July 05, 2003

my only complaint is the parties aren't as wild as bastille day

yesterday was the first fourth of july i've spent in the usofa in about 6 years.
it was fine.
those of you that know me know that i'm the first to deride our great nation. i love scotland and wales and greece and germany and luxembourg and spain and france (yes, france.) and think they're all great nations.
i despise gaudy american patriotism.
mostly because it's so uninformed.
butbutbut...
i love the usofa. it is the only place in the world that i could live this life, and i love this life.
there are things, massive, divisive things that are glaringly wrong with this country.
but we do have the opportunity to change them.
so instead of blind patriotism, instead of american flag t-shirts and memorized rhetoric, do me a favor.
celebrate how great this country is by voting.
vote every time you can.
and after you start voting every time you can, do me another favor.
actually look at the platforms and records and funding of the people you are voting for.
and after you start doing that, do me one more favor.
write/email/fax/call your congresspeople. state and national. hell, write that fucking idiot of a president we have too, i'm sure someone will read it to him before bed some night.
but steve, that sounds like a lot of work
it's not.
if you want to wave your flag, go right on ahead. but if you really want to celebrate this country and all it stands for become an active, intelligent, vocal participant in your government.
and at the very least, i'll respect you. even if you like guns and tax breaks for the wealthy and cutting public spending and relaxing media ownership restrictions and forcing illegal abortions and bombs and destroying the enviroment and war.
unless you vote for this fuck-o.

addendum
and write them about this, please, which is one of the most beautifully simple plans i've ever seen.

U-S-A
U-S-A
ohshutthefuckup.

Posted by orion at July 5, 2003 04:13 AM | TrackBack