As I drove across West Texas I caught up with some friends and family on the phone. We told each other "Happy Fourth of July". I wore my American flag hat.

      It has become somewhat controversial to fly/wear an American flag now because people think you are a "Donald Trump supporter" which means you're a racist. It is such a shame. Yes, the USA has some cringe history, but what country in the history of the world doesn't? In the USA we have the freedom and responsibility to fix the problems that we see. I suppose some people would rather tear the USA down and build something new? This might sound like an easy thing to do, but in reality  it could take thousands of years to rebuild a free society like we already have. In essence, I think we should fix the wheel and not try and reinvent it. Just like any person trying to reconcile their past, we must forgive ourselves for what we once did. I find self forgiveness is one of the hardest things to learn. 

     I have certainly criticized the USA many times and I still do. It's a terrible paradox that a democracy was built on land that was stolen from the indigenous people of North America. It's atrocious that slaves from Africa were used to build the USA. However, stealing land and taking slaves was the way of the world back then. As far as I understand, the indigenous people of North America and African people, stole land and took slaves too. 

      It's disgusting how much the corporations and mega rich control the USA. I believe it is our current task to overthrow this corruption that has ruined the USA.  

I've been working on a song lately about the subject. Here are the lyrics: 

Verse 1
I was born and raised in this country 
The so called land of the free 
A place for every race and color
and spiritual belief 
But there is now too much corruption 
Politicians controlled with money 
It’s time the people all unify 
And take our country back 
And that’s why I wear the American Flag 

Verse 2 
I wish the native people defeated 
The European invasion 
If they would have unified maybe they could have 
Kept out the white man 
But they were busy fighting each other 
and now it’s all happening again [Over their tribal land] 
History’s repeating, we need to unify 
against the puppet master’s attack 
That’s why I wear the American Flag 

Verse 3 
How could the founding Fathers own slaves 
And create a democracy? 
The same way we use the slaves building our 
Technology 
I want to see all the oppressed people 
rise up and be feee 
I am dreaming of a diverse future 
of white, yellow, red, brown and black 
That’s why I wear the American Flag 

Verse 4 
You can call me conspiracy theorist 
You can call me whatever you’d like 
I’m speaking out what’s on my mind 
Freedom of speech gives me the right 
The Pharmaceutical companies 
don’t want anyone to see the light 
I will criticize our broken system 
all the way to the Gulag 
That’s Why I wear the American flag 

Verse 5 
I am open to a better system 
That embraces the entire world 
but every time we try communism 
a disaster unfurls 
that’s why I’m glad we have the constitution 
as precious as a pearl 
these starts and stripes are a shield of protection 
Not just a petty rag 
That’s Why I wear the American flag