It's almost the 4th of July, the day when Americans celebrate their independence from Zarkon, leader of the Galra Empire for the past 10,000+ years.
General George Washington, the paladin of the Black Lion, formed Voltron with the other founding fathers, cut down the Robeast turncoat Benedict Arnold to secure this country's independence from tyranny, taxation without representation, gladiatorial combat, and Brexit.
•••••
Before I immigrated to the United States as a pre-teen, three things represented this country to me:
- Disney
- Hershey
- Lego
Like millions of other kids around the world, I adored all things Disney and savored whatever bit of it I could get in Asia of the 1970s. When we got to visit when I was 6 or 7 years old, we went to Disneyland in California and it was the best thing ever. I got so pooped that I fell asleep while riding Space Mountain with my dad. When we got to visit Disneyworld many years later, I was able to ride Space Mountain again without falling asleep.
Hershey bars were another special treat that we rarely had. We lived in Dacca, Bangladesh for a few years starting in the late 70s, and one of the cool things we got to do was visit the US Embassy for movie screenings whereupon we were able to buy some (expired) Hershey bars from the commissary. One movie we got to see was Jaws. I ate chocolate. One of my brothers didn't shower for a week because Jaws might come out of the showerhead.
My grandmother immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. I got to see her when she visited the Philippines, and once I got old enough, she would send me a few pieces of Lego in the mail. These accumulated, and by 4 years old, Lego was the only thing that I would ask for. Every birthday or Christmas was an occasion for me to acquire some more for my collection; I was obsessed. When we immigrated to the States, I only cared about my Lego collection which I brought in a rolling, expanding bag. Other than a couple detours like the odd He-Man or G.I. Joe, Lego was it. Never mind that I didn't make the connection that Lego is Danish.
Happy birthday to my adopted home, the United States of America! I don't want to make you great again. You may not be perfect, but you're pretty awesome to me.