My take on America

[The Straight Story]

America, to me, is not simply this piece of land I call home, it is an idea.

An idea that freedom is the desire of all people, and that idea has filled this land of ours with people of all races, religions, ethnicity, philosophies, and cultures from the world over.

Am I proud of some actions or some leaders? Nope. But this land has been the birthplace of many wonderful and amazing things from airplanes to cars, computers, tv, radio, and things like landing a rover on another planet - because this place I call home is where we have allowed free loving people the world over come to live.

It is not that I dislike other countries either, other countries can be cool too :)

And we fight amongst ourselves quite a bit - which means we can assess our problems, discuss them, and improve - without the fear of becoming a political prisoner for dissent.

When we do not put into practice our ideals, we should stand up and yell about it. Too many have fought for us to be free for us to give it away at a ballot box and giving away freedoms out of fear.

Our biggest enemy is not overseas, they are not pointing bombs at us - our biggest enemy is being silent and complacent when the truths we once held to be self evident are no longer so.

America the ideal is still there, putting it into practice isn't always so.

[Taverner]

1. For me, America is a tract of land

What we do with said land and people is up to us.

Right now, things aren't looking too good

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I no longer believe 'America, the ideal' is a possibility. We, both the people and the

government, are violent, militaristic, self-righteous, hateful of anyone and any place different from ourselves, conspicuous consumers, greedy, egotistic, and defilers of our country and planet. We value money above all else, while claiming the 'moral high road' and torturing and killing innocents world wide. We are so complacent they the majority of the citizens can't be bothered to vote or raise their voices in protest, or understand the Constitution. Our freedoms have slipped away; Big Brother can watch you, listen in on you, and invade your home. We no longer value true education, but train our young to close their minds and take tests. Our universities are diploma mills, cranking out MBAs who all believe cheating, lying, and scheming are the ways to become millionaires.