Andrew; the Angry American

The other day someone questioned the way I signed off on one of my emails. I thought I would take a moment to explain the foundation of my little nom de plume.

Back in 2002/03 this country was going through some very difficult times. The Iraq war was getting blasted; the US was being blamed for any and all problems everywhere in the world. Presidential politics had hit rock bottom and they had begun to dig. Fast-forward four years later and it seems that not much has changed has it?

Back then I began to take a long hard look at some of the things being said and it began to grate on me. These were personal peeves such as 9/11, the Iraq war, In God we Trust, Terrorism, Immigration, Gun Control and the UN. I look back fondly and wonder how many people recoiled in horror when they received my most recent missive, while others I’m sure grabbed a hot cup of coffee and kicked back.

Sadly, in the four years since we haven’t seen much improvement. 9/11 is about as relevant to some as a historical footnote in a musty old textbook, people & politicians are still shooting spitballs at each other over the Iraq war, Political Correctness is still trying to lock God in the ideologically broom closet, the threat of terrorism is fading as quickly from peoples minds as 9/11, entitlement babies abound, rampant illegal immigration is systemic, gun control advocates are still screaming about how better life would be if we got rid of all the legal firearms, and the UN,…………. Is still really irrelevant.

But I want to make it clear that my choice of the signature “the Angry American” is not intended to describe me as someone with inherent bitterness or as some would say “……it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

No, I am not angry because of differences in opinion. I firmly believe that healthy debate is a cornerstone to democracy. I might not agree with you, but without the ability to have a dissenting voice we would be no better off than any other totalitarian regime.

What angers me is what has happened, and continues to happen, to this great Nation. We are a country dividing from within. I am watching as this country takes up the banner to change the national motto from “E Pluribus Unum” to one that more accurately says “from One, Many”.

I am angry that the inherent tradition of hard work and personal honor, have given way to entitlement babies and politicians who will shake your hand, look you in the eye and lie through their cosmetically enhanced pearly white teeth.

If I decry Illegal Immigration that does not mean I am “anti-immigration” it means I am against those who seek to enter this country ILLEGALLY. Am I missing something? Is this concept so hard to comprehend? ¿Es este concepto tan duro de comprender? You can come to this country via planes, trains, automobiles, and boats. If you find yourself crossing through an underground tunnel, wading across a river in the middle of the night, or climbing over a barbed wire fence this probably would be a good indication that it is ILLEGAL.

If I oppose additional gun laws, it does not mean that I am against protecting people. It means I want politicians to enforce the laws they have already enacted and punish criminals before further burdening the legal rights of honest citizens. Don’t like guns, no problem. Don’t shoot them. But why should I lose my right to shoot because you don’t agree with me? Or better yet, why should you have the right to choose which guns I can and can’t shoot? What’s next? Do you get to choose what car I drive, job I work at or home I live in? You can’t be a proponent of Civil Liberties, when you only champion the civil liberties YOU agree with.

If your idea is to scream over my opposing point of view and call me vile and abusive names because I don’t agree with you, this is not debate; it is the systematic destruction of all opposing opinions. It actually works; you can see some of the highlight reels from WWII Germany, USSR, North Korea, China, etc. Yet there are many out there who are all too willing to scream bloody murder if they feel you are infringing on the 1st Amendment rights, but want you skinned alive if you have the audacity to speak a dissenting opinion.

I also don’t want you to excuse acts of terrorism against this country as simply “retaliation” for our U.S. imperialistic behavior in the world. Show me a nation that does more for the world than the U.S. Don’t bother I will tell you upfront the United States is the single largest donor of foreign economic aid. Yes, I have seen the various charts talking about gross dollars, GNP, GNI, etc. Truth is our dollar amount is the highest. Think what you will, but don’t have the unmitigated gall to look in my wallet and tell me what you think I should give to charity, just say thank you when I do!!

News flash: If this country were so cruel and oppressive, people wouldn’t be fleeing their homelands to live here illegally.

I believe that if you were born in this country, your parents were born in this country, and your grandparents were born in this country than you have no right to HYPHENATE anything. You are an AMERICAN!!!! Don’t get me wrong, I love my family heritage but I am not in any way shape or form anything but AMERICAN and a proud one at that. The only ones who remotely have a claim to this are kids born to parents with different nationalities. But the bottom line is, if you’re a citizen, you’re an AMERICAN. If you are not happy being an American, travel to that country which you do like, swear allegiance to THEIR flag and enjoy the rest of your days.

If you were born, congratulations! I believe you have absolutely no other guaranteed right other than to live. Want money & healthcare, get a job. Your job doesn’t pay well, or have healthcare? I suggest you get a better job. Want to retire, save your money and get a job with a decent pension system. Am I missing something? If you are waiting for someone from the government to give you money, give you healthcare, and send those things to your door while you sit home whooping it up while watching Oprah and The View, I’m sorry but you have failed.

If you cling to the belief that the United Nations is the global answer to all the evils in the world I believe you are delusional and need serious mental health care. The United Nations came into existence in 1945 after World War II. Its forerunner was the League of Nations, an organization conceived in similar circumstances during the 1st World War, and established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles "…….to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security." The League of Nations ceased its activities after failing to prevent the Second World War. We should have only been so lucky with the UN.

Sadly, since 1945 the UN has not managed to produce much in the way of success. Simply put it is a corruption riddled organization that is routinely used and abused by rogue nations. Don’t believe me? Not a problem. Let’s go right to the UN Charter (emphasis mine):

WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,....

Follow me here: Korean War, Vietnam War, Iran-Iraq War, Yom Kippur War, Bosnia, Cambodia, Global Terrorism, Somalia, Kosovo, Sudan, Congo, Darfur, Six Day War, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Gulf War, Georgia…..

Trust me, the list is much longer but this small selection speaks volumes.

1. Failure to prevent the Scourge of War (Check)
2. Failure to prevent the abuse of Fundamental Human Rights (Check)
3. Failure to protect the Treaties and International Law (Check)
4. Failure to protect and promote better standards of life (Check)

You name it, they have failed at it. At some point you have to fundamentally accept that the United Nations has simply failed. To continue to support it is a waste of time, money and energy.

In terms of the Anti-War crowd I will admit that I did find much amusement as I listened to the vaunted and much revered celebrities go on and on about what an ignorant boob and idiot our President was. I chuckled as I read his educational biography and then compared it to the laundry list of celebrities vilifying him. Yes, I will admit to engaging in some malevolent giggling as I realized that while the President has a Bachelors Degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, the vast majority of his celebrity detractors were barely lucky to get out of High School. I wonder what the French word for Drop-Out is. When your closest academic equal has a degree in Drama, yet vast numbers are hooked on every word they utter, something is terribly wrong. Don’t even get me started on Dr. Condoleezza Rice.

If you don’t believe in God, that’s your choice but can you explain to me why I cannot express my belief? If I want to display a nativity on my lawn at Christmas, deal with it. If my village wants to display a Menorah, deal with it. If the Congress wants to have a copy of the Ten Commandments on display, deal with it. Actually I can see the problem with Congress and the Ten Commandments, having those things lying around could lead to a hostile work environment: Thou Shalt Not Steal, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery, etc…. But unless I drag you into my church at bible-point, I can’t see what you have to complain about? If you are an Atheist, I’ll defend your right to display….. nothing.

The point is, we are getting silly here in this country and that is what I am angry about. America is no longer the “melting pot” that takes dissimilar peoples and makes them into Americans. It is gradually turning into individual camps based on heritage, race, religion, sexual preference, etc, each out to make the other assimilate or drive them into extinction. If our founding fathers could come back, they would slap us senseless, take back the constitution, and plant a British flag on the mall in DC.

Andrew
The Angry American