Once upon a time, I waved the American flag. I was what you might call a liberal patriot. For all its problems, I really believed in our country, and I believed that America would come through in the end with its values intact. I don't believe that anymore. I don't see how any reasonable person could.
We were founded on the blood and bones of an indigenous race, we grew fat on the flesh of oppressed and abused minorities. But surely, I thought (once upon a time) we could rise above our genocidal, hateful origins and become something great.
I should've known better. We ALL should've. If you build your castle in a swamp of shit, don't expect not to eventually be sucked down into it. All great empires fall, and most of them have the seeds of their own destruction sown right from the beginning. America certainly did.
If we ever had a chance, it was utterly destroyed on 9-11-01. The terrorist attacks ruined us. Maybe there was a brief moment of "we're all in this together", but it was quickly squashed by hate-mongers and opportunistic power-seekers.
Now what are we? We're a nation of
paranoid
hypocritical
bigoted
ignorant
Bible-thumping
Honey-Boo-Boo-watching
selfish
hateful
entitled
narrow-minded
fat
jackasses,
perfectly willing to do what our corporate-owned government tells us, all for the sake of some perceived outside threat. Our government SPIES on us, for Christ's sake. Who are the bad guys?
We think there's a significant difference between a Democrat in office or a Republican. We've totally bought into this bogus and twisted form of government.
We think our Right to Own a Gun is something God-given, and takes priority over the rights of children not to be fucking Killed by an Idiot with a Gun.
We believe climate change is a lie, because "scientists are part of a vast conspiracy against free enterprise". We don't trust intelligence.
We believe what's good for mega-corporations is good for us, because, well... because we are idiots with no knowledge or understanding of history.
"But it's America, by God, and we're still number one!" Yeah, except we're not. We no longer lead the world in ANYTHING, Jack. Unless you count obesity, or the most number of citizens in a so-called First World country in jail. Or how many people don't understand the goddamn Theory of Evolution.
And all your flag-waving won't change that.
Fair enough. Though living in India and teaching a comparative politics class (studying governments from around the world), it seems to me like every country is at least as terrible as America. It's just that America has more money, which allows it to spread it's terribleness more.
ReplyDeleteThere are worse places to live. Then again, there are better.
DeleteYes--when you compare quality of life in America to other developed countries, it ranks very low.
DeleteAnd who the fuck is Francis?
Lighten up, Francis. We're not "all" anything. Free your mind from the collectivist world view and just live your life as an individual. We all feel estranged from the public debate at times, but it's just a baby fit to conclude the whole country is crap just because things are going well for some particular set of political issues that are important to you.
ReplyDeleteFrancis?
DeleteAnonymous opinions are irrelevant. If you can't state your name or show your face to stand behind your words, then they are meaningless.
DeleteThis is great, and you are not the only one who feels thins way. Canada isn't looking bad at all, or somewhere in Europe. . .
ReplyDeleteWell, I've said it myself enough times. But not at work. Prepare to be attacked by the same idiots who have ruined this country. And to anyone who thinks otherwise, Obama's non-reaction to the NSA's trashing of the Constitution proves your point that there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats, although perhaps there are a few brave folks in both parties who may yet take a stand. I can even support that part-time nutcase Rand Paul on this one.
ReplyDeleteI hear every word you said.
ReplyDeleteYet, I still have some faith in American ideals.
We are an idealistic nation and in crisis we have been shown to remember this.
I like to think that it is part of our genetic makeup as a nation, that despite all the wrongs and confusion we may have wrought (surely not far out of character for any contemporaneous nation) we can still choose to do right and our democracy can struggle, and sputter, and survive.
Peter Collinson