To Stay or Go

Ever since Bush stole the White House in 2000 I’ve had this sinking feeling that the United States of America may not be the country of which I want to be a citizen. Our viewing this weekend of Michael Moore’s Sicko and the CBS documentary about Edward R. Murrow, Good Night, and Good Luck, has only compounded the dilemma. If the United States is a true democracy, then the preemptive attack on Iraq, the chief concern about health care being the bottom line, the callous disregard for the environment is the will of the people. If these things are contrary to the will of the people but we find ourselves powerless to change them, then we can’t really call this a democracy anymore, can we? So which is it? Are the majority of Americans just greedy bastards that will exploit anyone or anything in order to gratify their unabashed selfishness? Or does that just describe those who have bought their way into positions of power? Either way is giving me little comfort these days. So, the question that has been nagging me for the last seven years isn’t going away: Should I stay or should I go?