Going thru life with blinders on.

Okay so I get back from holiday and am shocked at all the happenings and goings-on as you know. I adjusted my mind-set to get back into work, not lazing my fat arse around (okay not THAT fat!) drinking good sangria, eating fabulous food and napping and was back in the office on Monday.

As a self-professed news and political JUNKY (there has to be some sort of support group out there for people like me), there are very few days where I don't read all the news I can get my hands on or eyes peeled to. I don't limit it to Finnish news or UK knews, or EU news either. I am a sucker for following the news of my former home country.

One of my daily stops is at the website for my home town (www.boston.com). Now as many of you know, the 4th of July (thanks to Tom Cruise, Bruce Springsteen, and a really bad Will Smith film) is the day in the US where we celebrate our independence from the oppressions of taxation without representation, had a big tea party and told the Brits to get the bleep out. A day for hot dogs, flag waving, bbqs, beer, apple pie, and watching the nationally recognized best fireworks display for the holiday on my beloved Esplanade - complete with cannon firing to the 1812th Overture. A day to generally show your national pride and eat fun food in the warm sun. I read on the above mentioned site a lovely story about this woman who was a student in the area many years ago and has been keeping a tradition for 25 years of returning to the Esplanade, now with her husband and children, to celebrate the day. Great. Fabulous. More power to you! They also interview other people in the article who are quoted as well. One individual (a friend of this lady) goes on to say at the end of the article:
''I wanted to teach my kids patriotism to God and to the world. Freedom, it ain't free, it was bought and paid for with American blood. I want my children to understand that."

What precisely does "patriotism to God" mean?? Merriam-Websters defines patriotism as:

Main Entry: pa·tri·ot·ism
Pronunciation: 'pA-trE-&-"ti-z&m, chiefly British 'pa-
Function: noun
: love for or devotion to one's country

Since when is GOD a country? I read his statement and I thought to myself how absolutely blurred the lines have become. Is it just me or has that whole separation of state and religion gone even farther down the tubes.

Also, not all Freedom, in this instance the American Revolutionary War, was bought and paid for with American blood. The last time I checked, we got help too. From France, The Netherlands, and Spain!!! France officially entered the war in 1778, Spain in 1779 and The Netherlands in 1780...oh and the Revolutionary War was not over until 1783 folks. Oh and there is no such word as "ain't" god damn it!!!

...GRRRRRR ARRRRRGGG...It is just another example of one or all of the following: 1.) A HORRIBLE education, 2.) Ignorance, 3.) Egotisim 4.) Having bought hook line and sinker the idea that the US is the most important country in the world, God is on its side and everyone else is second rate..???

-rant over--...for now