America, Love It Or Leave It?
Bill Clinton, at his 1993 inaugural address, said, “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” I wish that I still believed, but I’m not so sure anymore.
I miss Bill. And I miss my rose-colored glasses. Now I simply see red. All that George Bush and his band of cronies have wrought since setting foot in the Oval Office has led me to believe that perhaps there is very little left that is right with America.
Maybe there really wasn’t that much right to begin with, but I thought things were beginning to look up. As a nation we haven’t had such a stellar track record, of course, despite historical spin doctoring.
Near-extermination and subsequent oppression of the indigenous peoples? Yep, that was us … Manifest Destiny and all.
Atomic bomb attacks on civilian populations? Missions accomplished.
Stealing a page from the opponent’s playbook and interning American citizens to War Relocation Centers (”concentration camps” sounds so Nazi) because of their ethnicity? Caught red-handed.
Then, just when you think we might finally be making some forward progress, enter Bush to take the proverbial three steps back.
I hate Bush’s regressive America. Of course, to the thin-skinned patriots out there, using the words “hate” and “America” in the same sentence is nothing short of treasonous.
Anti-patriotic I am because I oppose an illegal war, a criminal administration, and am disgusted that our civil liberties are being flushed down the toilet.
“America, love it or leave it,” they say. Well, I may not necessarily love it right now, but leave it? Wherever else I might go, I could possibly become subject to current U.S. foreign policy, and I’ll have none of that! No thank you.
Look, I don’t hate America. It’s probably one of the best countries ever stolen. But we’re not necessarily the bee’s knees, either. And until we get back on the right track (kicking Bush’s sorry ass to the curb will be the first lost step regained), I’ll not be proudly waving Old Glory. Thank God the countdown has begun.
To end with another quote: “Let America realize that self-scrutiny is not treason. Self-examination is not disloyalty.” - Richard Cardinal Cushing
patriotism, george w. bush, american history, american presidents, 2008 election
January 7th, 2008 at 8:22 am
“America, love it or leave it,â€? they say. Well, I may not necessarily love it right now, but leave it? Wherever else I might go, I could possibly become subject to current U.S. foreign policy, and I’ll have none of that! No thank you.”
Brilliant! Brilliant!
January 7th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
“Now I simply see red. All that George Bush and his band of cronies have wrought since setting foot in the Oval Office has led me to believe that perhaps there is very little left that is right with America.”
I feel the same way.
January 7th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Here, there, or anywhere, there’s really no escape! If time heals all wounds, let’s hope time flies.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I agree with your sentiment Doug, but I really believe that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We have about a year left of GW and Dick. That’s a drag, but they’ve been marginalized and we’ve already gotten rid of some horrendous pols.
Tom DeLay’s gone. So is Rick Santorum, Berto Gonzalez and George Allen. Denny Hastert’s on his way out. Here in northern CA, John Doolittle is in deep deep trouble. Better times are ahead if progressives stay motivated and vote in November.
January 8th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
You’re right, of course, Bob. I really am an optimist at heart, don’t get me wrong, and I do know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I hope at the end of the year we see someone in charge who will take us to that light instead of digging an even deeper tunnel, though. It is indeed promising to note how many of the W and Cheney crew have either jumped ship or been thrown overboard. Fingers crossed.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:37 am
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