Leaving America
I keep thinking of the song I learned in grade school. Everyone knows it. My Country tis of Thee Sweet Land of liberty. Of thee I sing.
I’ve fallen in love with an Australian. Every year he came with me to America. But this year he wouldn’t come. He did not feel safe coming here. We knew people who came on tourist visas and were sent back. He didn’t want anyone looking at his cell phone. When I tell my friends here that he wouldn’t come they say, “I don’t blame him.” They shake their heads, worried that their liberty will be on the chopping block next.
Where is my country? Everything seems the same. People go about their daily lives, but don’t want to watch the news. Where is Walter Cronkite, telling us the facts with emotion, everyone watching the same news at 6 pm every night? Instead, many people just shake their heads when they hear about a new arrest of an immigrant, or the detention on a Senator simply for asking a question. They don’t know what they can do.
In my little town people stand on the street with signs declaring things they feel are in danger, freedom is on the edge. Normally I’m in Australia in November when its time to vote. I vote by mail. Now they are wanting to take away my right to vote. In fact, some in this administration say women shouldn’t vote.
On August 26th the 105 day since women got the right to vote in the USA I participated in the car parade sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
This was the main sign on the back of my car:
The League of Women Voters is working to spread the word and protect voting rights:
Rise Up. We are not defeated.
Visions from Two Continents. 