Written by By Thomas Azar in the April 1976 Edition of the World Student Times
“The tradition of American youth should be the tradition to serve mankind with enthusiasm. America is the representative of Christian culture yet we are in no state to accomplish religious ideals. It was two hundred years ago that these ideals began centered on doing God’s will in America. Today these ideals have shrunk and are leaving people without hope.
To elevate and redirect our nation we need not only the faith of our Founding Fathers, but a greater determination to give ourselves to others.
The spirit of 1776 is too small to raise up America’s youth. They are angry and without direction. The individual, his family, and social order has broken and their thinking is just for their own desire. The purpose of life cannot be fulfilled by living for oneself. The youth of today are searching for a new tradition that is effective and unchanging. This tradition begins by pursuing the noble ideals that every man has always desired; secondly it seeks the love of God and a deeper love towards one’s neighbor; and finally this ideal and love are multiplied in a more stable and unified family structure.
Today youth must recreate themselves because only they can pass on a new tradition into the family. The future will collapse unless new love is expressed in an unselfish family relationship. Moreover, it is the young students who, in their purity, have the opportunity to learn the ideals and quickly fulfill them with passion and sincerity.
We need to ignite a spiritual revolution that will unify and give purpose to all in order to build one nation under God. We can afford only to advance forward. To believe just in our own self purpose will lead to the destruction of families and society. Man needs to recreate himself, go beyond himself and all limitations to build the ideal and live in peace. But in order for this conversion to take place and for America to enter her third century with hope and an unextinguishable light, a period of sacrifice is necessary. Without sacrifice, there is no growth, and to relax and expect others to do our work is a grave mistake.
All life and all history is aimed toward one goal and purpose- to raise up the dignity of mankind.
To attain this, religion, philosophy, and history gave the ideas and logic necessary for man to be fulfilled. But today, materialism has hampered our growth. There should be an honest look at ourselves, to change what is wrong and to act upon the new eternal goal. America must be the arena in which all religions, ideologies, resources, and personalities embrace in the spirit of cooperation to exemplify to the world the tradition of love and sacrifice. Upon this new and deeper foundation, the youth of today can once again take up the responsibility and leadership necessary to save mankind.”