American Indifference

(Inspired by a visit to Blog of Funk. Do yoursef a favor and check it out.)

Lately I've been wondering if, living in the Heartland, in Wisconsin, if I can either understand or appreciate what's really going on in the world. I live in a rural area with the Horicon Marsh in full view out of my windows. (I haven't figured out how to paste links in here yet, but if you Google it you'll find it right away) It's beautiful, every day, no matter what the weather. Acres upon acres of marshland sit unspoiled before me and I stare, sometimes for hours at the beauty. No noise of the city, no traffic...only the hundreds of species of birds and the wind.

And then London blows up. Being your typical American I want to care, really I do, but it doesn't effect me at all. 9/11 didn't effect me directly (other than the new airport restrictions), neither did the bombings in Spain. In a messed up way I want it to effect me, want the pain, heartache and fear.

You know the old saying "It could NEVER happen here!" Well...where I live it's true. What could anyone possibly bomb out here to hurt me? The Marsh? From what I've witnessed, geese are pretty well versed in procreation and the reeds always grow back. The cheese factory? Do terrorists eat cheese? (an entire post on it's own!) Right now I'm sitting in a pair of shorts, drinking beer, watching a baseball game, making tomato sauce for my pasta and blogging, not a care in the world.

Right now American soldiers are dying in a poorly planned and ill-conceived war picked by a bully in the Whitehouse for reasons we can't figure out. That effects me. They're my friends, neighbors and I'm very thankful they're willing to make the sacrifice to preserve the freedom I'm enjoying right now. I really don't think we'll stop terrorism by plunging another country into civil war, but what do I know? Perhaps our presence in Iraq and our British allies assistance has caused the attacks in London. Perhaps more than perhaps. That certainly gives me a guilty conscience...and yet doesn't effect me in the least. That thought makes me sad.

Ok, I'm getting off track, but please bear with me, I'm very confused about my complete lack of a role in what's happening. As an American I've been brought up believing that the freedoms I enjoy are my god given right. I'm also lazy, somewhat disinterested and mostly concerned with paying my bills and living day-to-day. News and crises are something that happens on the television and radio and occasionally interrupt my baseball games. I watch, say 'wow, that sucks' and go back to whatever I was doing. There are several million more people exactly like me. And we're supposed to be the best country in the world? I can see the appeal, can understand why so many people want to live here, but thoughts like this make me wonder what we could really accomplish if we as a country weren't so selfish.

I have to stop now, I'm incredibly depressed. Maybe I'll pick it up later, after my shows are over.

M. PotPie