Archives at Zinester: Starfish: I am a Sick American, Loren Moore. Starfish:. Writing

THERE ARE THOSE WHO CLAIM OURS IS A 'SICK' SOCIETY; THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SICK; OUR GOVERNMENT IS SICK; THAT WE ARE SICK. WELL, MAYBE THEY'RE RIGHT. I SUBMIT THAT I'M SICK ... AND MAYBE YOU ARE, TOO. I AM SICK OF HAVING POLICEMEN RIDICULED AND CALLED 'PIGS' WHILE COP KILLERS ARE HAILED AS SOME KIND OF FOLK HEROS.

I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD THAT RELIGION IS THE OPIATE OF THE PEOPLE, BUT MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGALIZED.

I AM SICK OF COMMENTATORS AND COLUMNISTS CANONIZING ANARCHISTS, REVOLUTIONARIES AND CRIMINAL RAPISTS, BUT CONDEMNING LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN SUCH CRIMINALS ARE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD THAT PORNOGRAPHY IS THE RIGHT OF FREE PRESS, BUT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS DOES NOT INCLUDE BEING ABLE TO READ THE BIBLE ON SCHOOL GROUNDS.

I AM SICK OF PAYING MORE AND MORE TAXES TO BUILD SCHOOLS WHILE I SEE SOME FACULTY MEMBERS ENCOURAGING STUDENTS EITHER TO TEAR THEM DOWN OR BURN THEM.

I AM SICK OF SUPREME COURT DECISIONS WHICH TURN CRIMINALS LOOSE ON SOCIETY - WHILE OTHER DECISIONS TRY TO TAKE AWAY MY MEANS OF PROTECTING MY HOME AND FAMILY.

I AM SICK OF POT-SMOKING ENTERTAINERS DELUGING ME WITH THEIR CONDEMNATION OF MY MORAL STANDARDS ON LATE-NIGHT TELEVISION

I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD THAT POLICEMEN ARE MAD DOGS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS - BUT THAT CRIMINALS WHO USE GUNS TO ROB, MAIM AND MURDER SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND HELPED BACK TO SOCIETY.

I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD IT IS WRONG TO USE NAPALM TO END A WAR OVERSEAS - BUT IF IT'S A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL OR A BOMB AT HOME, I MUST UNDERSTAND THE PROVOCATIONS.

I AM SICK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE MY FAMILY TO A MOVIE UNLESS I WANT TO HAVE THEM EXPOSED TO NUDITY, HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE GLORIFICATION OF NARCOTICS.

I AM SICK OF RIOTS, MARCHES, PROTESTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, CONFRONTATIONS, AND THE OTHER MOB TEMPER TANTRUMS OF PEOPLE INTELLECTUALLY INCAPABLE OF WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

I AM SICK OF HEARING THE SAME PHRASES, THE SAME SLICK SLOGANS, THE CRIES OF PEOPLE WHO MUST CHANT THE SAME THING LIKE ZOMBIES BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T THE CAPACITY FOR VERBALIZING THOUGHT.

I AM SICK OF THOSE WHO SAY I OWE THEM THIS OR THAT BECAUSE OF THE SINS OF MY FOREFATHERS -WHEN I HAVE LOOKED DOWN BOTH ENDS OF A GUN BARREL TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR LIBERTIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

I AM SICK OF CYNICAL ATTITUDES TOWARD PATRIOTISM. I AM SICK OF POLITICIANS WITH NO BACKBONE.

I AM SICK OF PERMISSIVENESS.

I AM SICK OF THE DIRTY, THE FOUL-MOUTHED, THE UNWASHED.

I AM SICK OF THE DECLINE OF PERSONAL HONESTY, PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND HUMAN SINCERITY.

MOST OF ALL, THOUGH, I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD I'M SICK. I'M SICK OF BEING TOLD MY COUNTRY IS SICK -- WHEN WE HAVE THE GREATEST NATION THAT MAN HAS EVER BROUGHT FORTH ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. FULLY FIFTY PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE ON EARTH WOULD WILLINGLY TRADE PLACES WITH THE MOST DEPRIVED, THE MOST UNDERPRIVILEGED AMONG US.

YES, I MAY BE SICK, BUT IF I AM ONLY SICK, I CAN GET WELL. I CAN ALSO HELP MY SOCIETY GET WELL - AND HELP MY COUNTRY GET WELL.

TAKE NOTE, ALL OF YOU ... YOU WILL NOT FIND ME THROWING A ROCK OR A BOMB; YOU WILL NOT FIND ME UNDER A PLACARD; YOU WILL NOT SEE ME TAKE TO THE STREETS; YOU WILL NOT FIND ME RANTING TO WILD-EYED MOBS.

BUT YOU WILL FIND ME AT WORK, PAYING TAXES, SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I LIVE. YOU WILL ALSO FIND ME EXPRESSING MY ANGER AND INDIGNATION TO ELECTED OFFICIALS.

YOU WILL FIND ME SPEAKING OUT IN SUPPORT OF THOSE OFFICIALS, INSTITUTIONS AND PERSONALITIES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ELEVATION OF SOCIETY AND NOT ITS DESTRUCTION. YOU WILL FIND ME CONTRIBUTING MY TIME, MONEY AND PERSONAL INFLUENCE TO HELPING CHURCHES, HOSPITALS, CHARITIES AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH HAVE SHOWN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THIS COUNTRY'S DETERMINATION TO EASE PAIN, SUFFERING, ELIMINATE HUNGER AND GENERATE BROTHERHOOD.

BUT, MOST OF ALL, YOU'LL FIND ME AT THE POLLING PLACE. THERE IF YOU LISTEN - YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER OF THE COMMON MAN. THERE, ALL OF US CAN CAST OUR VOTES - FOR AN AMERICA WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK THE STREETS WITHOUT FEAR.