To be an American

I ended my last blog post wondering what simple response would most Americans agree on to the question: what does it mean to be an American? A good follow up question is to ask how we can ritualize that answer?

We are a large and diverse population but we are all protected by the Constitution. We too easily forget about those protections. Here is what I propose: a bizzaro Purge day. Instead of one day a year when there are no laws, one day a year we exercise our rights protected by our laws. Some examples:

• Exercise your freedom of speech. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, a blog post, or a social media rant about how terrible your elected officials are. 
• Enjoy your free exercise of religion. Pray to a different God for a day (this clearly breaks a commandment, so proceed at your own risk). Attend a different church. What are they gonna do, kick you out? So what. Then stand outside the church with a sign that says—oh, that reminds me ... 
• Exercise your freedom of assembly! Attend a rally, even if you're the only person there, even for something completely benign or senseless. "No More Mondays!"
• Share on social media the most searing journalistic critique of the government, something controversial. Your Facebook friends might be able to block your unpopular views but the government cannot.
• Use your right to petition. Send an email to your congressional representative about how much you hate Mondays.
• Second amendment time! Buy a gun. Don't like guns? Buy a used gun and turn it over to your local police department.
• Third amendment time! Let a soldier into your home ... then kick their ass out! (Thank them for their service.)
• 21st amendment! BUY ALCOHOL. 
• If it's a voting day, vote. If not, register to vote.

There are endless opportunities to take advantage of the freedoms afforded to all citizens. Make sure you're using them, even if you don't need them. 

All right, so when do we do this? Easy: September 17, Constitution Day. 

I know you can piss all over this post with some "until all of us are protected under the constitution, none of us are." Sure, civil asset forfeiture is a clear 4th amendment violation that happens every day in many poor communities. Sure, voter suppression clearly violates people's constitutional rights to vote. We should not ignore these things. 

But one day a year, put that all aside and just be grateful. Join your fellow citizens and participate in this universal experience of celebrating the rights we do have. It's the American thing to do.