Okay, so it's Independence Day here in the United States, and on 1st thought I say I couldn't care less. As a Black man, I have a hard time celebrating this country b/c of all the things my ppl have suffered at the hands of this government and many of the nation's private citizens as well. Not to mention the atrocities this nation is responsible for around the world. The situation is definitely fucked up...and I'm not about to wave any stars and stripes today, thank you.

But....then I remember some of the things I was taught in Social Studies class. All that shit about democracy...and men being created equal...and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and all that...that's some GOOD SHIT. Okay, admittedly it hasn't quite worked out in practice, but damn! Just the very fact that those are among the founding principles of this little nasty nation...I think that's pretty tight. I dunno.

Maybe I'd rather be in France though. Or Argentina. I've only been abroad once (Paris), but every American I know who's been abroad extensively is always happy to return...especially those who visit less developed places. They've all told me the same thing...they were glad to leave America when their trip began, and each harbored thoughts of never returning. But then they got out in the world and saw just how American they were. All the things they'd taken for granted before...they suddenly became really appreciative.

I plan to live abroad at some point (Australia? Argentina? The UK?), but I'm sure it will only be temporary...or maybe not.

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"Now where I come from/We don't let society tell us how it's supposed 2 be/Our clothes, our hair we don't care/It's all about being there" -Prince, "Uptown" (1980)

"No one I think is in my tree/I mean it must be high or low/That is you can't you know tune in/But it's alright/That is I think it's not too bad" - John Lennon, "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967)

Coming July 25, 2001...HotThyng 25.0