Land of the free and home of the brave?
Sep. 7th, 2003 10:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jianantonicI've all but said this right out before. I've tried to hold back from saying this by reminding myself that I really am lucky to be where I am...but I have to say it.
I hate my country. I hate the United States of America. I am ashamed of my citizenship.
Before all you flagwavers out there start telling me to pack up and leave, let me make one thing clear. I would rather live somewhere else, and I probably will for most of the rest of my life, but for now my options are limited. So call me a hypocrite or whatever but I live here, I vote, I pay taxes, and as long as I have that First Amendment right, I'm allowed to hate the place and stay here.
Here are some things that make me feel this way.
Some might say that I am lucky because of all the rights I have - like the right to vote. Well, yeah, but the last presidential election showed me that it doesn't take much to fuck with the voting process. I appreciate the fact that I have the right to vote, but I don't appreciate the fact that our president is president only because his beloved brother illegally added names of tens of thousands of democrats in Florida to the supposed convicted felons list and kept them from voting. The pregnant chads and hanging chads covered this little tidbit of information nicely - but it happened, and yet most of America cluelessly supports our criminal president.
And what of all my other freedoms? Well the Patriot Act just about nullifies any and all of the Constitution that grants me these rights. In fact, simply because I am posting this commentary, I'm probably being screened by the FBI. Even if I didn't do anything close to this "rebellious," they could still have me detained for no reason because the terrorist attacks of 2001 scared Americans into giving up their rights for the greater good. Anyone ever heard of "Seize the day," or "Live life to the fullest?" There is no way we can safeguard ourselves against these attacks 100% (by the way, many Al Qaida were trained and supplied with weapons by the US), so I'd prefer to go on living life as normally as possible. I'll bet most of the people who died on 9/11 would rest more peacefully if their deaths weren't used as justification for the deaths of so many others. And don't tell me I'd feel differently if it touched me personally. One of my caddy friends was killed that day. His name was Doug, and I felt awful when I found out...but I think that the best way to prevent future horrors such as 9/11 is not to retaliate with guns (and stupid bumper stickers), but to promote education, understanding, and acceptance of other cultures. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think that if the United States would get off its fucking high horse of democracy and back the fuck out of all those other countries' business, maybe we'd be a less hated nation. Some places just aren't suited for democracy, and maybe they never will be. And what does the US know of democracy anyway? If we were a true democracy, Al Gore would be president. I'm not bitter. Dean 2004 (he'll be better than Gore anyway...then Clinton 2012!)
In 2000, I spent part of the summer in Guatemala. Here's a nation where the poverty is boundless. The poorest American could live like a nobleman here. And yet, the Guatemalans are rich. They love each other, they say hi to strangers on the street and smile at everyone. They have love in their hearts and hope in their souls. Contrast that with what we call a "rich" American. I quote Phil Stone when I say,
"What kind of world is it when an Enron executive, who has more money than he could ever possibly spend in his lifetime, would stoop to such criminal levels only to get more of it?" Is that really what it means to be rich? To posess money and things? Are these things good for anything really besides shielding us from the emptiness of our souls?
The list goes on and I could complain a lot more, but I think the people that disagree with me have already stopped reading and those that agree have heard it all before.
I'll end with this note to the FBI, CIA, and Georgie:
I'm not going to blow you up or come after you or even wish this happens. I like most of the people in the states, just not the way our country is running. I don't want to see ANYONE get hurt. An Iraqi life is worth no less to me than an American one - even if that Iraqi hates me. I can understand where the idea comes from, eh? I don't exactly feel all that nurtured by my own country, either.
Peace.
Please, one day, let there be peace.
I hate my country. I hate the United States of America. I am ashamed of my citizenship.
Before all you flagwavers out there start telling me to pack up and leave, let me make one thing clear. I would rather live somewhere else, and I probably will for most of the rest of my life, but for now my options are limited. So call me a hypocrite or whatever but I live here, I vote, I pay taxes, and as long as I have that First Amendment right, I'm allowed to hate the place and stay here.
Here are some things that make me feel this way.
Some might say that I am lucky because of all the rights I have - like the right to vote. Well, yeah, but the last presidential election showed me that it doesn't take much to fuck with the voting process. I appreciate the fact that I have the right to vote, but I don't appreciate the fact that our president is president only because his beloved brother illegally added names of tens of thousands of democrats in Florida to the supposed convicted felons list and kept them from voting. The pregnant chads and hanging chads covered this little tidbit of information nicely - but it happened, and yet most of America cluelessly supports our criminal president.
And what of all my other freedoms? Well the Patriot Act just about nullifies any and all of the Constitution that grants me these rights. In fact, simply because I am posting this commentary, I'm probably being screened by the FBI. Even if I didn't do anything close to this "rebellious," they could still have me detained for no reason because the terrorist attacks of 2001 scared Americans into giving up their rights for the greater good. Anyone ever heard of "Seize the day," or "Live life to the fullest?" There is no way we can safeguard ourselves against these attacks 100% (by the way, many Al Qaida were trained and supplied with weapons by the US), so I'd prefer to go on living life as normally as possible. I'll bet most of the people who died on 9/11 would rest more peacefully if their deaths weren't used as justification for the deaths of so many others. And don't tell me I'd feel differently if it touched me personally. One of my caddy friends was killed that day. His name was Doug, and I felt awful when I found out...but I think that the best way to prevent future horrors such as 9/11 is not to retaliate with guns (and stupid bumper stickers), but to promote education, understanding, and acceptance of other cultures. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think that if the United States would get off its fucking high horse of democracy and back the fuck out of all those other countries' business, maybe we'd be a less hated nation. Some places just aren't suited for democracy, and maybe they never will be. And what does the US know of democracy anyway? If we were a true democracy, Al Gore would be president. I'm not bitter. Dean 2004 (he'll be better than Gore anyway...then Clinton 2012!)
In 2000, I spent part of the summer in Guatemala. Here's a nation where the poverty is boundless. The poorest American could live like a nobleman here. And yet, the Guatemalans are rich. They love each other, they say hi to strangers on the street and smile at everyone. They have love in their hearts and hope in their souls. Contrast that with what we call a "rich" American. I quote Phil Stone when I say,
"What kind of world is it when an Enron executive, who has more money than he could ever possibly spend in his lifetime, would stoop to such criminal levels only to get more of it?" Is that really what it means to be rich? To posess money and things? Are these things good for anything really besides shielding us from the emptiness of our souls?
The list goes on and I could complain a lot more, but I think the people that disagree with me have already stopped reading and those that agree have heard it all before.
I'll end with this note to the FBI, CIA, and Georgie:
I'm not going to blow you up or come after you or even wish this happens. I like most of the people in the states, just not the way our country is running. I don't want to see ANYONE get hurt. An Iraqi life is worth no less to me than an American one - even if that Iraqi hates me. I can understand where the idea comes from, eh? I don't exactly feel all that nurtured by my own country, either.
Peace.
Please, one day, let there be peace.
