Friday, October 17, 2008

Next stop: America



My American friend had lengthily described to me his disgust over America and how Americans had changed the meaning of "Being American". So I came up with one important question in my mind - What is it to be an American?

Where people are as likely to have been born outside the borders of the U.S. Where most of the residents speak another language in addition to English. Where the soundtrack is, yes, jazz and blues and rock and roll, but also hip hop and salsa and merengue.

America had embrace the widest variety of people. Anyone can come to America and eat a hot dog and watch a ball game and stroll along the riverside, but that won't make him an American. But every year thousands of people troop to the Immigration office hoping to be sworn in as American citizens.

A lot of people come to America to enjoy more security, freedom and liberty that they may not find in any other nation in the world. Those born and race in America takes pride of the fact of being born American because America has always been a nation of freedom, a nation that helped other countries in need.

Then how come my personal encounter with American friends tells me the opposite? Many of them show nothing but disdain for America, what it had stood for today and what drives the country toward the brink of collapse. They continually wish to change the values back to what America was founded on by their ancestors, or they will seek to live elsewhere.

Considering the way the American culture had eroded and with the way things are in America today, I wonder what America will do about this deeply seeded crisis - Loss of confidence in America.

7 comments:

Angry American said...

What a country we are huh? We've left a very bad taste in many mouths the world over. Worse than that, we confuse the hell out of them by constantly saying one things while our government does another.

There's another problem we face. It's said that most animals will not piss where they eat. Well, we've got piss flowing in almost every city you go to in america. I, as well as many other americans, are sick of having to look for higher ground to keep from floating in it.

However, our ghettos are only half the story so I'll go back to our government. The founding fathers of this country came here to do one basic thing. Get away from a King.

He took everything from them. He literaly taxed them to death. He took away all their rights so they couldn't do anything about it. He punished them unjustly if they didn't submit.

So, the people came here and wrote the US constitution in hopes that it will never happen again. It starts with the words: "We the poeple...".

What I want to know is, wtf happened to the concept that we the people were supposed to have freedom and some controll over the government as it pertains to the greater good of america.

Instead of having a king, we have a mamoth machine that gobbles up everything but much more slowly. Our money in the form of taxes. Our freedom in the form of new laws. Even our privacy and many of our rights have been taken away.

One of our rights that is slowly slipping away is to own a firearm for self-defense. Wtf is up with that? So, basically, the government wants to strip the average, law abiding citizens who just want to feel safe and protect themselves from having a gun. They will buy the firearms legally, register them, and best of all, pay sales tax on them.

All the while, the disgusting excuses for humans who shouldn't even own a knife or baseball bat will be collecting every kind of pistol, shotgun and antipersonel rifle you can think of. All illegally, all unregistered, and all sold under the table so good old Uncle Sam won't get a f**king penny in taxes.

A good majority of these punks, thugs and gangstas will have at least one felony so it's illegal for them to ever own a gun anyway. Yeah, that sounds like it pertains to the greater good of america. Way to go you brainless wonders we call the US government.

AS far as the punks, thugs and gangstas, they are slowly taking away our rights too. Our right to life safely, in nice quiet neighborhoods.

To go to work or out to eat or whatever without being murdered. The right for our grand parents to do their shopping without having their f**king heads bashed in by said punks, thugs and gangstas.

My parents grew up in a nice, quiet neighborhood. Kept up very nicely. And, the cops were able to keep things from getting out of hand.

Then, the "brothas and sistas" moved in and destroyed everthing. To this day, those same houses are being boarded up again and again because of crackheads and gangs untill they are eventually torn down.

If you think I'm lieing or exadurating, look up the history of Cleveland some time. It's all right there in balck and white and continues to get worse every year.

Whether or not the world knows it, or if americans want to beleive it, the ghettos are helping to suck our economy dry as well. I'm not talking about the people who want to work but can't find a job. I don't mean the families who truely need help to keep a roof over their heads and feed their kids.

Just so you know, I'm one of the friends who Odette mentioned in her post. And I'm sick and tired of seeing my country being slowly destroid by the ghettos and our rights being taken away.

In fact, I'm getting the hell out of here while the getting is good. Very soon, we may not even be allowed to leave our country without lots of red tape. Not because of capitalism like in Russian in now in China. Not because of a psychotic leader like North Korea or Iraq.

Here, it will be a whole new lame a** excuse called terrorism. So, I'm gonna pack my bags soon and head off to another country for a much better opportunity for a career. And, where the people aren't having their rights stripped away.

EdGeneer said...

(ignore all spelling errors, i make no claims NOW that i spell anything correctly)

also, 'they' in appostrophies refers to the elitist / nwo / too-wealthy / politician / leadership scum that have nothing but ill intent towards real hard working folk.

What I see as being American is different now than what it used to be. Sure, it used to be someone that enjoyed the blanket of freedom and the rule of the people instead of a king or small rich elite few. When this transitioned, its difficult to say, because I have my doubts as to the purpose of the separation from England in the firt place, but thats a whole new story... anyways....

Currently, America is shadowed by a corrupt exil that is slowly fooling its citizens into a sense of what we THINK we can and can't have and do, and what they want us to. Ultimately, it boils down to money, (in the end, what doesn't....) Its an inevitable scheme of taking all the money out of our pockets and putting it in 'theirs' without us using the guns we still have a right to posess, and use them to stop this.... As soon as we do loose the right to own guns (and 'they' are lying to us, and doing everything 'they' can to achieve this), you watch the rest of our rights disappear faster than sh*t through a goose!!!

Ultimately, we live in a sort of denial, or disbelief that here in the USA, 'they' are moving us to a tolatarian state, cloaked in a facade of democracy. How could that happen here?? Many think (hope) that is not true, and if we want to do something about it, the bullsh*t 'be yourself' theory is scorned by the 'just shut-up, obey and do what you can to fit in' proaganda and thus, nothing changes....

The idea behind being American is noble, as most people in most countries would hope they would be described as. We strive for equality, respect, for ourselves and for others. Ultimately, an honest days pay for an honest days work. Live and let live so to speak, (rude and selfish people aside...) But, greed and assumption has led us somewhat away from these ideals. We trusted people to lead us and they let bankers and wealthy elitists slowly distort and pervert things, the laws etc to ultimately benefit those on top., and take away the rights and abilities of those loosing the rights to do anything to change it. Plus, when a person or family has to work harder and harder, where is the energy and attention to do anything other than try to not loose the home or their place in society... This fight is slowly being lost by many as time passes, and its pathetic.

Its interesting that when trying to describe what it is to be American, I keep reverting to what America is becomming, instead of what I feel it is and or at least SHOULD be.

What I want people around the world to understand about us is that many times, we are 'represented' by large companies and rich interests that try to manipulate things around the world, and it has NOTHING to do with anything real Americans want. They plow their way where they want when they see someting that they want, and do it in the name of American interest, where as we the real Americans, have absolutely NO say as to what happens, and we look bad... and 'they' get rich... While were working and distracted just trying to pay for common life and living things (like most folks around the world) we see that this and that happens, and like so many in the USA, we say, "wait a minute, thats not what I wanted to happen" but through propaganda and lies, were told that thats what the majority want, where I personally don't know ANYONE that thought that was a good idea.... Its money that drives these people to do what they do, and they NEVER listen to us, but we get the blame.

I am personally embarassed as for many in the USA as to what we look like accross the globe... and it bothers me... but again, I get ignored with the majority of US citizens, as we are told our votes count and our opinions count, bullsh*t!!!... (our money counts, especially when its stolen from us right under our noses, and we are often powerless to change the fact)

Its the annalogy I agree with.... You can drop a frog into boiling water, and it will jump out immediately... but if you place a frog into cold water, and slowly raise the heat, the frog will boil to death... I feel like a frog in the USA!!!

I hope to once again gain the respect of the world, and hope to soon be able to help / globally contribute instead of alienate ourselves in the name of companies and the interets of the thoughtless few and wealthy. 'They' want nothing but chaos because it dissalows folks to gather and concentrate resources to invoke REAL change...


As an American, I often feel misunderstood and helpless...

Boysie Gonzaga said...

America has long been regarded as Philippines’ “big brother”. It’s everyone’s dream to live in America, a country flowing with milk and honey. But lately, big brod is acting like a spoiled brat and the flowing milk and honey apparently has dried up. Perhaps America has spread itself too thin minding the business of others that it has nothing left for itself to butter the edges from crumbling. And with this, America is likely shifting to a “self-destruct mode”.

Sid Brechin said...

People everywhere tend to imagine the past far different then it really was. The changes in my lifetime alone are mindboggling. The computer that was carried by Apollo 11 when it landed on the moon had 16 kilobytes of memory. My watch uses more.

Before I got exposed to other cultures because I lived in a very cosmopolitan city ( Toronto ) and because of my time in the military. Today I use four languages no one else in my family uses anything other than English. On top of that I intend to try adding at least one more each year.

I retired at 51 when I was born that was unheard of unless you were born to privilage my mother was a waitress and my father a letter carrier. My always being placed into "gifted" programs plus doing exceptionally well in the military gave me a big jump on many others. Plus I paid attention to something my Grandmother used to always say. You can lose everything, home country family possesions with one exception. Your education. Not the piece of paper or parchment that says you sat through such and such a class but what you walked away from those classes knowing.

The past had better manners we didn't hear about every atrocity we do today because of communication technology and good news was more likely to be discussed than bad.

Part of my Military training included being able to survive no make that thrive in some very hostile environments. Our ancestors did it not that many generations ago.

I recall hearing of a conversation at a football game that went something like this. A drunken student was saying to an older gentleman near him that things were very different from when he had grown up. Radio no TV no computers no one had been to the moon or looked at the stars unfiltered by the atmosphere via satelittes. Few phones, cars were not as common. World travellers were rare etc etc. When the student paused to take a drink the older gentleman said. "Your right we didn't have those things. So we invented them to make life easier for the next generation. What are you doing you lazy ****"

From what I hear the older man got a standing ovation from all in hearing.

And he is right, were we see areas where things need to improve it is up to us to do it. Although I have fathered no children I still an obligation to those who come after us. I very much hope I can live up to it.

wood dragon said...

I was a bit distressed that the Americans you know have such a deem view of our country. I agree that our government has made us look bad in the eyes of the world in general and that we are not favorably received by most people anymore. That is sad. I also agree that our government needs an overhaul that big business and big money have to much power. But I think that the everyday people no matter where they come from or where they are in this life are good honest hardworking people. Most people I know just want to enjoy their families and friends, earn an honest days wage and enjoy their lives. I have long thought that the greatest strength and the greatest weakness that America has is the same thing: Its Diversity of People. It gives us much but also keeps us splintered from each other. People fear to much that they don't understand. In a land so different there is much misunderstanding.

Anonymous said...

i couldn't help but feel sad as i read about america. we've lost our identity here. i have no problem with embracing other cultures, but america does have its own distinct culture that is being lost and no longer appreciated. people used to flock to america because america was the land of freedom and opportunity. my grandfather was a russian immigrant who came to america during the time of the bolshevik revolution. he always talked about what a great country america was. it's hard to feel that way these days. my grandmother used to tell me stories about her family when she was growing up. things seemed so simple back then. she said people were always watching out for each other, and she'd tell me how no one ever locked their doors at night.

i guess things started changing here when we started leaving God out of public schools. i remember one day being able to pray as the teacher led us in prayer, then the next day she wasn't allowed. instead she read to us every morning from a book. then that stopped. was that the cause? maybe not, but it was a help. i do know when something gets cut out of your life, it leaves an empty spot that nothing seems to fill.

priyavamada & mohammed place said...

America is still a great country that has been slowly drained from it's moral values and which has been replaced by a price tag..

I also remember my father telling me stories on how the Americans came to our little island .. Bringing new hope and dreams for our people ..
I remember how my grandmother telling me how the last the of her Taino Tribe was dieing off because of the Spanish invadition..

When the Americans came .. we were able to survive and I am able to carry our traditons because of them ...

Well I am grateful for all they had done then .. but now I am sadden that our country that I love dearly has fallen slowly into the hands of greed and has forgotten the youth .. which one day will run our country ..

How the lack of care for the proper education and moral values has desolved and it is place by greed and a price tag .. Our youth are dieing .. to many young girls are having babies themselves .. Young children abused by drug addicted parents .. which they themself never recieved the proper education and life stucture to survive..

America is still a country that I have no shame in calling my home.. and I know they have extented many times help to others .. in which they were able to devolped .. and progress in the growth of their own country..Even through at times these same countries forget that the helping hands of America was the one that lead to this growth ...

Now it is time for America to start caring for their own .. No matter if one is Indian, Puerto Rican, Polish, Chinese etc...

If we live here then it is our home ..
We should take time to see the needs of our youth and theirs dreams ..

Give them a the knowledge of faith , moral values and the love of life ..

In which we in our greed have forgotten that this is the reason we been working for and would be leaving in their hands to care for in the future.

America still has a chance in becoming again a great nation it was once .. If we don't give up and start fighting the battles we have here .. and give it a rest in other countries..

I love my people .. which makes this country so specail .. because the word United is the first word in our nation name ..

This country is the only one in the world that has a combination of cultures and creeds.. Which in combinding we have become one of the greatest nation in the world..

We should now united once again to help our youth .. no matter where they families came from once born here they our children from our land .. Take time to help in your schools, libraies and other youth groups even you don't have birth child .. these children belong to all of us .. they are our future ..

Our countries hope and glory ...

God bless you and most of all God bless this wonderfl land ..

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin