I Am America

Helen Bascom
Author: Helen Bascom
Word Count: 427
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I am America.

I am Black
and White
I am Asian
and Hispanic
I am Native American
and I am multi racial

I am obese
and anorexic
I am old
and young

I work and
I am unemployed
I have a home
and I live under a bridge

I am wealthy
and poor
I am corporate
and small business

I am female and male
gay, lesbian and bi sexual
I am Transgender
and Transsexual

I am Christian
and Muslim
I am Jewish
and Hindu

I am all religion
and no religion at all

I am urban
and rural
I am educated
and a drop out

I am a winner
and a loser
I am sober
and an addict

I am a citizen
and an alien
I am a voter
and disenfranchised

I am healthy
and I am sick
I have hope
and I am filled with despair

I am a buyer
and a seller
I am a giver
and a user

I am free
and imprisoned
I am silent
and I am loud

I will kill you
and protect you
I am loved
and hated

I am America.

I Am America

For the first time in American history there will be a Democratic Party Candidate for President who is either a Black male or a White female running against a White male Republican Party Candidate. Never mind the hate speech both Clinton and Obama have sparked by their bid for the nomination.

I can now tell my son that this is America where little boys and girls, of any race or religion, can grow up to be President ( I hope).

America is a land of diversity and of contradiction.


MCN: B64-RW1A-9461

I Am America belongs to the following groups:

Current Issues and Underground USA
  • kseriphyn

    kseriphynNetworker Extraordinaire, 6 months ago

    This is an awesome insight. Brilliant.

  • bodymechanic

    bodymechanic, 6 months ago

    great set of images with ur writing HB, lets hope hilary or obama get in and change the world!

  • mychaelalchemy

    mychaelalchemy, 6 months ago

    wow, this was a great tour

  • Juilee  Pryor

    Juilee Pryor, 6 months ago

    this is a really nice message of hope….. it could also be ‘I am the World’.....nicely done Helen

  • demon

    demon, 6 months ago

    Brilliant Helen…what a great view of all aspects you have portrayed…I think though…not only America but the world…magnificent compilation…

  • kathleen

    kathleenCollaboration Queen, 6 months ago

    Helen, you are a voice that needs to be heard louder… this is touching and I know is true… peace to the nation you live in… it will bring peace everywhere… :-)

  • Jim Caldwell

    Jim Caldwell, 6 months ago

    You brought me to tears.

    God bless

  • Gregory John O'Flaherty

    Gregory John O..., 6 months ago

    17 years ago I asked my 8 year old nephew who was the greatest threat to world peace. He replied America.

  • shayne2011

    shayne2011, 6 months ago

    truly astounding and epic! Bravo Ms Bascom! The words and pictures make for a very moving journey. Gawds bless your country, I am sure its people deserve so much more than they have been dished for the last decade. bodymechanic, I think the world has had more than enough of the US’ ‘world changes’, just do us a favour and make out we’re not here.

  • caroline caux-evans

    caroline caux-..., 6 months ago

    great statements!thank you!

  • RichardV

    RichardV, 6 months ago

    Great work Helen.

  • mkl .

    mkl ., 6 months ago

    a true statement of genuine love for your country and its’ profound ailments. Helen, absolutely heart-wrenching and provocative social commentary. Thank you for sharing this.

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to shayne2011’s comment, 6 months ago

    I tried to end on a note of hope. I’m thinking of turning this into a montage.

  • Wendy  Slee

    Wendy Slee, 6 months ago

    Helen, this brought tears to my eyes….this is not just America, this is our world.
    What a powerful and gut wrenching statement on where humanity has ended up in the so-called “civilized” nation! How did we get to this? And where do we go from here…..

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to Wendy Slee’s comment, 6 months ago

    I ended the series of photos with my little Malcolm so happy and running in a field. This image carries with it a message of hope.

    As long as there is hope . . . .

  • Wendy  Slee

    Wendy Slee, 6 months ago

    Always Helen, always! so long as people like you and I, can see the need of others, and help in any small way, even if through our artworks, then there is always hope…....humanity always has a glimmer of hope and your little Malcolm;s image is very symbolic of where our hope lies….

  • Crespuscular

    Crespuscular, 6 months ago

    Well said. Maybe one day we’ll all have a political system that is designed to include the majority (the poor) in its considerations.

  • pat oubridge

    pat oubridge, 6 months ago

    This is fantastic Helen

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to pat oubridge’s comment, 6 months ago

    I suppose this is just my attempt at trying to explain what my work is all about.

  • Mark Gardner

    Mark Gardner, 6 months ago

    Super words, and really could apply to any country, does anyone really have a sense of belonging any more

  • shayne2011

    shayne2011, 6 months ago

    You are quite right, Wendy Slee, I’ve done an awful lot of work with sick people over the last 30 years, and whether it was those with HIV or addicts in despair, I always found that somewhere, deep down, there is a tint light, like a candle flame, that just wants to grow. No one or thing is ever hopeless, people always want, deep down, to get better.

    :)

    And helen, again, thank you for what is one of the most moving and impressive pieces I’ve ever seen on this site.

  • shayne2011

    shayne2011, 6 months ago

    tint light = ‘tinY light’ :)

  • Susan Grissom

    Susan Grissom, 6 months ago

    very moving and beautifully done Sista

  • Kelly  Bermingham

    Kelly Bermingham, 6 months ago

    Wonderfully done – with passon that is obvious. Beautiful Helen – as has been said this applies to the world we live in. With enough voice – changes can happen….. LOVE YOUR WORK…
    :) K And god Malcolm is so cute!

  • pryere

    pryere, 6 months ago

    Well done

  • Henk Stolk

    Henk Stolk, 6 months ago

    Hi Helen,
    The photos are great.
    However… reading it all, it looks America is in balance…
    Is it?

    Henk

  • Jaybe

    Jaybe, 6 months ago

    An awesome piece of work.

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to Henk Stolk’s comment, 6 months ago

    If by “balance” you mean for every evil there is a good, then technically, maybe. Balance? No. Even one homeless person, one hungry child, is wrong. Where there is hate and prejudice, there can be no true freedom.

  • Alex Moir

    Alex Moir, 6 months ago

    Amen.

  • Vimm

    Vimm, 6 months ago

    Thats pretty strong. I love that image of ‘blood money’. It reminded me of the image I had last night part way through the book No Country For Old Men, which for an Australian like me takes a while to get used to the southern language, but it has a scene of dollar bills drenched in Moss’ blood from being shot at it struck me as did your peice of work

  • Ashley DeRossett

    Ashley DeRossett, 6 months ago

    Mother- you are truly a wonder to behold. I love this very much! You continue to impress me. I only hope I do the same for you. This would make a Great calander for the year. Without hope I would not even wake in the morning. I hope America changes for the better.

  • Jboo09

    Jboo09, 6 months ago

    Great words, pictures, and sentiment. We are truly a diverse nation!

  • Ruben Flanagan aka (Flan)

    Ruben Flanagan..., 6 months ago

    wonderful Helen, I want you to be the next Prez of the US

  • amarica

    amarica, 6 months ago

    This is so well put, excellent, bravo Helen

  • Paul Louis Villani

    Paul Louis Vil..., 6 months ago

    Wow Helen! What an amazng body of work! :D

  • mlgkats

    mlgkats, 6 months ago

    wow such powerful words, great writing and great photos

  • Sally Omar

    Sally Omar, 6 months ago

    Absolutely awesome…words …. photos….incredible…Sally xxoo

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to Ashley DeRossett’s comment, 6 months ago

    My dearest Ashley, the most impressive thing I have ever done (or ever will do) was to have a beautiful, intelligent, and awesome daughter like you. :-) It is you who impress me.

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to Ruben Flanagan aka (Flan)’s comment, 6 months ago

    Ruben, I am far too young to run for Prez. :-D

  • Susan Epps Oliver

    Susan Epps Oliver, 6 months ago

    Just excellent, Helen :)

  • littleredplanet

    littleredplanet, 6 months ago

    wonderful and moving. It really ties your photos and convictions together.

  • Ushna Sardar

    Ushna Sardar, 6 months ago

    utterly amazing Helen!

  • Imakepplwonder

    Imakepplwonder, 6 months ago

    really great message and illustration of ideas and thoughts.

  • JenniferB

    JenniferB, 5 months ago

    Brilliant… mmm… I wonder what ‘I Am New Zealand’ would look like? Got me thinking…

  • Miron Abramovici

    Miron Abramovici, 5 months ago

    Beautiful and very moving!

  • JohnScott

    JohnScott, 4 months ago

    this isn’t american, it’s human

  • RMonroe

    RMonroe, 3 months ago

    This piece gave me chills and goosebumbs. Fantastic! Here’s to HOPE:)

  • tagbruns

    tagbruns, 3 months ago

    amen

  • Incognita

    Incognita, 3 months ago

    The biggest contradiction about the US (because after all, it isn’t America per se) is that money speaks (slightly) louder than either gender or race there. So Helen, yes, your son can be president… as long as you give him or he somehow manages to gouge several million dollars to run… to become a candidate. Then he’ll need to be bought off by big business before he will get to sit in the oval office…

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to Incognita’s comment, 3 months ago

    :-) Hello Incognita, it’s been a while since we’ve chatted. As always you are the voice of hope. Ha Ha.

  • dogfish

    dogfish, 2 months ago

    no oxymorons here then?

  • OpenWounds

    OpenWounds, 2 months ago

    love it. its the whole truth of america
    Good job

  • liciouspoet

    liciouspoet, 2 months ago

    hey this is brillant…....you’ve got talent for the truth, just wish politicians did….:) great job…love the work…keep it up…
    SUPER INSITE!!!!!!!:)

    always, liciouspoet,
    xoxo

  • LetThemEatArt

    LetThemEatArt, 2 months ago

    Brilliant piece.

    I mentally added:
    “I’m a smoker”
    “I’m a toker…”

  • Helen Bascom

    Helen Bascom in reply to LetThemEatArt’s comment, 2 months ago

    Ha Ha, I never considered that it would come across like Space Cowboys. Thanks.

    I’m a joker
    I’m a smoker
    I’m a midnight toker
    I sure don’t want to hurt no one

    Space Cowboys

  • Suzanne German

    Suzanne German, 2 months ago

    WOW Helen – jsut read this now – absolutely fantastic – can’t imagine a better description!
    congratulations – you’ve hit it so beautifully and elqoquently on the head!

    straight to my favourites!

    Suzanne

  • Rheenie

    Rheenie, about 1 month ago

    Wow sorry thats all I can say is wow I cant think of a better word to describe what you have captured

  • Cvail73

    Cvail73, about 1 month ago

    I like that :)

  • Sreya Wu

    Sreya Wu, 2 days ago

    Amazing Words and Images.

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