Stop Global Whining

In general , I think that most people get a little bit more patriotic around July 4th. Conservatives, liberals, progressives, atheists, scientists...heck, even scientologists (probably) all agree that the founding fathers started something very bold when they signed the DoI back in 1776. Everyone of a differing political ideology has a different opinion of what the founding fathers would think of today's version of the USA, but I definitely think that they got it right way back then. A new system of government was born, one that didn't just guarantee freedom of religion, but freedom FROM religion, that guaranteed the rights of the populace to peacefully assemble, to freely voice their opinions and to do pretty much whatever they needed to do to keep the king of England out of their face. 231 years later, for good or bad, we still enjoy those rights.

So why do so many high profile Americans turn their back on America? There are 115,000 orphans in the United States, but Angelina Jolie had to outsource her adoptions to Africa and Asia and became the modern day Audrey Hepburn for the UN. Not to be outdone, Madonna jumped in the fray and adopted and African of her own, but she had to blaze a trail in Malawi, a country with no laws on the books regarding adoption. She and husband Guy Ritchie helped set the course for the country, so up yours, Angie! I have to believe that their actions are sincere, not driven by the need for publicity, or they're both worse than The Simpsons' Troy McLure, because they actually went through with it. Of course I realize that there are horrible problems in Africa; of course I realize that the number of orphans in Africa outnumber those in the US by a factor of 100. Of course I realize that America has a robust, if flawed, foster care system that isn't present in Africa. But that may matter surprisingly little to a child in an orphanage here in the US.

Oprah Winfrey has opened a new school for 152 underprivileged girls...in South Africa. This has become her passion, at a cost of $40 million, with 4 more in the planning stages elsewhere in Africa. In undertaking this endeavor she said "What I wanted to do is give an opportunity to girls who were like me, girls who were poor, who had come from disadvantaged circumstances." But these girls aren't like her - they're South African; she's from Mississippi. Why not 152 American girls? Apparently Oprah can't find girls poor enough here. Ours is a consumer based society, and our economy depends on consumerism. But when people buy into the "gotta have it" mentality, Oprah turns her nose up at them, saying "If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don't ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school." So education is the most important thing, right? Sure it is, that's why Oprah dedicated 2 shows to the problems that are persistent in the American education system in 2006. I guess all of them wanting iPods (damn you, Steve Jobs!) or shoes turned her away from American issues and into South Africa. Probably didn't hurt that Nelson Mandela asked her to help out, I'm sure. How can you say no to Nellie? If it's about the education, what's up with the beauty parlor and the yoga studio that are included in the school? "I understand that many in the [South Africa] school system and out feel that I'm going overboard, and that's fine," she said. "This is what I want to do." Of course Oprah made her empire having started with absolutely nothing; of course she has spent $260 million on other causes (if you're wondering, she's currently worth an estimated $1.5 billion), including putting 7 black men through college (though I'm sure none of them owned an iPod or shoes); of course it's her money to do with as she pleases. I'm sure that I'm committing heresy by not agreeing with the actions of one of the most influential women in the world, but of course that's my prerogative.

What I'm trying to get across is that there is something wonderful about this country. In Hollywood it's become fashionable to have an opinion (left leaning wears best), and it's in vogue to point out how many problems there are with this country. This is only important insofar as celebrities occupy a very high strata in our society, and there are a lot of people who put a lot of stock in what they say. So with all the finger pointing, you would think that some of this time and these resources would be spent domestically. Then again, if they worked at fixing issues, the cynic in me says that they wouldn't have anything to bitch about, and it's more fun to bash our government and then go global with your goodwill.

And that's what is so great about America. You're free to bitch about your government, you're free to adopt kids from where ever you want, you're free to make an absolute ass load of money and spend it however you want, where ever you want. And you're free to put the needs of others in foreign lands ahead of the needs of your own people. Whether I agree with their actions or not, that quirk - trying to give other people a shot at a better life - isn't just what's great about America, it's what's great about Americans.

Happy Birthday, America.