JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Happy Birthday, USA! If you love the US, please share why.

Happy Birthday, USA! I would like this to a positive thread, because it's a birthday, after all.

If you are a United States citizen, please share what you like or love about your country.

If you are not a citizen, but would like to share what you like about the US, please share also.

Happy Fourth of July!

I love being free and able to participate in blogs like this one and all the other things Americans can do. I was going to start this but you beat me to it Jean. I hope everyone has a safe weekend.

I am playing an Independence Day gig today at local school. I have drawn up an US themed set list. So I will be celebrating with you

Have fun!!

I love USA
I love democracy, I love free speech
USA sends me to college and Im grateful to that

The USA is our rich friend and neighbour to the south. We admire you and at the same time we envy you. We are like a mouse that sleeps next to an elephant, though we are your friend you could easily roll over on us and crush us without intending to, you get a cold, we develop pneumonia, you get in trouble, we get punished too, you get ill and we suffer, you stumble,we fall, if you are happy we laugh with you, if you are sad, we cry. We are close as cousins but not brothers and sisters, we share many things in common, we believe many things the same, we look much the same, we talk much the same(except for accents), yet we are different, hard to define but we are, we face a harsher climate, we have a smaller population spread over a vast country, we have much natural resources and fresh water, but we are restricted on variety of food production. In many ways we are blessed and love our country, but because of our conservative collective Canadian personality, we don't express it the same as Americans, good or bad, I don't know. We are blessed to have a neighbour that is friendly and respectful toward us, we love you though we don't always understand you, almost like man and wife.LOL

We celebrated our birthday July 1st, 142 years old as a country, very young as countries go. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA AND THE USA.

Everett, I'm deeply touched. Thank you.

I'm always struck by the irony of watching revolutionaries in some other country overthrow a dictator - only to become a dictator

We had a revolution here. And the revolutionaries turned the government over to the people!

And then these wonderfully mad geniuses set up a structure that recognizes that humans are imperfect and accounts for it explicitly. A system of checks and balances and a free press that ensures constant self-examination and improvement - often in spite of ourselves

The older I get, the more I realize how improbable this was. And of course, the more grateful I become.

Happy Fourth!
Scott

Love these replies. I have always thought of Canada as a cousin too.

I'll just chime in with a story--supposedly true--told by a reporter who was in a foreign country.
There was a crowd of people shouting "Death To America!!!", Death to America!!. The reporter asked one of them, "Why do
you hate us so much?"- Guy said, "You're an American?" --Yes--How can I get a visa?
<G>
Wy

Why I used to love America more than I do now.

As Scott said. An improbable outcome.
And it lasted for about 150 glorious years. Then something happened. The Government of the people changed to a Government ruled by money and influence peddling.

Now you are gonna say Well, if you don't like it, leave.

Nah.
It's still the best damn country in the world. Even with all it's warts. And if you say anything bad about it I'll kick yer butt.

Happy 4th everyone.

I'm cooking a wild hog shoulder on the smoker today. It's actually a raised wild hog that was corn fed. A friend gave it to me. Sorry about getting off subject but I saved it in the freezer just to cook today.

What I like about the USA, we can dissent..still..I think. From a local cop wrongfully giving you a traffic ticket, you can take them to court and fight it, to disagreeing with federal politicians. We can vote them out of office.

One of the things that I love about my country is the land itself. So many resources, so many climates and land forms, bodies of water - it's just so beautiful. I also like that more people are beginning to understanding the need to preserve these things.

Why I love living in the USA:

1. I can vote the way I want.

2. I can think the way I want.

3. I can say what I think without fear of retribution.

4. I can live where I want.

5. I can worship the way I want to (or not).

6. I can travel anywhere I want, whenever I want to and feel relatively safe in doing so. I don't have to worry that the next time I try to start my car it will explode. I don't have to worry that the at the next stop I could be arrested for not having "my papers". Plus, I don't have to tell anywhere where I am going or why.

7. I can change the channel on television if I do not like what I'm watching-there are many choices of programming.

8. I can go to bed at night and feel pretty confident that I will wake up the next day a free person. I don't have to worry that I might be arrested or jailed in the middle of the night for any activity the government deems subversive or for anything I've said the day before.

9. I can work as much or as little as I want for whomever I choose.

10. I can go into debt as much as I want or I can save my money.

11. I can buy a gun and keep it in my home.

12. I can write my congressmen and representatives to express my opinion and concerns. I can even write to the president, if I so choose.

13. I'm not considered an infidel if I wear my workout clothes to Walmart. I don't have to worry about covering my face, my cleavage, my ears, my knees and my ankles to keep from being stoned to death or jailed.

I'm sure I can think of more but I've got to go. Have a safe and Happy 4th of July, everyone!

the 1 thing I love about America is our freedoms that our forefathers blood, sweat and tears gave us and no other country can say they have this.The other countries are jealous always have been and rather than try to give their people what we have , they'd rather try belittling it or try destroying it by bringing us down to their level.I highly welcome every foreign citizen that goes thru the legal processes of becoming an American citizen but I do not nor will not welcome those who come here illegally at all because that is a slap in the face of those who are on the waiting list to do it the legal way.My neighbors are from 2 different countries and have spent many years and money to become citizens the legal way and feel the same as I do, America is a great place to live but as each day passes we are losing those rights granted to us by our forefathers and must once again bond together to stop this government control and give the word WE back to the constitution where it belongs, the representatives in capitol hill work for us and not the other way around.Having the word God in our government means we are a caring nation for our people let's never forget that!Remember if you are an American or become one the legal way , never ever place any name or country in front of it

There's too many things to say here, but I'll share some personal thoughts. USA means so much in my life, all the way back from my childhood 'till today..

As a 5 year old child, I got a cassette tape with Elvis' first RCA album from my uncle for christmas. I listened over and over again, to my dad's big regret. I never looked back, from that moment music got a hold of my soul.

In the 70'ies and 80'ies Norway, where I grew up, USA was always the frontend country in music, style and cool things. As a teenager back then, I grew up learning about the american dream with the poor boy making it in this great world, because free society allowed everyone who were dedicated to make it. You didn't even need others to give you a chance, the dream were that if you were good enough, you'd get ahead.

As a teen, I was very much raised on the backseat of a car, with my parents always on the move. I listened to my Elvis tapes and the radio. Radio played american and british music, and it was like the american dream was in radio itself, in the radio waves floating across the ocean.

Then I remember being in the airforce, having visitors from the US Army for a big excercise. Great guys with lots of energy, carrying the coolest things around. I got to drive the Hummer! Heh, even though I was in my 20ies, that was great fun..

So my first engagement with music was american. My first dreams was american, and even though times have changed, and the naive childhood dreams looks different today, Im fortunate to work with so many wonderful american collaborators, still chasing that american dream I found back then..

Thanks folks, you're just great - best of all, you're fun to be around - Congratulations on this BIG day!

Yup.

First dry, sunny day all week. I celebrated by spending the last 7 hours cutting grass. About 1/3 completed. Woohooo.

Stop hogging all the rain, Tom. We need some here BADLY.

Thanks to all who have responded so far, and please do continue.

Many of the previous replies are also part of my list. Here are some more reasons why I love my country.

I love the diversity of this country. I love it that we are a nation of immigrants. I love it that our forefathers knew how to dream big and actualized those dreams and I realize that it is still possible to do that . I love that many of our people stand up for what they believe in. I love the innovative, creative spirit of our people.

We are facing so many challenges in today's world. I believe we will meet those challenges. I believe the pioneer spirit still exists in America and will surface when called upon.

Happy Birthday, America!

(And belated Happy Birthday, Canada!)

I love all the talented people I've met who hail from the States, I have many great friends. And I love the Oregon/California beaches. My favourite trip is to take the train down the coast in California, visit San Franscisco & LA. I'm sure there's much more beauty to be had... one day I'll get to see more!

Andy, are you getting all of this???

I love this country for all of the above reasons. I'd also like to add, I think it's pretty awesome that Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Buddhists, can all live right next to eachother and still go out and get the morning paper and wave "hi" to eachother, or work together peacefully in the workplace. The United States embraced EVERYONE and made a country that truly IS FREE. The people truly do still govern, compared to other countries. The more I learn about other governmental systems, the more I just thank God I was born and raised here. In my opinion, we are the luckiest nation on the planet. We have it all...freedom, natural resources, lots of SPACE to roam about, a diversified climate so we can visit anywhere in our country and experience anything from tropical to frozen tundra.

This was a very unlikely success. The first settlers sent here suffered so much, hardly any survived, yet more came, and kept trying. This day celebrates when we defeated the British Army and claimed our independence from England, but it also celebrates the absolute perserverance and determination of the original colonists, the heart and soul of which founded this country. We simply WOULD NOT QUIT! I hope Americans never lose that spirit. I hope we never forget all that it took to get here and KEEP what we have. Freedom isn't free, and there are many men and women who so courageously gave their lives so we could lay our heads down in peace at night.

I can't agree with this statement. Canada has the same freedoms as the USA, as does other countries. We may have some that you do not have.

There's a lot I like and Love about America...and a lot I don't.

I like the fact ANYONE who studies in school CAN get ahead..the opportunities are incredible..for those who work at it. 12+ years of essentially-free education, with scholarships near-galore to those who are deserving. I don't mind a bit paying my taxes to support this 12+ years..& beyond.

I DO mind paying my taxes to reduce this so-called "freedom" we live under. Things like the Guantanamo Prison Camp..and maybe add-in the Iraq War..where we can blandly overlook "Due Process" and United Nations "Protocols"... My life & career got "Interrupted" by the Vietnam War..& I spent 5 years in Europe deciding if I ever wanted to return here after I spent my year, life-in-jeopardy.."Serving My Country".

We're, as a Nation, back sacrificing another generation, fighting Another Stupid War Abroad.

We're also ALL deeply-in-debt BECAUSE our politicians got paid-off by the Money People to look the other way..we voted-in Politicos to SOLVE these new Money Problems who solved them by throwing MORE money at it...money that gets paid off by the very same people who were previously-victimized..You and I.

We're losing our Manufacturing Base at a rapid rate..but no real protective measures seem to be offered while the "globalization" buzzword seems to be all-prevalent. Our politicos seem to think America can live with a 10% Unemployment Rate and somehow prosper. More and more, Americans seem to be willing to buy-into this "Let The Government Help Us with a Free Check".

We ARE a Generous Nation..we DO help out whenever some nation has disaster strike. & That I DO like about America. But I question whether MORE Big Government CAN actually help OUR Populace grow and prosper any further. It's become a Giant Fungus and the symbiotic nature isn't too-apparent to your average Small Businessman who lacks the tax-loopholes offered to an International Corporation.

I like the fact that, in America, from 1973-to-present, through hard work I've acquired enough..I hope..to follow-through on that phrase "America..Love It or Leave It." It's NOT with any great Joy that I liquidate 30+ years of acquisitions to "Find Happiness" perhaps in Some Other Country...BUT I'm glad you CAN go elsewhere to find "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" under the US Constitution and still remain a Citizen.

America always remains a great place to visit...just not sure I wanna live here anymore. Time'll soon tell.

Best Wishes,
Big Hugs,
Stan

PS: I just spent $5 of the $10 I had left this weekend to get a nice big American Flag at the Flea Market. Found THAT a bit ironic...but yeah, I still love this Country.

Well, for me 4th of July is alot like Veteren's Day & Memorial Day... It's refelection into what price we've paid for our liberties.

Flashback to a week and a half ago...
I told my boss that next week I'll have all my 4th holiday items out on the main table by the registers (I work at a grocery store)
In front of my case was an old couple, and the gentleman blurted out "God Bless America".
I thought to myself, there must be a song in those words besides the ones we already know...

Yesterday, I sang to myself (yes. while at work...I always do)
"AND WE SANG GOD BLESS AMERICA"
and before I knew it, but 8:00 last night I had my song. It just really went together and when I sang it for my hubby, I was crying... I'm better with it today. When I can record it, I'll gladly post it but in the meantime, Here are the lyrics.


"AND WE SANG GOD BLESS AMERICA"
Ms.Goody July 4th, 2009

My family & I headed downtown
for the 4th of July parade.
Streets all lined with red white & blue...
so many flags being waved.

There's a man on the corner in an old uniform.
that's looking rather ragged, but proudly being worn.
I asked him when did he serve the good ol' USA?
"In the 2nd World War, which should have been the last."
was all that he would say.

But he sang God Bless America, as his eyes filled with tears.
His hand over his heart the way he's done for years.
Soldiers salute the flag...Old Glory is her name.
And he sang God Bless America,
God Bless her still today.

Not much further away,
a middle aged man stood proud and he stood tall.
Dressed in fatigues, a black band on his arm...
to honor comrades on "The Wall".
Beside him... a daughter, who went to Iraq...
All of her went over, but only part of her came back.
Wheelchair-bound but quick to say "she had no regrets.
All she asks in return...is for America...not to forget."

And they sang God Bless America,as their eyes filled with tears.
Hands over their hearts, the way they've done for years.
Soldiers salute the flag...Old Glory is her name.
And they sang God Bless America,
God Bless her still today.

Fireworks roared at the end of the day...
After the parade and the floats.
I hugged my children and then looked around
to thank the soldiers with whom I spoke...
A bit disappointed when they couldn't be found...
so we made our way towards home.
But I looked up, they were standing proud,
still guarding us, in the clouds and in the smoke.

And we sang God Bless America, as our eyes filled with tears.
Hands over our hearts, the way we've done for years.
Soldiers salute the flag...Old Glory is her name.
And we sang God Bless America,
God Bless her still today.

I agree with Everett.

Don't get me wrong, I love the USA and hope that you all had a great 4th of July.

Cheers,
Andy

I love this too Jean. Don't forget though, there were and are natives here! ...

I LOVE THE MUSIC. especially bluegrass.

I used to travel overseas a fair amount. I always felt good when I returned to the US. The stability, security and rule of law are things that we generally take for granted.

Tom

I love the landscapes. Different down every road. Everything Tricia said was what I had planned on saying, so I'll just say that I agree with her. Especially about not having to cover up so much. Too humid for that, although, I may not have as many mosquito bites right now....anyway, I'm going to try and post a song that I cowrote a few months ago with a very talented guy through a SongU blind date challenge. I'll let y'all know when I get it up there. It's a worktape, but I really enjoy listening to it.it goes with this topic.

OK, it's up on the mp3 forum. It's called We've Got it All