Jackson Free Press

Got this email from a colleague of mine yesterday and it presents an interesting argument. I don't agree with over half of it but I'd thought I'd present to the intellectual masses for discussion. Are Americans indeed spolied brats? And does the rest of the world truly perceive us a s such? Please Read and discuss. sho nuff!

Spoiled brats?

A recent Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the Die Hard American that I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This is all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander-in-chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they are going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife. Insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:
''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy.

Previous Comments

ID

109750

Comment

This guy's obviously cooked his numbers too. 70% of Americans OWN a home? Neighborhoods where 90% of the kids have cell phones and computers. Cmon..I know we're in a technology age but.... I don't think we're "spoiled" per se', I think the rest of the world sees us as "arrogant" and thats a BIG difference.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-01-03T12:11:01-06:00

ID

109751

Comment

I'm unsure what our perception of the president and the direction this country is heading has to do with the current liberties we have. Being unhappy with the direction, to me, implies that we are getting closer and closer to losing those liberties we love so much. We're unhappy with a president who claims, "you are for us or against us." Yes, this man who should represent us to the world tells the world, "If you don't agree with us, then screw you!" I agree Kaze. The America he's presented to the world is not spoiled rotten, but of arrogance. We demand other countries to do as we say and not as we do.

Author

emilyb

Date

2007-01-03T13:19:41-06:00

ID

109752

Comment

I think that the author of this e-mail went off on a tangent. I believe that Americans are spoiled, but not because a lot of us are unhappy with the current direction that we're headed in. I believe that Americans are arrogant, but IMO that is really a result of being spoiled. I agree with his last statement: "I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away." Americans are as human as people from any other background. We all hold the capacity to be satisfied or dissatisfied. When we live to satisfy our desires, we ultimately doom ourselves to dissatisfaction. Every thing that we want, rather, every thing that we get will have an impact on something else. It has spiraled so out of control that we even recognize it but choose to look in another direction. So breeds our unconcern until it bites us in the buttOcks.

Author

lilsoulja

Date

2007-01-04T16:16:13-06:00

ID

109753

Comment

Very interesting column. I'm speechless!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-05T16:30:44-06:00