Proud to be American

Dear Editor [Woodside Herald],

Everyone is quite eager to voice his or her opinion during these very trying days; it has become the norm. I suppose that makes me normal because I’m about to do the same; however, I’m not going to compliment or condemn the President, nor I am going to compliment or condemn the Democrats or Republicans.

My parents were immigrants who came to America thru Ellis Island and through the process of what was legal immigration. Both my parents instilled in me great pride in being an American because they were so proud of the United States; the stars and stripes could always be found flying in front of our home with respect and dignity. When my mom and pop went for a walk if mom saw a piece of paper on the ground she would actually pick it up and save it for the trash because her Country should be kept clean. Of course, we thought she was crazy at the time. Likewise she would sweep the sidewalk and street in front of our home. My pop learned English first since he was here first and then mom learned to speak English when she arrived. She always spoke broken English, but was so proud when she learned new words. Both my parents worked hard and my mom always worked double shifts; but she would come home between shifts because we had to sit at the table and eat together. Yes, they suffered through all the hard times of the past, but it never dampened their spirit and they never blamed it on their beautiful America. When the words “Ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country” were spoken my parents were ecstatic and it didn’t matter what the political affiliation was. The fact that everyone was being called to take pride in America, to make a contribution in whatever way you could, for people to want government to be just that, representation of the wishes of the people and not Big Brother dictating what they perceive is best for us without even consulting us or ignoring us altogether, made them glow.

Well, I’m looking for this America of my childhood, of my adolescence, and young adult life. It seems with each passing day it becomes more and more non-existent. Of late, I’ve seen people throw trash outside car windows, cleaning out ashtrays and dumping the cigarette butts in the street and even throwing garbage out of apartment windows. I’ve seen undocumented (illegal) aliens gather on street corners looking for work; some are picked up and paid with both the employer and employee not paying any taxes and my taxes keep increasing, I’ve seen deterioration of what once were fine neighborhoods because of indifference and the attitude that someone else should do it. I’ve seen metal detectors in schools and parents saying their children are the teacher’s responsibility during school hours and the parents should not be bothered or their child is always right. I’ve been told time and time again to press one if I want to speak English, it doesn’t matter that I live in America. I’ve heard it said that the best way to scam the system is to put everything in someone else’s name and then file for all kinds of assistance; which means dishonesty is quite prevalent not only in large Ponzi schemes, in large corporations, in City, State and Federal government, but right on down to the individual American and this scares me more that anything else. If everyone has their hands in the till; how can we survive? If companies that are being helped by taxpayer monies continue to pay bonuses to the very people that destroyed the company in the first place, we have bigger problems than we can ever imagine. If our government continues to print new money without taking old money out of circulation how long before the dollar becomes completely worthless? No need to worry about 401Ks or home mortgages then. The big issue now is a Government controlled Health Pan which doesn’t seem too popular with the public, yet back door deals are being made to get enough votes to push it through. It isn’t any wonder that the public is skeptical with the way Medicare and Medicaid are run; these too are Government controlled health programs. Perhaps the leaders in our Government should direct their focus on getting Medicare and Medicaid on track before establishing a new program, which the record proves will be destined for the same end.

You see, I’m just looking; looking for honesty, integrity, common sense, a moral code of ethics, pride in America and in being American. I’m looking for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to be upheld. I’m looking for truth in government and abolishment of the political game. I’m looking for the America of my childhood, my adolescence, my young adult life.

Sincerely,

A long time Sunnyside Resident