My Country ‘Tis of Thee

Conservatives: trigger warning. Anti-patriotism ahead.

I know this is going to make me sound like a Debbie Downer, but I have to confess that the pull of traveling isn’t the only reason I want to leave the country. It’s the push of the country itself. Maybe it’s because I’m a science teacher. Maybe I read too much politics. Maybe it’s because I know what else is out there, and I’ve read “if you don’t like it, GET OUT” screeds one too many times and have decided to do just that.

In no particular order, here are reasons I wish we could leave for good:

1. Helicopter Parenting and its sidekick, Internet Shaming. Now that people women are actually getting arrested for leaving their kids in cars or at parks, I want no part of this madness. Our culture has been moving away from the supportive community model and it’s turning into an environment of paranoia where everyone is a creep. The internet has provided a place where parents can one-up each other over who is being more protective (and therefore a better parent, natch). The expectations and norms are starting to choke me, and seriously stifle the growth of an entire generation of kids. The irony is, it defies logic and facts.  Click on that link. Click it! I’ve seen people just about plug their ears and “la-la-la-la” about these statistics.         

2. Few government services and crappy public transportation. I cannot stand the every-man-for-himself attitude. Everyone is so isolated and suspicious. Is it a coincidence that so many people in this country are depressed? This is a country where some think people should be left to die if they don’t have insurance. 

 3. There’s so little appreciation for art. For that matter, there’s little appreciation for life. My daughter’s elementary school gives them 15 minutes for lunch and 15 minutes for recess. All day. That is criminal. I wrote a letter to the superintendent about it and was promptly ignored. We bemoan the childhood obesity epidemic, but do nothing about it. Science and history are not taught in her school. She’s apparently lucky to have any “specials” (art, music, etc.) at all; many kids in the US have none. They sit and do reading and math, reading and math, all day long to try to “catch up” to other schools around the world that actually let their children play. We can’t make that simple Point A to Point B connection? And again, is it any wonder that so many kids are medicated for ADD/ADHD? They can’t sit still because their little bodies need to move.

However, this doesn't stop our sports practices from being six hours long. I've driven home at 8:30 pm and seen a little league team playing a game that late, out in the rain. What is wrong with us?

4. Vilification of teachers and public schools. Yes, let’s cut more funding, that’ll make ‘em improve.

For me, American culture has boiled down to this:

Not working hard enough. Not exercising enough. Not doing enough with/for your kids. Sleeping is for the lazy. Health care is a luxury, nobody deserves anything, everyone is so entitled. The poor are just lazy. Everyone is lazy. "Oh yeah? You worked 50 hours last week? Well boo-hoo, I worked 80!"

I am exhausted.