The America I Grew Up In

There seems to be a lot of debate going on at these town hall meetings for a new health care system. Among many others, one of the common complaints is that the country is changing into an "America I did not grow up in." Not fully comprehending what this meant, I thought I'd share the America I've grown up in.

1. The America I grew up in had television shows. Anyone's opinion of Rosanne or the Cosby Show aside, these shows actually are a much more honest depiction of life than "I'm a Washed Up Hack! Please Look At Me!" While this may seem like a painfully obvious statement to some, a lot still seem to believe that today's generation is much more "culturally savvy." Having 4 shows simultaneously that do nothing but make stupid jokes about 15 year old fads does not make you more aware of anything other than how much of a dickhead you are for watching them.

2. The America I Grew Up In had movies based on plot lines rather than continued franchises. The top grossing movie in 1988, the year I was born, was The Rain Man, a story about a yuppie (Tom Cruise) learning that his father has left his fortune to an unknown, autistic brother (Dustin Hoffman). It's an idea that is both relatable and relevant to the times, with Cruise learning the value of something other than money. 1995's top grossing movie was Toy Story, a well made family movie about an old cowboy toy and a new spaceman toy learning how to reconcile their differences to become best friends. As of this blog post, the highest grossing film of 2009 is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Enough said.

3. The America I Grew Up In went batshit crazy over a blowjob.

4. The America I Grew Up In witnessed 9/11. I'm not referring to the aftermath in which 9/11 was used as a scare tactic for war, or a political talking point, or a means with which to sell CDs. I mean the actual day and those that came immediately after. The entire world stopped. People in New York were nice to each other for a whole two months. Professional Sports actually acknowledged reality, suspending itself for an entire week. For a brief time, all the bulshit was knocked on its ass, and the country acknowledged it's true heroes and greatness. That which lies in bravery of our fire departments and police departments. Those who make up the rest of our country, not just the top 1%. For all of the pain and sorrow that that day caused, I took out of it that in times of dire need, people have the capacity and courage to help each other. People WANT to help each other. And for a few months, the country was not allowed to ignore those who were in need. Just 8 years afterward, I feel the "wake-up call" has lost all meaningful effect, and will forever become a battle cry, rather than a call for humanity.

5. The America I Grew Up In had Glenn Beck spinning Top 40 hits, something he is much more qualified for than his current vocation.

6. The America I Grew Up In elected George W. Bush... Twice.

7. The America I Grew Up In saw the post WWII Baby Boom generation take the social safety nets implemented during the Great Depression, and flushed them down the toilet. Social Security, Medicaid, and Financial Regulations have all been whittled down over the decades, all the while the Baby Boom kept putting in politicians who were happy to reduce regulation for a quick buck. For this I'd like to thank the generation of my parents for leaving me on my own for retirement as well as for our current economic situation. My generation will have more difficulty finding a job than CNN will finding actual journalistic integrity.

But perhaps none of this matters. Because I live in America today. I am 21 years old and I have to. I plan on living here for too long not to think in terms of the America I live in today. The America I live in today sees 50 million people without health insurance. The America I live in today daily watches the socio-economic gap between the highest and lowest members of our society grow exponentially. The America I live in today is NOT the world's lone superpower any more. The America I live in today's most trusted newsman is a comedian, although a more intelligent man than most, a comedian nonetheless. The America I live in today has people who are planning a revolt because they actually believe our President plans to have "Death Panels." The America I live in today's outcry is, "What?! Do you want to live in France?"

If the America I live in today remains the way it is, maybe I will.