoms and way of life are predicated on how we handle our responsibility and duty to vote.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t care who you vote for. I have my own feelings and I will vote with my conscious and my own beliefs on what I feel our country needs. Of course that’s the American way. It should be that way, and not be based on herd mentality.

So how do we move forward? First things first everyone needs to vote. Support your candidates of choice by casting your vote. Get in line, stand in line, wait in line, as long as you vote.

We don’t have a choice as a country. We can’t stay down. If we do, then we as a country have made the choice.

We can’t afford it.

Dee McLelland is publisher of the Bryan County News and its sister paper, the Coastal Courier.