American Values

Just yesterday my insightful husband, John, commented that today in America it seems that the patriotic thing to do is hold grievances.  The criteria for determining who is a "real" American is largely based on who one holds in disdain.

Workbook Lesson 68 in A Course in Miracles is titled, "Love Holds No Grievances," and states, "to hold a grievance is to forget who you are."  I agree that in America today a bunch of us have forgotten who we are.

Here's a checklist.  Who do you hold in disdain?

Republicans, Democrats, homeless people, Muslims, union members, Catholics, gay people, Hispanics, foreigners, certain foreigners, people who won't learn English, non-Christians, Christians, fat people, prostitutes, rich and famous movie/rock stars, wealthy people, the Clintons, the Bushes, pedophile priests, pro-lifers, poor blacks, people on welfare, people who want universal healthcare, apolitical folks, evangelicals, Mormons, alcoholics and drug addicts, people who use Botox, people who cut in traffic, people who refuse vaccinations, tele-marketers, Jehovah's Witnesses, Yankees, Bible thumpers, male chauvinists, child abusers, the unemployed, politicians, people who swear, thin people, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow, Charlie Sheen, or Jesus?

I may have left a few choices out, but you get my drift.  Here is what I'm asking myself: why must I hold a grievance against you for disagreeing with me?  Why must I hold a grievance against you because you have made what I believe is a "grievous" mistake?  Why would I shut anyone out of my heart knowing that when I do, I forget who I am?

So many of us are walking around America carrying grievances that we can't even see each other, much less remember who we are.  I hear our leaders talking about "spreading American values."   How can we spread something we don't remember ourselves?