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strawburygrl feels
strawburygrl feels
I understand that people feel the need to reach out to one another right now. That people need to feel patriotic, to stand by their country that's been injured by foreigners with beliefs so completely alien to our own. But America is built on tolerance, not on persecution of everything other. A fascinating movie that I did not expect to affect me so much when I watched it in the theaters last year was on cable earlier this week, "The Contender". About Joan Allen being nominated as Vice President when the current VP dies or something like that. So much of that movie makes me proud to be an American, proud to be a woman, proud to be a liberal. But when she states her line about the separation of church and state, that it was not created to keep government out of religion, but to keep religious zealots out of our government. Ah, that moved me almost as much as when you discovered why her character stayed silent throughout the film about the sexual allegations made against her.
I've been trying so hard not to be afraid of the things going on in America in the wake of 9/11. Patriotism is nice, but it leads to zealots who take things too far.
And now this email, from this person who's supposed to be my "friend". Has she completely forgotten how she was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, and when her parents were really freaking her out her senior year, threatening her with excommunication for dating a boy not in her church, my family took her in? My family made up of Catholics, a baptist, pagans and atheists? My family is about outreach, inclusion, loving everyone.
And I get emailed this drivel? I think that it's too bad that schools can't have signs that say "God Bless America", but I think that it's right. I think the instances described in the email of a news agency and a fire department being told to remove their flags and red, white & blue ribbons based on objections that they might offend people in their communities are simply outrageous and sad. I think the university that won't allow signs declaring "Proud to be an American" for fear that it would offend international students is silly.
But there's no reason to go from pointing these things out to declaring that it's unAmerican to move to the US and not learn English. YOU try and teach English to a 55 year old man who's been speaking Swahili or Japanese or Spanish all his life. This nation wasn't just founded by Christians and Christian principles. Many of the founding fathers were deists, something closer to agnostic than Christian. Don't the 10 commandments say shit about adultery and greed? Yah, because adultery and greed are no where present in our Capitalist society. And last I checked, Christians didn't invent the idea that murder was bad.
Don't even get me started on the "In God we Trust" being placed on our money, and the requirement of everyone to "Pledge Allegiance" to a flag. Um, don't you think that that whole Bible commandment against worshipping icons would kind of include praying to a flag and worshipping god through the exchange of money???
I like America. I like living here for lots of reasons. And, yep, I'm proud that I'm an American. But I'm only proud for ONE reason: because I can think and say whatever I want. Just what the hell is there to be so proud about in the Trail of Tears, Hiroshima, and the Salem Witch trials?
Being American has NOTHING to do with worshipping god, and everything to do with helping your fellow man. Being a GOOD CITIZEN and reaching out to others. Not making demands on those same people to be JUST LIKE YOU, go to your church, raise their children the way you raise your children, and say grace over their fucking evening meal!
So this person who I gave shelter in my home, forwarded me an email that "spoke to her", that ended in admitting that the First Amendment granted me the freedom to state my disagreements with her and her buddies, and then take my opinions, and shove them up my ass as I get on a plane and high tail it out of HER country.
I emailed her back 1 line: to remove me from her mailing list. And I wondered what she would think of that. If she would start rumors to all of her friends that I was un-American. And that somehow those rumors would work their way to past and future employers. And maybe 5 years from now when I'm looking for a job teaching children to be fair and share and love each other, that someone will throw my resume in the trash because I'm unAmerican.
Because McCarthyism is just my all-time favorite reason to be proud I'm an American. NOT.
From L:
RIGHT ON!!!! Those of you who know me well know this speaks volumes to me!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!
FWD:
----- Original Message -----
From: j m
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 9:35 AM
Interesting article, we need to get this out to schools and the government! Send it to your Senators & Congressmen & Congresswomen!
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma School officials remove "God Bless America" signs from schools in fear that someone might be offended. Channel 12 News in Long Island, New York, orders flags removed from the newsroom and red, white & blue ribbons removed from the lapels of reporters.
Why?
Management did not want to appear biased & felt that our nations flag might give the appearance that "they lean one way or another".
Berkeley, Ca. bans U.S. flags from being displayed on city fire trucks because they didn't want to offend anyone in the community.
In an "act of tolerance" the head of the public library at Florida Gulf Coast University ordered all "Proud To Be An American" signs removed so as to not offend international students.
I, for one, am quite disturbed by these actions of so-called American citizens; and I am tired of this nation worrying about whether or not we are offending some individual or thier culture.
Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11th., we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled in New York & Washington D.C. when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.
I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. In fact, out country's population is almost entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants; however, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some native Americans, need to understand.
First of all, it is not our responsibility to continually try not to offend you in any way. This idea of America being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereighnty and our national identity.
As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle! This culture called the "American Way" has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials & victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
Our forefathers fought, bled & died at places such as Bunker Hill, Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea & Vietnam. We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chineese, Japanese, Russian or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society - LEARN OUR LANGUAGE!
"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some off the wall Christian, Right Wing, political slogan; it is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House of Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our currency. We adopted this motto because Christian men & women, on Christian principles, founded this nation; & this is clearly documented throughout our history. If it is appropriate for our motto to be inscribed in the halls of out highest level of Government, then it is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools!
God is in our pledge, or National Anthem, nearly every patriotic song & in our founding documents. We honor His birth, death & resurrection as holidays, & we turn to him in prayer in times of crisis. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture and we are proud to have him!
We are proud of our heritage & those who have so honorably defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Flag Day. We have parades, picnics & barbecues where we proudly wave our flag. As an American, I have the right to wave my flag, sing my national anthem, quote my national motto & cite my pledge whenever & wherever I choose. If the Stars & Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.
The American Culture is our way of life, our heritage & we are proud of it! We are happy with our culture & have no desire to change and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. If it was so superior, Go Home!
We are Americans, like it or not, and this is our country, our land and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his or her opinion about our government, culture, or society and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are don complaining, whining and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national anthem, our national motto or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE!
If you agree, pass this on to other Americans! It is time to take a stand!!
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT WE LOVE!!!!
