Room For Improvement
I consider myself a lifetime learner. I like to read, listen to podcasts, watch YouTube tutorials; the whole nine. I’ve dedicated a portion of our time on coronavius imposed lockdown to learning new stuff, just because. I can’t think of too many people who don’t like improvement. I love it when roads get fixed, service gets better, or I get in shape. Unfortunately, when it comes to getting in shape, I’m a lot like the United States of America. I don’t feel like making the time.
What do you hear when someone dares to levy a complaint against the U.S.? “Well (It always starts with “Well.) if you don’t like it, just leave!” To which I would love to reply, “@#$% I bought a house here!” When you think about it, where else is that an acceptable response? In what parallel universe are people being chastised for asking that something be a little better? I’ve seen people return food several times. At no point did the manager of a restaurant shout, “Why don’t you just go back to where you came from!” Of course, “Go back to where you came from” has different connotations from “just leave.”
“Go back to where you came from” is Well, why don’t you just leave’s racist bastard cousin. One could argue that they’re both racist terms, but “Well, why don’t you…” is the progressive who doesn’t want to be perceived as racist. “Go back” is the klansman. People who say it defend the greatness of the United States with all the vim, vigor, and vitality of someone who’s pulled themselves up from those pretend bootstraps folks weaponize when they get tired of hearing about equality.
Personally, it’s a supremely lazy phrase. Of course, racists aren’t huge on improvement. They’ve been trafficking in the same lazy stereotypes for decades. It’s almost not even fun to make fun of them anymore. It feels unfair. Hell, when some of us are told to go back, maybe we should. Several countries are in better shape than we are right now. Germany gave Jews reparations. Senator Tom Cotton, of Arkansas (along with several others), doesn’t even want real history taught in schools. Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, among others, have us beat in healthcare. I could throw a dart at a map and hit a country where they believe in science. Maybe, when people say go back, they’re actually trying to help us. I’m more concerned with whether or not any other countries would have us.
