American History

When we first learned about our early settlers, we, at least I, thought the whole thing boring. People came here and suffered and died in droves so they could practice a different religion than the rest of their fellow Englishmen. Then they overcame their hardships, prospered and pushed west until we had a pretty nice country going here, but still, as a story, it was pretty lame.

American history has always been that way to me. Sure we had heroes, fought the Indians and the English and the French and the Canadians, the pirates, the slaveholders, conquered all before us, but well, it was awful and bloody, but not that exciting. Not like the swashbuckling European sagas of adventure in exotic places like the steppes of Russia, the jungles of Africa and Asia or even North and South Poles or the fascinating history of the Orient, the Mongolian hordes, Indian rajahs riding elephants.

We did go to the moon, but that was more like a science project. Step by step until, there we were taking that giant step for mankind. Like everyone else, I held my breath until the capsules landed safely and was horrified by the explosions and the deaths, but I don’t know if it was because the whole thing was so downplayed in the media, but it became commonplace. We even stopped bothering to go down the block to the beach to watch the launches.

Lately, I’ve taken to reading a bit more about our early days and the kind of people who were our predecessors in our beloved land and why the northern part of the American continent developed into a beacon for all freedom loving people while the rest of the Western Hemisphere enjoying very similar resources, climate, long shore lines, high mountains, fertile plains, mighty rivers, etc. developed so differently.

It came to me rather belatedly (it probably came to you in the cradle) that our first settlers came here, not for adventure or to seek their fortune, but to build a life and brought with them their well established notions of hard work, duty and devotion. The people who came after them were also of the same mold and if they weren’t, they soon went elsewhere to find their pot of gold.

It’s amazing that a literal handful of religious zealots are responsible for our nation developing as it has.

All the recent blather about Mexican illegals and immigrants in general led me to give the subject some more thought. (I’m for letting everyone who wants to become an American enter the country, and all those who don’t want to become an American should stay where they are.)

Now according to the Houston Chronicle, Pemex aka the golden goose, seems to be in trouble. Even their vast oil fields can’t keep up with Mexican corruption and there’s talk of privatization. No matter the protests, it’s gotta happen and I fervently hope that when it does happen, Mexico will start down the road to freedom and opportunity, it doesn't seem fair that\they lose their best and brightest to us.

Please spare me the "buts" - I know all about our cruel treatment of the Indians, the slaves, women, animals, expecially baby seals, the environment and our love affair with gas guzzling cars, air-conditioning, fast foods, unfair tax laws, health care insurance -- have I left anything or anyone out?