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Editorial: Why Are Americans so Unhappy

By: Anonymous

A Newsweek poll alleges that 67% of Americans are unhappy with the
direction the country is headed and 69% percent of the country is
unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence, 2/3s of the
citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle
dragger I am, I starting thinking, "What we are so unhappy about?"

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the
summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 % of these
unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a
grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has
seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic
Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through
each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would
find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having
thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is
just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car,
emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved.
Whether you are rich or poor, they treat your wounds and even, if
necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You
may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire,
a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch
equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family and
your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat-screen TVs, a
burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a
bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack
or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or
militias raping and pillaging the residents - in neighborhoods where 90
percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy
that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67%
of you folks unhappy.

The fact is we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the
world has ever seen.

No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its
citizens. They see us for what we are - the most blessed people in the
world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we
hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord that we live
here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has
no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31% approval
rating?

Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after
9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?
Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book
for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist
attacks? The Commander in Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out
there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have
volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom.
There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.
They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a "general"
discharge, an "other than honorable" discharge or, worst case scenario,
a "dishonorable" discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of
Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it
bleeds it leads, and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch
a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling
lemonade at the corner? The media knows this, and media outlets are
"for-profit" corporations. They offer what sells.

Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the
bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as
a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953: "What
have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the
earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social
freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of
the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given
time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have
been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down
unsullied to our children and theirs."

If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to
explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and
abundance. If we are not careful, this generation will be known as the
"greediest and most ungrateful generation" and would be a far cry from
the proud Americans of the "greatest generation" who left us an
untarnished legacy.

I suggest that we count our blessings for all we have.