Independence Day 2011 - And The Struggle To Celebrate
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 06:17PM 
Normally I would have posted something very patriotic early this morning. But this last two and a half years of politics, deficits, and continued economic failure have me wondering if this once great nation can really survive. And while I blame the current administration in Washington for America's biggest problems, I also feel that the last 50 years (maybe 100 years) have been orchestrated to specifically weaken the United States.
I'm frustrated and I'm concerned. And most of all, I'm pretty sure most people in America aren't even close to being prepared for what might be right around the corner. I'm not really all doom-and-gloom, but c'mon, we've allowed the leaders of this nation to dig a hole so deep that there's really no practical way out. But don't think I'm giving up. In fact, I haven't really begun to take a stand yet. I can say I'm definitely getting closer to that point tho.
So, to represent my frustration and concern, I put together this graphic of just a small part of the glorious flag of the United States of America. It stands for a country that isn't really whole anymore. It stands for the desperate need we all have to look closely at what makes up the USA. And it stands for the amazing beauty of what the stars and stripes really mean... man's greatest attempt to honor God by putting in place a government that truly acknowledges the liberty (freedom) that mankind so desperately desires. Not the freedom to do wrong... but the freedom to do what's right.
May God bless - we the people.
Reader Comments (6)
Martt,
I love your work, and I’m sad that you feel this way. Is America going to be the same as when you and I were young? No. But that's been the case for every generation of Americans. Do we face challenges? Yes, but they're not so grave as you've been led to believe. This isn't civil war, or World War II. It's a transition. Our country has been through many, and quite a few were more jarring and threatening than this one. I believe we'll ultimately pull together and work through this one, too.
Anon- I'd like to think that you're right, but history, human nature, and the changing global dynamic all point to massive changes for the US if drastic changes aren't made soon. The one thing I know for sure: being prepared for everything to fall apart is the only stance that makes any sense... just going on like it's business as usual is a risky way to approach the future.
Matt - as someone who grew up in the Midwest, and from what I can tell, is about your age, I thank you for what you've written. Even though I've been gainfully employed by a major aerospace company in the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years, and this area has perhaps been less affected by the malaise striking the heartland, I hear what you're saying. As I write these words, my neighborhood sounds like Baghdad during the US invasion of Iraq. Tons of small-arms fire punctuated by loud booms that shake your very being. Going to be fun sleeping tonight, and even more fun getting up for work tomorrow. But I am lucky. I have a job to go to in the morning. So many people in this once-great country are unemployed, or underemployed. Our economy has not adapted to the interconnected world economy we now live in. Our national debt is a national disgrace, but we seem powerless to do anything about it. The two-party system that seemed to work well enough when we were kids seems to be deadlocked, each side grabbing the other by the throat, unable to reach any compromise, unable to move forward. What has happened to this place? What happened to the time when people were decent to each other, cared for each other, and there really was opportunity for (most) all of us? I agree with you - the America we knew and loved is gone, or at least, is on the way out. World power is shifting to others, and we are in the late afternoon of our day in the sun. I hope, for all our sakes, that the great ship we call America can still right herself, and that we can continue on as a nation. Thanks for reading this, and thanks, Matt, for AirPigz.
Well put, Martt.
Matt,
This comment is a little late, but thank you for illustrating the frustration that so many of us have been feeling. I think your flag is appropriate. Like the flag flown upside-down, it signifies a nation in distress.
I had many of the same thoughts you mentioned as I sat and watched a fireworks display in rural Kansas last night (rural Kansas is redundant, I know). It made me sad, as I watched my 4-year old daughter enjoy the fireworks, to think of what the future will be like for her as the fabric of our society continues to decay.
I remember waking, as a child, to loud patriotic music played from the real-to-real player that my dad had on the 4th of July. There were many displays of patriotism throughout the day and people seemed genuinely thankful for their freedom and country. Now it just seems that most people view it as simply another excuse for a BBQ and fireworks. Memorial Day, 2011 felt the same to me.
We had the privilege of taking a 90 year-old WW2 veteran to some historical sites in Missouri yesterday. Paul is a man who was shot down three times in a B24, and completed 53 successful missions--some of which were the bombings of the Romanian oil fields (Ploiesti) that crippled the Nazi's fuel supply. Old age has confined Paul to a wheelchair and he needs help with even the simplest tasks, including using the restroom. Paul was so grateful for the help and felt terrible that he was dependent on others. It occurred to me, after reflecting on what he said, that patriotism IS sacrifice.
Instead of placing value on sacrifice, frugality, honesty, and all of the traits that result in good moral character, we elevate selfish, narcissistic, gluttons to positions of power. Our children’s role models have become movie stars and professional athletes. We’re obsessed with consumption and leisure. We envy and punish those who are more successful than us, and we look down upon those who labor with their hands, or who don’t wear the latest clothes or drive the newest car.
We reward underachievement and spurn those who toil and save. There are a substantial number of children in our country whose parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great, great grandparents have never worked a day in their life, despite being perfectly capable. A growing percentage of our population is on the dole. Where is the incentive to work for their bread when everything they need to sustain life (and more) is handed to them for free?
Many people don't even know the names of their neighbors, let alone whether they are sick or afflicted. Most don’t vote or get involved in their communities. What a complete mess our nation has become!
If you believe in the good book, you know that tough times are ahead. If you don’t, simply look to history to see what has happened to great and prosperous nations when they become corrupted. Sadly, we haven’t learned from the past, and are therefore doomed to repeat it unless we change our ways.
As bad as it is, we still live in a land of tremendous opportunity. I don't think it's too late to turn this ship around. There are still a great number of good people in this world. I believe that we will see a period of great awakening in this nation as a result of the inevitable challenges and suffering ahead.
Let us be thankful and be willing to sacrifice. Perhaps we can leave this world a better place for our children.
Thanks for your blog, Matt. It's a real treat to read, and I look forward to each new post.
-Aaron
Marc, seerjfly, and Aaron- Thank you guys for your comments. I really do hope we can find a way to turn this country around... but I've been saying for years that I only see that happening if we go thru a massive time of pain and suffering. Who knows, maybe that's on the way.