Proud to be an American

Happy Birthday USA, you old windbag!!!! It's been so easy to rip on this country for its behaviors over the past two years, okay two hundred years. Sometimes I feel like the two grumpy old guys from the Muppet Show, Statler and Waldorf, the way I criticize the way things are going, from the sidelines, and not getting more involved to make change.


Sure we've done some shitty things in the past (slavery and genocide come to mind) and King George II's policy of bullying and globalization is emabrassing and scary. But as far as empire and world powers go, we traditionally have acutally been a pretty responsible world leader, relative to the likes of Rome, Spain, and England. And best of all, we get to speak out.

And I guess that's one of my favorite about being an American: the right to dissent, protest, vote, and write in an effort to create change, all within the confines of the law. I guess I should take advantage of this luxury more.

And of course, let's not forget all the wealth we have here. As much as the liberal elite (and I am one of them, I assume) bitch about this country, the fact is this is by far the world's wealthiest nation. And no matter how liberal and enlightened you are, you probably take for granted the wealth you enjoy on a daily basis (I know I do). When I was living off of a cook's wages in rural Iowa, I was still probably one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Wealth aside, though, I LOVE the freedom of press in this country. This doesn't mean I accept Michael Powell's and the FCC's actions over the past year or the Republican dominance in the media. It means I don't take for granted the letters to the editor I can freely write or the annual check I give to Minnesota Public Radio. I can also go and visit all the websites I list as links in Blognation.

Speaking of MPR, Midday is by far and away my favorite show. If I could meet one person in journalism, it would the host Garry Eichten. I'd love to take him to Dulano's for a beer or three, get a little tipsy with him, and shoot the shit for an evening.

But I digress (as per usual). The topic of today's Midday was "What it means to be an American." It was neat to hear the perspective of recent immigrants who called in. And (as per usual) I realized what being an American means to me well after the show was over (maybe next year I can call in). So instead of telling Garry and his cult following, I will have to tell you.

To me, being an American is being a citizen. Take advantage of our freedom and wealth. It's so easy to sit on the left and act like Statler and Waldorf, and verbally crap on this country. But what does that accomplish? It's easy to hate this country for its McDonaldsization and foregin policy ( sorry Don--despite what you think, we are in a quagmire). But what is great about our country is, collectively, we have the tools for change. All we need is the motivation.

I think every year I will make a July 4th Resolution--a Citizen Resolution. What does it take to be a citizen? Live the platitude: "Think Globally. Act Locally." Get in touch with not only current events, but this nation's past. See the good and the bad we have done--and all the grey nuances in between. Don't just vote. Get behind the candidate you are going to vote for. These are all things I need to either do more of, or start doing. I'm not sure what my Inaugural Citizen's Resolution will be yet, but I'll have an answer before the weekend is over.

At work, one of my cornerstones of therapy when working with adult stutterers is to quit dwelling on the negative. In short, quit bitching and start acting. Maybe it's time I did the same as a citizen.

Happy Birthday everybody!!!!!!!