U.S. Privileged

I was having a conversation with a friend and the topic turned to guns. He believes that liberals are threatening to take away all guns and this will cause a civil war.

Image Credit: Google

My rhetorical statement was the privileged would be willing to destroy a way of life over something so stupid. When I said privileged, I was talking about Americans.

I am a legal immigrant to this country and have been in the US for longer than I have lived on my little island. When I left, economically, things were difficult and even with the pretty beach pictures for tourism, things are still very hard for many. Coming to the US gave me a lot of opportunities that many natives have yet to take advantage.

You know why? Americans are privileged to not know what it means to not have food banks, handouts, having to pay for every level of your education, or no government funded programs to help give a lending hand. Americans have all this and more in their backyard but are willing to hate each other over politics to the point people are prepping for a civil war.

A symbol of Immigration
Photo credit: Google

While my younger years had some minor hardship, there are others who are experiencing so much worse than I can ever imagine and there are no hands to help. For those coming from less affluent countries or lives, we can understand the gift that a place like the US offers. People like us can stand back and see the stupidity that many natives are not able to see when it comes to their privilege.

Not until you have loss everything
and are left with nothing
will you understand
how to appreciate
the simplest things

Think about this: It was not until there was a hole in the ozone and fear of the effects that the issue of air pollution became a major topic. It took realizing that various species of plants and animals were dying before we paid attention to the smallest creatures. There are so many examples today, in history, in the Bible, in which we fail to recognize the importance of what’s in front of us until we are about to lose it or have lost it. I bet Adam and Eve lived with daily regret when they loss the privileges of Eden.

I am not saying gun rights are not important. However, where is the zeal to make sure hunger is not an issues? Where is the zeal that each child has the right to equal educational opportunities? Where is the zeal for the things that will lift us up instead of facilitating destruction and separation?

The fact is societies rise and fall. Their fall are usually attributed to their own selfish ignorance because they forgot about the basic needs of the people. Religion, politics and megalomaniacs are the usual culprits – all about self-interest.

War is romanticized and idealize but the reality is never so pretty – just ask our returning combat soldiers
Google image

Americans do not realize that despite our issues, we have a privilege that many in the world will never know. However, with the pettiness that continues to ensue, it will slowly erode the fabric of something that provides enormous opportunities. Think about in the scenario of the lives of a rich soap opera family, the more you fight over the stupid, the more you tear the family apart.

Food for thought.

What say you?

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