This Is My Country !

I was listening to Austin City Limits last night, and Cyril Neville came on and sang a song titled "This is my country". The song struck my soul. It reminded me of the times I've been told I'm not a good American, or that I don't love my country because my beliefs are different, or because I don't care to live my life as others want me to live it.

In the sixties and seventies, it was "America, Love It or Leave It". Today, they have other catch-phrases. But it means the same thing. There's a group in this country, mostly right-wing fundamentalists, that are quick to tell you that if you don't believe as they believe, or live as they live, or vote as they vote, or have the right skin color, or speak the right language, then you're not a real American. That's a lot of crap!

America was created to be a free country and our Constitution guarantees us the same rights no matter who we are or how we live. It doesn't matter what religion you believe in, or whether you believe in any religion at all. It doesn't matter whether you're male or female. It doesn't matter whether you're black, white, or any of the many other colors. It doesn't matter whether you speak english, spanish, or any other language. It doesn't matter if you're heterosexual, homosexual, or somewhere in between. It doesn't matter if you're left-wing, right-wing, or somewhere in between. It doesn't matter whether you were born here, or just naturalized yesterday. It doesn't matter how old or young you are.

If anyone tries to tell you that you're not as good an American as they are, they are wrong. They also don't understand the sacrifices that all kinds of Americans have made for more than two hundred years so that we can all be free and equal. Being free has never meant being alike.

THIS IS MY COUNTRY! THIS IS ALSO YOUR COUNTRY!

Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.