Broadside Blog

USA

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67% of Americans are unhappy with thedirection the country is headed and 69% of the country is unhappy withthe performance of the president. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry justain't happy and want a change.  So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are sounhappy about?''  Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 daysa week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in thesummer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4% of theseunhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocerystore at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen inthe last year?  Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the AtlanticOcean without having to present identification papers as we move througheach state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we wouldfind along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess havingthousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world isjust not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car,emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved.Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, ifnecessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.  Perhaps you are one of the 70% of Americans who own a home, you may beupset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, agroup of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notchequipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and yourbelongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screenTVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and abullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attackor loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs ormilitias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% ofteenagers own cell phones and computers.  How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoythat are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67%of you folks unhappy.  Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the worldhas ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a greatdisdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessedpeople in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't haveand what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord welive here.  I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has noplan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31% approval rating?Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the bookfor succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terroristattacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is outthere defending you and me?  Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan havevolunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom.There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general''discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst casescenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.  So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69% ofAmericans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds,it leads, and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a carcrash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade atthe corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profitcorporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they were going toallow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV specialabout how he didn't kill his wife but if he did, how he would do it .Insane!  Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shutoff the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom ofyour bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country.There is exponentially more good than bad.  I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:  ''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people onthe earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom,social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by theConstitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struckoff at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americansof today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we mayhand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''  I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If wedon't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain tofuture generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If weare not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest andmost ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy. 

posted by Jay @ 12:36 PM