A Land of Contrasts and Extremes

I am always surprised and a little perplexed whenever anyone who isn't a conservative American flag-waving patriot tells me that America is the greatest country on earth, that it is such a great country. Granted, it is great in size. But there are sad things here. Things that are just plain wrong, and wrong for so many who are undeserving of their fate. I often feel put into the position of defending the US, too. As great as we are, as powerful and as envied, and as criticised, there always seems to be an optimism and a faith in America's power and ability to improve things in the hearts of even the harshest critics. And I, I am able only to feel sorry for these critics for their naivete, for their having accepted the all-powerful image that we truck and peddle abroad. They are angry that we do not do more. I am not so sure that the US even CAN do all that much. Nowhere is the limitations of this country, its government and its people as apparent as it is in the huge contrast between the haves and the have nots. The woman we saw on Saturday, who was sleeping on a bench in front of a jewelry store is perfect example. There she was on the bench, with her WalMart bag of personal possessions beside her, sleeping on a sidewalk between a store called "Color Me Happy" on one side of the street, and one announcing "Life is Good: Cottage Furniture" on the other. I confess. I took pictures, thinking you would find the juxaposition of the images shocking, but I decided not to post them. I too, have questions for America, like how can we set up an entire base for fighting and killing on foreign soil in less than 48 hours, yet can neither feed the hungry nor educate the ignorant?