I want to say at the start that I was born and raised in the United States, I have lived here all my life. I love this country; but much like being the parent of a child, one tries to correct them if you see them pursuing the wrong path. I believe that this country is exceptional, but many times it is in the wrong way.
This country is exceptional at being arrogant and making fun of anyone who is different than us. We are exceptional at making the rich richer; and the poor poorer. We are exceptional at helping corporations reap huge profits, while their CEOs get huge bonuses and their employees get the shaft.
We are exceptional at making health insurance companies wealthy, while millions of our citizens have no health care. We are exceptional at having the largest military budget in the world, while we talk of cutting Social Security, Medicare, Education and many other important domestic programs.
We are exceptional at helping corrupt dictators and governments around the world; while talking of laying off public employees here at home. We are exceptional at being racist toward African Americans, Hispanics and many other minorities, sexist toward women and homophobic toward gays.
We are exceptional at going crazy over a football game or American Idol; but keeping our eyes closed toward injustice all around. We are exceptional at dis-engaging from the real world, and not seeing the homeless, the poor and the people who walk down the streets talking to the wind.
We are exceptional at ramming Christianity down someones throat, while being intolerant of other people's beliefs. We are exceptional at always being in a war someplace, and making the military industrial complex wealthier.
I love President Obama. I am going to do everything I can do to help him be re-elected; but I have this feeling of hopelessness and helplessness about the direction of this country. To me, in many cases our values and priorities are completely upside down. Is there any hope or is our country completely broken?