Why I hate being American (Sometimes)

Ok. Let me start by saying that I still cry every single time I hear the anthem. That I still tear up when I see US athletes compete and place at the olympics, I have shed many, many tears for the travesties suffered by our dear young soldiers and our war "heroes".   And that the moment I touch down on a plane in the US is such a magical feeling for me.....still. 

But the sheer ignorance of most Americans make me delirious with rage.  How can we be so gullible?  Why are we letting pharmaceutical companies, government greed and corporate dictators (like Bill Gates) rule our lives?  

I can't tell you what the answer is, but we let our government go and do all these atrocities all over the globe and wonder why people hate us. We don't know a thing about other people's cultures (as a whole) and yet there we are involved in their political affairs, in their lands and resources. Imposing our own rules on them, as if it were our God given right. *

It isn't right. I don't see an easy way out of this situation and I by no way advocate violence or revolt. I think if we all just became more aware of our own individual choices in life. If we all opened our hearts and minds to different points of views, different ways of seeing things, of seeing the world. If we opened our hearts to the suffering of those around us, we could stem this tide. Even if just one person at a time. 

But with Americans buried in an economics depression, in constant work and home stress/distress, addicted to sugar, money, power, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, etc. etc. and then conversely mindlessly entertained endlessly by TV, devices, hobbies, etc. we aren't taking the time to look. To really look at life. To enjoy it. To enjoy each other. To relish the good and the bad in life. All together. No matter what walk in life we are taking.  

Maybe it's not just Americans that are like this. I haven't travelled enough to know if it's a world affliction. I do know that we Americans are (for the most part) very much incapable of seeing beyond our own nose, of opening our hearts and minds to anyone different than us. And that truly is the worst ignorance of all.

*and don't get me started on how they are expected to instantly assimilate when they come to our land and be grateful for any and all treatment; even the most bigoted and evil.