Up the Country

The Fourth of July is a ways off yet, but a post on another Blog really troubled me. An individual posted a comment stating he thought, “Maybe the United States was a mistake”. The sad part is he claims to be an American. It is hard to believe anyone would make such a disrespectful comment about his or her country – I don’t care what country they are from. I think folks get confused about the difference between politicians and their actions and the nation itself. There are many great people in America doing great things, extending their hearts, their hopes, efforts and treasure, even their lives to help others inside and outside the borders of the country. To condemn an entire country condemns these folks as well, and that is despicable.

If you dislike the politicians and the decisions they make (or fail to make) that is fine, in fact that is your right. Write them a letter, vote against them, write an editorial, lampoon them on your Blog, whatever turns you on, but don’t think for a moment their actions define the entire nation – the hearts of the people are the defining factor. I have said this before and will say it again; if you think your vote actually put any politician in office, beyond any local yokel elections, you are mistaken. If you think your representative actually gives a damn what you think, unless you are one of his big business backers, one of the folks attending his $1000 a plate dinners, or a lobbyist with a pocket full of cash, once again you are sadly mistaken. Then there are the cronies we didn’t vote for, because each official comes as a package deal. What I am driving at is each “elected” official and/or their cronies have his or her own agenda predicated on who fronted them the money for their campaign and not the “will of the people”, and therefore are hardly representative of the entire population of this great country.

Folks should be proud of their country, its achievements, and the people that strive to make our lives safer. Instead of grousing, take some action that makes the country a better to place live. Sitting back sipping daiquiris in your hot tub and badmouthing an entire country full of great folks is horseshit. If you are truly discontented there is another tenet of our freedom, you can certainly move elsewhere, somewhere that suits you better. Hell, I’ll even help you pack.