one nation

after traveling to Europe and the Middle East and comparing the other countries to my own, I realized that we have it pretty good here in the United States. Our progressive democratic society is quite unique with its own inherent forms of diversity, yet a very new country relative to the rest of the world. However, the challenge for many global thinkers in the US lies within the very nationalism on which we pride ourselves. When asked where I was from by other people I encountered throughout the world, many were pleasantly surprised that I was from America. I thought, upon leaving this country that the negativity which abounds within would be shared upon the world stage - but this isn't always the case. I'd either get those people who thought America was the best country in the world (and they wanted to go there but could not get a visa), or the rare few who would bash Bush thus bashing the nation's government. I would usually tell them I liked Bush, and the conversation would often stop there. But worldwide, the popular view seemed to be that America IS the promised land - the land of the free and the home of the brave.

so what happened - and do these outsiders even realize what we have become inside our borders? We were founded as "One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" - does this ring a bell? It reminds me of my elementary school days, the first seeds of patriotism planted at a very young age, and shared by many Americans who grew up in my era or earlier. Yet since this time, our nation has undergone many significant changes, for better or for worse. I do not believe that the same Pledge of Allegiance is chanted as in my day - the nation no longer under God - as the school bell proceeds to ring to the tune of political correctness, and our borders open to cultural diversity and tolerance... of that which our Founding Fathers would have never dreamed. Justice for all indeed, liberties abounding as to not racially discriminate or alienate the aliens - in the form of illegal immigrants (who wouldn't WANT to come here after all?) as well as those practicing Biblically-forbidden relations in order to capitalize on the privileges induced by our rewards-driven society.

This past week two very important political events happened in America: the Middle East Summit meeting held to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process, and the Republican Presidential debate held to familiarize the voting public with the candidates. Ironically, the Peace meeting was merely a diplomatic formality as a legitimate Palestinian state is not realistic in the wake of the current PA government and territories, and the Debate was somewhat of a staged "show" intended to stir up ill feelings amongst the candidates. Many people suspected that the opposing Democratic party had "planted" questions to make the Republicans look foolish, or to cause overall difficulty for the participants. Fortunately the majority of the candidates stood their ground, and provided solid responses regardless of how foolish the questions were, proving their dedication and patriotism appropriate for the candidacy. Naturally, much political rhetoric has emerged from both of these events, from the media and other politicians, as to continue the ongoing debate amongst our One Nation, Indivisible. One member of the opposing party even concocted a staged hostage situation a few days later, in order to propel herself further into the public eye, thereby diverting media coverage from the Republican candidates. Although we are One Nation, living together within our borders, our diversity may soon become our demise.