Today's Epiphany

 Today I would like to discuss something that happened on my way back from walking the little dog (Junie). I understand more why the state of affairs is depressing me.

Growing up in the states, we have an odd perspective on the world. To sum it up, we're better. No judgment, America is just better than everywhere else. Now of course, your first trip to Europe or Singapore or Japan or Buenos Aires makes you question if we are actually better off than those people in those places. There are places where people live longer, have better health care, don't have random shootings, are more polite to one another and have better Indian food.

But, as American will tell you as you relate the "better' things overseas, those better things are only possible by the shining light America provides as a beacon AND we protect other countries militarily, so they can focus on their internal growth. Why we don't get internal growth is not mentioned in this, but we all agree to ignore it.

And, yes, I am sure that people in China and Europe believe they have the best intentions too, but I only know my country.

I say all of this as background. In the old world order, the USA held the "good" side up while the USSR had dominated (conquered) the other countries in their orbit. The fall of the Berlin Wall just cemented this ideas in our head.

Now we are facing a tri-polar world.

Despite my protestations of being a global citizen, I still think of the world as tri-polar. Driven by the US, Russia and China. And yes, I do know that leaves out Europe, India and others - but that is how Americans think.

My current desire to flee (to Europe?) is driven by my fear that our country is going down the horrid path that Russia and China have gone down. A path where power is the goal not the means. And how can you feel okay when everything you learned up as good and honest is turned to crap? Okay, I haven't bought the pure "good and honest" for a long time. But I have held up the idea that we are leaps and bounds ahead of Communists then, and now well ahead of Russia and China on human rights and good government.

And now. Not only are we not necessarily better than them, but many Americans are trying to undermine our very "goodness" to introduce hate and division with anger and guns.

So my general "sadness at the state of our country" has a point under it all.