Celebrating independence

Today, July 4th, can be a bit confusing if you’re an immigrant. This is more so if your country of birth is England, Britain, or the UK, however you want to name it these days…I get confused over that naming protocol. Unlike most Americans, I am here by choice though. Also, I thoroughly like living here. To become an American you have to take a test and be put through the ringer and have your background checked out etc, etc….fun stuff like that. I realized when I was studying for this test that many Americans probably wouldn’t be able to pass it, but still have a patriotic feeling for their nation…despite these feelings not being based upon facts or knowing their own actual history. This country was set up a good while ago with an attempt to limit government power and corruption…..good luck with that one…..The original plans seem to be holding together despite the best efforts of politicians. However, it is under constant attack to varying degrees. I think this would be less so if Americans, the ones who are actually born here, really knew their own history. By that I mean not some condensed politically correct version of it or a version based off the latest movie. History isn’t really about society habits, such as cooking, and clothes. It’s all about conquest and who did what to whom. It’s bloody and unpleasant. All humans do bad things to each other, regardless of color, race or creed. Get over it. It’s written by whoever won or had control of the media of the day at least……that doesn’t make our understanding of it accurate, but it’s a common thread of acceptance at least.

I had an epiphany about countries and their collective habits, and this was before living in the US. I travel a great deal and sometimes to some rather bazaar countries. Some are good, some are not, but all are interesting in their own ways. I realized that a lot of nations have evolved over time. They have rich histories, the people just accept that as part of life and it helps put a few things in perspective, such as we’re just tiny pieces flowing through this. This is difficult to avoid when history is under every rock and on many streets. They get on with their daily routines and celebrate things from before, but don’t make a big deal out of it. Some nations, however, are created. A lot of these in the previous century. It seems to me that many of those nations seem to think that they have to justify their very existence, usually in some form of annual celebration and a constant reminder of who they are. This is a good thing of course, and often reminds people that here is a good place to live and actually, now is a great time to be alive. But when you come from an old country, especially one that fought with it’s offspring, it can be a little confusing, and somewhat amusing. I have wondered if these types of celebrations will still be going on in day 500 years time. I expect a lot of the actual history will be even more confused than it already is. I get asked a lot if I am upset by the July 4th celebrations. If I’m feeling nice I say something along the lines of “Not really. I’m an American after all. Besides, I wasn’t alive then.” If I’m feeling less social, I ask if Australia, Canada or New Zealand are pleasant places to live. Of course they are, and in some regards, can be more pleasant than many parts of the US. They didn’t go through a traumatic birth, and evolved in to the wonderful places they are peacefully and calmly. That usually ends the conversation. I haven’t had that conversation in the deep south or midwest though. I think I’d be a little less vocal there. But as was pointed out in graffiti in a base in Iraq, “Yeh hah isn’t a foreign policy.”

It’s a good place to live and it’s a great time to be alive. We’re here anyway, so stop your wining and enjoy it anyway.