Dear America

[jill]

Dear America,

I see that we are cultivating compassion. We have the opportunity to convey the best of our best. Open your heart; let me in.
Jill

[Manna]

America declares wars on stoopid things. It's just what she does.

things like:

drugs
teen pregnancy
drunk driving
gangs
grammar/oration
science
liberty
...

[Boss]

...and declares war for:

ARCO
Chevron Corporation
Conoco Phillips
ExxonMobil
Marathon Oil
Standard Oil
etc.

[Cate]

Hi Jill - fantastic piece of pose, very clever perspective.
I'm not sure that terror would ask America to send there soldiers home safe though, s/he seems to be enjoying gobbling them up.

Dear America;

You do tend to declare war on an awful lot of things.
It can make a person living a bit north of you, a bit nervous. If you do run out of idea's, can I suggest a war on wearing socks with sandals - that's just wrong. You probably have enough to keep you busy for a while though.

[Darling]

Dear America,

Could you stop calling yourself America? In case you haven't noticed, there are other countries on this continent...

[lizzytysh]

Hi Jill ~

I've just read your piece. Very well done, to my way of thinking. Your last sentence is the only one that seems a bit out of place, in the reverse kind of way with what had preceded it.

My thoughts are something along the lines [and just along the lines] of, "My appetite is insatiable; and all the people consumed just my appetizer. I've been told I need to lose weight for the sake of the world. If you want me to diet on behalf of the countries and people that remain, remove your politicians and soldiers from my food choices." That doesn't really get it, either... but is more the idea than "Terror" suddenly becoming benevolent in the last sentence. The rest of it sadly resonates.


~ Lizzy

[jill]

Lizzy,

Your comments are very interesting. My original piece had terror telling us that it had gone to a dr who told it to lose weight, needs more variety in its diet.
Someone suggested I cut that out. Go Figure! I also added "I grow tired of your blood, flesh and bones." which I mistakenly omitted. Thanks for your input.

Jill

[lizzytysh]

Good heavens. One typo after another. I was really tired last night or this morning or whenever it was that I wrote that. I'll go back and correct them and then look at what I really said . Ironic, though, eh, that we were so close in those thoughts .

Okay. Now, I've made my corrections and read yours. It works much better for me with your additions and changes. It's much stronger and more graphic. Now, however, I'm not so sure about the word "safe" being tacked on there at the end. For me, that's implicit, given the context. I do think it would be a bit of an ironic twist, and maybe even effective, if after your last sentence [asking to please send your soldiers home] you added a new, final sentence such as, "Let me eat alone in peace."

Even so with my suggestion, I'm wondering how we reconcile the insatiable appetite... does it still get left with "terror" killing and eating others alive? We may still have something at odds here. Not sure, though.

Excellent points, too, Manna and Boss.


~ Lizzy

[jill]

Hi Lizzy,
I tried to make terror a state of mind, not necessarily maleovant or benevelant.(sp) It's always been a part of the human condition. Like love, hate, anger,even boredom.
Let's try compassion

[lizzytysh]

Hi Jill ~

I agree with all of your thinking when you wrote it the way you did. Just a glitch or two for me, as I switch thinking gears as you use "terror" in a symbolic way. All in all, the gear switching isn't a problem. What's going on in the world with regard to "terror" is, and that comes through crystal clear.


~ Lizzy

[Socializard]

i think its a real shame that many americans share the sentiments of jill yet the whole country is written off as bullshit (not that she necessarily meant it as that). red poppy or whoever said something in another thread too about america declaring war on everyone. we'll have our change in america. i wonder what it would take. i suppose we aren't at the point where enough people will do something about it. i know people are trying and ideas of change are getting heavier in the backs of the average mind. if things are going to get better here they're probably going to have to get worse for more folks to wake up. i love what our founding fathers stood for. i love the ideas that helped mold this country. i don't like what it's turned into either but there are too many good people here to write off america when so few are controlling our country's course. anyways...still, i liked jill's post. it bothers me to think that folks from other countries think americans are naturally this or that way though. i know jill's post was aimed at "america" and not "americans." maybe i'm getting ahead of myself and am unncessarily saying all these things.

instead of dear america...how about "dear political elite in america who cater to big business through absurd government contracts and who view people as a dispensable resource because you assume you can always hire more?" that would be great.

[Socializard]

Hi Lizzy,
I tried to make terror a state of mind, not necessarily maleovant or benevelant.(sp) It's always been a part of the human condition. Like love, hate, anger,even boredom.
WE know that certain groups and individuals are fueling terror. I tried to show that the U.S., by using terror as an excuse, is making people terrified. It was used as tactic for going to war with the wrong country at the wrong time.. Terror also thrives when we are put on a constant alert of another attack.
If you put a bowl of ice cream in front of a child, he/she will eat it.. Terror is the child. Maybe it needs a nap.

i really liked this. yeah...terrorism is such a generic term. unless you use mind control on everyone on the planet someone out there is going to feel strong enough about something to do something physically about it. so the term is evil genius in use. i really do think this war on terrorism is a war meant to be sustained and not won or lost. kind of like in 1984. gosh!

[imaginary friend]

Social Lizard I totally agree with your statement.

i think its a real shame that many americans share the sentiments of jill yet the whole country is written off as bullshit (not that she necessarily meant it as that).

It's true that over the last 8 years America's image has been tarnished at home and abroad, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. This reflects on the GWB administration, not all Americans. November will show that most Americans overwhelmingly reject the policies and politics of the last 8 years.

It seems to me that the upside of the GWB scenario is that Americans are now more educated and aware of the rest of the world, and more critical of their leaders than ever before.

Leonard said it best:
'I love the country but I can't stand the scene.'