Some feedback response

I have been getting some feedback about some of my posts. One topic that keeps coming up is I am accused of being anti-American and less than patriotic. I agree with that feedback to a large extent. I am not patriotic and I don't want to be patriotic because I do not believe in patriotism as being a good thing. Sorry all you flag wavers but there has been way to much harm done to humankind through patriotism so I do not support it. I don't support any other country either for that matter. I prefer to be a citizen of the world sans label. If that makes me un-American than so be it. I am critical of a lot of American things because I live here and know them well. One thing all my travels have taught me is the difference between culture and human behavior. Lots of quote American patriotic things are simple cultural icons and not intrinsic human truths but many Americans (and other nationalities also) seem to think their way is the only way. I have seen lots of different ways for lots of different things. I try to accept the differences without bias.

I also do not believe the U.S. should be trying to force feed their cultural ideology on the rest of the world. Lots of wars this country has been engaged in were all about money and not about saving the world which is how they are always sold by the American government. I am very opposed to this type of warfare and I am vocal about it. I do not support the my country right or wrong philosophy rah rah wave your red white and blue. Hitler is a good enough example of patriotism gone bad. Most of the wars have been about money and nothing else despite all the patriotic rhetoric used to sell these wars.

Afghanistan is a classic example of a war all about money and nothing else. It is a fruitless waste of soldier's lives that is impossible to win. What would constitute a win there? KFC and Big Macs on every corner? They have a right to live their lives the way they want to lead them without Americans interfering, even if Americans do not like their culture. I know lots of Americans were furious after 911 went down and think the wars since have been justified to stop those mad terrorists but in fact the main target is already dead and all the wars are just creating even more anti-American animosity which just breeds more terrorism in the future not less. There are no talks going on anywhere to try to solve this "dispute" with words. Why is that?

The other thing that keeps coming up is the veracity of my posts. I am constantly accused of making all this up. I do not care if people think that way. I have been writing for myself not to impress anybody. If you don't believe it then go away. I do not care if anybody at all reads this. What is truth anyway but one person's view from their point of view. Any number of people can watch something happen and each will see their own truth. Cada cabesa esta un mundo or in English, each person's head is a world. This is my head and my world.

Then the last thing I hear is that I hurt people or make them look bad in my posts which makes me mean. My response to that is again the same as before I am writing this for me not for them. My intentions are not to hurt anybody but things have happened that I talk about that are not always flattering to those involved. My extended family all seem to be angry at me for things I have said about my father or my exwives or whatever. Such is life. I will continue to say whatever I want to in my writing. I say lots of things that make me look bad also. I am open about my "vices" and I talk about my own mistakes as much as I talk about others. If I did not then the veracity would be diminished. Bad things happen in the world and we all make mistakes. This writing reflects me and if somebody read it all they would know much more about who I am and how I got to be who I am today.

So keep reading or not, that is your choice. My choice is to do just like I am doing and write whatever I feel like. Enjoy life while you still can. PURAVIDA