What America Means to Me

[LindaM]

As we head towards Thanksgiving and the terrible election cycle we have just been through, i thought I would start this thread.  Right now, I'm working on a book from the Aids Worker's of Immigrants view.  What I'm learning is that life in that civilization is ugly and only gets uglier every day.  As someone with vague ties to the Puritans (although I don't agree with their religious strict rules), I am an immigrant.  We also took the land from the Indians who were the only true natives to America.  So instead of focusing on the negative, let's focus on the positive.

What American means to me.

As my history teacher taught me: If you don't know history, you are bound to repeat it.  She also told us to remember the history we learn as we may be face with it again.  It's up to us to make the right decisions.
America is a republic of democratic ideas.
An American doesn't have to belong to a party but have ideas of what makes the country works.
America is the land of opportunity.  We make ourselves what we are.
America offers the chance to worship like you want.  In the day sof Henry VIII and Ferdinand and isabella of Spain, they would burn anyone who didn't agree with what they say.  As we Methodist believe in our creed:  As long as you believe in Jesus, we're good (my paraphrases).  I accept what you believe as long as you accept my beliefs.
America helps others by reaching out not only to its own but to others.
America needs to once again begin to become the shining light who was there for the world.  We need to focus on helping others.
We support law and order but hold our officials and police to certain standards (which we're not doing now).  We have a problem here in Alamance where the sheriff cares only for the rich and his cronies. I know because "they didn't have a form to report my computer scam."
You are considered innocent until proven differently.
You respect your governing officers.  Even when they leave any office (president, congress, governors, state houses and judges), they are considered to be "The Honorable" due to their service to thecountry.
Our military is the protective branch that we look to so we are not invaded. 
Military and terrorism secrets are only supposed to be on a need to know basis
It doesn't matter what party you are in, you can split your ballot as much as you want (I should know -- I do it all the time).
We shouldn't look at the negative but the positive.
When something like COVID happens, we should use safe practices like wearing a mask and social distancing even if you don't want to do this.  We're even looking at changing our yard care business because of his failure to observe this.  If you respect others, you respect yourself.
We are not a country of terrorist.   This means that there should be no organizations as I see now ready to go to war over something they don't like.   While they think they are patriots, when they take their countrymen's lives or threaten to kill a public official, my history has taught me they are the terrorist.
The 60s gave us the peaceful (well, it was supposed to be) protest.  IT's okay to protest as long as it is respectful and respected by all parties.  This include the neo-groups as well as the BLM groups.

[ponytail]

Love it, Linda!

[bacali]

Very well said, Linda!

[trouble405]

very nice

[Snowbird]

America is a place where anyone can aspire to be whatever they want.  It is a country of opportunity if you put in the work to become what you want to be.  It is suppose to be a place where you can say what you think without being censored.  That is not true today.  Today people are "offended" by many things and if it offends someone it is a no-no.  Some words that degrade a certain class should not be said and people who use those words should be  shamed but they still should have freedom on speech.  Some words like saying Christmas does not degrade anyone.  You don't have to believe in Christmas but it is a right we have to say the word any time we want. 
I have found by using social media that some things that a person might write about is removed because the ones who run certain sites do not agree with what you say.  Everyone should have the right to freedom of speech no matter what their opinion is.  I am afraid that we are getting away from some of the freedoms we enjoyed in the past.  I have read where people were made to take down the US flag they displayed because it offended someone.  When people come to the US they should be ready to become Americans and respect our country and flag. 

[LindaM]

Democracy is a two way street.  I studied journalism.  In journalism classes (which my degree isn't in), we were taught to check facts from two sources.  I've always used that and have found that some of the bigger lies come from those who yell the loudest and think they know it all.  You just can't believe a source without checking it.  I know you love Trump, but let me give you an exsample. 

Back in the days of TVG, I wrote on Celebrity Apprentice.  The year that Piers Morgan won, I smelled a rat.  On digging deep into records, I found on a legit site and a Trump site that Clay Aiken had named a charity that benefited directly children.  Piers choice:  Trump Foundation.  Of course, chosing Trump Foundation guaranteed him the win.  Confirmed on TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly on where the funds went. 

I don't just check mainstream news.  I have Washing Post, New York Times on my phone but guess what.  I also check the Smoking Gu and TMZ.  I have even been known to check facts with the National Enquirer.  I read all then decide the truth and credit the sources. 

I'll use another example.  I know very little about the vaccine.  I had two doctor appointments virtually this year.  My GP said that he knows very little about it and that it sounded like I had handle on it.  This was right after lunch on Tuesday when news came down about first shots being given and Modena in discussion swith the FDA.  The next day, I met with an allergist doctor and a long time friend.  He said get the vaccine but know that there is no way of knowing how long the vaccine protects so wear a mask.  That echoes what I am hearing.  One, by the way, is a big trump supporter, the other a anone but Trump guy.

[ponytail]

I am looking forward to being bored by the news again. And yes, I like to get news from several viewpoints,too.

[bacali]

I feel the same way ponytail. I look at various news outlets on tv and read the newspapers and get many update via my cell phone.
I see the tweets of various people . They aren't new tweets I just see on the news. I actually read them when sent due to our new technology.
I love our country and am worried about it. I never felt so hopeless for the United States of America as I do today.

Stimulus packages not sent to people to help them, their unemployment being ended the day after Christmas., people losing health care when they lose their jobs and, in every state cars and cars in food lines with families who haven't money to eat and may lose their homes because they lost jobs. Heartbreaking!

I was very sad these last few days not being able to be with my children or grandchildren. We facetimed my daughter on Christmas along with my sister and her two sons and families because this is where we normally were...at my sister's house. Only my two boys and families were with in laws. Kathy was with me.
Christmas Eve my daughter stopped by with  homemade pies and some Christmas cookies on the way to her brother, Bobby's.... this is where we used to be.
I watched Christmas Eve Mass three times on YOU TUBE.
Then yesterday when my 3 children and 7 grandchildren got together for our whole family Christmas ...just our family, they facetimed us from Kathys when her 2 brothers arrived. They were just having appetizers.
Here was MY whole family that I had created and here I sat on a couch with my husband and  when the call was finished I was sobbing.
My husband wasn't happy either. He doesn't feel afraid of the virus and probably would have gone except not to leave me home alone. I am petrified of the virus we we lost his cousin Barbara Jean who I grew up with.
So, he said.. lets' s go out. I said .... where. He said we could drive to New York. Of course we wouldn't get out of our car. I can't walk practically.
We, unbelievable on the Sat after Christmas, zipped through the Lincoln tunnel, ....no traffic. and went around looking at the store and hotel decorations.
All restaurants dark and practically no one on the streets, until we turned on Broadway and passed St Patricks and then the TREE.
St Patricks had put up glass doors. They never had glass doors. This is probably so the people could see inside the church because with the virus they didn't want anyone inside.

For me, it's far too late to even criticize the way this pandemic was handled. I just want it over and pray with my whole heart that the number of people forecast to die in the coming weeks is wrong.
And, money people need..... Good God... Pres. Trump sign the darn bill. They even brought it down to Florida in case in between holes on the golf course he might change his mind. This won't change the virus but, it may put meals in some hungry people's mouths.

This is NOT the America I remember or have grown up in or loved my whole life. The America my father and father in law fought in WWll in.
But, believe me I pray every day that it will some day get back to unity.... as in UNITED.
This is MY country and I love it with every ounce of being in me, and really mean it when I say please...
GOD BLESS AMERICA ! 

[LindaM]

IT's rough.  I have a good frind whose husband died of a stroke Monday.  I can't go to the funeral, and she's not expectig many, because COVID is so bad here.  I watch the buffoons in Washington play their little power game and just get disgusted.  IT's all about power and wealth for them.  The more then have, the less they want us to hear.

They say if you don't know history, you are bound to repeat it.  Let me give you a few facts.

1.  Our founding fathers were very careful over who they gave the rights to vote.  I don't remember the acreage but it was on up there.  You had to have land to vote.
2.  As time changed, land lost the element of "being rich."  You could still vote with land but they had to rewrite rules to include the wealthy gentry and those who lived in cities and were becoming wealthy.  That's when the middle class got the right to vote.
3.  First came the suffagette movement (yes women, couldn't vote according to the founding fathers), then the rights for all to vote.

For a country founded on the rights that all men were created equal, we were not.  Don't preach at me about how wonderful everything is now.  It's not.  The social media sites are full of hate -- not only for people, but organized groups who if they don't get their way will declare war.  I know a few of those types and where they aren't as "gung ho" as others, it's bad.  I have a friend who research them and her life, family have been threatened.  Nobody does anything because the ones doing it are "good old boys" who are kidding (according to our sheriff.

I go into the new year with trepidation. I'm scared of just what these groups will do it they don't get their way.

[ponytail]

I'm with you, Linda. A very uneasy time for sure. Nobody trusts anybody, nobody wants to hear the other side, nobody wants to work together, nobody believes anything--it's all fake news unless it agrees with what you 'think'. Conspiracy theories, rabbit holes, misinformation, lies--ticking time bombs that are bound to go off sooner or later.

[bacali]

Unfortunately, this "ticking time bomb" is probably true. Look at all these people who just go out and blow up things yet neighbors, friends never had an inclination of how they felt.
The media doesn't help at all. What difference is it to me to know the name of the person who snapped. This latest one in Nashville told a friend that he was going to be famous and known soon.
Don't harp on these names . They just give other crazies more of a reason to do things....to become "famous"!