A True American

Lately, I have been thinking about the way people think and behave. Specifically, in this country we call America. So what does it mean to be an American? Is it gaining success and getting rich? Is it owning a home with the white picked fence? Is it having a family? Is it about speaking your mind and standing up for what you believe in? Is it protecting your country?

Really. What does it mean?

So you come here to chase the American dream. Here in the land of the free. A land where dreams can come true. What people thought was once was a great life, is now surpassed with greed, ignorance and stupidity. The simple life of happiness is lost and forgotten. Somewhere in the middle of then and now, the American people have shown their title disgrace and disrespect.

When we are kids we are taught this country's history and the many events that made it what it is today. Some great and some horrific. Between war, racism, violence, murder and hate, it's hard to see through it all. The way people and animals have been treated is certainly not something to celebrate.

Love, happiness and peace. This is what really matters. Being aware of how to help, share and spread that positivity is crucial to our species evolving. We need to learn that killing doesn't get us anywhere. It only sets us back and continues to halt our true survival. Why aren't people learning by now? In order to have a successful, healthy and prosperous future, we must love and respect all beings.

It's important to know, the way of life years ago is not the way of life today. Instead of seeking the simple undertones of how happiness can be, we all want more. Some people are so damn greedy they have way more than enough. Others lie, cheat and steal to get there. No one deserves to make billions, I don't care how talented or smart you are. In a country where you have the richest of all, there just shouldn't be homelessness and starvation. Period.

Is this what an American really is?

People live many lifestyles. All will try to convince you their way is the best way. I say, if you believe in something that is positive and doesn't harm others than great. But sadly, most lifestyles are the opposite. Religion, for example, is a vast category of brainwashing, sin, lies, rape, hypocrisy and misguided tales. On the other hand, it teaches self respect, strength, responsibility, love, faith and hope. How do you see through all the haze?

There is a good fraction of people who feel its important to make a difference in the world, so they strive for happiness through love and positivity. However, you also have a lot of people that either don't care or are not aware of what they can do to help. Then you have people who are so blinded by ignorance that their very existence is an embarrassment to us all.

The fact of the matter is, you can live any way you want. It is a free country after all. But should our lifestyles follow guidelines? Sort of like the 7 Deadly Sins, I feel we should all live by certain rules. I know most of us don't like rules but lets face it, without them nothing would run smoothly. There is no need to go crazy and whip out the tablets here. Just a few simple facts to keep us all in line.

First of all, we do not need to kill to survive.
Taking advantage of beings that do not have the same power as us is evil, unappreciative and most of all heartless. But we do it every God damn day. Death is in your supermarket and eventually winds up on your plate. Innocence is stolen and the weak are raped. Souls are truly lost. Machinery takes lives while the blood drips from our hands. Is this America?

Secondly, we need to learn when enough is enough.
How much more money can you make when you already have millions? How much more damage can you do to the planet? How much of our natural resources do we need to waste? How many Happy Meals can we shove down our kids throats? How many more animals can we torture and kill for fashion? Isn't the millions of animals we kill a year enough? Why do we continue to find more species to eat and more ways to torture them?

Third, be positive and be aware.
Why is it so hard for everyone to be kind to each other. People should want to help others and make sure we all succeed. We are all equal. People don't realize by living a certain way they support horrible things. They choose to separate themselves from their choices so they don't have to live knowing the truth. That's just sad.

Finally, we need to understand cause and effect.
When you put bad people into government, it will all crumble to the ground. When we eat toxic food we will get fat and sick. When we spend money carelessly, we end up with nothing but debt. When we take wild animals and teach them tricks they will eventually get even. When everything in your life is filled with drugs and alcohol you will soon learn that it's actually filled with nothing.

If we stay true to these, I think we can finally move in a better direction. All we really have is the Earth and each other. This planet is our number one resource for life. It gives us food, shelter, shade, air and water and most of us just take advantage of it all. We need to appreciate the beauty in what's around us. Not just the planet but in each other as well. We are amazing creatures - look how far we have come!

Now look beside you. There right by your side is an adorable little creature who brings joy and happiness to your life. Pets have unconditional love, something we humans can't truly grasp like they can. Now look beyond your dog or cat and you will see millions of animals that are simply amazing. Whether they live on a farm or in the wild, they are deserving of life as much as we are. We don't realize that we need them here in order for "life" to continue. So instead of eating a steak or shooting a dear, put the fork and gun down for once and see the beauty of it all.

So what does it mean to be American?

Being American means you are strong and brave.
It means standing up for equality.
It means we are free.
Free to be ourselves in a world free from hate.
It means we have the right to speak our minds.
It means we are loyal to all beings because we value life.

Being an American is being alive and appreciating the air we breathe.
Believing in ourselves and knowing we can make a difference in the world.

One by one, hand in hand, we certainly can.