the United States of America
yes, I do. and I appreciate them so frustratedly! ever since I was a school kid and read my American school books, often quickly followed by a Brasilian newspaper or by Brasilian history at school. how was one to believe both? in the American books (yes, we don't acknowledge that Brasilians are Americans, not even that Mexicans are), the USA is dedicated and committed to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. how come Americans don't look happy then? in picture after picture after picture of Americans, they look like a people who just walked out of a prayer meeting and bit into an onion. and that's how I remembered Americans from my brief first grade visit: sour, unhappy, cranky people who quickly put on a smile if you were identified as family, but lost it when you spoke. "doesn't the child speak English?" "yes, but with an accent." "oh. well then." sometimes we would try again, the whole smile-and-speak thing. yes, Americans might pursue Happiness, but they obviously didn't find it often. and Americans invade other countries - they had to, according to Time magazine - which nearly always meant killing and people grieving. so much for Life. unless you meant the magazine. but, no, they couldn't have known about cameras and slick paper back in 1776! it was very confusing. that left Liberty. maybe the USA stood for Liberty. but where? I decided I'd have to figure that out later, when I got older. I'd love to report to you that I did, but I didn't. the USA may stand for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, but I can't see them in its actions. nevertheless, I think the American people believe they do. somehow that gives me hope. maybe Happiness will show up in American faces. maybe the commitment to Life will show up. maybe someone will explain Liberty to me in a way that our commitment to it shows up for me. but in any case, hurray for America! hurray for the USA! hurray for the red, white'n'blue!
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