Childhood beliefs smashed beyond repair.
Beyond else, in my childhood patriotism was stressed. When my mom and dad sat down to watch a Tiger’s game, beer in hand, they and I always stood when the American anthem was sung, a tradition I carried on when my family watched Red Wing games. My grand-dad served in WWI, my dad during WWII, my husband during ‘Nam, my son just got out of the Air Force in 2005, with a disability. That we are fighting for. So, I’m saying, even though serving our country permeated all our lives, and though we have voted Democratic all our lives, for the first time in my life, the last several years have left me with a sour taste in my mouth concerning American and all it no longer stands for. Throwing Valerie Plame and all her work on WMD in the Mid-East under the bus for political lies, while endangering her and countless others is one example. More examples: torture,a horrendous one , knowing that someone can be listening in on my lines anytime is such a horrendous rape on my privacy, hearing by the President of THIS country that the Constitution is just a damn piece pf paper, killing thousands of our own and theirs for a lie, letting Osama Bin Laden off the hook for 9/11, the rape and pillaging of the American middle class and the environment, the continual rise of gas prices, the sub-prime mortgage mess, knowing that millions of Americans are suffering because they cannot afford health care, watching our president fiddling with McCain while New Orlean’s drowned and OUR citizen’s died and suffered, knowing our military’s back is broken, stolen elections aided by the Supreme Court, deliberate disenfranchment of voters, jobs moving overseas in droves, and so many other examples, all equally horrifying, that I cannot call this MY America, the one I so proudly hailed as my home.
I used to watch what every president had to say, whether I liked him or not, this one makes my ulcers flair up every single time I accidentally hear even a clip of him speaking. Knowing that his stupidity is supposed to be representative of all Americans makes me cringe. He tells Americans that he is keeping America safer, but who is left here to guard us should an attack occur? He tells Americans that he keeps us safer, but how can that be when there is no food in the cupboards? He allows two border guards that were doing their jobs to be railroaded into prison, wonder how that makes other border guards feel? But hey, we’re safer. We’re so safe that a television station had to tell the Dept. of Homeland Security where some Katrina refugees were, they’d only been shown on TV all week.
When I see Americans more fascinated by the latest starlet’s problems than their country failing on every level, I am astounded. It is beyond my comprehension that SO many Americans take the words of hate mongers (Ann Coulture, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Rielly, Michelle Malkin and their ilk as gospel I am sickened.
Knowing that our veterans are treated deplorably leaves a dark spot of despair in my soul. Watching my son fight for some kind of disability after a jet hit him while in service, tears me into more pieces than I thought were possible. And, worse yet, I ENCOURAGED him to join, telling him he could honorably serve his country while being honorably served by his country for his service. He served, he was dishonorably served in return, as are SO many others with much worse disabilities.
Knowing that politicians on both sides of the aisle are in the insurance companies pockets, the credit card companies pockets, the pharmacy industry and on and on make me enraged and feel hopeless at the same time.
I think back to the 60’s and wonder where is the passion to stop the endless pillaging and raping of American, that was so passionately displayed for less cause? Cannot Americans pull together, as one, for America and all she used to stand for?
If Jesus Christ Himself were elected tomorrow, where would he begin to fix this mess?
Sadly, I can no longer stand, with my hand over my heart, and feel pride when I hear the American anthem.