"Make American great again"

​“Make America great again!”
 
Unless one has been completely isolated since the beginning of the campaign which ended in the election of Donald Trump as president, one has frequently been subjected to the phrase “Make America great again”.    Every time I hear it several questions come to mind:
 

1.   What is America?  North America including Canada, South America or Central America?
2.   Whose America is being referenced?

 
I am well aware that the use of the term America has come to be accepted by many in the English speaking world as referring to the United States of America which has little to do with Canada, Central or South American countries.  I know that our relationship with many Central and South American countries is less than equal or friendly.  There are also the stepchildren, the territories of the United States including Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Washington, D.C and the Northern Mariana Islands.
 
I know that the term America or American to refer to the United States of America and/or its territories is difficult to avoid. I have attempted to avoid the use of African American, America made or made in America, or “God Bless America”  and find that the terms have become so internalized one is bound to frequently “slip up”.  
 
As a mostly Caucasian (My Cherokee Indiana heritage has never been officially verified.), Caucasian appearing male who is blessed with the sort of intelligence, which allows so called success in this country, I have been able to claim the right to the use of certain initials after my name and to live more comfortably than much of the world’s population.  I am also now able to not only live openly as a gay man (not always the case even in the United States) but to enjoy the rights and privileges of a married person if I choose a partner who wants the same. I will not be arrested for criticizing elected officials.  There is no doubt in my mind that I have many advantages that those living in some other countries do not have.
 
During the time that I was growing up from a very early age I was taught:
 

• Privileges and advancement were for those of Caucasian European origin.
• Public facilities were divided by perception of so-called race.
• It was okay to bully and otherwise abuse those were suspected of being members of the GLBT community.
• It was required as a man to treat women as less then.
• People with special needs were to be pitied and/or discounted in other ways.
• Women and children were to be seen and not heard.
• Real men physically defended themselves and their families.
• It was practically treasonous to advocate communism or socialism – McCarty was a patriotic person.
• If a woman was in an abusive relationship she was obviously not being a good wife
• Smoking cigarettes or cigars was a symbol of sophistication.
• It was shameful to be poor.
• If one was protestant one did not marry a Catholic.
• If one was Catholic one did not marry a protestant,
• One did not marry outside of one’s social class, race or culture.
• People who spoke another language were less then or to be pitied.
• All good people (Christians) only had sexual relationship for the purpose of procreation.
• Only men could be business and political leaders.

 
 
These were just some of the truths with which I grew up.   These were the truths, which were accepted by many during the time when “America” was great.    I am not suggesting that it was all bad, but I am suggesting that the Untied States was great for a very select group of people and not for many others. It is true that for a certain group of people getting a good paying job, eventually health insurance and paid vacations was possible no matter what one’s economic or educational background. It is also true that there were those poor “boys” that came out of the slums to become respectful, rich members of the community. It is true that during WWII or even the Korean War people, including many of “those people”, joined together to defeat a common enemy.  It is true that for certain folks there was a county doctor who would see one for the price of a chicken or some canned goods.  It is true that it was a golden age, which saw the arrival of talkies, family cars, and 28 flavors of ice cream.  It is also true that many of us went to bed hungry many nights and learned to be shameful of our hand me down or charity clothes.
 
I live in the United States of America where it is possible that we can create a country, which is great for all its citizens.  It is not true that has ever been the case.  There is no collective great to which to return.
 
Written January 17, 2018