rambling about america
It's a somewhat confusing time to be an American, people.On the one hand, I wish we didn't do some of the things we do as a country. I don't really like that we seem to spend a lot of time going around shooting things at people and driving tanks at them, but then again, sometimes people don't listen to much else. It's quite obvious that many people harbor ill will for us, or else New York City wouldn't be short two large buildings.
Something has to be done about the people who want to hurt us, and I have the sneaking suspicion that the people whose job it is to decide what to do about it might make some choices that I personally would not, but I know that I know nothing about these matters and am ill-equipped to make a judgement call. I know a lot of people think that you can get the truth from other countries' news agencies, but I don't really think that their version has any less spin than ours does. I think it's all spin. The only people who really know are not obliged to say what's up.
I wish Americans weren't loud and brightly festooned with silly hats and shirts when we travelled abroad. When I was in Europe I got so I could spot an American at 100 yards, no trouble. You might think foreigners are making things up about us sticking out so badly, but trust me, they're not.
Having said all that, I am very proud to be an American. Sure, my fellow countrymen are annoying sometimes, and many of us dress like idiots, but I think we do some nice things too. Our history has black marks, like the Civil War and Japanese-American concentration camps, but then again we also have the storming of Normandy and subsequent march across Europe, where we freed Jews in their concentration camps. It's ironic that we freed the Jews in Europe and rounded up the Japanese back home, isn't it?
When I was a kid my older cousin Mike had a jacket with the union jack on it. I thought that was really cool. I was too young to understand much about flags and symbols and such, but I thought it was neat to have a flag like that. If I were to go back now, I would want one with our flag on it.
We do some good things, we do some bad things. Ultimately, it's our country though. I'm proud to live here, and what's more, I'm proud to be from the south as well. I have similar feelings about that.
I've heard a lot of people apologize for being southern. I think that's horseshit. Bad shit has happened here, but lots of good shit has too.
People ask me why I stay here, since I seem to think differently than a lot of people in this area. First of all, I don't think that's really the case. Most thinking people who live here feel the same way. Lots of people don't like to think, but we don't have to listen to them. Secondly, if I feel that I have a good attitude and can contribute something positive to the community, don't I have a duty to stay?
I think it's up to us to quit pointing the finger and having preconceived notions. I think it's up to us to be the new south and the new America.
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