Americans Who Dream of Fascism

The meme, above, was posted to Facebook by a friend from the dog world.

I thought about simply moving past it, but I did not.  Instead, I wrote and challenged the premise:

My kids are not selfish, disrespectful brats. Are yours? I bet not. Took God out out schools? You are free to pray in any school at any time. You can pray anywhere at any time and learn about any religion too. And guess what? You can pray and be a Muslim (they pray five times a day!) or a Jew, or a Christian, Mormon, or even not pray because you are not religious (that's most Americans, far and away). Choosing to pray or not pray is the FREEDOM we all enjoy.

And discipline our kids? Not a problem. BEAT your kids? Yeah, that might be a problem. Is that the only way any of us know how to discipline? I bet not! I do not beat my dogs, but they are pretty well disciplined! My kids are too. Bet it's the same at your house.

Posts like this are written by people who hate America and spread alienation and fear. They paint a picture of a country that never existed, and we do not want to live in. If you want a country where it is mandatory to salute the flag and pray, and where you are free to beat your kids, then you may want to try Iran or some other terrified country ruled by despots in the developing world. That's never been the America I lived in, and it's not one you have ever lived in either, as we are about the same age.

Look around at the wonderful country we have and REJOICE.

Our water and our air are cleaner than when we were kids. We have more public forests and fields to hunt in than ever before. We have more guns, more dogs, and bigger bag limits than ever before. We have more deer, more wolves, more fox, more geese, lion, bear, and ducks than any time in the last 100 years.

Want a free Bible or a copy of any Shakespeare play or sonnet? It's on your cell phone in your pocket. Our cars are safer, and we have 100 channels on TV. Our medicine is better, and we are living longer and healthier than ever before. I make more money than my father, and I bet you are doing better than your father too; how many cars and trucks were parked in the driveway of your childhood home?

More kids are going to college than ever before, and unemployment has almost never been lower. The stock market has never been higher, and we can jet almost anywhere, and most of us have the money to do so at least once or twice in our lives.

Rejoice!

Complain about the America we have, and dream about a fascist state that never was?

Not me!

I love America.

How about you?