Dear Citizens of Me,
I've had it. I'm outta here. Not really sure where a country the size of me can move, but I'm going to try.
When I was created over 230 years ago, I was quite proud of what I stood for: freedom of ideas, religion, speech, etc. As I grew up, some egregious wrongs were absolutely righted but mostly what I represented was a bright light in a dark world. But lately, I've had just about enough of some of you using my name to achieve selfish, personal goals as you tear me down.
I have been called the "Land of Opportunity." But recently, my citizens have seen opportunity squashed. The rich among you continue to increase their wealth while the rest of you are asked to patiently wait your turn that will never come.
I have been called the "Home of the free, home of the brave." Yet in past months, certain previously unalienable rights have been revoked by current leaders. Right to a fair trial? Gone. Right to face your accuser? Gone. Right to view evidence against you? Gone. What is so brave about stripping people these basic rights? Why are you afraid to give them a fair trial?
One of the better stewards of me once said that my citizens have "nothing to fear but fear itself." Today, on a daily basis, you are told to be afraid of terrorist attacks around every corner. The current 'leaders', and I use that word loosely, of me seem more set on scaring you than really protecting you. They ratchet up fear to keep power, and then continually stoke the fear to advance their agenda.
One of the great things about me was the fact that religion and government were distinct entities without connection or allegiance to each other. You know, the familiar: "Separation of church and state." Now, the two are more entwined than in the history of me. My money is being spent supporting religious efforts of primarily a single religion. Can you believe that? I was purposely built by a collection of learned and intelligent men to be agnostic about religion. But now, your leaders harp upon how pious they are and how devilish their opponents are to get elected to a public office.
I've been called the "Great Melting Pot," welcoming people from around the world into my borders and interweaving them into my society. But lately, a great push has been made to make some people feel extremely unwelcome. As a nation built upon laws, I fully support enforcing all laws regarding who is allowed to legally reside here. Yet by increasing the rhetoric surrounding the issue, perfectly legal citizens have been lumped in together with the law breakers merely due to their ethnicity.
The primary value and ideal that I was built upon, Freedom, has been conveniently revised and edited to suit the purposes of the people currently in power. The idea that Freedom and Democracy was going to be spread throughout the world sounded like a great idea. But it's difficult to spread freedom and democracy using the business end of an automatic weapon. You current leaders tried to show the citizens of another sovereign nation that they had the freedom to choose the direction they wanted for their country by choosing the direction for them. "Hey, you're free! But now you have to do what we say." Ridiculous.
I'll leave you with some quotes of people who "get it." They understood what I used to be all about.
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."
~Abraham Lincoln
"Patriotism... is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."
~Adlai Stevenson
"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."
~Elmer Davis
"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in."
~Theodore Roosevelt
"Our country, right or wrong. When right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right."
~Carl Schurz
Sincerely,
The United States of America
PS - I'll consider coming back if you shape up. Until then, I revoke your privilege to use my name for any political or personal gain.