This is my America?
I was proud of my country not long ago. They saw past race and elected the first black president. I was as proud as an American can be; the operative word is “was”.
You see, I didn’t count on what had happen the past 10 to 15 years in politics. A party, lead by people so desperate to gain and hold as much power as possible, sold us all out. This country was created so the people could have a strong central government that represented all. In a democracy of any kind, the people are the government. But, that all changed when a party decided to highlight the bad and downplay the good that exist in any democracy. When deals were made and alliances created that went against American policy. When they decided to separate and conquer.
The religious were brought in despite separation of church and state. Politicians played to these beliefs and used it for votes. The poor was portrayed as being on the “dole” and lazy just living off the people in spite of the actual working poor or those who had no choice but to rely on handouts. True, some abused but most didn’t. To farther divide, pictures of minorities were used to help most Americans separate their feelings of walking away from the poor. Even though welfare has more white than minorities. Minorities were also used to show how tough on crime they were and how they protected Americans when most minority crimes are against themselves.
The government was painted as evil, raising taxes, bad managers (even when the managers, the leaders, were speaking of themselves). They managed to fool the public into thinking the government was some huge, suppressing entity when in reality, the government was the people.
The rich, the powerful, corporations were substituted for the government as good and what was right for the people. The “free market” and private industry was given as the great alternative. The people cheered and went along while companies such as Enron, WorldCom, AGI, to name a few, grew bigger and stronger while the government, the people, became weaker. They in time had more power and say so than the people with their own elected leaders.
We were heading toward a new America. A new government was emerging in which the few controlled the many; a totalitarian government. Democracy was about to die with the blessings of the people with cries like “Greed is good”.
But, mistakes happened. Some of the corporations became too greedy, too powerful. Those in charge began to believe they where untouchable and mistakes began to be made; the house of cards fell.
Then, a man came, intelligent and charismatic and the people, already in trouble, turned to this man in droves for help. They didn’t realize changes made fast cost. But, the people was used to being given promises and having a bone thrown to then every now and again to keep them quiet. But, no bone was thrown, only hard work to return the government to the people where it belonged.
Meanwhile, the losing side, with money power and anger, tried to destroy all. When a hand was extended to them for peace, the shook the hand and plotted. They attacked without end to keep the direction of America changing in their new direction. The attacked without mercy, spreading lies and deceit while a media frenzy feed of the hate and helped to spread the lies. They watered down a stimulus package in the guise of “bi-partisanship”. Then complain about how ineffective it is. The place a black face on its white party to show they are not what they appear to be. They take an unintentional comment and make it into something it was not “racist”. All the while manipulating a media looking for the next big story and hiding behind slogans such as “fair and honest” and “unbiased reporting” while forgetting the truth they promised the people.
A black man, one in which I am proud to say I look up to, is being compared to a history monster. Good intentions are being destroyed and the truth buried. So many lies have gotten the public confused; lives of public officials are being threatened. All the while the powerful and true leaders of the right, the rich, the corporations, look and wait.
You see, a weak government makes them more powerful and rich, so they create chaos and watch as their political mouthpieces defend the actions as “free speech”. A health care plan aimed at not only helping our economy but also to help keep 400 to 1600 men, women and children from dying each year is being sold as “socialism”. We have again placed money before lives, how do we explain to a mother who has just lost her child the in was just too expensive?
But, I have seen the worst, children wearing swastikas and calling a black man Hitler. What is this country becoming?
I heard a reporter once ask, “how can a black man be ashamed of his country?” At this moment, I ask, how can he not.
“A disappointed black man”
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