To Be an American

Most people that know me are probably expecting some serious anger from me regarding the results of last night's election.  Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not mad.  I am a lot of things, but angry is not one of them.  I am discouraged.  I am sad.  I am disappointed.  I'm also still wondering how this even happened, how the two worst candidates from both parties ended up squaring off against each other when no one even liked them.  It's ridiculous.  Democracy, it seems, is a joke.  Then again, those of us who are even slightly educated and informed have known this for many years.  Our country belongs to the wealthy...it is a plutocracy, in all actuality.  So along with not being angry about the election, I am also not surprised.  This is what I've come to expect from the American people, as brainwashed as they are by the corporate media and pop culture.  Sheep...that's what our society has been reduced to...a bunch of over-medicated, consumerist zombies, motivated by money and materialism alone.  And don't forget the drama!  The American public LOVES drama!  So that's what most of them voted for...some drama, on a large scale.

Don't get me wrong, I know and respect a great deal of Republicans.  I even respect the beliefs and values of their party, because it is their conservatism that gives balance to our entire system of government.  But the problem is that their candidate does not represent those values and beliefs at all.  In fact, most of the people I know who voted for Trump agreed that he's a despicable human being, but how could they vote for Hillary when she doesn't represent their values/beliefs OR their party?  I see the dilemma.  However, I don't see that as a valid argument in favor of voting for someone as controversial as Donald Trump, regardless of what party you belong to.  It's like selling your soul to the devil for a tax break, really.  And as far as the so-called Christians go, I have one question:  Would Jesus vote for Donald Trump?  Definitely not.  But I digress.  I can't stomach it anymore.

I am left with the question in my mind of what it means to be an American, and I don't think I like the answers.  If being an American means valuing money more than people, count me out.  If being an American means placing business over kindness, I'm not on board.  If the new definition of American values includes racism, xenophobia, sexism, classism, intolerance, arrogance, indifference, disrespect, greed, fear mongering, dishonesty, bullying, and self-promotion disguised as "rugged individualism" then I don't want to be an American.  I can only hope that I'm not alone in this, and that one day those of us who believe in cooperation and community and charity and kindness and respect and transparency and equality and tolerance and love will find a way to spread our message and create a positive change in the world, and in the mentality of our divided nation.



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