Freedom is a perfect blog topic for Black History Month. African Americans are still searching and fighting for freedom. But that's not all, so are lots of Americans. We send our young people out everyday to fight for our freedom. Some of them come home to us and some don't. Freedom is about liberty and independence and for the most part we are embracing that idea. But what about these kids who don't understand what they have right in front of them? I am not against kids expressing themselves but not wanting to attend schools or have respect for themselves or others is getting out of control.

There has been a ton of blood, sweat and tears shed with building this country. Wars have been fought on this soil and foreign so that we can get up everyday and have a routine of our choice. It's the slouching, bagging pants and teen pregnancy that nag at me the most. There is the attitude that something more is owed to these kids who lack the ambition, motivation and drive to pursue all this country has to offer. If anyone of them would pick up a book and read about our countries history, just maybe they would understand the importance of an education and having the right to vote.

So many people have died so that they can walk down the street with their blatant attitudes and lack of pride. Parents make every attempt to blame the government and the school systems for their children failing. But at what point to parents take on the responsibility of teaching their kids the values and the fight that have brought this country to where it is now. Instead of blaming society each and every parent should wake up and take a long hard look at themselves in the mirror.

I cherish my freedom and look back at my own families history, and know that whatever I have accomplished I owe to them. They have taught me the value of hard work, education and persistence. They have achieved goals and sacrificed themselves for me. I have done the same for my child and he will do the same for his. The reason we have all been able to do this is because we are free. We are free to attend college and use a public restroom. We are free to work, drive and vote. We are free to live in neighborhoods of our choosing.

To me freedom is about choices. These choices we can make freely because of all of the people who came before us. We are free because they have already fought the biggest fight and won. The price has been paid in full. I guess a solution for these problem children is to get them back to the basics. Teaching them the importance of education, work and values. Until parents get back to the basics, what will become of our nations future of freedom?