Dear America,

We haven't chatted in a while and I just wanted to say hi. I've been thinking about you because it's your birthday. I know we've had our differences in the past, because sometimes you're incredibly stupid (Blackwater, WMDs, 2000-2008, THE CURRENT OIL SPILL AND THE INABILITY TO DEAL WITH IT, Us Weekly culture, Leonard Peltier, SARAH PALIN, good christ I could go on forever).

But. Since we've separated, I've learned that you do have a few things going for you. Clean water from the faucet is nice. And, um, the idea of "democracy" is also pretty cool, if it's used correctly and effectively, ie to actually give power to the people.

I've always thought, though, that the greatest thing America has ever produced is its dissidents. The true mark of an evolved society is letting its citizens, or those a nation ostensibly exists for, change it and improve it. Anyone who takes the time to tell America how bad it's fucking up does so only because they believe it could do so much better. Abbie Hoffman, Hunter S. Thompson, et al believed that America could be the world's freest democracy, providing its citizens with the most liberties, and were only disappointed that their country was falling so short of its defined goals. Since being away, I guess I've realized the fact that I'm allowed to say "America, you're really fucking up" is pretty awesome, although I obviously wish I didn't have to say that at all. How great would it be to say "I love America! We have clean energy, awesome health care and a great education system! There's no discrimination or gun violence, and we're not sending (poor) 19 year olds to the other side of the world to die. We don't only elect fat, rich, old, racist white men to office, and instead we have elected officials of every race, gender and economic background to serve the interests of the people. Americans enjoy life and there's a high value placed on the arts. WE DON'T IMPOSE SEXIST BELIEFS ON WOMEN AND ASSUME OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR BODIES. America doesn't really subscribe to a religious doctrine and people are pretty much allowed to do what they want as far as that's concerned. America doesn't sell a lot of useless shit because we know that doesn't provide happiness. There is no show called 'Two And A Half Men' and people don't watch that much TV anyway, they spend a lot of time with their friends instead."

Today, we should all remember that America was founded by dissidents who didn't feel like taking shit from anyone because they wanted to have power over their own individual lives (people who quote the constitution these days seem to be only balding white dudes trying their hardest to make sure poor/brown people don't have health care/citizenship so I'll stop short of that).

Shouldn't the goal of any nation in the modern world be to provide it's citizens with the highest quality of life possible? And I'm not talking about cheap shit from Wal-Mart that will make your life easier. Quality of life can be truly determined by health, personal freedoms and yes, the ability toward the pursuit of happiness.

On my birthday, I like to think about what I could do better in the coming year; how I could be a better friend, sister, daughter, person. So America, on your birthday, put down the credit card, have a beer, appreciate what you have and think about how you could become the country you should be.

Love,
your friend.

PS: I just read that Obama is putting $2 Billion dollars into solar energy! Which will create jobs and help to liberate us from oil dependency. I can't think of a better birthday present.