5.15.2008

Proud to be an American, Where At Least I Know I'm Free

I know we don't normally dip our toes into politics around here, for very good reasons, but I have to say: this shit is even more offensive and depressing than Kim Kardashian's dumb ass talking about Burma. 





6 comments:

Mike Ingram said...

I know it's lame to comment on your own post, but I just have to point out: that one guy, he loves the second amendment because it lets him "worship God," not at all for the, you know, free speech part, because that part's just crazy liberal bullshit.

And also, that other guy, he's so dedicated his life to following in his grandfather's footsteps, he so admires him, that he thinks his grandfather is "probably the kind of guy who came over to Ellis Island." Because, of course, it's just too much trouble to LOOK THAT SHIT UP ABOUT YOUR OWN GODDAMNED RELATIVE!!!!

dave said...

The most awesome thing about this is that it has nothing to do with politics, just good old lovin' your cuntry. Proud to be an Amurcan, indeed.

TMC said...

I'm most proudest of being 'merican everytime we blow up a turrurist.

Neil Ellis Orts said...

How lucky they were to find a Hispanic man with an accent . . .

Here's the thing. There is much I think we get right in the U.S. of A. There is much that I enjoy as a citizen.

I also happen to be a white male. Gay, sure, but I seem to "pass" in most situations, so that impacts me mostly privately.

What this sort of propaganda ignores is that it is a very different country for minorities. In my day job at a major chain bookstore, I've never had a customer say "I'll wait for the next clerk, thank you." My black co-workers have.

This makes me really ashamed of being an American. Or maybe just white.

I believe Michelle Obama was employing hyperbole and it was an unfortunate slip. She's obviously benefited from some of what America offers. I can also believe there is a bit of truth in the hyperbole.

A bit off topic: In the next year, I'll be publishing a book of poetry by Alan Berecka. In the book is a poem about finding out his Polish grandfather was an illegal alien. It might behoove all us white folk to look into the paperwork that accompanied (or didn't) our forebears' entrance into this nation . . . "probably" isn't always "certainly."

jill alexander essbaum said...

Neil is, for my money, right.

Some things we do really well, and some things we just don't have a grip on quite yet. But I'm an optimist. I'm reminded of that interview that Johnny Depp got all that shit for awhile back where he described America as a puppy that didn't know its bite yet (I'm paraphrasing).

It's also, imho, difficult to be globally informed when, say, you live in the big fat middle of middle America-- psychologically speaking (not to mention, geographically) the rest of the world is quite literally a world away from you. It ain't like living in Switzerland, where I can throw a rock in any direction and hit, what, 4 other countries? Nor it is like living in Europe where you can take a train for a few hours in any direction and you can't even read the street signs anymore. I'm not saying we shouldn't be more globally minded (oh fuck yes we should) I'm just saying I understand why we often aren't.

Most people just want to be safe. And I so, so get that.

And fear of outsiders isn't _always_ motivated from ignorance, we must remember. There ARE people who do want to hurt us. (That's fear of outsiders not fear of The Outsiders.... ahhh Ponyboy....)

I'm a patriot. I will admit it gladly and without reservation. I should throw in, however, that I'm pretty much a libertarian (a libertarian / democrat) and I believes me in my Bill of Rights, so my definition of a patriot don't necessarily jibe with, say, the Patriot Act's definition of a patriot.

I will also cop to (sheepishly and with halting admission) an enormous and inexplicable crush on Alex Jones.

I think I know what Michelle Obama meant to say, and I wish for her and her husband's sake she had phrased it differently.

But honestly, us democrat-types have taken things out of context from the republicans and used it to our advantage as well, either to proof-text a point we're making or for purposes of hilarity.

Can't we all just get along??????

JP said...

Let me tell you something...for the bazillionth time in my adult lifetime, I'm not proud of my country.

I am psyched about avoiding the burnings, hangings and public executions, though. Those of you who know me know there are A LOT of countries that would fight over a chance to stone my loudmouthed ass....or at least give me a good caning. So, yeah. Go red, white and blue!