Happy Independence Day to the United States of America
Many countries have an independence day - that's why I specified the country. Let there be no ambiguity that I am wishing a happy Independence Day to my home country, the USA.
I do love my homeland - for the music, the culture, the food, the promise of opportunity, the air of optimism and class equality.
I've lived outside the US for almost 15 years now. At some point in the future I'll probably tick over to the point where I've lived more of my life overseas than the country of my birth.
When you do live in other countries - you look at the USA in a different way. You see it through the eyes of non-Americans. My kids tell me, in their Aussie classrooms, that the US is a target for criticism- gentle ribbing sometimes - bitter mocking at others. It's OK, because their classmates don't know that my kids are American. They have no yankee accent.
Recently - that classroom criticism has started to seep into other areas of my life - at work, on the street etc. I don't ever want to have to hide my Americanness. I hope that no one ever spray paints "yankee go home" on my garage door- or that my kids have to renounce their heritage to friends - because we like being American.
I had to peel my Obama bumper sticker off yesterday though. I was afraid that the car might get keyed, or egged.
So, selfishly, for my sake - and other ex-pats living overseas who love their country - if we could just get things a bit back on track - that would be great.
This is a very rambling post to wish my fellow country people a happy and hopeful Independence Day - and to urge you to attend or support the
Restore the Fourth movement.
I do love my homeland - for the music, the culture, the food, the promise of opportunity, the air of optimism and class equality.
I've lived outside the US for almost 15 years now. At some point in the future I'll probably tick over to the point where I've lived more of my life overseas than the country of my birth.
When you do live in other countries - you look at the USA in a different way. You see it through the eyes of non-Americans. My kids tell me, in their Aussie classrooms, that the US is a target for criticism- gentle ribbing sometimes - bitter mocking at others. It's OK, because their classmates don't know that my kids are American. They have no yankee accent.
Recently - that classroom criticism has started to seep into other areas of my life - at work, on the street etc. I don't ever want to have to hide my Americanness. I hope that no one ever spray paints "yankee go home" on my garage door- or that my kids have to renounce their heritage to friends - because we like being American.
I had to peel my Obama bumper sticker off yesterday though. I was afraid that the car might get keyed, or egged.
So, selfishly, for my sake - and other ex-pats living overseas who love their country - if we could just get things a bit back on track - that would be great.
This is a very rambling post to wish my fellow country people a happy and hopeful Independence Day - and to urge you to attend or support the
Restore the Fourth movement.
15 Comments
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
Siftbot - I know you are a tin-plated patriot - happy 4th of July to you and put this on the *frontpage already.
siftbotPrinting this post atop the VideoSift homepage - frontpage requested by dag.
Farhad2000"the promise of opportunity, the air of optimism and class equality."
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
Now now - you sound like the my kids' classmates. I will defend that statement.
The US is generally an optimistic place - and having lived in places where there are real class systems - I do appreciate that we don't have that imperial baggage.
"the promise of opportunity, the air of optimism and class equality."
Farhad2000Sarcasm option doesn't work it seems...
But in all honesty I think there is less opportunity now in the US with high income inequalities and low social mobility. The american dream is pretty much a dream now for most people.
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
That's where the optimism part has to kick in.
The american dream is pretty much a dream now for most people.
ant*quality
siftbotant cannot award a quality point for this post because ant does not have enough Power Points - ignoring quality request by ant. (You can always purchase more Power Points.)
eric3579I appreciate your optimism. It did give me a warm fuzzy feeling for a moment. However I think I may be just to jaded to believe anymore. I do hope i'm wrong.
becomegorgeous*quality
siftbotInvocations (quality) cannot be called by becomegorgeous because becomegorgeous is not privileged - sorry.
Fantomas
chingaleraMister Dagmar;
Be (oh do be) mine ally disheartened nor dismayed in the face of these ramparts yet un-breached-Time and punishment shall render a favorable outcome deemed wholly satisfactorily suited to your own (ego not allowed) particular skill-set and lesson-afforded, for another round at consciousness albeit in another dimension hitherto elucidated or otherwise ~ Comprendes Mendez?-
Teach yer kids two valuable lessons if you do anything for them besides putting musical instruments in their hands whilst screaming, "SssssuuUUHUT UUUUUUP!!"
Teach them mandarin and/or Cantonese
and.....and (kinna forgot the other importunate thing 'cause on account-a I stepped off to water the plants'n pee'n what not..) OH!....
Impress upon 'em that sprouted grains will hold'em over till starvation sets in and right up near until the time the edible fruits of the same seed begin to show themselves worthy of a dinner plate to accompany the frog and kangaroo meat they're pullin' at yer pants legs for after the grocery trucks stop running, because you got the BBQ mojo down like nobody's business on accounta you originally hail from........................drum roll...................(here's yer cue, insert home state
⛡HERE ⛡)
chingalera*quality admin-eration to you and yers-
siftbotAwarding dag with one star point for this contribution to VideoSift - declared quality by chingalera.
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