America the land of the free. I always wondered if it lived up to this propaganda. What does that mean exactly? Free to do what ? And for whom exactly? 🤨 From the beginning of history has America ever truly been free? Maybe. For those running to a land away from religious persecution. A land and people that were for the most part welcoming. Only for the original people to be murdered and their land stolen from them. Let that sit with you for a while.

America is a land, whose beginnings were of blood and thievery. Not much in freedom there. Well again, depends on who you ask.

America to me has been more of a work in progress. Like all things that are started, they can grow into something beautiful or awful. Although in many cases, this country has grown stagnated or declined more than moving forwards. The growth of the 70s and 80s has disappeared. This land of opportunity has declined. Sold out by its leaders and heads of state for their own greed. Not much different from its beginnings. Countries who were struggling, sent people to another country to get rich.

As an Afro Caribbean American, I have only been partially proud to be an American. I know that may shock many. But it’s true. America has only looked out for the wealthy. While many countries have that issue, no other country claims to be the land of the free. People work very hard and yet the American Dream is far from their reach in the 21st century. For those who have reached theirs, there seem to be thousands who haven’t. Many people have been here for several generations and have yet to reach a dream. Their lives consistently thrown to and fro as they struggle to live the lives their fathers lived. I, myself and many others I have spoken to, cannot afford to purchase the homes their parents bought 25 to 50 years ago. That in itself seems a sin. In my case I once made what my parents made together and more, but the family home was out of reach. Not to mention the bills that went with it.

And no, I haven’t done the research. I’m speaking from my experience, what I’ve seen and from what many have said. I’m drawing my conclusion.

I’ve spoken to many people from around the world. Americans have not been so welcomed in many countries in years past and I must say, it feels like we’ve hit the bottom. We’re there again. Or perhaps it has gotten worse. Things have gone too far. Either that, or we’re now noticing just how many people are getting away with evil. People’s eyes have been opened, or so it appears as I watch videos, reels and posts. We don’t have free health insurance as so many other countries do. How many ‘3rd world’ countries have insurance for their people? Yet, we in the land of the ‘free’ pay so much for it. Our food has been adulterated for decades so that companies can cut cost and make more money. Profits have gone up and yet income has decreased. I believe Dr. King began to speak about the issues that capitalism can cause right before he was murdered. Thanks to the American government (FBI).

Don’t get me started on social security (SSI). I keep hearing news about them ending it. Maybe it’s a threat. After all, SSI is what the government uses to fill the budget and pay for things they cannot afford. The money just sitting there, or so I thought. As of 2023 the government owed SSI 2.9 trillion dollars. That is unbelievable. Did we give them permission to use that money? Was it a caveat in allowing them to take it? So many people look down on others for living above their means. But it’s okay for a country?

I don’t mind them ending it. That’s fine, give everyone their money back. Every single person who put money in, as long as they’re alive should get every penny. I worked for every cent as everyone does. Therefore, every cent should be returned to everyone who paid for it. Then you can end it. Of course, stop collecting it. I think, that when a person passes, all of the money, anything that’s left should be returned to the family. Think about it. If your parent passes, what happens to their SSI? Unless they have a child under 18, or they have left behind a spouse, the government keeps it. Yet, your parent worked for 20 or 30 or more years and lived for maybe a decade plus after they collected it. Some live to collect it for a year or 2. My grandfather didn’t collect SSI for 5 years before he passed. Where does that money go? The government keeps it, uses it. I’m not cool with that at all. You?

But it’s not just the money, or the unpunished criminal activity and the countless innocent in jail so companies can make money, or the privatization of public utilities, but the treatment of people of color. And no, African Americans shouldn’t have to forget. Like many ethnicities, our experiences are part of history. Of American history. We are the only ethnic group that has not received compensation from America, Britain, France or any other country that took part in the evils of slavery. Oh yeah, Portugal, and Spain. Who did I forget? I haven’t even touched on the evils of imperialism. And, we still suffer from the ignorance and stupidity of others who don’t know. African Americans have contributed so much to this country only for their contributions to be stolen and forgotten. Their lives neglected and abused. What is there to be proud of? Yes, after building this country we were given ‘freedom’. And then they were restricted due to what exactly? People were upset because they lost labor? Because people they lied about were no longer under their control? We were murder, mutilated, rape, beaten, our history erased…. And that’s after we got here. America still has not acknowledge it. This country has murdered our leaders and stolen our peace. Yet and still, nothing has been done to reconcile the damage. And no, you cannot say, it wasn’t me, I’m not responsible. The American system still functions and grows from all that it stole. Thousands thrive on the blood that fueled this land.

There is so much more. I haven’t mentioned immigration either. This country is forcibly kicking people out. Requiring companies to provide private information if the person is against the government organization. Lying about crimes so that it can kill or incarcerate leaders and take over countries. Imagine you’re not from a country. I was born let’s say, Myanmar but am not a native. Now I take the position of removing people because they’re not from Myanmar. America is one of the most hypocritical places I’ve ever lived. SMH

America is one of the youngest countries in the world. They established it on someone else’s land. And now they are the gatekeepers as to who should come. They shouldn’t have proclaimed it the land of the free and people wouldn’t want to come.

Well that’s my rant for now. Even though there is so much more to say.

Feel free to comment. Tell me what you think. As much as there is to love about this country, there seems so much more wrong with it.

I must say, I am extremely proud to be an African American. With all that has been done to keep us down, we strive. You’ve grown. Even with the burden and pain of living as a Black person in a country that profits from your misery, suffering and pain, you keep striving. You’ve created so much and built so much. I may not be proud of this country where I was born, but I am proud to be an African American. And yes, I see the irony in that😉