Today is the 250th birthday of the independence of America.
Much has been made of the fact that it's been 250 years of star-spangled
freedom, but we must ask the question — how many of us are actually free?
Many of us live our lives going to jobs that we do not like.
We push ourselves to the brink of disaster every day, ruining our mental health
more and more. The troops that we are supposed to support in this country have
very minimal mental health benefits as suicide numbers rise in that community.
What's more, you see many veterans living on the streets of the country that
they gave their lives to protect?
Now, I'm sure you're reading this and saying, "If
you're not happy, then you can leave." This is usually the classic
response of most Americans who just stand by and accept the shit plates that
they are given to eat and move on.
The reason for this is that many of these people do not
experience what many people deal with on a daily basis when it comes to mental
health, when it comes to being underprivileged, when it comes to things like
this.
The Declaration of Independence is a document that declares
freedom for all, but how free are we? Especially if any of us decide to
criticize the circumstances of what's happening. We are vilified. We are not
patriotic enough. We're ungrateful. Maybe the reason why many of us are
screaming and yelling is because we would like to see change and we would like
to feel free.
I understand that there are countries that don't have the
level of freedom that we have, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we can't
do a better job. To live in this state and age is very expensive and it takes a
lot of people to work. Why was it back in the '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s we
could live on one income system? Now we can't.
Normally, I don't get too political and I don't talk about
this stuff here very often, but I do believe that the climate of the country is
very bad for people's anxiety and depression. It's not even a matter of rich
versus poor — it is a matter of wellness. It's a matter of feeling free. I
believe that mindfulness is something that should be taught in school at an
early age so many kids do not have to grow up with the bullying issues that I
had to grow up with myself.
This is one place that we can start change in America.
So yes, it's great that we have a country where there is
some freedom. But if you choose not to pledge allegiance to the flag, then
you're considered an enemy — which is a violation of the very freedom that we
should have.
The point is, something has to change with the climate of
this country. The arguing in the political theater, all the bullshit, needs to
stop. People are starving and dying. Many people who are dying are doing so
with their own hand. We need to really take a look at what's going on and maybe
take this 250 years to look back and reflect and see — how can we grow and how
can we get better?
NMF
Michael
