America: Love It or Leave It

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.