T.E.N. Editorial Page, aka-America the Ugly

Good afternoon Fokes, Fam & PHAm!



I got a little space to run my mouth and ponitificate, so I think I will! I won't be before you long, but I had to share some of my opinions yet again. As you can tell by the title, I got a little bit to say about the people of our great country. I welcome your opinions and comments as always, and I also want ignorance to stay the hell out my house...as there is no place for such in this joint.



Our great country is full of people. People of different races, creeds, colors and religions. Also various disabilities, abilities, mentalities and educational backgrounds. In short, there is no one description for the people of the United States of America. You can look at some people in other countries and narrow down the options of where they originate, or their ancestors at the very least. However, you can't exactly point out a person before they open their mouths and say that person is from the United States (or at least I reckon you can't). I recall in Social Studies many moons ago, that this country is referred to as a "Melting Pot". Each region has a dialect or even a vocabulary all its own...and even amongst said areas, there are some who completely differ. In short, our country is diverse.



However, in this day and time, diversity is not appearing to be as widely respected as it used to be. The more minorities that call our country home (legally or other), the more eyes roll and the more the complaints fly. A commercial for a politician (in Alabama...HA!) said that they speak English, and everyone else should too. But, in other countries, English is spoken widely in addition to the native tongues of the land. If the alleged language of North America can be spoken in another country, why can't we learn or respect those who speak Spanish here? Or Japanese? Or Tagalog? Why is it brutally necessary to stifle the backgrounds of the people who make up the United States? Some argue that those who seek to live in the US should adopt our ways of being. Someone please share what the "American Way of Life" is because I'm not quite sure of what it is.



From my 28.172 years of living, it appears that the "American Way of Life" is a very negative one. The American Dream used to consist of the white picket fence, the famiily with 2 kids and a dog, and a good career in which you work there until you retire. As times changed, the desires stayed the same. Now, people are utilizing the right to have more than two kids or no kids. In short, the American Dream, like America, is diverse. But our dear old country has shifted away from allowing people the right to be American...aka-diverse.



Political affiliations aside, our country has shifted away from respecting the myriad of cultures that we consist of. Anytime people are trying to argue against a person's right to be who they are, we have a problem. Everyday, I hear politicians say that they don't want to allow the simple right for a "non-traditional" couple to marry..because it goes against their own belief system. But, is there a universal belief system for the United States? In Memphis alone, you will pass a different denomination on every corner...so it's obvious that there is no rule stating we must all believe that one thing. People don't want our country to provide universal health coverage because of the mere perceptions of a few. Articles and quotes have said that hardworking Americans should not be responsible for paying for insurance coverage for those who are "too lazy" or who are "taking advantage of the system".



Hmm.



Compared to the people of decades or centuries past, we ain't working hard enough. Some people are so narrowminded that they don't understand that "bucking the system" is not limited to one race, nor did it just begin in the 1980's. The concept of "Pulling Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps" is pretty cool, and not a bad idea..but most of those yelling it have pulled themselves up by the bootstraps of others or on the backs of slaves.



It just looks to me that we are falling apart as a country. It didn't begin in November 2008 either. At the rate things are going, our melting pot will be warped in a matter of months. America consists of more than Blacks and Whites, rich and poor, gays and un-gays (I made that up) and the sooner we respect these differences, the quicker we can start working on recovering. We can't fix the economy, the healthcare system, the educational system or even our own damn neighborhoods until we start acting like we got some sense. No law says that we have to be the same...just respect one another.



I mean, we are one Nation under a groove..I mean under God, so let's get right. Hell, I'm tired of all the hellraising.



I said hell twice in one sentence. HA!

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