Who can be happy in an America rife with greed, lies, bigotry, injustice, government controlled by corporations, and government influenced by the mass delusions of moral superiority by the religious right? No one. Not even the persons who hold on corrupt power creates the conditions that produces misery for so many others can be happy in such an America. chaos anarchy
National happiness is reserved for a people who practice civility, common sense, honorable justice, and an affirmation for every citizen the right to personal dignity and the pursuit of a healthy happiness. No person, group, or nation can know the joy of a healthy moral happiness if they are a disruptive force in the nation's psyche. No amount of influence and power one possess and choose to exercise over their human brothers and sisters can change that.
How many faces of the men and women who spread discontent--because they lust for power and revel in discord and the disenfranchisement of persons who are not like them--have the look of happiness and joy? How many are the faces of those in the enraged maddening crowd who scream in hate, anger, and disgust in the fateful throes of flawed logic have the look of beauty, grace, contentment, and joy? None--for all you can see is a collage of ugliness, wretchedness, and misery.
And if you find beauty, strength and grace in those faces, it is likely that the forces of the ungodly and what some call the anti-Christ has seduced you and motivates you to doom the USA and the democracy that makes her great to failure.
Recognizing human nature for what it is, it is not possible for each of us to love every person in a demonstrable way. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous and dances with hypocrisy. The ability to love everyone in spite of any untoward behavior in all probability belong to a very small group of individuals who serve as beacons showing the way to civility with demonstrative acts most of the rest of us will not and cannot seek to replicate.
For we are ever reminded of the fact that as a person, as a family, as a people, and as a nation, we must always be prepared to defend ourselves against predators and tyrants from all branches o the human family tree who want to control us, subjugate us, or destroy us. Exploiting men and women, even in this bastion of democracy--The United Sates of America--relentlessly pursue rhetoric, policies, and behavior that seek to deny ordinary citizens the right to life, liberty, economic stability, and the pursuit of a healthy happiness.
Nevertheless, personal, family, and national self-preservation notwithstanding, a nation whose religious and secular leaders convince enough people to hate, oppress, or vilify others simply because they offend their distorted sensibilities, stand in the way of their greed, or are not a member of the group of which they are a member cannot do anything but fail.
Uncountable atrocities of one person against another, of one ethnic group against another, of one nation against another, of the many against the few, and of the rich against the poor contaminates any nation. Violence,war, genocide,and "ethnic cleansing" have grown our of prejudices based on race, color, tribal or national origin, religious beliefs, envy, and greed. Murders are committed in the name of God. Religious crusaders launch war in the name of God.
Can men really believe God need soldiers and assassins to wage pre-emptive war on other people in His Behalf when He is capable of destroying the entire planet or any part of it if that were his wont?
Can Americans really believe that America can continue its present path of divisive politics, corporate government, religious and moral arrogance and hate, and still be a great nation? Can corporate leaders really believe that they can weaken American citizens by sending American jobs to other countries, by not paying any taxes, privatizing schools and other government services simply for profit, and still remain a great nation?
Can American citizens really believe America can remain a great nation if they support the forces in American who relentlessly work hard to make American fail so that they can gain political control?
If we do, may the God we claim but apparently do not believe in have mercy on us all.
