First off, let’s be clear…I HATE politics! There are no truthful politicians. The game is all a struggle for power and position and truth rarely plays a big part in the game. I try to stay moderately informed, but on the whole I tend to avoid news in general. It either makes me depressed or really mad. Being on social media and the internet, in general, it is difficult to avoid what is going on in the world of politics.
Lately there are a lot of people spouting off about Obama and amnesty and Obama’s overall disregard for the constitution. I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of that, but one thing that does irritate me is the overall attitude I see with many people via social media (and otherwise). The attitude is that of a pompous, American who has their nose so far up in the air; they can’t see anything properly or with any perspective.
Three months out of 2013, my family and I went and lived in Ecuador. We wanted to explore the idea of it being a permanent solution. We wanted to banish the myths that most Americans live with that this is the best and only place that you can enjoy life. Yes, we have access to more ‘stuff’, but are we really any more happy? We were and still are weary of the attitudes mentioned above. America is so much about consumerism and society is so willing to fall on that sword (Black Friday to Grey Thursday, hello?!). In my little mind, it seems so backwards, but that is another subject for another day. When we got to Ecuador, we met many gringos that had chosen to either live there permanently or some that lived there part-time in their retirement. Most of these people were so sweet and welcomed us with open arms. We still keep in contact with many of them. These are not the ones mentioned below. . .
However, there were a few who I wanted to knock their heads together. There were a couple instances that stood out to me that have irked me so badly. Many (not all) of the retirement age gringos came to Ecuador without even bothering to learn Spanish. It was as if they held the attitude that English was so wide-spread, they couldn’t imagine people in ANOTHER country not knowing it. Then these same people would butcher the language to a point that was painfully laughable. One time in particular stands out to me more than any other. We were sitting with a guy and he was trying to explain where some shop was located and he said it like so (imagine reading in a Larry the Cable guy voice), “It is over there on CALLY 15”. Keep in mind the word was “calle” and in Spanish a double ‘L’ is pronounced as “ya”. For example, “pollo” (chicken) is pronounced “po-yo”.
This is the same type of person that would sit on his pompous throne inside the USofA and state, “They shouldn’t come here, if they can’t speak the language”. REALLY?!! I think many people forget that they are descendants of immigrants. Last I checked, unless you are of Native American heritage, you weren’t here FIRST! So get off your high horse. Stop acting like you have any more right than a Hispanic, Jew, German, African, pick your nationality, etc. to be in this country. I understand that there are laws and they should be obeyed. I am all for that, but this attitude of you have to be ‘just like us, talk like us, etc’ needs to stop already!
What is even more laughable to me as a Christian, is that people think they really ‘own’ the land they are walking on. Pslams 50:10 says “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” This world is only our temporary home, we don’t really own it. Everything belongs ultimately to God.
The next time you consider writing that Facebook or Twitter status/rant, stating your opinions about your God-given right to live here, think twice. You are no better, you were born here by circumstance.
Health and Blessings,
Amanda