American First

A Take from Abroad

The auther in 1985

We walk the streets of foreign cities and sometimes know enough of the local language to avoid speaking English in public. Sometimes, you just don’t want to identify yourself to other Americans. Tourists primarily. We don’t want to be your guide. We mostly aren’t all that homesick (except for the food). It’s not that we don’t like you, but there’s often a multitude of reasons we live out here. Some of us prefer to blend with the locals, integrate with them to the best of our ability. We who do that all know the expats who pretty much only hang with Americans or other international expats. Kinda boring, frankly. They all talk about the same inane shit, and we ask ourselves, “why did you even move?”

Now, often when our language skills are poor and we interact with the natives, they ask where we are from. We don’t say I am a Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative. What we do say is “I am an American.” Although, I have seen people I know say they are “Canadian”. Well, too bad for the Great White North, I reckon. Why does saying “I am an American” matter?

We watch what’s happening back home and feel like many of you have lost your true identity. We see it on social media all the time. You identify with party or political ideology over nation. That’s fucked up, people. Sometimes it feels like y’all have lost your way over some bullshit identity politics. And, it seems, from here, to be tearing the very fabric of our fragile republic apart.

Remember the last time that happened? 750,000–850,000 of our brothers and sisters dead (roughly 2.5% of the total population). Hyperinflation, property loss, business loss, decrease in wealth and infrastructure. You want that again? All of us know the system is a mess and maybe it needs to be torn down but at what cost? Y’all look like you are ready to go to war with each other from over here. I am writing this from within an actual war and believe me, you don’t want this.

What am I getting at? You are American First. That’s who you are. Your party and or ideology that you adhere to, doesn’t give a fuck about you. Your neighbor next door more likely does. Maybe the boys and girls down at the local watering hole do also. Somebody out there, at least one person, probably cares far more for you than any party or ideology. Well, if you are an asshole, maybe not. But we all know that not every US citizen is one of those even though plenty of people abroad certainly think so. That’s ok too. Most of the ones I talk to who feel that way, have no true understanding of US (us) as a people or a culture. So fuck’em. Some of them are pissed off about other nonsensical bullshit which in the end, is none of their business anyway, is it?

250 is a small number compared to many other civilizations. We are still the new kid on the block. We are the new kid that built something most of them admire and want but they can’t accomplish. Yes, we are still very fragile as a republic. We tear ourselves apart and everyone else wins. I love you guys. I miss all of you. Right now, I am not coming back for many reasons but not because I hate or despise America. It’s just the life we have built on foreign soil now has meaning, purpose, and why? Because we built it upon true American principles and values. Most importantly, because we are American First. I hope you remember that.