Americans engage in euphoric recall

Around the Web, I see sad messages from people saying they no longer recognize America--that their country has been taken from them.

While it is true that the operations of the Bush White House constitute the biggest national crisis in my lifetime (I think, but Bush may be in a tie with Reagan for that), I do not share the view that the idea of America has suddenly vanished.

If you are a person of color, you have never fully experienced the idea of America.

If you are a woman, you have never fully experienced the idea of America.

If you are gay, you have never fully experienced the idea of America.

If you are disabled, you have never fully experienced the idea of America.

If you are poor, you have never fully experienced the idea of America.

If you are a child, America has never protected you. If you eat anything but organic food, America long ago abandoned concern for your health.

America is more advanced than any country in the world in certain areas, but in others, we lag behind. No one can expect America to be perfect because it cannot be. But as terrible as things are right now, they did not become that way overnight. The bigots and corporate criminals have always been here. Reagan opened the door wide and invited them all to come in and strut their stuff in broad daylight, and now they are America. Hate and greed muliply like cancer cells until the entire organism is diseased.

The cancer is nothing new; it has simply been encouraged to spread.