So, I'm going to be going home to a predominantly conservative, republican area with red, copper-white, blue, and normal brown hair. On top of all that, its a base town (NSPCC), so everyone assumes that being a good person is hand-in-hand with strong national loyalty and unfailing trust in the current leadership. ( e.g. Tom Ridge is from my hometown. )
What am I going to do when others comment on my apparent unintentional show of patriotism and all I have to say is "no, I don't have any sense of national identity yet. Costa Rica looks like a nice place to live.. or Japan" or "no, I think you and your family members are involved in a selfish power struggle or international case of penis envy."
Here in Southern California I rarely bring up politics because I feel like I'm preaching to the choir. Of course no one here thinks its a good idea to bomb people just because their skin is a mite too dark ( the regional KKK at home puts recruitment flyers in the high school hangouts ), or only sees enemy children as future terrorists. Of course its ok to point out that the current president is around 50th percentile on the standard tests, and that Congress hasn't approved a war. Here, its even ok to say nothing at all and forget that its happening.
I'm afraid of going home.
cynical