I, Too, Am a Bad American (A Response)

Watch out, I’m one of those dreaded Liberals, but I'll just use a normal sized font, if that's okay. I'm a former service member, and I, too, believe in God. I drive a Buick and I buy American products if they're well made. I won’t knowingly buy anybody's shoddy product, regardless of where it's manufactured.

Not being an idiot, I believe the money I make is mine to do with as I please, as long as I'm not trying to hire an assassin, or something. I think any sane, honest American who wants a gun should be allowed to own one. I don't believe you need automatic weapons to protect your household, though, or hunt animals, if hunting is one of your pastimes. Most folks pretty much don't bother personally hunting down their meals these days. At least, not in America.

I don't think 'being a minority' makes one noble or victimized either, just as I know being a member of 'the majority' doesn't make one noble or special in any way. It does seem to make some of those majority members unaccountably arrogant, though. Incidentally, how does one 'get over' being a 'minority'?

I haven't had a Big Mac in years, but the menus at McDonald's are still printed in English, aren't they? Besides, I spent four years in Spain forty-odd years ago, and I can still speak Spanish (more or less). And yes, I did take the trouble to learn the language while I was in Spain, although it really wasn't all that necessary.

Most of the Spaniards I had to deal with off base - in hotels, stores, bars, restaurants, etc. - seemed to understand and speak English fairly well, for some reason. They were usually quite pleased when I chose to converse with them in Castilian, but some actually preferred that I speak to them in English, so they could practice the language.

Pray to the one True God? If we all kept that one True God in our hearts instead of paying Him lip service, we wouldn’t have to worry about keeping Him in our country. I think I'll just leave this one alone without saying more. It pretty much speaks for itself, anyway.

Concerning public, ostentatious displays of religion, Jesus said, "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men...when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."

Did I say I was going to leave religion alone? Oh, well. Vagrant thought: Could this be anything like wearing patriotic lapel pins? I wonder...

When I think about it seriously, John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and Willie Davidson really did nothing that should make me look upon them as heroic (once I grew up). People like Dr. Charles Drew did a hell of a lot more for America, and all of mankind, than all of those men combined. And I'll bet you a Big Mac most Americans haven't a clue who Dr. Drew was, or what he did that would inspire me to regard him as a hero.

I don't hate the rich either, but I'd much rather help the poor than pity them. In fact, I wouldn't mind being rich myself, not one little bit.

I couldn't agree more about 'professional' wrestling.

So you’ve never owned slaves, been a slave, burned witches, or been persecuted by Turks? Aren't we rambling just a little far afield, here?

Can't go back to where I came from; I'm already there. I live in the city where I was born to two lawfully wedded American citizens. Besides, some of my ancestors came here in chains in the bowels of slave ships while others came across the fabled land bridge from Asia lo, these many years ago. Still others came from Europe on wooden sailing ships. You really don't expect me to go back after all this time, do you? How would I split myself up?

Believe it or not, I've grown rather fond of America, although being preached at and talked down to by some of its more self-righteous citizens does give me a slight case of the pip, on occasion. Especially when I can’t help but wonder where they get the chutzpah. Do I still have to go to a Socialist country whether or not I want to emigrate?

I'll bet if you put forth a little effort, you could find out to what church Reverend Jackson belongs, and even where he gets his money. You might even discover that he quite probably views people who write these sorts of screeds in much the same way they regard him.

Why shouldn't the police have the right to stop suspected lawbreakers, regardless of race, creed, or color, as long as they have a legitimate reason to do so? As far as shooting people simply because they're running away, does that apply if the guy is running only because he's afraid the police are related to you and just might shoot him on spec?

Until holding one's hand over one's heart while listening to or singing the American National Anthem or saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of  America becomes the law of the land, I guess people can stand with their hands at their sides while singing the Anthem or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, if they so desire. Why not, as long as they remain respectful? This is still the Unites States of America, isn't it?

Wearing a Flag pin on my lapel doesn't make me patriotic; it just tells people that I want them to think I'm patriotic. Doesn't change what's in my heart one bit.

As for me, I saluted when I was in uniform and placed my hand over my heart when I wore civilian clothes. Still do. Of course, none of this applies if you happen to be a soloist singing the Anthem. I’ll bet you never noticed that the vast majority of them never seem to render a salute of any kind.

I ignore people standing in intersections selling stuff or soliciting donations, unless they're offering something I think is worth my money and attention. I have more important stuff to worry about, like what's for dinner.

You mean you want us to take down all those flags from member nations on public display in and around the UN building in New York City and on their embassies and consular grounds throughout the United States?

It may not take a village to raise a child, but having honest, caring neighbors who are genuinely interested in your children's welfare certainly can't hurt anything. On the other hand, it seems a universal truism that just about anybody can raise an idiot with no help whatsoever.

If I met someone who didn't know how to use a ballot, I'd take the time to show him or her how to use one. Sort of like helping the poor to help themselves instead of pitying them...or treating them with contempt.

It will probably shock you to death to discover that my family and the overwhelming majority of the people I grew up with are hard-working, God-fearing, blue-collar family types. And we live in the Big...Bad...City.

Now, if anyone thinks any of the foregoing makes me a Bad American, well (sigh) I guess I'll just have to live with it. And you don't need to send this to anybody else - I just felt like getting it off my chest. I hope I didn't miss any of the talking points, but if I did, that's life in the Big City.

Oh, yes; the ID card bit. I have no objection to my photo being on my driver's license. Hell, I've never even given a second thought to having my photo and fingerprints on my military ID cards. As a matter of fact, the authorities can add a sample of my DNA to those cards any time they like.

© Thurman P. Woodfork 27 September 2008