*** ORBUSMAX GUEST OP/ED ***

America, a Love Story - By Jon Eekhoff

May 17, 2004

America,

Come back to me, I love you. I miss you. You have changed, but I think we can work it out. I know somewhere in there is same girl I fell in love with in high school.

I can still remember when I fell for you. I was in US History and we were studying your birth documents: The Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. Oh, you were so seductive and sexy. Such a free girl, so complicated and yet so simple. I was young, but somehow we managed to build something beautiful together. I knew you had seen other guys, but they were guys I respected, they were good guys who always had your best interests in mind.

Now when I see you out with these new guys (the Bush family, Halliburton, Enron, the Pentagon, and the country club crowd) I get so mad. They just aren't good for you. They are just using you, can't you see that? These guys treat you like a cheap whore. They wine and dine you, but they are expecting something at the end of the night. Ask them what they love about you, I'll bet they can't tell you.

I love you for what you are, not for what you can do for me. Remember how well you were liked everywhere you went. Now you can't even order a cup of coffee in Europe without people talking about you behind your back. They call you names. They don't respect you anymore.

Remember the great times you had with France? You used to be such good friends. I remember hearing about the time she gave you The Statue of Liberty on your birthday, you were so close. Now you aren't even on speaking terms. Your new friends think that is okay, they don't want you to be close to anyone. I think they are scared you might find out what a fool they are making of you.

It was so good to see you and Eastern Europe mend fences after you had been fighting for so long, but now it seems all that progress has been lost. Now all of Europe thinks you have lost your way, they just don't trust you anymore. Dr. Phil says that without trust, you just can't have a good relationship.

I am glad that you and England are still talking, but even England is beginning to wonder what has gotten into you lately. I hope you don't wake up some morning and find yourself all alone without a friend in the world.

Your new "friends" are making you paranoid. They have you spying on your own people, the same people who love you. These new friends have you turning your back on everything you once held sacred.

After the World Trade Centers were attacked, I was angry too, but now these guys have you out attacking Iraq for no real reason. They told you there were weapons you needed to fear and you believed them, I can understand. You were under a great deal of stress at the time. But can't you see what is happening? Can't you see this war is killing you? Wake up before it is too late.

You used to be such a humanitarian. You were concerned about helping others, now you are so fearful; they have you believing you can't trust anyone. I can't stand seeing you change this way, it is killing me.

I want you to be the girl I used to know, the girl I read about and fell in love with, the girl who went out of her way to help others. You were the popular girl who had a heart of gold, was strong and not stuck-up. A girl who could walk down a city block and everyone would fall in love with you. They had heard about your kindness and freedom, but they couldn't believe it, not until they met you.

I want to take you away from these new friends and hold you again. I want to feel your strength and spend the night talking to you about liberty, freedom and justice. I want to be with you again. I want the rest of the world to see you for the girl you are, not for the mistakes you have made lately. Come back to me before it is too late. All your old friends are waiting for you and will welcome you back, they understand and love you also.

You have been through some tough times in the past and have always managed to make the right choices; I trust you will do it again. Remember what your founding fathers had in mind for you, don't disappoint them. I love you. I want you back. I miss you.

Love, Jon

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Jon Eekhoff is a teacher in Western Washington, and one of the 5 greatest basketball players to hail from Lemoore, California.