Well, well... Happy 4th of July everyone. I disagree with this nationalist patriotic mentality (and the whole political idea behind it - which leads ppl to the extremes). On the other hand, I think it's great to dedicate a glass of wine or a whole keg of beer to this wonderful country. For several reasons:
- The best rock n'roll ever!
- Led Zeppelin (did I just say the best rock n'roll ever?)
- New Orleans - the best blues and jazz ever!
- Billy Holiday and Miles Davis.
- Seattle's alternative music scene.
- Allright, the best music overall - too many names to mention, I don't want to bore you.
- The best junk food ever!
- The Grand Canyon, among other rocky scultures.
- Yellowstone.
- Some of the best universities worlwide, as far as technology, science, athropology and visual arts.
- Onion bagel and cream cheese.
- Good life conditions.
- New York City - the most cosmopolitan, cultural, artistic and entertaining urban life.
- A culture that embraces various cultural branches, which characterizes its internationalist atmosphere.
- Woody Allen, Billy Wilder, Tarantino.
- Oliver Stone and the "Natural Born Killers".
- New York's Independent Movie Scene.
- John Steinbeck.
- Charles Ebbett.
- Christopher Durang, Neil Simon and Tenessee Williams.
- Pop Art. Well, modern and post-modern art in general.
- Proletarian movements, mainly in Chicago and New York City in the 30's.
- The Socialist Workers Party from its origins - before its degeneration.
- The Black Panthers Party.
- Malcolm X.
- etc, etc, etc. (after Malcolm X, there's no need to mention anyone or anything else).
It's a pitty that some ppl associate America's greatness with "being glad it isn't a 3rd world country". It's a pitty that due to its conditions, countries are doomed to be classified as 1st and 3rd world countries to begin with. The term "2nd world countries" extinguished with the fall of the Berlim wall, China's insertion in the world's global market and Cuba being isolated with the embargo. The fact that some countries have to deal with problems such as extreme misery, starvation, unemployment, etc, isn't anything to be glad for. So be glad you're an American for everything that makes America a wonderful country, not for the misery of others. America wouldn't be as great if it wasn't for the contribution of immigrants from different parts of the world. Think about it.
