The America I Once Knew by SHINYGOODGUY

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

The America I Once Knew

POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Tuesday, October 8, 2013 13:46
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Monday, October 7, 2013 4:30 PM

I remember America when "negotiations" was not considered a four-letter word.

President Kennedy and Jackie, My president.

Paid sick leave was 12 days a year.

Columbus Day was a National Holiday.

Being called a Spic, when I was born and raised in this country............
The term is American.

Republicans and Democrats

SGG

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Monday, October 7, 2013 6:48 PM

WISHIMAY

The America I knew:

I grew up running through the countryside, now I can't let me kid out of my sight without fear and horrible things I see everyday in the news (that most people just grimace and move past) percolating in the back of my head.

My play ground was a creek. I would not like my kid to play in one now knowing the crap that flows through them. You should see the fleet of fertilizers that roll through here every spring... Even if there were a clean one, we could not afford the kinda of acreage my parents kept.

My parents took us on two vacations a year, because gas was cheap and activities didn't have to be multi-million dollar instillations. Family was happy if you came to visit. We only go on day trips now, and my kid hasn't seen an ocean since she was two. Family?? what's that??? Those that haven't died of cancer are waay too wrapped up in themselves and chasing the almighty dollar. NO I won't text you. No I don't facebook, twitter, or hashtag anything....

I can't remember the last place I really felt part of nature. Everywhere you go is trash and noise and that layer of filth that seems to come with every thing humanity touches these days...

I would KILL to leave here. I would KILL to go back in time. I haven't been happy with anything in soooo long I don't even rememeber....

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Monday, October 7, 2013 7:22 PM

BOOKONBOARDSYSTEMCOM

The America I knew is more a thought in my head than a reality.
I believed that this country had good leaders that put the interest of the people first, the world second, and themselves last.
I believed that our accomplishments throughout history made us respected, instead of hated for those same accomplishments.
I believed that the people that made up this country could be united over any cause, not splintered by every issue.
I believed that we were capable of being productive in the world, not burdening future generations in debt.
I believed that America was the best, and I still believe we can be.

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Monday, October 7, 2013 7:36 PM

BYTEMITE

This nation has always been terrible. Slavery, genocide against the Native Americans, racism, sexism, Alien and Sedition Acts, war, elitism from the rich and powerful in business and government, classism against immigrants.

We're just seeing through the shiny varnish for the first time. The system was a lie and promises were never intended to be kept - real input from the public at large was never intended, the electoral college saw to that.

We fought off the British only to chain ourselves to new powers, new "royalty." We have never been free. And we're angry about it.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2013 1:46 PM

OLDGUY

What Would Mal do ?

ok.. I'll play
kindergarten included walking with one classmate 4 blocks to school by ourselves without fear, but also included duck n cover drills under our desks
all the way up til the 4th grade I can recall that locking the front door at night meant putting the litle thumb latch on the screen door...windows were all open cause there was no such thing as air conditioning for us.
bedtime was 9pm with few exceptions..summer evenings meant all the kids played tag, hiding in bushes in all the neighbors yard with no thought of being shot as a robber..but if you got out of line, you knew the neighbors would correct you or worse, tell your folks.
Dad worked hard to move up in his job, mom worked hard as mom...scout den mother, church and eventually as I grew old enough, enjoyed her own career again.
family car was always something used but we loved it
racism in the early 60s was strong, and yet my dad had parties at the house for the employees that worked unde him (firestone tire store)...and that included blacks...Dad was a respecter or persons...if you were a good man, he respected that regardless of race...but if you were deserving of a racial stereotype sllur...be it black, italian, etc...then if the shoe fit, he'd make it clear that he had no use for that behavior.
junior high introduced MLK riots in a town near us...doors were locked at our house, and I first learned that my dad kept a pistol under the car seat the day that a black mob blocked an intersection and a guy jumped on the hood of our car.
my girlfriends older sister was into being a hippy and I was advised NOT to eat the brownies she baked.
high school soon found friends I had known for years on opposite sides as blacks held sit ins and looked to have fights... we could no longer be friends because of race.
Police I had always trusted as family uncles were cops...suddenly we going heavy handed and songs were being written about Kent State and war protests made for confusion on a young mind that had grown up to be proud of a marine dad who had served but somehow we were now baby killers?
Music exploded away from the beatles and the Turtles and other Ed Sullivan show friendly stuff..now I was diggin Joe Cocker's Mad dogs...cool to my ears, but the sight of Leon Russell scared the crap out of me!
Politicians - you knew they were doing the nasty work behind the scenes but you always presumed that whatever bad they needed to do, it was in the sincere interest of the nation, not just for political gain.
girls of every shape and size had discovered pantyhose and very short skirts and a young boy reaching puberty was in heaven

a silly new TV show called Star Trek was showing us what utopia might look like in the future and man had set foot on the moon...my car models had been set aside as new Aurora kits included the Enterprise and Apolo rockers and a lunar lander.
we were bold, men were men, women were wearing mini skirts...our cars were big and strong and we led the world.
sunday morning was for church...there was no consideration of any other option, saturday nights were for popcorn and daring to leave the window open behind the sofa while you watched Chiller Theater..wolfman, Franky and the gang were as rough as it got...instead of freddy and jason blood n guts.
we were proud of what we had become as americans..yes, we had pains...we had disagreements and I knew many less fortunate and many much better off..
Today, I'm apparently a home grown terrorist for beliving that there is any value in these elements that I've exerienced growig up..my president makes world tours apologizing for us, and if I own a gun, believe in Jesus or drink a soda from a cup larger than 4 ounces.. I'm definitely a problem.

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