My Bipolar Relationship with America

Why I am embarrassed to be an American - the political circus.  The American political system has become a laughing stock.  One only has to look at the current clowns running to represent the Republican party.  We have a man who ran a pizza company, who has no knowledge of anything outside of this country.  His grasp of economics is not much better with his 9-9-9 plan that would be the biggest transfer of wealth to the richest Americans.  We have a woman who claims she is subservient to her husband as the Bible says but would not be if she was elected to be president.  She is opposed to government handouts except when her family receives them.  We have a former Speaker of the House who makes Pinocchio look like Honest Abe.

I am proud that our political experiment of 1789 has withstood all the political turmoil.  America has survived a civil war to end slavery, the great depression, three impeachments and the political corruption of Congress.

America has fueled the economic growth of the world.  This has caused an embarrassing wage gap and destroyed the middle class.  It has also provided innovation in products and ideas.  America is still the land of opportunity for immigrants.

America has provided the world with great authors from Hawthorne to Hemingway.   It is the birthplace of jazz and rock.  The Great White Way has entertained millions.  On the other hand, it has given us the culture of celebrity and the curse of Paris Hilton.

America is land of splendid natural beauty.  We have majestic mountains, white sandy beaches, stark deserts and fabulous forests.  We have a climate to suit everyone's needs. 

Catholic Church Changes

The Catholic Church is again changing and I am not sure why.  After the Second Vatican Council, the Church decided to modernize.  The mass was given in the vernacular instead of Latin.  I was an infant while these changes were occurring, but I would have preferred to have have the mass in a sacred language instead of the mundane.  Apparently, 50 years ago, there was a poor translation because the reason for the new changes is it is closer to the original meaning.  An example of few of the changes from the Nicene Creed. Current - of all that is seen and unseen. Revised- of all things visible and invisible. Current - he suffered died and was buried. Revised- he suffered death and was buried. I am not sure why we are making what appear to be minor changes.  If we want to go back to the original perhaps we should say the mass in Aramaic.