(no subject)

[vaxjedi]

It's the Fourth of July. I can't say I'm impressed.



I'm not a patriot. I've tried before. I just am not. The Pledge of Allegience has always bugged me. I was one of those weird kids in High School who would turn around and stay quiet when it was being done. Even now, at things like graduations and such, I sit down through the Pledge.

I do not pledge my allegence to a flag. Nor do I to a nation that refuses to officially acknowledge my religion, my sexuality or my affectational lifestyle. Yes, I do think the U.S. is a better place than a lot of nations out there. I wouldn't want to live in Columbia, or Zaire, or Afghanistan, etc. Canada I don't think I would mind, or the UK or the Netherlands, though.

My alligence does not go to nations. It goes to people. Like the Callahanians out there, and the Tablers. I hope that some day I can be in a position where I can give them as much as they have given me.

There was a parade in town today, the little town of Canby. Besides having an attack of crowd anxiety (I didn't know there were that many people in Canby) concurrant with allergies, I wasn't all that connected to any of it. I guess I just don't have a good concept of community unless they are intentional. My friends, chosen family, the subcultures that I frequent (well, I wouldn't call it 'frequent'. Maybe I 'occasionant' them instead) - they are my community. Well, as close to one as I have.

---

Speaking of community, I feel like a crappy friend. People have needed help with things lately and I've been offering to watch the kids/clean up at home so that others could go help. I guess that is a help - it frees up people. But part of it is that I'm afraid of people. The people we have been hanging out with seem almost untouchable to me. I don't know how to relate to them. I'm not sure what to say or how to express myself. I always feel like I'm going to just bore them.

Yeah yeah, angst angst angst. I mean, Alanna seems to think I am interesting. I don't think she understands what I am talking about. My ideas do tend to get very far out. I'm used to people not understanding what I am saying. With some people, what's in my head seems so far out that I think I'll never be able to explain it to them. To others, it seems like what I have to say is so silly that I might as well not bother them about it.

I can never get it all out. Maybe I do have enough in my head to write a book, or a bible or something. Several people told me once that I'd make a good cult leader. That always confuses me and thrills me at the same time. I'm used to thinking of myself as a nobody, yet I like the idea of being a powerful somebody.

---

Well, the in-laws are here for July 4th BBQ. More later.

Comments

[ladyotterfae.livejournal.com]

*scritch*

Well, speaking as someone who's been referring to today as "scary boom and pretend you love your government day"...

I find most displays of American-style patriotism to be shallow at best, and holier than thou, sometimes to a dangerous degree, a good portion of the time. I know that isn't always true. But I personally find it highly hypocritical how people, while preaching about this great country, will still treat other people like shit. And they will talk about honouring the flag, and condemn those who don't "treat it properly" or who dare to demonstrate against it, and yet they wear it, stick it to windows (improperly, I might add), eat it, use it in every form of advertising, and fly it from their car attennas until it's so tattered and faded that they..guess what? throw it away.
gee. how respectful.

But I digress.

Suffice it to say I agree with you, for the most part. I believe humanity as a whole is a decent allegiance. and my friends, family, chosen family, etc. I appreciate what being an American has offered me. I don't appreciate the attempts at brainwashing me into believing this is as good as it gets.

Pardon my vehemence, but I'm still upset over a conversation I had inflicted upon me the other day. A young woman, a mother, was talking to me about fireworks, and her sons. She'd been told to bring home two things for them, before they went to see the big display in town. Sparklers, and..*sigh*..the exploding osama bin laden. That's right, war toys, and the not-so-subtle military undercurrents of the holiday weren't enough. now we hand our kids human shaped toys to blow up. She said, and I quote "I wouldn't get anything like that for my 6 and 10 year old boys...but..it's bin laden". Therefore, it's perfectly acceptable to encourage your kids to destroy another human being? I'm not advocating bin laden here, but if you think your average 6 year old is advanced enough in hypocracy lessons to be able to grasp that it's okay to blow up only this one person, but you must of course love and respect and treat well..umm..anyone your government says to, you've got another think coming.

Compassion has to begin somewhere, doesn't it? I suppose most will think I'm over-reacting. But to me, that was a very sad statement on the mindset of Americans, and humanity as a whole, with regards to anyone not "them".

Suppose I feel safe saying this, being one of Them. *wrygrin*

[alaindan.livejournal.com]

Hell, I wasn't even in the country for more than 5 hours of today. (I'm in Toronto for the weekend.) I'm all for supporting the country, though the people in charge suck. But people are just psycho about it. My theory is if it takes a few thousand people getting killed for these people to act all patriotic and put out flags all the time now, they shouldn't have in the first place.

[eleri.livejournal.com]

You think I was in it for the patriotism? I'm there so my kids can see pretty sparkly things. And get territorial about candy. The people who want it to have meaning will find it, the people who don't won't.

[vaxjedi]

I was commenting on the phenomenum in general.

This Country

[slapbass311.livejournal.com]

The people that are in charge of this country are 100% irresponsible. There is no liberty and there is DEFINITLY no justice for all, so I totally understand you not doing the pledge. They called it unconstutional, 'cause of the "Under God" part. The original pledge didn't have "under God" in it. Some ultraconvervatives added it in the 1950's. ANYWAY, yea, the people that run this country aren't bent on making people happy. Everyone has a simply and 100% political agenda. Bush is so pro-big business, his bible is "The Wealth of Nations." It is unofrtunate that the people in whom we place our trust are greedy, slimy sub-humans, but I like to take the bad with the good, 'cause if I didn't take the bad I couldn't have the good. I liked having an excellent public education. I like have Uncle Sam pay the tab on me going to college, I like have roads, a police department that can't wouldn't prefer being bribed. I like have a fire department that responds. Last night, I was closing at Wendy's and there was a REALLY drunk guy hanging around the parking lot. I let him in, gave him some food, and called a squad. They came and fixed all his cuts(he said he had been pushed from a car) and then they took him home. Without them, where would people like that guy be? Dead, probably. I don't call that "thinning the herd" or "survival of the fittest." All human beings deserve a chance at life, reguardless of condition or addiction.
Enough of my rants.