Making America Great Again!

Cowardice
Are you serious?
Apologies for freedom, I can’t handle this.
When freedom rings, answer the call!
On your feet, stand up tall!
Freedom's on our shoulders, USA!
Enemies of freedom face the music, c'mon boys, take them down
President Donald Trump knows how to make America great
Deal from strength or get crushed every time

C'mon!!! Any song that begins with the word cowardice has to, has to be great! And let's not forget The Donald's impeccable war credentials- he got a medal for neatness in military school while racking up his five deferments.

Honesty vs. Cowardice

Iraq War vet/peace activist Tomas Young died Monday. Tomas Young was a victim of a needless, unnecessary war fought at the behest of a man too cowardly to go to war himself. Instead, the coward chose to fly planes at home, and when bored of flying planes, just left and got drunk.

Mr. Young died a slow, excruciatingly painful death- a death that lasted a good ten years. While Mr. Young suffered, the man who sent him to death laughed and made fun of the needless, useless war he himself had created- a war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives (many, women and children) was laughed at by those that didn't have to fight it. A needless war that created more conflicts and more enemies, persisting to this very day. 

Mr. Young is dead- but thousands of others, wounded and maimed, survive silent and unseen. The remainder of their lives spent in pain, while one man lives the rest of his in luxury and denial.

Stars And Stripes, Flags And Uncles

Uncle Sam:  © Stan Banos

At times, I can still get overwhelmed by the sight of the American flag, overwhelmed by a most palpable conflict of emotion, conscience and experience. I love what that beautiful field of colors signify and symbolize- the triumph of freedom, fairness and generosity of spirit. Of course, the real deal is very much a mixed bag- freedom (with liberal doses of blatant oppression), opportunity (for the sanctioned monied interests), hope (which often goes no further than its own rhetoric). Was it Vaclav Havel who said, "The only difference between ours (propaganda) and yours... is that you believe yours."

But what about all the great things this country's done, people ask me? No doubt- they are legion. So why do we refuse to accept the many crimes we have also committed along the way? Why do we even refuse to contemplate their possible existence? If only Uncle Sam could stir our nation to battle injustice right here on the home front, and not lead into harm's way those blinded by their leaders' greed and arrogance. Those colors would truly make one proud.