America wasn't like this when I left in the late 80's. I'm not saying that America had no problems -- clearly it did, but there wasn't so much fear, and things

America wasn't like this when I left in the late 80's. I'm not saying that America had no problems -- clearly it did, but there wasn't so much fear, and things felt more free (at least if you were white) and different parts of the country still were different -- the chain stores hadn't yet homoginized the country -- and turn coffee into a fetish. It was a shock to see it happen in slow motion from the opposite side of the world over the next three decades, the country just seemed like a frog being slowly boiled without it being aware. From time to time people ask me why I don't move back and I just smile and say that this is my home now. Few people would understand the sadness I feel for those left behind.