What Does U.S.A. mean to you?
For many young people it means U Suck Always. If you think that, you’d be DAMN WRONG. The UNITED STATES of AMERICA should still be drenched in traditions and rich with history (good and bad—what people don’t have ups and downs?).
When you promote a diverse community, you welcome the thoughts and traditions of many peoples. That’s what America was built on—people wishing for a better tomorrow—yet moving the same direction with a shared devotion. But “diversity” has taken on a new meaning. Now it seems to mean many groups going in their own directions. With that, we’re no longer a nation of people pulling for better together (history can be erased, you know). We’ve become a crowd that wants it our way (this ain’t a fast-food joint) and will stop at nothing to have only our voices heard. (And no, I’m not more important—I just choose to make my “voice” heard here instead of looking like a fool doing some stunt protest in public.)
Not that long ago—one century back—there was deep gratitude and respect for the Stars and Stripes. Families were steeped in patriotism and “All-American” traditions. “So what’s ‘All-American,’ and why should I care?” Here’s my take (disagree if you want—that’s your loss). I’m Gen X. We were the kids who went home after school without parents hovering (and survived), stayed out late (but not past 10 p.m.), and knew the rhythm of county fairs, festivals, and actual in-person fun. Drama? Sure—sometimes a fistfight—but you moved on. Today, drama is the only way some people get attention.
Fairs and festivals used to be exciting. Unfortunately, the same people running them 50 years ago are still running them now. We’ve lost the attention of two generations. There’s little innovation in how these events are run—same rides, same games, same dusty contracts because they’re “cheap.” Try new draws, new layouts, new reasons to show up. Younger crowds have short attention spans (I don’t have the fix—but there’s got to be an algorithm for it).
Here’s the one that pisses couples off: child-raising and discipline. I got whipped (some). Truthfully, I didn’t get nearly enough for what I did. I even got paddled at school—gasp!—for being “socially active” (yep, I talked). They did that back then—AND IT SHOULD BE THAT WAY TODAY. Consequences matter. Do something smart or stupid, you deal with the result. Quick side note: I once made a Chapstick-tube “bomb” with black powder to blow up a toy car—stupid kid stuff. The fuse didn’t finish, I tried to re-light it, and… boom. Third-degree burns on three fingers. Consequences. I don’t do stupid S#!t like that anymore. Quit babying your babies. Let them learn (maybe not that severe, but you get it). Why do you think there are so many Pu55!es in the male population today? (I’ll digress—I can feel you getting red-faced.)
Ever read product warning labels? I have. “Do not take orally” (on a tube of Preparation H… seriously). “Do not point laser into eyes” (you’ve got two—don’t test both). “Do not put hand on blade while running”… well, Stubby, did you learn anything? We coddle foolishness and have a legal system that rewards it. CYA is today’s business motto—yet stupid can’t be predicted. My buddy ran a YouTube channel called Surrounded by Stupid. He nailed what’s amiss. He passed almost 3 years ago. Damn, I miss him. We need more Ed’s—honest voices, even if the shallow-minded find them “disturbing.” (Just like Rush.)
Back to today. Traditions are labeled “old-fashioned” and “boring.” Why? Because tradition and personal interaction aren’t taught at school—or in society. We live through a picture viewer now (your phone screen or a big-ass TV). Think about your last “personal” interaction. Face-to-face or FaceTime? We’ve been trained to be afraid of one another. (Say that and someone will call you racist.) If you’re 45+, you know what I mean. I honestly don’t know how a lot of under-40s have fun or function without feeling alienated from actual community. Staring at a screen without people, nature, or real situations has to make the psyche ache for connection.
If we keep this road, we’re booking a short ride in a handbasket. I’ve stayed off the politics and school-board rant on purpose, but let’s be real: we’ve been conditioned into rival ideologies about how this country should run. One side is right… and one isn’t. Which are you? Up until a sentence ago, maybe your mind was open—now it’s closed (bet me). Our school system is fu(k3d, and most parents have little say in how it’s run. Do you want your kid shaped by that, or do you think you can do better? The bitter twist: parents who want to be present often can’t—because we were sold “bigger is better,” and if you don’t have it, you ain’t s#!t.
Pull yourself—and your kids, family, and friends—away from the machine for at least one day a month. If in that day (or a weekend) we can’t come back to traditional values and real community, we might just be the next Roman Empire.
