Happy Birthday America
Posted: July 4th, 2007, 8:47 am
<center>Happy Birthday, America</center>
Well, America, today you're a whopping 231 years old... too old to still be involved in this ridiculous war in Iraq if you ask me. But I know better... these past 6 years you'd never ask anyone that wasn't a Conservative/Republican for anything. Seems as though at your age you've become so singular-minded about what you want versus what you need that anyone implying anything different for the current status quo appears to be on the fringe.
Two-hundred and thirty-one years is a goodly amount of time to develop into a decent Democracy, but lately... I don't know. Is it because you're listening to only one side of the populace? Or, (and I hate to mention it), do you just really don't care about all the freedoms that your Constitution originally proclaimed? Your attitude as of late is not really what it should be. Could age have anything to do with it?
Remember when you were young? Those days when you were free to try all sorts of things. My gosh, the country was really a vibrant place. But nowadays you seem to have so many suspicions about we the people, that there's airs of distrust and anger at what we people say and do. Your President, G.W. Bush, swore the Presidential Oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, I ask you America, has this man lived up to his promise? He has twisted your Constitution to fit his own ideals, his own defense and those of his administration.
And your free press Damn, America, it used to be such another great model for the rest of the world. The past several years you are more than concerned at what this freedom to print is doing to your image, or so it seems. If you continue in that direction you can't help to be viewed as having something to hide, you know?
All this secretiveness you've been up to these past six plus years is sneaking up on you. You can only keep secrets for so long before they come out and turn against you, and it seems the veil is shredding.
The real secret is that you're ailing, America. You just aren’t the example of Freedom and Democracy you once aimed to be. You're in debt up to your Chesapeake and the flood waters are leaking over into the populace. At your age you are trying to put on a face that all is well and you’re a healthy and vibrant place. But you're dis-eased, America. You're supposed to be one body united... you know, the United States of America? But all this red state and blue state divisions..? You just can't stand strong and united if this division continues. You know that.
Maybe age makes you less pliable, less agreeable to change. America, my friend, change is what you have been all about for all these 231 years, and those changes have always been for the better. But look at yourself now - trying to stifle change, inhibit your freedom to express and move with the times. Those are signs of old age and you've got to get a transfusion or else you are going to live in the past.
America, your original declaration of forming a more perfect union with liberty and justice for all is growing weak. True, those that are wealthy have a great deal of liberty... the more wealthy they are the more liberty they have. But is that the intent you had in mind, America, when this was written up and agreed upon 231 years ago? How about justice for all? Your own Bureau of Justice statistics show that only one year ago there were about 2.2 million of your own people incarcerated in jails and prisons throughout your country. The U.S. incarceration rate has QUINTUPLED since 1971 when Republican President Richard Nixon declared the "War on Drugs." 1973 was the year Nixon's DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) began. How many of these people are locked up solely because of their own pursuit of happiness? (You know you granted that clause in your Constitution, don't you?). How about 'insuring domestic tranquility'...? I don't think by locking up so many people you're really insuring your own tranquility. Do you?
Seems like you need to take a good look at yourself, especially now that you're 231 years old. Take a good look at where you are now and compare that to when you were young and full of ideas and love of living. Don't forget all the progress you were responsible for - things like the light bulb, automobiles (and assembly lines with fair pay), the telephone, television, airplanes, movies, arts, wonderful architecture... the list is long and wondrous. Wouldn't you like to keep adding to the list? Or don't you have the energy to keep up with progress?
Wouldn't you still like to be a 'Beacon of Freedom' for the world... the freedom for your citizens to keep on keeping up with their own ideas and their own measures of success? America, you shouldn't forget the 1930's so quickly, when FDR put a stop to a few that became so powerful that your citizens grew weak. But you're allowing it to happen all over. Your corporations are running you and 'we the people' are losing ground. You didn't intend that to happen, but in your old age, you seem so lacking in compassion and caring for the same people that once gave you a feeling of being proud and confident, happy and fun to be with. Look at you now.
I won't go on and on, even though there are so many things that just aren't healthy about you. But be assured, America, that I have faith that you will get strong again, and I don't mean only militarily strong, but internally strong, a renewal of your original intent “to provide for the common defence (and not the defense of one party), promote the general Welfare (that means all of us), and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity ... great words to live by and to live for, America. Don't squander them for the benefit of greed and thievery of the Treasury that 'we the people' have contributed to.
I truly hope it's not too late, America, for you to restore your vitality and freedoms so you can continue being a country that will inspire others to trust and believe in. There are millions of us that want you to regain your health and continue progressing towards a future for all of us, not just a faction. We may be called 'Progressives.' Among us are those that believe in Freedom and Liberty for all. We may be called 'Liberals.' These shouldn't be dirty words in your eyes, America, but rather they should be words that mean the original intent of what you were conceived to be for all of us... even those that fear liberty and justice for all. That's what made you strong to begin with... inclusion of all, for all, by all.
America, on this your 231th year, may you reflect upon your humble beginnings.
I (still) love you and wish you a healthy future, not based on your war powers but the goodness of your populace to inspire others around this world of ours.
Cecil
04 July 2007
Well, America, today you're a whopping 231 years old... too old to still be involved in this ridiculous war in Iraq if you ask me. But I know better... these past 6 years you'd never ask anyone that wasn't a Conservative/Republican for anything. Seems as though at your age you've become so singular-minded about what you want versus what you need that anyone implying anything different for the current status quo appears to be on the fringe.
Two-hundred and thirty-one years is a goodly amount of time to develop into a decent Democracy, but lately... I don't know. Is it because you're listening to only one side of the populace? Or, (and I hate to mention it), do you just really don't care about all the freedoms that your Constitution originally proclaimed? Your attitude as of late is not really what it should be. Could age have anything to do with it?
Remember when you were young? Those days when you were free to try all sorts of things. My gosh, the country was really a vibrant place. But nowadays you seem to have so many suspicions about we the people, that there's airs of distrust and anger at what we people say and do. Your President, G.W. Bush, swore the Presidential Oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, I ask you America, has this man lived up to his promise? He has twisted your Constitution to fit his own ideals, his own defense and those of his administration.
And your free press Damn, America, it used to be such another great model for the rest of the world. The past several years you are more than concerned at what this freedom to print is doing to your image, or so it seems. If you continue in that direction you can't help to be viewed as having something to hide, you know?
All this secretiveness you've been up to these past six plus years is sneaking up on you. You can only keep secrets for so long before they come out and turn against you, and it seems the veil is shredding.
The real secret is that you're ailing, America. You just aren’t the example of Freedom and Democracy you once aimed to be. You're in debt up to your Chesapeake and the flood waters are leaking over into the populace. At your age you are trying to put on a face that all is well and you’re a healthy and vibrant place. But you're dis-eased, America. You're supposed to be one body united... you know, the United States of America? But all this red state and blue state divisions..? You just can't stand strong and united if this division continues. You know that.
Maybe age makes you less pliable, less agreeable to change. America, my friend, change is what you have been all about for all these 231 years, and those changes have always been for the better. But look at yourself now - trying to stifle change, inhibit your freedom to express and move with the times. Those are signs of old age and you've got to get a transfusion or else you are going to live in the past.
America, your original declaration of forming a more perfect union with liberty and justice for all is growing weak. True, those that are wealthy have a great deal of liberty... the more wealthy they are the more liberty they have. But is that the intent you had in mind, America, when this was written up and agreed upon 231 years ago? How about justice for all? Your own Bureau of Justice statistics show that only one year ago there were about 2.2 million of your own people incarcerated in jails and prisons throughout your country. The U.S. incarceration rate has QUINTUPLED since 1971 when Republican President Richard Nixon declared the "War on Drugs." 1973 was the year Nixon's DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) began. How many of these people are locked up solely because of their own pursuit of happiness? (You know you granted that clause in your Constitution, don't you?). How about 'insuring domestic tranquility'...? I don't think by locking up so many people you're really insuring your own tranquility. Do you?
Seems like you need to take a good look at yourself, especially now that you're 231 years old. Take a good look at where you are now and compare that to when you were young and full of ideas and love of living. Don't forget all the progress you were responsible for - things like the light bulb, automobiles (and assembly lines with fair pay), the telephone, television, airplanes, movies, arts, wonderful architecture... the list is long and wondrous. Wouldn't you like to keep adding to the list? Or don't you have the energy to keep up with progress?
Wouldn't you still like to be a 'Beacon of Freedom' for the world... the freedom for your citizens to keep on keeping up with their own ideas and their own measures of success? America, you shouldn't forget the 1930's so quickly, when FDR put a stop to a few that became so powerful that your citizens grew weak. But you're allowing it to happen all over. Your corporations are running you and 'we the people' are losing ground. You didn't intend that to happen, but in your old age, you seem so lacking in compassion and caring for the same people that once gave you a feeling of being proud and confident, happy and fun to be with. Look at you now.
I won't go on and on, even though there are so many things that just aren't healthy about you. But be assured, America, that I have faith that you will get strong again, and I don't mean only militarily strong, but internally strong, a renewal of your original intent “to provide for the common defence (and not the defense of one party), promote the general Welfare (that means all of us), and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity ... great words to live by and to live for, America. Don't squander them for the benefit of greed and thievery of the Treasury that 'we the people' have contributed to.
I truly hope it's not too late, America, for you to restore your vitality and freedoms so you can continue being a country that will inspire others to trust and believe in. There are millions of us that want you to regain your health and continue progressing towards a future for all of us, not just a faction. We may be called 'Progressives.' Among us are those that believe in Freedom and Liberty for all. We may be called 'Liberals.' These shouldn't be dirty words in your eyes, America, but rather they should be words that mean the original intent of what you were conceived to be for all of us... even those that fear liberty and justice for all. That's what made you strong to begin with... inclusion of all, for all, by all.
America, on this your 231th year, may you reflect upon your humble beginnings.
I (still) love you and wish you a healthy future, not based on your war powers but the goodness of your populace to inspire others around this world of ours.
Cecil
04 July 2007
