I thought today about how American I've become, even though I'd like to visit where my ancestors came from.
I credit my dad for taking us to Washington D.C. and to educational places like Hannibal, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois. My brothers got first hand experience in Europe as military kids, although I was there, not realizing where I was. But we were encouraged to watch the aftereffects of the War on TV, which perhaps, could have been censored.
There were things we relied on, like our dad being awarded a civil service job for his service and the V.A. Hospital for his exit. And I even received money from the Veterans Administration, to finish the last year of college, again, for his service. There were a host of other services that all of us have taken for granted, not as gifts, but a lot for our own public services, which didn't pay that highly during the time we worked. My husband, for example, was able to access the GI Bill for his service, in order to go to broadcasting school.
My English Lit major included a lot of American authors, such as the one who lived in Hannibal, Missouri. Following these authors and teaching about them involved following a timeline of our history.
So now, this has become MY country, sweet land of LIBERTY, and I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK. This means, not having to put up with a spoiled rich kid who had servants in Africa, like the top guy did in America, taking a wrecking ball to our government services, which allow its citizens to live with dignity.
Three and a half more years of this is NOT OUR AMERICA, though 1968 was pretty horrendous, I'll admit. It is upsetting, also, that a replay of Europe where we fought fascism like Germany in the 30's is being replayed in OUR OWN COUNTRY. This weekend, a religious conservative had a list of targets he could not complete, but we're sorry he got as far as he did. People like that make me glad to define myself as Spiritual, with a more thought out theology.
So, many thanks to all of you who put your shoes on and stood up for ALL of us, Citizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment