Wanting this Country to be the Best, but...

I was thinking how the U.S. is no longer any better than any other country, and I am wondering, especially after all the history I’ve been reading about and watching documentaries on TV, if it’s always been this way and I’ve just always bought into what I’ve been told my whole life.

This morning came the thought: But isn’t that what ALL leaders/dictators of every country and kingdom in the world has done? ALL leaders and dictators work at convincing their populations that they are out to take care of “their” people, that everything they do (including horrors) is for their country and people. This has been going on since mankind became.

Leaders use people’s basic emotional wants and needs to pump up the enthusiasm for whatever is on their agenda. They are willing to promise anything that will get support from the masses, and the people believe the false promises because the words fill their emotional desires for a good life. They jump on the hyped-up bandwagon and follow along like good little sheep. By the time the real truth comes out, millions have been killed and/or irreparable damages have been done. And the wealthy get richer.

Like others around the world, I grew up being told that MY country was the best – and I believed it – and I want to believe it. I want this country to be the best. I want to see people kind to one another, help one another.

However, now being much older and having seen much, I am not seeing this country being much better than others. I see empty promises being made with the certain hierarchy becoming more wealthy and powerful. I see big corporations making huge profits while the everyday people suffer and get less and less. I see history repeating.

And what’s the best way to further advance that wealth and power? Propaganda, fearmongering, and promises to save. Pump up enthusiasm and fear to get people on your side. Convince them that others are bad, especially anyone who speaks against what is being pushed.

Words such as integrity, honesty, courtesy have been turned into transparency, diversity, and being politically correct. Words, which, whenever I hear or see them, makes me wonder about hidden agendas. (I see different skin colors between people as beautiful. It's not about color but about being a good, kind-hearted person.)

Has this country been perfect? No, but there were well-meaning ideals set forth in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The words on paper were, and are, for the good, but sometimes those seemingly good and meaningful words can be, and have been, interpreted differently and manipulated to fit a particular agenda... even by the forefathers who wrote and signed…

Religions fit in this, too, because religious leaders operate the same way making promises to get the people-sheep to follow…)

But as long as we’re all free-thinking human beings, will this ever change? People are people. There will always be those who take advantage, those who follow, and those who buck the systems.

So, to live wholeheartedly, to be the best the best I can be, I continue to be kind, courteous, understanding. I try to live up to my values and keep an open mind while also being wary.