So You Think Your an American

Much against my own moral code of ethics, I found myself watching reality television. The show was So You Think You Can Dance. It is one of the tortures I subjugate myself to in order to appease my wife. On this particular episode was they were performing their usual beginning of the season talent search. This ordinarily consists of spectacular individuals with a lot of talent intermingled with delusional. Far be it from me to pass judgment on these deranged individuals, but there is a certain amount of sardonic amusement from their follies.

The one individual who caught my attention was a belligerent man who had put on a ridiculous performance, wasting the judges time. He then proceeded to argue with the judges’ criticism. It was obvious his only drive for being on the show was to make a scene and get on TV. If this were not enough he topped off this escapade with the following statement (mind you I am paraphrasing). He said, “I go where I want. I do what I want. I am an American.” Correct me if what I remember is skewed. The point is, this individual saw the ability to doing what he wanted and going where he wanted as being innately American. And his practice of this philosophy was him being American. Let me just say, this was not America’s fines hour.

Since when did America become an unruly Anarchy? The error in his philosophy it that even in America you can not ‘go where ever you want’ and ‘do what ever you want’. I don’t think he meant this literally (or at least I hope not). However, his attitude reflects and attitude prevalent in free countries, especially America. It is what I call a cultural anarchy. People assume because they are protected by the constitution and able to say and in some cases do what ever they want that they should. Gone are the days of social etiquette and mutual respect. Asking such things of these individuals would be considered to them un-American.

I am sure these same individuals would object to any government controls and regulations, instead adopting a wanna-be anarchist stance. The truth is the only reason these individuals have their freedoms is because of the restrictions America places on the censuring of such individuals. The all powerful 1rst amendment lends them these rights. In a true anarchy, they would have no such rights and would soon be subjugated by those with greater power who would set up small proto-dictatorships. There freedoms would be stripped and there ability to go anywhere and do anything would soon be reduces to an impoverished life of servitude. Thus is the way of anarchy.

This leads me to the question: if such affects would be felt by a government falling into anarchy, what affects would be felt by a culture falling into anarchy? I have no answer to this, but I am sure if our society continues in its ways, we may see the outcome.

Why am I an American?

I remember as a child sitting on my fathers shoulders, watching the 4^th of July parade moving along its procession. Decadent soldiers marched in formation while gaudy brass instruments played the star spangled banner. The smell of sweet BBQ swelled the senses in an intoxicating aroma. In that moment the illusion was perfect. America was beautiful.

Today my father has gone; run off across the border to Mexico to marry another woman. My youthful days are over, supplanted by what the world would call a less naïve reality. I am no longer so easily enveloped in the American myth. Yet, within me lies a yearning for those once accepted truths. It is this conflict between the nation we believe and the nation we see that defines us as American.

We are a nation bent on the internal struggle of love and hate. We love the freedom, but hate the consequences that freedom affords. We glorify the free market, free expression, and free will and at the same time detest the commercialism, pornography, and indecency that plagues are society. Though we maintain a certain pride in our nation, we are less able to consider ourselves America the great.

Our students are regarded among the lowest ranked in the world; so low that we no longer allow them to be measured against the rest of the world. We have considered ourselves the police man and defender of democracy in the world, while at the same time being the single largest supplier of arms in the world with most of our weapons being sold to underdeveloped nations. The world continues to hate us while they consume our commercial offerings like a drug that shames them.

The true illusion of America is how easily it is despised, yet beneath its inconsistencies and imperfection, doe there lie something noble; something we can believe in? Is there some truth to those mythic tales of valor and bravery? Can America be great? These are the questions I struggle against as I move to that next level of understanding and acceptance. It is there that I hope to find the answer to primary question: Why am I an American?