American Citizenship
This Lady Called America
Copyright; Ruth McCartney March 23rd 1989
When I received my long awaited notice in the mail to come here today, it was the end of one era, but the beginning of a very important new one.
For five years I have had the privileges of a Green Card holder and have gone back to Europe on business a couple of times, only to return and kiss the ground at L.A.X.! Until you have seen places like North America, the back streets of Rome and Naples and the tragedy of the east end of London, I would imagine it to be very hard to appreciate what an incredibly fortunate thing it is to be born in the greatest country on the face of the earth – this place that Amerigo Vespucci probably thought was no bigger than Spain! This lady called America.
I have been reflective over the last few days since opening what could well be the most important piece of mail I have ever received. I am proud of the United States and I hope through my writing and artistic skills to make her proud of me.
I have thought back to my visit to Taos NM, its incredible “hand-painted” sunsets; my wild nights in New York City; the elegant, leisurely walks along the shores of Coronado Island; the glitz of Las Vegas; the down home welcomes in Texas and Arkansas that have been graciously extended by people of all origins and colours; the awesome sight from the top of Mount Wilson on a clear smog-free night; the white waters of the Klamath Falls; and the music and the fragrance of Oahu. All these things belong to this friend of mine, this lady called America, this intriguing mistress of disguise, the mother to us all.
As I write this, I sit among the side of her I hope to change. The depressed, introverted, dark side of the lady. The world outside my motorhome location office is that of 4th Street and Season in East Los Angeles. A tragedy and a travesty in the same breath. 10 short blocks away, the cocktail crowd is revolving at exactly 6 degrees per minute above this city of contrast. As they sit sipping their Pina Coladas, they can have no idea what life is like for the delirious man to whom I have just given $3 and a ham sandwich. Above all, the putrid stench of human life is what really brings it home … these people live and eventually die in these unforgiving streets.
We as a Nation, must do everything we can to make the inevitability of a life such as this diminish for the thousands already heading in its direction. Education is the key; self respect and nurturing of ambitions whether they be artistic, mathematical, academic or just plain outrageaous must begin with children when they are very young. The very notion of telling a child “people like us don’t” or “we can’t do that” has to be countermanded. Just say NO to NO. America stands for free enterprise, the last bastion of true opportunity is here and we as a people must pull together and educate, comfort, heal and be there for each other. It starts with our babies, and hopefully mine will be born in my new home and eventually go on to have some power in the community to keep America great. To free her of drugs. To beat crime. To restore dignity to our industries and their designated areas. She needs a bath, this lady called America.
To sum up, the stars and stripes represent various things to me; the stripes are like the layer of igneous rock that built this continent, and like the rings of age and experience in the grand old Redwoods; the stripes of bravery worn by the soldiers for 21/2 centuries, since the raging wars of 1756 and 1775 up tp the recent show of our Nation’s strength in Korea and Vietnam; the colours represent the layers of white and red, and latterly brown and yellow man living side by side, with one common goal – their sights set on the stars that proudly fly high above us all.
America is the one place left where you can start with an investment of $100 and reach those stars, as lon as you have God and good intentions in your heart. I’m convinced that the lady with the torch will be there to light your way even when it seems that the tunnel is a never ending one.
Thank you for taking time to read my observations about both sides of a close friend’s personality. This complex character. This feisty firecracker of a woman.
This Lady Called America.
Copyright; Ruth McCartney March 23rd 1989
When I received my long awaited notice in the mail to come here today, it was the end of one era, but the beginning of a very important new one.
For five years I have had the privileges of a Green Card holder and have gone back to Europe on business a couple of times, only to return and kiss the ground at L.A.X.! Until you have seen places like North America, the back streets of Rome and Naples and the tragedy of the east end of London, I would imagine it to be very hard to appreciate what an incredibly fortunate thing it is to be born in the greatest country on the face of the earth – this place that Amerigo Vespucci probably thought was no bigger than Spain! This lady called America.
I have been reflective over the last few days since opening what could well be the most important piece of mail I have ever received. I am proud of the United States and I hope through my writing and artistic skills to make her proud of me.
I have thought back to my visit to Taos NM, its incredible “hand-painted” sunsets; my wild nights in New York City; the elegant, leisurely walks along the shores of Coronado Island; the glitz of Las Vegas; the down home welcomes in Texas and Arkansas that have been graciously extended by people of all origins and colours; the awesome sight from the top of Mount Wilson on a clear smog-free night; the white waters of the Klamath Falls; and the music and the fragrance of Oahu. All these things belong to this friend of mine, this lady called America, this intriguing mistress of disguise, the mother to us all.
As I write this, I sit among the side of her I hope to change. The depressed, introverted, dark side of the lady. The world outside my motorhome location office is that of 4th Street and Season in East Los Angeles. A tragedy and a travesty in the same breath. 10 short blocks away, the cocktail crowd is revolving at exactly 6 degrees per minute above this city of contrast. As they sit sipping their Pina Coladas, they can have no idea what life is like for the delirious man to whom I have just given $3 and a ham sandwich. Above all, the putrid stench of human life is what really brings it home … these people live and eventually die in these unforgiving streets.
We as a Nation, must do everything we can to make the inevitability of a life such as this diminish for the thousands already heading in its direction. Education is the key; self respect and nurturing of ambitions whether they be artistic, mathematical, academic or just plain outrageaous must begin with children when they are very young. The very notion of telling a child “people like us don’t” or “we can’t do that” has to be countermanded. Just say NO to NO. America stands for free enterprise, the last bastion of true opportunity is here and we as a people must pull together and educate, comfort, heal and be there for each other. It starts with our babies, and hopefully mine will be born in my new home and eventually go on to have some power in the community to keep America great. To free her of drugs. To beat crime. To restore dignity to our industries and their designated areas. She needs a bath, this lady called America.
To sum up, the stars and stripes represent various things to me; the stripes are like the layer of igneous rock that built this continent, and like the rings of age and experience in the grand old Redwoods; the stripes of bravery worn by the soldiers for 21/2 centuries, since the raging wars of 1756 and 1775 up tp the recent show of our Nation’s strength in Korea and Vietnam; the colours represent the layers of white and red, and latterly brown and yellow man living side by side, with one common goal – their sights set on the stars that proudly fly high above us all.
America is the one place left where you can start with an investment of $100 and reach those stars, as lon as you have God and good intentions in your heart. I’m convinced that the lady with the torch will be there to light your way even when it seems that the tunnel is a never ending one.
Thank you for taking time to read my observations about both sides of a close friend’s personality. This complex character. This feisty firecracker of a woman.
This Lady Called America.
posted by Ruth McCartney at 12:13 PM
1 Comments:
Amerigo Vespucci?AMERICO VESPUCIO.
america equal to u.s.a??AMERICA IS ALL THE CONTINENT FROM ARGENTINA TO GROELANDIA OR WHATEVER IS TOP.
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