The birthday was sad for Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is really down in the dumps on this his 232nd birthday.
Born in revolution, he has seen it all:ˆ baby steps to nationhood, a bloody civil war, industrial juggernaut, imperialism, world wars, depression, cold war and domestic terrorism.
But he never thought it would come to this. Seven years of made up wars that are sucking life out of our economy and moral standing in the world, paid for by treasure meant to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, educational and health care systems and retire our escalating debt.
He is horrified such things could be allowed by a cowardly Congress and a cowed populous, the latter willing to trade freedom for a few dollars in tax cuts and the privilege of thumping their chests at a foreign region.
He is astonished that oil men with no interest whatsoever in energy sufficiency would be given the keys to the kingdom to keep us hooked on our suicidal addiction to oil, consuming 25 percent of the world's resources with our unquenchable gluttony.
He recoils from illegal spying on his fellow Americans, kidnapping, torture and endless imprisonment of foreigners deemed to be enemies of the state with no recourse to legal remedy whatsoever.
It is understandable Uncle Sam is in such a funk on his birthday.
As we take our collective dose of Patriotic Prozac to dull the reality of our daily decline as a great nation, let's all save a bit to help dear Uncle weather this and his next 232 birthdays.
Walt Zlotow
Glen Ellyn