America, the great melting pot of cultures and belief systems, is arguably the greatest country on Earth. Time and time again, our population has pulled together with a can-do attitude to win world wars, leave footprints on the moon, and through innovation and tireless work has created a standard of living that many countries can only aspire to.

Such a standard of living comes about only when people invest in themselves, versus a system that enables a sense of entitlement and kills the drive to compete. Unfortunately, there has been a dangerous trend developing, particularly within minority communities. It is a trend toward favoring a more socialist system that might in the short term fulfill their immediate economic needs, but at the expense of de-incentivizing populations that need their voices to be heard and needlessly buying into a sense of feeling disenfranchised.

We’re only but a few steps into this 21st century and it’s becoming apparent that this slippery slope of entitlement will eventually result in a bottom-heavy system of too many hands being held out as the path of least resistance. So I say now is the time for a call to action: a call to action that will require everyone, from everywhere, to collectively take a deep look within themselves, to find the strength as one people, and end the eroding of our capitalist foundation.

By reinvigorating our collective entrepreneurial spirit, it only becomes easier for America to be head and shoulders above other countries, because accomplishments, personal accountability, and personal success simply allows us to hold our heads up higher.

Those who might not put much stock in this view will argue that many, particularly within the African-American and Latino communities, start their races farther back from the starting line than others. I say all of us are already miles ahead, defying 30:1 odds of being born in the United States. Even my upbringing was far from ideal, as I was born in New York to an alcoholic mother and battled with dyslexia to barely get out of high school. Allow me to say that last part another way: A seemingly overwhelming obstacle was put in my way on a genetic level, yet it was my desire to succeed that kept me in the fight, to ultimately see it through for the win. In other words, sure, I won, as Warren Buffet would call it, the ovarian lottery, however, I more accurately owe my success and my wealth, the blessing to have represented 58 Academy Award winners, 43 best-selling authors, three presidents, and to speak at Harvard and Oxford universities to a tireless work ethic and drive to create wealth despite my disadvantages.

Rally together

Now, I’m certainly not naive in my understanding that many minority groups face a variety of challenges. However, with recent calamities we’ve certainly seen specific communities rally together, we’ve seen leaders step up and give these communities strength and inspiration at nothing short of the speed of need, for which I applaud them.

However, where are these leaders when taking a more 30,000-foot view of their communities? When it comes to inspiring their members to not succumb to a victim mentality that makes giving up and flirting with socialism the lesser of two evils? It’s downright horrifying that many can’t see this country is not just about us, it’s about what we pass on as our legacy, and even if it isn’t a trust fund, maybe the tenacity that comes with capitalism will serve to help future generations become masters of their own destiny.

It’s my moral imperative to reach these community leaders, one by one, to personally make this reawakening their top priority. It’s this clear deficit of leadership for topics that don’t make the evening news that bring out within me an “If not you, then who?” mentality for the sake of our way of life. It’s this clear deficit of leadership for topics that don’t make the evening news that drives my challenge to leaders of minority communities to get their members active in making their economic voices heard, and to promote education and hard work as a means to make a name for themselves.

It’s this clear deficit of leaders for topics that don’t make the evening news to challenge them that within five years they usher in a new glamorization of hard work and accountability, that is aggressive, yields results, and ultimately proves socialism and it’s “woe is me” entitlement ethic as an ecumenically flawed system.

Michael Levine is a media expert and author of 19 books. He has represented 58 Academy Award winners, 34 Grammy Award winners, and 43 New York Times best-sellers.