This is too damned depressing.

This will be my last entry in this blog. I really thought it was a good idea at the time, but every night I sit in front of this blog and think of topics, it just ends up depressing me. I no longer have faith in Americans. It's enough to make me want to leave the country - if I didn't love the country so much. Maybe if everyone else would just leave...

I'm now concentrating my efforts on my Church - that is, The Church of Your Choice. I'm compiling an Interview with God right now, and soon will be opening the forums where He will be answering questions.

It's all in the fine print.

Current events lead me to my next topic: Americans don't like details, and as such, tend to ignore them - unless and until they are bitten in the ass by them. In the same vein, Americans detest the concept of independent thought.

Let me state up front - I disagree out of habit with anything that George Bush does or says. The man is an imbecile, out of touch with reality - in fact, carefully insulated from it. Anything that comes from him is suspect until researched further.

Hot off the presses this morning was the nomination of Sam Alito to the Supreme Court. Immediately, the news channels started pointing out that he had supported a Pennsylvania law requiring spousal notification before abortion. That was pretty much the limit to what was said about that particular case. The Democratic and Pro-Choice movements (disclaimer: I am pro-choice) immediately pounced on this issue, claiming that informing spouses could lead to abuse.

However, careful examination of the published decision (as published by Wikipedia) reveals some details that people just aren't talking about. Judge Alito pointed out that the law in question allowed a woman to avoid spousal notification if such notification could lead to spousal abuse, if the pregnancy resulted from spousal abuse, or a few other reasons.

In fact, there is no judicial record of his status as pro-choice or pro-life.

This is a shining example of the distaste, and even disdain, for details that the Average American feels no need to know. It is so much simpler to come to decisions if you ignore the details. If one is forced to correlate disparate sources, or (gasp) do some independent research, it becomes much more difficult to decide how to feel about an issue. ANY issue.

My wife and I recently discussed the growing popularity of Evangelical Christianity. It seems obvious why these movements are growing - if you put your life in the hands of $DIETY, it leaves you with less decisions to make. You no longer need to think. If an issue comes to your life, you ask yourself first: What would my Church say? If this fails to resolve the issue, you ask yourself second: What Would Jesus Do? Only if these two queries fail, must you awake from the slumber, dust off your cerebral cortex, and do some original thinking. However, the third option almost never presents itself - the growing political status of the Evangelical movements require that they more strictly define the ideologies and standards of conduct, thus providing answers for all of the questions and situations one might come across in life. It was Karl Marx who said "Religion is the opiate of the masses". It is the current generation of the Evangelical Movement that proves the point.

This didn't start off as a rant on Evangelicals. They do, however, exemplify the contempt for independent thought that is growing among the Average Americans. Let's see if I can go off in a different, more secular direction. Again I'm going to have to go back on my word to keep this relatively free of political discussion, but this trait we now discuss is so prevalent in the area of politics that it's difficult to discuss without bringing the two together.

Ah, but which area of politics to discuss? Let's list off a few:

• The War in Iraq
  Surveys have shown, since even before we invaded Iraq, that most Americans had come to believe that Saddam Hussein was behind the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This despite the fact that Iraq was one of the very few secular governments in the Middle East, and that Saddam Hussein had in fact run Al Queda out of Iraq. He is not, and was never, a jihadist or supporter of terrorism outside of his own country.
• Integrity of the Vote
  The popular opinion of the 2004 election was that it went much more smoothly than the 2000 election. The fact is that there were more complaints filed, and less investigated, in 2004. There were charges of voter intimidation, witnesses who saw unidentified people tampering with counting machines in Ohio, and enormous differences between the scientific exit polls and the official results. Yet the people were seemingly indifferent enough to ignore these questionable activities and results - after all, we just did it four years ago, so things must be fixed, right?
• Energy Prices
  We're paying too much for gas, so the government must do something! Right? No. Sorry. The government is not there to do something about it. If you want to do something about gas prices, do something about the gas companies. Get rid of your gas-guzzler and buy something efficient. Walk more, bike more. Best idea I've heard so far - organize a city-, state-, or even nation-wide boycott of one specific oil company - which will force it to lower prices, causing a price war. Once their price gets to something reasonable, switch the boycott to the next highest-profiting company. This battle can only be won by the consumer, not by the citizen.

That's all for today. I've vented my steam. I'll be posting again on the American Love of Stupidity, I'm sure - there's just so much of it around, I'm sure I'll be inspired again.

Interlude #1: Shock to the System

So I'm going to be posting a bit off-theme today. I promise I've got one or two items in the pipe for early this week, but this came up late this week and has been on my mind. I need to write about it.

I've got a friend at work. My PFY (short for Pimply-Faced Youth - my protege, my apprentice, the Obi-Wan to my Qui-Gon, etc). A brilliant young(er) geek who will probably surpass me eventually (even though he is a Linux advocate, while I prefer BSD). I've known him now for about six years, and he always impresses me.

Recently, I discovered his blog. Didn't go searching for it, really - we both edit on Wikipedia, and his profile linked to his blog. I decided to read back a bit just out of curiosity - check up on how he casts me (in a good light, I'm happy to report). In the process, I discovered something that upset the hell out of me. Wait for it

He's gay.

I said WAIT FOR IT, that's not what upset me.

What upset me is that I never knew. For years back in the late '80s, if you wanted to find me on a Friday or Saturday evening, the place to look was the Varsity Theater and the midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, up in front of the crowd, playing Riff Raff. I'm one of those people who really can say "I've got lots of gay friends", and mean it.

Just to be up-front, I'm quite comfortably hetero, but gay people have never bothered me (I should clarify - a few have bothered me once in a while, asking for help moving & such, but they didn't bother me). I believe the appropriate term is "Straight but not Narrow".

In the old days, it seemed I could identify the "still in the closet" types even before they themselves were willing to admit they were gay. I counseled several of them during the difficult period between admitting and coming out (and beyond), even going so far as to talk with parents. I've always been something of an amateur psychologist, and some of these people needed someone to help with the transition. I now have several friends who introduce me to others as "the only friend I have who actually knew me before I came out".

So the shock to my system was that I apparently have lost some observational sense that I had in my youth. It makes me wonder what else I'm missing. I know my brain has slowed somewhat over the years - could be the early drug usage, could be the lack of current drug usage, could be the fact that I'm just not as active (or social) as I was. I prefer to think it's the latter, as that would be the correctable condition.

To my PFY, if you're reading this: If you're keeping it under the hat at work, rest assured, your secret is safe. You've never broached the subject with me, and I find nothing unusual about that - it isn't really a subject (hetero- or homo-, either one) one talks about much in a work environment. I was delighted to read that you've found yourself a committed partner. I'm a big advocate of marriage (any kind) - humans aren't designed to go through life alone, and it sucks that the current "social moral code" (the very existance of I dispute as a fallacy) dumps so much fear & hatred on gay & lesbian couples. My personal feeling: If you want to "protect marriage", figure out why so many straight marriages end in divorce.

What is an Honest Patriot, anyway?

I've had some questions from folks I know asking me to explain the title of this blog. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to make a few statements about the nature of Patriotism, as well.

Let's start, as most Average Americans do, at the end, and work backwards. Webster's defines Patriotism as "love for or devotion to one's country". I like to simplify it as "My Country, Right or Wrong". However, this is not the Average American's definition. Too many Average Americans are confusing Patriotism with Jingoism, which Webster's defines as "extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy", or as I like to say, "My Country can Do No Wrong".

My Patriotism is exemplified by my respect for the principals upon which this country was founded - freedom from opression (and repression), equality of all people, and the right of the people to petition the government for redress of grievances. Too often these days, those core beliefs are being shuffled aside - and the Average American is happy to see them go. Ben Franklin said "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Yet today, we find that the Average American is happy to swap the former for the latter - and at that, for only the perception of the latter.

Moving on, or in fact, backward, we must discuss Honesty. One would think that this is self-evident, and to many, it is. But to a growing majority of Average Americans, Honesty is not about the Truth, but about the Acceptable Truth, or the Politically Correct Truth. When I say that I aim to be Honest, I'm not talking about the (little-t) truth, that won't offend, but the (Capital-T) Truth, that stays true no matter the observer's point of view.

Putting it all together, we define the Honest Patriot. As I've said earlier, I plan to stay as far away from traditional political discussion as possible on this blog, because what can be true for one party can be equally false for another. I'm attempting to discuss the objective Truths and Realities of the Average American and the state of the Country and its Citizens, not the whinings of the offended left, right, or middle.

It's not illegal if you don't get caught.

Let's start off with the latest of an uncountable number of incidents that led directly to my dislike for the Average American.

My hometown is stuck in a perpetual state of highway construction - as soon as one segment is done, another needs repair. After many accidents and worker casualties, the state passed a law providing for a minimum fine of $250 for speeding or passing in a construction zone. Often, in trouble spots, you will see signs posted at current construction areas listing the number of tickets handed out since the start of construction.

It doesn't help. Nobody cares.

No driver would be suicidal enough to actually go the posted speed limit - usually 45 (for highways normally 60) or 50 (for the rural interstates, normally 70). The absolute minimum anyone will go is 10 mph higher, even while passing Police with (or without) other drivers pulled over. The police don't help with the situation either - it's "common knowledge" that State Troopers won't pull you over unless you're going 15 mph over the limit or more.

So, if you're trying to be an Honest Citizen, and keep your velocity close to the posted limit, you'll be honked at, tailgated, flashed (with headlights, that is), and even have items thrown at you by drivers and passengers who wish to travel faster, regardless of the risk to other motorists or construction workers.

This brings me to the crux of this problem. Average Americans believe, deep in their heart, that if they don't get caught, they are doing no wrong. This doesn't just apply to driving, of course - Average Americans are Irrational Anarchists by and large, meaning that they follow laws they feel protect them, and break the ones they feel constrained by. And God help the "other" citizen who breaks a law the Average American wants followed.

Let's run through a short list of legal categories that the Average American doesn't feel apply to them:
• Traffic Laws - speed limits, turn signals, stop signs, no-right-on-red signs, etc, etc - it goes on endlessly. Passing on the shoulder. Queue jumping - driving up to the very end of a closing lane, then forcing your way in. Crossing four lanes in one swoop - without signaling, of course.
• Pollution - from tossing your smoldering cigarette butt out the window into the dry grass, to tossing your empty fast-food bag on the curb, to failing to maintain your vehicle so that it leaves a trail of smoke visible for minutes after you've passed.
• Theft - of cable television, downloaded music, office supplies, the "Steal-A-Snack box", the neighbor's newspaper. This doesn't include the cretins who steal license plate tags - they're not Average, just prolific.
• Drugs - the white elephant of blatant illegality - although I have personal feelings about this one that make me forgive the Average American for most offenses.
• Violence - which begins in Grade School, and never stops. I once had a man pull over and threaten me with violence because I asked him to turn down his car radio on my small, one-way residential street. I always wondered if he was really willing to go to jail, lose his job, etc, just for the right to play his radio loudly.
• Domestic Abuse - a subcategory of Violence, Domestic Abuse is so acceptable that it's not even seen by the Average American anymore, unless they're watching Cops - then, it's considered "Entertainment".

Before I continue, let me point out - I am a supporter of the Police. I think anyone who is willing to put his one and only life "Between their loved homes and the war's desolation" - and let's face it, crime is war - has my full and enthusiastic support.

That being said, the cops aren't helping. Aside from the implied commitment to law & order (ask the New Orleans cops who deserted their posts about that one), even the Police are Average Americans. When was the last time you saw a cop use his turn signal? The Police must set an example for the Average American. Any Honest Patriot, or even Honest Citizen, must. The more people who act as a positive role models, set a higher example, simply treat each other with RESPECT, the better of this country will be.

Maybe if that happened, I could be proud of the Average American again.

Welcome, I suppose...

For a while now, I've been watching my wife and friends blog, and trying to come up with a suitable subject for my own. I've had plenty of topics that I would love to express my opinions on, but without a theme to tie them together, it would just come across as a giant random rant blog, and there are enough of those out there.

Recently, while driving through a construction area, being passed and honked at by drivers who though it rude of me to drive only 10 mph over the posted limit, it came to me - Can a person, a proud citizen of this country, continue to love the ideals of America while being disgusted by the average American? This is the topic I hope to discuss here. This will not be a rant blog - it will be (I hope) a rational discussion about the good and the bad of the American Public. This will also not be specifically Political. I will, I'm sure, be unable to restist the occational post about the government and my feelings toward it, but I don't want to concentrate on it. Enough people do already, and it doesn't seem to change a thing.

A little about me, to set the stage.

I am, I suppose, the Average American in many ways.
• I am a 38 year old white male, happily married for 15 years, with one son. I own my home, a small 2-bedroom affair in the midwest.
• I am a veteran of the US Army Reserve. I scored a 97% on my ASVAB. My MOS was 29E, Field Radio Repair. I sucked in Basic (except for riflery - I qualified 'Expert' with 39 out of 40), excelled in AIT (29 weeks, one of the longest AIT durations) and graduated in the top 5% of my class. I went inactive shortly before the first Gulf War, thus managing to avoid being called up.
In other ways, I'm not quite so Average.
• Everyone in my immediate family has a higher than average IQ, but I put more faith in Common Sense than pure intelligence. My SAT was 590/640, and my ACT was 31. I dropped out of college after realizing that I would be spending four or five years of my life learning little about my major that I didn't already know.
• I am a computer professional for a large non-profit organization, which means I'm underpaid - but I don't have to wear a tie every day, so it balances out.
• I am spiritual without being religious - I've been called a Discordian Taoist, and if you can make sense of that, you'll know me pretty well.
• The closest definition to my politics I've heard so far would be Libertarian, although I think the American Libertarian party are mostly loons.