America First

What thoughts ... emotions ... ideas are provoked in you when you hear "Country First", Patriotism, Citizenship or "America First"? Are these variations of the same expression, or things apart? Is emotion influenced by whether you are an American or not? Does historical context influence your response, or are you more motivated by current circumstances? ...Or...are you caught in between it all - idealistically, emotionally, or academically?

Are truth and fact synonymous or different, dependent upon the use? A grade schooler nephew indulged me today by engaging with me in a phone call vs text. Well into our conversation, he asked me questions about what 'America First' and citizenship mean, and it caused me to revisit myself as close to his age as possible. As an American southern youngster, being black felt negative...as if I had a lesser citizenship. Everything in my world told me I would need to 'do twice as much to get half as far'. Then, one beautiful day, James Brown told me to 'Say it LOUD. I'm BLACK and I'm proud!', and suddenly, it was so great and promising to be Black - not just to feel it... but to BE it, in all my kinky haired, full eyed wonder. No longer did I smooth myself and my hair out. It was finally cool to 'be me'.

Suddenly, I could see beyond my circumstance and into my future.

Voraciously, I began to independently study my cultural past and found pride in it - pride in being me. Additionally, The Last Poets, Nikki Giovanni and Gil Scott Heron waxed boldly and provokingly in ways that challenged me, as Maya Angelou opened my eyes to "....why the caged bird sings. Nina Simone even anthemned it all, singing "To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Mama and St. Paul Baptist church told me 'We'll understand it better, by and by’.

Awakening to a new era within myself, I felt a part of a group vs apart from one. Don't get me wrong; my consciousness was heightened to the challenges that existed to inspire those songs and to create this new brotherhood and sisterhood. Mommie and Daddy did all they could to encourage my siblings and me to balance faith and ability against economic and social disparity. They did a great job. Even so, my new sense of black unity was one of my most positive life experiences, and it was curated by a community employing songs, books and media coverage 1as our social media of the times. 

Learning, feeling and sharing my Black Pride set me apart from my previous feelings of inadequacy and economic despair. Yes, it elevated my desire to become better informed about myself, my community, my country and my world. No, it did not cause me to disrespect others as I gained new levels of respect for myself. Becoming pro me did not mean becoming anti anyone. If anything, it set me on the path to become a stronger contributor to my community, my country and my world.

...And so, I've asked myself if being pro American means being anti anything. Does history - community change - change the meaning of words? Did the summer of my social awareness change the meaning of Black for me as profoundly as Michael Jackson changed the meaning of Bad for all of us with his song of the same title on his badass album “Bad”? Whatever our political, spiritual or cultural stand, are we able to pragmatically consider the meaning, opportunity and/or threats being hurled around the idea of 'America First'? Are there implications from our past that loom too threateningly near for this terminology at this time; or, can we conceive of it with a new meaning in a new world? Are the threads of the past woven decidedly into the fabric of our future? Or, do the realities of the present require restitching our communities and retooling infrastructures and government? 

For some time, I have celebrated myself as a citizen of the world. Travel and business enrich me with the spirit of a global community and the beauty of a growing network of friends. My family members come from different countries, races and cultures – and – share common ideals, desires, fears and values. The more I see our world, the smaller the globe becomes and the vaster are my opportunities. Those of my family who are of age vote with the obligation and privilege of citizenship. Those who carry their citizenship to the level of patriotism, vote local and state, as well as national elections. 

Does voting express our best hopes for our country? Does it suggest allegiance, or the guarantee of opportunity and fulfillment...or, all of it...or, none of it? Is accepting oneself as being American (...or French, British, European, Asian, or anything) setting oneself inherently apart? If so, apart from what? Does being apart lead to the human experience of being first, or second, or last in the scheme of economies?

My nephew wants to know: is it the reference to setting America apart, or the reference to America being first, that bothers people? Or, does putting these two words together - America First - somehow take on a whole new meaning in a whole new world"?