Oh, America

Oh, America, I sure do love you, but sometimes I just don't understand you. 

I've been considering the freedoms we have as Americans. I'm very thankful for the freedoms we have and I'm concerned about what I perceive to be threats to our American freedoms. I'm not going to muddy my point by giving my personal political opinion, but I do believe that with vast freedom comes great responsibilities.

Our Founding Fathers didn't always agree with each other.  Yet somehow it's considered unpatriotic (according to the previous administration) or racist (according to the current administration) to disagree with our leaders.  I say that is utter crap on both counts.

Our freedom to disagree and criticize our elected officials is one of the greatest freedoms we have in America.  The greatest freedom is the ability to vote them out of office and give someone new a chance to make a positive difference - the right to vote.  Yet, for some reason I can't fathom, many Americans don't exercise this incredibly important freedom.

But I'm not going to bash this country or her citizens on the eve of her birthday.

I love the diversity of this country, but I'm aware that all areas aren't as multi-cultural as my neck of the woods.  I admire the generosity displayed by the individual citizens of this country; we are generally a loving and giving bunch of people.  I'm in awe of the courageous men & women who comprise our armed forces and never more so than in the last nine years.

I love America.  I know that might sound hokey, but I do.  I confess that I get a little lump in my throat when I hear our national anthem.  I openly sobbed at a funeral procession for a local resident who was killed in the Middle East.

I strive to be a good American (whatever that means - I suppose that's another post altogether) and, yes, I will teach my son that dissent is patriotic.  ;-)