Not my Father's Country

One of the parts I love about getting older is developing a deeper understanding of the world around me, politics, economic history, and engaging in debate about it all.  Knowing is also frustrating because the current reality in this country is just down right scary.  From the top and from the bottom the people are not what they used to be.  This is truly a different time.  This is not my father's country.

My father's country was the one who believed the USA was the most amazing country on the planet.  Kind of thumped their chests and were in no way afraid to let the rest of the world know it.  We weren't cocky.  We really were just that good.  Companies and people weren't made to feel as if they should apologize and be ashamed of their success and fortunes.  "Millionaire" was an extremely prideful title which showed the world that you were smart, took the time to educate yourself, struggled, and worked your ass off to achieve the American Dream. 

I want my father's country.  The one which was happy to welcome you into the country, but believed in being American and expected you to assimilate. The country who didn't apologize but rather focused on being a world leader and protector.  You didn't mess with my father's America.  There would have been serious consequences.  My father's America didn't sue McDonald's because they were fat.  Back in the day if you were fat it was typically your fault. 

The country I am left with is a meak minded, pride-in-country-less group.  We apologize, and embarrass ourselves, looking weak to other countries for who we are and what we are about.  We make it ok for people to live here for free and allow them to not even try to be American.  Fat people are now "weight challenged".  Blind people are "sight impaired".  Hyper children are now labeled with a disorder.  I don't understand why you need these labels to feel better about yourself.  If you had self esteem in the first place you probably wouldn't give a shit what term people used anyway.  If you're fat, I don't care, just own it please.

It brings me great pain to take a step back and really look at the America that was, the America that is, and freaks me out to think of the America that will be.  I love this country so much and take pride in being a nationalist.  Please stop ruining the greatest country to ever be developed.  It took us so long to get here - to this point where we have equalities and the financial success. You are taking it all down in record time.  What has taken hundreds of years to grow from great to best can be pulverized in a single generation.

There's one major change everyone needs to step back and review: personal responsibility.  Don't eat your weight in doughnuts and expect the airline to charge you for one seat when you take up two.  Don't protest the lack of jobs all day instead of looking hard for work.  Don't blame your company for your unfair pay when its your choice to work there.  Don't have eight children if you can't afford eight children.  Don't speak another language, not bother to learn English, and expect our systems to cater to you.  Don't play in the street and then sue someone for running you over.  And if you do these things, please, just don't ask me to pay for you.  And if you are asking your government to pay, you are asking me.  I've struggled, I've failed, I've had my bank account at zero, I've been told I can't, that I'm not good enough, smart enough, man enough, tough enough.  So I generally don't feel sorry for those who don't have real, unimaginable, heart breaking, struggle or misfortune. 

My father's Country was personally responsible.  They worked hard for what they had and only blamed themselves for what they didn't.  They looked to themselves to achieve greater success and didn't expect it to be handed to them.  We don't live by this motto anymore.  We want to work less, take less risk, go through less pain and struggle, and get more.  Its not a balanced scale and it will never ever work.   We are headed down a path where the benefit of living in this country opposed to other's will shrink down to a nonexistent point.  As someone who has so much pride in my country that is painful to admit.

So please please please quit your bitching, whining, irresponsible ways and give me my country back.