Isn’t it wonderful to be living in the greatest country in the world? We may have our recessions and our corrupt politicians, and our inept lawmakers, but compared to the rest of the world, we’re pretty darned fortunate. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself how many people are trying to slip into Brazil, or France, or Mexico, or Japan to live! No, they all want to come here, because this really is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

If you have never traveled outside of this great land of ours, you really don’t have any idea what life is like for the great majority of people in the world. We are free to come and go as we want without requiring special permission, we can work at whatever career we choose, and we can voice our opinion, right or wrong, without fear of retribution from the government.

Every day I get e-mails from people telling me how terrible President Obama is, how he is going to turn our country into a giant cesspool, and on and on, ad nauseum. I find these messages foolish and boring and I delete 99% of them without opening them. Not because I am a Democrat (I’m not) or because I’m a Liberal (I’m not), but because I grew up in the country, and I can recognize the smell of bulls%#$ no matter what political flavor it carries.

But no matter what your politics are, think about this for a moment. We live in a nation where you can send out messages criticizing the government and the President, and not have to worry that storm troopers are going to kick in your door tonight. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

I said above that I am not a Democrat or a Liberal, but neither am I a Republican or a Conservative. I don’t blindly follow any political party, because that is not what this country is all about. It is about each of us being able to make our own decisions, not having somebody make them for us.

I am an American, and a patriot, and I don’t and won’t apologize for either. I stop what I’m doing and hold my hand over my heart when the National Anthem is played. I still get choked up when I see Old Glory snapping proudly in the breeze. My eyes tear up when I see news stories about our brave military men and women being welcomed home after a tour of duty overseas, and I say a silent prayer for those still in harm’s way.

I come from a long line of men who fought for America, and I respect the sacrifices generations of Americans have made to keep us free. I love my country, even if I don’t always agree with the direction our leaders sometimes take.

Happy Birthday, America. For 233 years, we have set the standard that the rest of the world aspires to be.

Thought For The Day – Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.

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