For the record I can’t stand the two party system, I can’t believe I’m about to post this. Spending over two decades defending The Constitution whole heartedly, watching the best of the best have they’re blood spilled, mental scares that never heal, families left to carry on without loved ones, children growing up with one parent the heartache so deep it’s almost impossible to put it into words trying to explain the why to those children. I hope your all proud of what you’ve turned this country into, I’ve asked myself this many many times over the years and never could come up with the answer until about thirty minutes ago, that question is “was it worth it?” Maybe I’ll change my answer someday, but seeing what’s going on, and deep in my soul knowing many Americans think that they’re FREEDOM is a right and have never figured out that it’s a privilege, and like any privilege can be gone in the blink of a eye, here’s my answer that I knew has been there for along time but I didn’t want to admit it. No it wasn’t and I’ll leave it at that.
America has changed. It was inevitable. The people in America, although new to this modern era, are pretty much unchanged, and as it goes we as people have been pretty much the same worldwide since the dawn of civilization.
Most of the things you’re wringing your hands about here are at an all time low.
Defending the Constitution from what?
You’ve lost me with your rambling OP??? What is it that you are trying to say? 
I feel the title of the op and the message seems not to line up. The title reads “what has become of America?” but in the op message the question asked is “Was it worth it?” like others have stated was what worth what? What exactly is the problem?
I believe he is discussing his military service and asking was the “blood, sweat, and tears” (my words) worth it?
I don’t view it as incongruous. When looking at the current political situation, he is asking was all the blood, sweat, and tears worth it. Being former military myself I can completely understand his sentiment.
Ah ok. Thanks for the clarification
I think we tend to sensationalize the problems of our generation. But I agree we are living in trying times, for all.
Living in America in the 21st century is pretty sweet.
Now when I watch a video on Amazon, all I have to do is move my mouse a bit and the actors’ names with pictures will pop up and, if a song is playing on the show, the name of the song and the artist will appear, as well as occasional trivia about how the show was made.
Look on the bright side, folks.
Your post is a less than clear, but if you are commenting on military service, or even first responder commitments, I get where you are coming from. I only work for DoD, and sometimes it makes me wonder. I could make more money in the private sector…
That said, let me try to add my perspective on loving America.
America is an idea, dare I say a dream. This idea took shape in reality, and held onto its place in the world by the blood, sweat, sacrifice, toil, and long-suffering of generations of Americans who believed in the dream and the providence of God. The idea is incredible, the dream is perfect.
The problem is that Americans, like all people, are far from perfect. It’s just that some/most of us are exceptional, because we are crazy enough to hold to the dream of America.
I am pretty far out on the right wing. Protestant Christian, NRA member, hunter, AGW is crap, anti-Globalist, capitalist, individualist. A good government would be one that keeps the nation safe and ensures free commerce and rule of law inside our borders, and keep the costs down. Oh, and to the chagrin of the leftists, I actually am a scientist.
I hated the hippies, yippies, and other idiot movements that came out of the 60’s, even as a child. I could not then, and barely now, understand how people could sell the dream of America for an abortion, dope, gay, or unbelievably an “Obama phone”!!! But they do.
I love the idea of America, I love the dream of America more. The question is how close can we come to achieving it in our lifetime, can we fend off the idiots that want to drag it down, and the evil people that would corrupt it? Freedom is not free, we have to fight for it.
That makes every day miserable to some degree, my reading of your post says you know what that means in the most direct sense.
We have a Constitutional Republic, if we can keep it.
In the heart of America, commonly called “fly over country”, America is still alive and vibrant,. Values and kindness mean something. Helping someone in need before being asked is just another day for us. A hard day’s work for a good day’s pay means something. God means everything. Our family and loved ones mean everything. Our armed services and veterans mean everything. Truth and fairness mean everything. We aren’t stupid, bible carrying, gun toting deplorable dregs of society… we ARE America.
Ain’t that the truth!!!
Yeah, Costal Libs never get to see that. What you describe sounds like the Illinois that I grew up in. Out in the western states, there is a civility of respect for strangers unless they show themselves to be ■■■■■■■■■
I rather like being labeled as deplorable by Hillary. Unlike her, I did not dump my values when I left the mid-west.
All of that is true all over America.
This is the “Real American” argument, which is nothing more than insecure back-patting.
Check out New York City. You’ll love it.
America by heart. It has such a nice ring to it.
Nothing against NYC, just commenting about fly over country. I’m talking about the degrading way we are referred to by so called “elites”.
You must be new here. Right wingers denigrate liberal cities/states all the time. Except we don’t whine about it.
Wow. I don’t recall any repubs calling liberal city inhabitants by such demeaning names as “deplorable” or the “dregs” of society. Didn’t say they could smell them, etc. And since when is an opinion whining? You have yours, I have mine. I just don’t have to stoop to low levels to do so.
Yes. You’re new here.
