Putting the U.S. to Shame

What is wrong with the people of this country? Today, as many of you know, millions of immigrant workers and those with temporary work visas are protesting the potential passing of an anti-immigration bill. Though I don't totally agree with either side, I do find it amazing how all of these people can band together to make a unified statement, a single demonstration out of many and a nationwide impact on Americans (and the world). I also find it amazing that after all of these years, American-born citizens can't come together to do the same thing for their own God-given rights as members of this "great" nation.

We are supposed to be a democracy, a nation "of the people, for the people and by the people", yet somehow we've lost touch with this idea. We are letting the government run our every minute, every second. We disagree with what they are doing, yet we stand aside and let it happen. I know it can be hard to take a stand, but hollering at your television when the nightly news talks about rising gas prices just isn't going to cut it.

Here are these people, some here legally, some not, and yet they are willing to fight for their rights as American citizens and as hopeful American citizens, all the while we sit at work and at home hoping and praying that our problems will go away. Guess what, they won't. We look at our current situation and we see people trying to put together rallies and protests, and all we can think is, "I'd like to go, but I guess someone else will be there in my place" or "They'll be enough people there to get the message across." It's not working!

Every once in a while, I get one of those emails that say if you don't buy gas on a certain day, there will be a major economic impact. Or those emails that say if you don't buy gas from Exxon or Mobile, our two number one gas giants, we'll be able to cut gas prices over time with a silent economic protest. You know what? I do this. I purposely buy gas from the local mom and pop shop three towns away because I want to make a difference. I write these blogs because I want to make a difference. I want my voice to be heard and I want all of you to do something about what's happening to this country. Cindy Sheehan marches and protests against the war because she believes it's wrong, as do so many Americans. Yet hers is the only name that is heard over and over again, traveling from town to town, protest to protest.

How long has it been since you looked at a history book? Maybe you have kids in school or maybe you are a student. Can anyone name three major wars in which this country was embattled for its own freedoms and views? 1) The French and Indian War--We were still under British rule, but we fought the French for this country because we loved it. 2) The American Revolution--We demanded freedom from the British and we won it (and from the greatest empire in the world at the time!). 3) The American Civil War--We fought to end slavery, and as a result, a nation once divided joined together again to become one of the most powerful nations in the world, expanding its economy, industry and technology. And since then, we have fallen off, concerning ourselves with everyone else's problems and taking our own shortcomings with a grain of salt. And how are we viewed now? Not as the great industrial nation of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Not as the military power we were during WWI and WWII. We are hated throughout the world, and our military efforts in Iraq are nothing but editorial cartoon and late night stand up comedy routine material.

I don't completely agree with either side of the immigration debate, but I have to give credit to those who are protesting and fighting for rights (many of whom run the risk of losing their jobs). They are doing something many of us cannot bring ourselves to do. They are standing up for themselves, for their families, for their rights, for rights many of them don't legally have. We, as Americans, are fully capable of doing this, and there is no excuse for us not to. This is our country. This isn't GW's country, it's not Condoleza's country, this isn't Rumsfeld's country. This is our country, and though I'm not always proud to admit I'm an American, I am damn proud to stand up for my God-given rights.

Pirate fact: "Pieces of eight were actually Spanish silver eight "reales" coins. The gold coins were called "escudos." These had the Spanish coat of arms on one side and two columns depicting the Pillars of Hercules (symbolizing the Straits of Gibraltar) on the other. It is thought that the twin pillars became such a recognized symbol for money that the modern dollar sign evolved from it." (Thanks to http://www.beaglebay.com/pirate_facts.htm#Facts)