When you hear or
chant “America: Love it or Leave it” what do you think it means?
What is love for America? Exactly what is the America which is being
referred to? It’s a simplistic concept and not one without
analogous situations to be considered.
A child may not love
a parent for the actions and behaviors of that parent but leaving the
household is fraught with dangers which might be as perilous as
staying under the roof of an abusive parent. A woman with toddler
children is not in a position to pick up and leave the abusive
husband, boyfriend or other head of household with the children in
tow. Similarly she would be remiss in leaving those children behind
to face the wrath of the abuser. For her the solution may be to force
the abuser out in the hopes that he would eventually go away.
Leaving the country
into which you were born is not the solution for people who are not
benefiting from the resources that everyone else get a share of.
Being told to leave it if you don’t like it is the message of the
abuser. They count themselves as the rightful owner of the house, the
country, the community assets which they are magnanimous enough to
share as long as their rules are followed. “This is MY house and as
long as you are under my roof and eat my food, you will obey MY
rules.” How many of you have heard that from your father? He was
declaring My house: Love It or Leave It.
While he might very
well pay the rent or mortgage and foot the food bill for the
household, he doesn’t own America. Each and every person who took
their first breath inside the national borders is a part owner of all
the resources this land has to offer. Every person granted
citizenship by an act of government is likewise a citizen and
entitled to a share. Problem is there are people who don’t
recognize the rights of others. All that matters to them is what they
want. How convenient it would be if every person who disagreed with
them would go away and not act against them?
The short sighted
consequence of that exodus would be no one to work for them or buy
what they have to sell.
The America that the
powerful ones tout is not the fun loving peaceful land of plenty for
everyone. The “liberty and justice for all” part of the pledge to
the flag is denied to many people. For them they love the ideals this
country is supposed to stand for and are willing to fight against the
usurping class to make it the country it claims to be. Leaving is not
an option. Leaving is surrender. Leaving makes it impossible to
correct the deficiencies.
