I'm going for less cliche...

in my title to this Note.
I, my friends, am American. I don't mean the normal definition of your standard American. I am that definition: a man, homegrown in this blessed (I'm going for iambic pentameter so read it that way) country. But this is not the point. I am looking at a different meaning of the word American. It is well suited for the term "American" to have many different meanings - we are, in fact, the melting-pot of the world. Why not have a word that is just as diverse and multifarious as the people that form our great country. And while we all maybe from different places, just as all of our citizens are, we are all united.

As for the definition I speak of, I mean it in a wholly political fashion. Now you may be questioning me about how American can be something you ARE in politics, but let me interject an enlightening story. A wise man once told me: "In abortion... there is no black and white" (a wise man being Greg Tepper - very intelligent and a great guy, and once... meaning yesterday. I guess I could say back in the day... since it was a Wednesday). Now before you judge me for going against my Catholic faith or have pugnacious thoughts - consider this scenario. You are married. The love of your life is having your first born child; however, you've just been informed that one of two things can happen: You can save the baby and lose your wife, or you can lose the baby and keep your wife. I was once posed this question and it shook my faith a little bit. I sat in wonderment as I found myself not jumping immediately to "No Abortion". After considering myself in this tragic position, I responded saying that I would have to let my wife decide. WHAT? Isn't that the democratic view? Am I not supposed to be a firm Republican - no to abortion, no to gay marriage, yes to the Death Penalty... wait death penalty? Do we follow so far? There is no right or wrong in any of these situations - at least for our human intellect. If anyone knows the right answer, we have to look to Heaven and fold our hands, "praying" (yeah.. i just "played" that word... okay time to quit) that God will grant us with the knowledge of what his will is. Maybe we are supposed to know the answer, but as for me... all these issues have a gray matter in them. There is some ambiguity that limits us from making the correct answer 100% of the time.

Now I have eased into my definition. Remember the slight moment of split personalities I just experienced... Republican or Democrat. Well... since that fateful conversation with Greg, I have determined I am my own party. I am my own unique party. I make my own decisions and I try to choose what I deem the best for myself, and for my fellow countrymen (women - men here is all encompassing of gender - Thank you Judy Wright). Some may call this party the Independent party, but I think a more suitable name is... (you have to know what it is by now) American. I call myself a member of the American party because that party is what America was based off of. Freedom. One word that has an incredibly ambient voice. This party allows you to have the freedom of choice. The freedom to choose for yourself; to be yourself. It gives a person the opportunity to be socially Liberal and economically Conservative. It gives a young man hope that he can do anything - and that he has the power to make the things he desires reality, no matter how incredible or daunting it might be. This American party knows there may be differing opinions in its party, but it knows that without everyone in its party, it is nothing.

That is what we are. We are all Americans. We have the power to choose. We have freedom (and while we are on freedom, let's not forget the extraordinary and valiant souls that are defending that right as I type this). Whatever you may be, I implore you to be American. Not necessarily my definition of a party but, at the very least, a member of our Nation.

For anyone who knows me, my mind likes to jump around and I'm sorry for taking you on a brief tour of my reflections, but it links together in my mind and hopefully it links together for you. The overall message is unity. Remember who we are and where we came from and what we have fought through (reference Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper - President-Elect Acceptance speech). I know we may not all agree, and I certainly don't agree with everything that Our newly elected President has said, but I see two options. We can all pull together and rally behind our President or we can do what we've done for the past 8 years. Be either negative to, and disrespectful to, our leader or devout to him. I know we've tried one way... and another wise man once told me: “Insanity [is] doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" (Originally: Albert Einstein, but passed on by my Dad).

Lastly: Thesaurus: Best thing to cure boredom.