# I Love America



## qwertyportne (Feb 3, 2014)

AMERICA -- I LOVE IT!

_I like to see a man proud of the place where he lives.
I like to see a man live so his place is proud of him.
_~Abraham Lincoln​I LOVE AMERICA because it taught me to work for what I wanted--not beg, borrow or steal it. I was born shortly after the Depression so I recall evenings around the campfire (we didn't have a house) hearing my parents and their friends recall the suffering of those days. I believed those stories, exaggerated as they may have been, because we were dirt poor ourselves. Not a Grapes of Wrath life but we worked hard to survive.


I LOVE AMERICA because it's why I'm not poor. I grew up in the Eisenhower Years when America was prospering so despite hard times I was optimistic about the future. Despite today's hard times, let's be glad we live here, not somewhere else.


I LOVE AMERICA because I live here, not somewhere else. Patriotism is not blind if it has something to be proud of. Despite the gap between the American reality and the American dream, my experience in other countries pales in comparison to my life here. Let's voice our pride in America, not just our discontent.


I LOVE AMERICA because it is a melting pot of people from other places. But diversity can be a mixed blessing. Let's embrace those who come here to assimilate their skills and values into the evolving American culture. Let's eject those who come here to establish their own country in the midst of ours.


I LOVE AMERICA because its spirit of unity has not disappeared into zillions of isolated mini-cultures. Let's stop pounding on politicians to unite us from the top down and start finding ways to cooperate with each other from the bottom up.


I LOVE AMERICA because we can amend our Constitution. Let's establish a national referendum so we the People can initiate legislation to replace political gridlock with grass-roots action.


I LOVE AMERICA because we have a representative government. We vote to accept or reject candidates and tell representatives to support or oppose legislation. Let's be informed citizens but be glad our representatives allow us to spend less time analyzing politics and more time pursuing happiness. Our opinions are not represented if our candidate loses but...


I LOVE AMERICA because we can disagree with the majority but remain patriotic, supportive citizens.


I LOVE AMERICA because many are asking "What can I do for my country?" Let's replace the "cradle to grave, what can my country do for me" attitude with a spirit of self reliance. Let's stop voting the same idiots into office but expecting different results. Let's start demanding accountability.


I LOVE AMERICA because you and I can make the changes necessary to keep this United States united and America American. America is changing because Americans are changing. Let's stop struggling to keep America like it was and start loving the America of yesterday, today and tomorrow.


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## The Tourist (Feb 3, 2014)

Personally I love gridlock.  It keeps the liberals from wrapping a cheese sandwich with the Bill of Rights.

I think it would be wonderful to have the old American return.  I'm tired of the whining.


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## escorial (Feb 3, 2014)

enjoyed it from start to end qwertyportne


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## midnightpoet (Feb 3, 2014)

The Tourist said:


> Personally I love gridlock.  It keeps the liberals from wrapping a cheese sandwich with the Bill of Rights.
> 
> I think it would be wonderful to have the old American return.  I'm tired of the whining.



I agree about the whining, Tourist.  Dang thing about it is that i hear it from both liberals and conservatives, and no one is willing to listen to common sense.  The attitude is I'm right and you're wrong and there is a lot of talking and very little listening.  There was a lot wrong with the old America, but there was also a lot right with it.


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## The Tourist (Feb 3, 2014)

My position is that the guys doing most of the whining haven't read The Constitution, The Bill of Rights and The Federalist Papers.

Our Kenyan-in-Chief now openly states he will "bypass Congress."  Yet, we are a government of checks and balances.  He's in the executive branch.  He's even limited by The War Powers Act in his duties as Commander in Chief.

Look at how many American citizens--born and raised--still wanted Casey Anthony executed.  Oh, they protested, whined and beat their breasts.  Innocent until proven guilty.

Now comes the ideal to amend the Constitution by a "national referendum."  Yikes, people need to study the Volstead Act.  They are foolishly implying they intend to bypass Congress when amending the Constitution requires acts by Congress.

Besides, even if 99% of America voted on such a bizarre action, it wouldn't matter.  We are a Republic, not a Democracy.  No wonder why people can't make government work.  They don't know anything about their own country...


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## Pandora (Feb 3, 2014)

Great write gwertyportne, I wish there was more appreciation for what we have, amidst our obvious failings. It's needed. Your concluding line
very insightful, we are changing, that we can not change, the positivity of your message can bring the right blending of America, past, present, future.
Something that gets forgotten. Nothing remains the same. I love America too but most of all I love the people. I hope many can read your message.


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## LeeC (Feb 3, 2014)

Just to play devil's advocate, might I ask if it's possible that too many are handicapped in viewing the world with horse blinders on? 


Mind you, I was raised in 1940's Wyoming, and am well acquainted with the struggle to survive and thrive, and also served my country in a seeming time of need. Beyond that though, and maybe also because, I've developed a broader view of the state of humanity.


Just as an example, please permit me to ask how many have read "How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It" by Arthur Herman (strictly non-fiction). And in the course of going from A to Z, how many are also familiar with the behind the scenes history of America, such as that encapsulated in the New York Times article "Lincoln and the Sioux" by Ron Soodalter [ http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/lincoln-and-the-sioux/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 ]. 


Without meaning any disrespect, I'm just trying to open the blinds a bit to better understand the problems we face (remember Pogo's "We have met the enemy and he is us.")


Best wishes to all,
Lee C


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## qwertyportne (Feb 5, 2014)

Lots of informed comments. Thanks. The news almost always makes me feel like a little boy who has been give a pile of Christmas tree ornaments but no tree on which to hang them. Context. Perspective. Both are so important to making an informed decision, at the polls and in life, but so difficult to acquire. And then trying to find and align yourself with like-minded travelers. Nobody said it would be easy, but I'd rather face the challenge from here in America than from anywhere else.


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## The Tourist (Feb 5, 2014)

qwertyportne said:


> Nobody said it would be easy, but I'd rather face the challenge from here in America than from anywhere else.



On that we agree 100%

I find it odd that with all of the world's detractors we are still the country that most people try to break into.  We are also the country where people run for asylum from their own despots.

The best advice I ever got from an adult was two-fold.  One, make sure you see Cyd Charisse's legs once in your life.  That was the important issue, as far  as I was concerned.

But I was also informed that simply by the act of being born here I was a citizen, and not a subject.  And one of the rituals I perform is to remember that issue every time a chamber a round into a 1911.  Freedom isn't free, and Tories will always need to be thinned.


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## Sam (Feb 5, 2014)

This isn't a debate or discussion thread. Get it back on topic.


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## Arcopitcairn (Feb 6, 2014)

The Tourist said:


> Our Kenyan-in-Chief .



This statement marginalizes you.


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