But we should also keep our nation in memory. Just last week I saw a news report dealing with protest at a political rally. Foreign nationals on the streets of a major city of the United States staged a violent protest and there is no other way to describe it. They waved the flag of their nation, a flag that is not Stars and Stripes. But this episode and activity was largely removed from our national newscast.
Protest is a time honored activity in this country, but protest by foreign nationals who have little claim to being here in the first instance transcending the line of protest into violent assault on American Citizens and on law enforcement officers seems a bit much.
Our news reports seemingly covered up the flag waving and downplayed the violent aspect of the situation. A year or so ago, a friend of mine told me that I needed to start watching European news sources as it respected American News Stories , he claimed that our news sources are tainted and slanted. This is something that clearly appears to be in play in this election season. The Big 3 networks have fallen all over themselves to support Hillary Clinton even in the face of withering opposition within her own party and in the face of her serial problems. Violent acts against those attending a rally were described as protest, when in fact they were assaults and riots.
I took him up on his proposition and I do notice something of a difference in the way our news is presented. Heretofore, I was not even remotely aware that foreign news organizations do cover our news. He being a naturalized American Citizen from Eastern Europe is well aware of the coverage as he has watched the goings on in America for his lifetime.
My friend told me he came to the US in response to what he had seen years ago in Post World War II Europe, he said the Americans restored order and were kind and disciplined and he loved them for it. The war was over by 10 years, but the Americans were still there
Another friend told me that he came to the United States from China and was astounded at what he found, he says we are a country remarkably free of institutional corruption, we do not have to pay a politician to see a doctor, or send our children to school. He fell in love with that idea. As remarkable as that sounds, it mirrored precisely what an Indian friend said, except he added that his children can attend a school that is supplied to him by the city, a good school and they can have a childhood.. A Mexican friend told me that he could make a living here. A Guatamalan told me that he wished his entire family was here for there was no patronage to the local Gendarme, which I thought was the police, but in actuality was the local government who used the police as their muscle. Monies he sends home are used for protection of his family from blackmail. There is an amount he is expected to send to insure that nothing untoward befalls his family. Mexicans have told me that most Americans they meet are nice. "Nice", we are "Nice". That is high compliment indeed. Arab clients told me that they came here to get away from the sheer insanity of life back home, they report that street crime and mental health problems of citizens there had made life something of a hell in many areas of the Middle East. Turks who love their home country are quite at ease here and they tell me so. A Peruvian fellow who had a business that employed 22 people before the housing collapse caused him to lose everything told me that he has started over and said only in America. He also told me that his business is smaller, but he is happier. Each has said things that surprise me, things that I take for granted. They have said, oh, you can have your own house, oh, you get to see a doctor or the hospitals have to take care of you if you go. Your streets are clean---even if I know them to be otherwise. Your water taste good. You have abundance. You have work. Your country has beauty. They make me think about how we sometimes forget just how good we have it.
We must have perspective and that is something that perhaps we Americans have in short supply and should develop. Our self interest demands it.
But every single one of these people tell me that we are stupid for not controlling our country and they say we need to do something. They are amazed at what they call our stupidity in allowing our country to be destroyed even as they enjoy our largesse. Their own prejudices make it hard for them to understand our tolerance. Our tolerance will be our downfall they tell me, I hope not, but we seemingly are loosening the control that is needed to have an orderly society. They view us as soft on drugs and crime and welfare even as we are flooded from around the world. They fear that the borders will be shut for this is El Dorado.
I hope that 20 years from now we can even remember what our country was. But for now I think I will run the flag up the pole and give thanks to those who helped make this the country that it is.
Enjoy your holiday.