We're taught from childhood to pledge allegiance to the flag. But loyalty is a two way street. When does the flag pledge allegiance to us in return? Blind patriotism is like blind faith in a spouse that comes home and beats you or just ignores you. So much energy is put into brain washing the children of America with their pledges of allegiance and their God Bless America, but loyalty has to be earned, not demanded. It amazes me that there are so many idiots in America who believe we're the best, and that the only way to be a good person is to treat Caesar as God. So many Christians who just don't get it, just never really understood Jesus or a word he said. Not to single out Christians, but they do have Jesus spelling it all out for them, and yet they don't get it. America is just a fucking country, that's all, a modern day Caesar, that's it. But America has done a great job of selling the idea that patriotism is Godliness. Lying bastards. America is not heaven, and neither Bush nor Obama is God. It's just another country, better than some, not better than some, and not good enough yet.

These comments were prompted by a call to a sick friend, where I learned that she has no health insurance and her kids were reduced to doing some kind of bake sale to raise money so that her mom could get treatment for cancer.