You know, I am an American.

[Skidmore]

I love my country and I missed it dearly when I lived overseas. Aside from all of the arguments about America's standing in the world, the politics, the governance, the culture, and what have you, I still love this great hunk of prairie I live on and the people who till it. I love that I don't have to get permission from my husband to have a job or to travel, as I did when I lived abroad. I love that I can speak my mind, and I don't care if you agree with me when I speak it.

For all the doom and gloom on these boards, when I look around me I see the land of my birth, one for which I feel an affinity in my bones. I will not leave it again nor will I ever do anything but work to preserve what is good about it. You may label me in whatever manner you wish but I have lived without rights and personal freedoms and appreciate more fully that we have many, believe it or not. Work to preserve and improve. I truly get sick of the endless handwringing and complaining without goals.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. Very well said

[VanillaRhapsody]

2. +1

[lumpy]

3. I am one of those who doesn't disparage my country because I don't always agree with

decisions by our leadership. As a whole I have respect for this country and it's accomplishments. Damned grateful for being a part of it.

[liberal_at_heart]

4. I would leave it if I could. I would go to Canada or Europe.

I have never once received any behavioral treatment for my autistic son because we can't afford it. We've had the rely on the public school system to give him occupational and speech therapy. And now the schools want to force my son to perform academically at the same level as the general education children. When my husband was going through a deep clinical depression he was told he would have to wait two months to see a doctor. At this point he was considering self mutilation, so he begged the doctor see him. The doctor finally agreed. No, if I had a choice I would not stay.