The Home of the Brave

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

- Thomas Jefferson


The once proud nation of America has been usurped from the hands of the people and placed in the control of tyrants and madmen. No longer are we the nation of "give me your tired, your poor...". These days we have become the nation of "give me".

Where once I used to believe that America was a bastion of freedom, I am left only with the bitter taste of hatred that drips from the cracks and seams which have opened on the veneer of patriotism, held aloft by the standard bearers of media, telling each and every one of us what reality they wish us to perceive at the moment.

Where once we were believed to be an industrious people, strong of will and generous of heart, we have been rendered fear stricken, cowering in terror from our own shadows, afraid of that which we reap while continuing to sow the seeds of discord, discontent and alienation.

The media has conspired against us, lulling us into a somnambulant goosestep, hackles raised at the first murmur of dissonance.

The talking heads fill our minds and mouths on a daily basis, imploring us to hate and despise those who think differently, hoping to stamp out dissent by keeping the populace angered yet indifferent.

There was a time when independent thought, rational analysis and polite discourse was considered to be the paragon of appropriateness, when we took the time to discuss and understand the concerns and feelings of others. Nowadays it's "Us vs Them", "Red vs Blue", "Dems vs Reps". "You're either with us or against us." "If you (x), then the terrorists win." "Why do you hate America?"

Why do I hate America, indeed.

Don't get me wrong, I love my country. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow up in a country where my mind was free to develop and where I had the chance to make a difference, even if it was only in my personal little corner.

But the salad days of youth were put to rest on a certain date that I will not mention out of disgust for how it is used. On that day I moved from a healthy cynicicsm about the world around me to downright dismay.

On that day I watched as the powers that be put into motion the greatest feat of opportunism I have ever beared witness to. I watched as the masses were told what to feel, how to think and who to hate. And from there I watched as that power was strengthened on an almost daily basis.

I was one of the ones who took the time to evaluate what I was being told. I got my information from multiple sources. I considered what I read and heard and I formed my own conclusions. As a result I was one of the ones who recognized the dangerous path we were treading. I can proudly state I was against the acts of aggression and imperialism that my country has committed in my name.

But say that in today's America and you're branded a "truther", a "socialist" or the ultimate modern insult, "a liberal".

The irony? I'm NOT. Political philosophy, regardless of what we've been led to believe cannot be summed up in a nice one word package.

But the shades of gray have left this country. We are left with only two remaining colors, red and black, both used to describe the flowing undercurrent of blood running through the veins of our people. You're either a red blooded, flag waving, "We can do no wrong" lover of America, or you are a black hearted hater of freedom, seeking to dismantle the social fabric with over the top demands.

You either love Jesus or you love Stalin.

I can't turn on the radio without hearing about those horrible liberals and their insidious plans to destroy the earth. I seem to hear on an almost daily basis from almost every mainstream "news" source how the "liberal media" is seeking to disrupt and destroy us. I can't read the comments on ANY political articles without seeing hateful screed flung back and forth from both sides.

There is no innocence left in this country. There is no more understanding, no comradery, no acceptance of disparate ideas. We have been told to believe that we are the enemy and I'm sad to say that far too many of us have bought into it.

This country needs change. Real change. I'm not talking about voting in Obama. I'm talking about the need for Americans to wake up and take control of their country again.

Too long have we allowed corruption at the top levels. Too long have we allowed aggressive and xenophobic policies to be enacted in our name. Too long have we sat idly by while the "government of the people, by the people, for the people" strengthened their stranglehold on its citizenry. Too long have we stared complacently at mindless drivel while the stage was set for our economic collapse. Too long have we allowed the media to wedge a splint into the heart of this proud nation, for the second time in our history turning brother against brother, all in the name of the almighty dollar.

How much longer can America endure the strains which now plague her?

We are perceived as obese and slovenly, and like that perception, so too has America's heart become clogged, blocking the flow of idea and thought until only a few remain in her veins.

How long until she suffers cardiac arrest? How long until her heart gives out and her once proud shell is left to rot while the rest of the world moves on?

We need action. We need our citizenry to stand up and be counted. We need to have our voices heard. Yes, we will disagree, but that's fine. This isn't a red vs blue situation, it's becoming a life vs death situation with our homeland on the line.

Patriotism is not waving the flag and saying, "Yay, America" every fourth of July. Patriotism is loving your country so much that you can recognize her faults. It's caring enough to want to see her do better. It's struggling to make ourselves and our actions speak to the nobility of us as a people.

The system has failed and unless something is done soon, America too will fail.