What Has Happened to My America?

Like  a boil on one’s knee, first just a red spot, then a little swelling, nothing to worry about, then a little pain and more swelling. It could be treated, but it’s just a small thing, forget about it. The swelling gradually increases along with intense pain until a head appears. In time, it will burst and the puss will erupt like a volcano. Only then can the healing begin.

In America, the first symptoms were hardly noticeable. Had I been living in the States it’s possible that I would not have perceived the subtle changes. However, returning from outside the United States for a visit, I was amazed by the way, America was changing. The young white men were mimicking the blacks in their actions, dress and afro hairstyles. Morals were cascading. I had returned to a country I did not know.

Year after year subsequent visits reveled, a constant change taking place to my homeland and the people I loved. It spread like wildfire, throughout the sixties, seventies and eighties and continues today.  

In the seventies, I was appalled with the music that was popular. I looked and listened, and asked myself, would I allow any of these popular entertainers to babysit my children? My answer was a resounding, not on my life! I refused to listen.

In the eighties, I watched as the young white men acted like blacks, in fact wanted to be black. They copied their ways, habits, styles; anything they thought was cool and implied black, their boom boxes blasted at every intersection, with the windows down so all could hear and look, see me, I’m here to be noticed. The white male was there, standing tall ready to be cool.

A handshake was once an agreement, a hello or goodbye, not anymore, now it’s all showmanship, which, can outdo the other with the hand-jive, let’s be black. I refuse to participate. No, I don’t fist butt either. I don’t want to be black. I want to be what God made me. I’d like to be the best American male I can be, and copying another race, will not help me achieve my goals. I have always said, being cool is too close to fool for me. I may not have the wisdom to keep them separated. As for those who want to be a fool, sorry, I meant cool, go right ahead; I’ll stay square and be embarrassed for you.

 For a long time now, I’ve watched our country fester, and now it looks as though the boil is ready to burst. I’m sure there are many reasons and I don’t pretend to have the answers.

I have noticed that the people of America do not have the affection for their country they once had. At some point in time, music and sports became more important than our heritage. We have failed to pass-on what our past generations fought and died for, so now its cast to the wind, a forgotten heritage.

This became very evident recently while I was in cardiac rehab. One of the men my age made the comment, “Americans don’t realize what they have,” that he felt like kissing the ground every morning after waking up. He said, “I love America, there’s no other country in the world like America”. He told of being a Greek, living on an Island near Turkey during world war two and of the Nazi’s killing one of his brothers and the hardship he and his family lived through. He remembers, he came from Greece, but America is his country — he is an American — not a Greek-American.

 The modern day American has had it easy, and became complacent, and since he hasn’t been taught love of country and patriotism he has nothing to draw from, no base on which to stand. He doesn’t know who he is or what he is. It’s not cool to show your love for your country or to be patriotic. We’re hollow reeds, bending in the wind, no longer leaders; we copy and follow whomever we think is cool, and become fools in the process.

The most patriotic Americans I’ve ever known were, as a child in school during world war two and after. We were all patriotic, from kindergarten to the oldest adult I knew. Negro, Swede, Italian, Portuguese, Jews and Japanese it didn’t matter where we were from, we were Americans all. Some couldn’t speak very good English, some none at all, but they were trying to learn as fast as they could. People were not hyphenating their nationality; they were Americans and glad of it. Even the interned Japanese, although hating what was required of them, still loved America.

I can specifically talk about the Portuguese, because I grew up with them. One of my best friends was Portuguese, but preferred Portagee. I knew many Portagees’ and they would be the first to say they were a Portagee. They were proud to be Americans, and some of the most Patriotic of all immigrants.

I’m afraid the more recent immigrants do not understand that although they have every right that I enjoy, they also have the same heritage as me. They bring with them the heritage of their mother country, but what is more important is the heritage they inherited the instant they became American citizens.

            Obtaining citizenship is their adoption papers. No man can adopt America as their country; just the opposite. America does the adopting. It’s no different from a person adopting a child. No man adopts a child that he does not love and want to provide for. Nor does America adopt an immigrant they do not want to keep safe and provide for. Not in the form of providing everything from cradle to grave, but something far greater; those inalienable rights, the right to succeed, the right to fail and the right to try and try again.

The adopted immigrant owns the American Constitution in its entirety, immediately, truly a gift from Heaven. The very second an immigrant becomes adopted they have the same heritage as I; the Founding fathers, are their Founding Fathers, George Washington is their Father of the country. Abraham Lincoln saved their Union. They can and should love their new heritage, teach it to their children, discuss it in the family and keep it alive. I do not believe the new immigrants do it and I know that, to our chagrin, a large portion or our natural born citizens never think of such teachings. We should all make it a practice, our country is worth it.           

Our country, “The Boil” seems to be coming to a head, ready to burst — and then the healing —. The burst will be sudden, but the healing will be long and painful.

America the Beautiful: worth standing by, worth guiding through all the peril that is to come.…

GOD BLESS AMERICA                                                       Bryan B. Cox