america is, this place i happen to live. it is a place where people have been living for 11 thousand years, at least, (as witnessed by humans remains having been found and dated here), before 9/10ths of my own ancestors ever set foot in the western hemisphere. before anyone ever thought of calling it one place or calling this one place by that name. those who's ancestors were here those thousands of years before mine arrived, alone earn the right to be non-hyphenated, by right of prior occupation. while those of us, of primarily european ancestory, sould be properly identified as euro-americans. just as those of african origen are afro-americans and those of asian origen are asian americans. the caucases are a mountain range in azerbajzhan. my ancestors did not come from azerbajzan, though i am sure there is nothing wrong with those few who did. nor does the paleness of my skin in any remotes way resemble the color white. i had so much more i was going to say, which i forgot to write down, which is probably just as well if forgot. i am neither proud nor ashaimed of the circumstance that i happen to be living here. to me it is neither more nor less then that. and pride is something i reserve for the products of one's own hands and mind. i find no logic in either pride nor shame in any more of one's surroundings then are. i would ask this however: which is of greater value, even in your own personal life; the glory of any country, belief or ideology, OR the kind of world, we much each individually experience living in? i would also ask this; is either excitement or ostentation worth more then the quality of that experience either?
The greatest value is integrity. Ironic that the UNITED States does not have integrity. Here are the antonyms of integrity: corruption, dishonesty, immorality, disrepute, deceit, duplicity. America the United States is an endangered and troubled country, as far as I'm concerned. The whole planet / world is. All of Humanity.
I am with you themnax on feeling neither shame NOR pride w where I just so happen to be born and live.
