One quip from Spin Control stands out. It's probably an old Jeff Foxworthy joke. "You know you're a redneck if you think the last four words of the national anthem are 'Gentlemen, start your engines.'"
The characters in Spin Control deride Americans, Americanism, and American religion. The Americans are the book's hands-down bad guys. Of the people who die in the book, there are but two. One is an American. Another betrays the good guys to the Americans.
As the 232nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence approaches, I look at the US and see good and bad. On one hand, Americans delude themselves. Fooling ourselves could be our national pastime. We have a mesmerizing fascination with coming in first and being the best. We can't bear to admit the truth.
On the other hand, we have great guiding principles that can revitalize our country no matter how it fails us from time to time. The Constitution serves as our greatest achievement. Without the guarantees of personal freedom enshrined in that document, American could not have achieved anything.
Innovation, technology, art - the fruits of civilization - flourish and grow here because we offer the rule of law. Our law guarantees freedom. Freedom guarantees diversity. We may not match the French for sophistication or the Chinese for efficiency. But we are number one in this important aspect: we are diverse.
My private information collected in one place for exposure to a disinterested public.
Sam and Charlotte on the Tiger
Thudercats are a go!
No comments:
Post a Comment