An Open Letter to America
Dear America,
It is now 2009 and with that has brought us a have a new- and cool- president. We have a faltering economy that's reining in outrageous job losses, incredibly odd car deals, and entire country goes in the shitter (Iceland, I'm looking at you), and people keep buying the iPhone. Our dear President, Barack Obama, has signed a executive orders to close down Guantanamo Bay, stop the Gag Order, as well as work to put together a now passed stimulus package that will help save more than "three million jobs" and such.
So far it seems as if we're on a better track to the future than before. It still looks grim yet possible to recover as a nation. However, there is still a major issue that Americans are plagued with every day of their lives.
We need to kiss more in public. I'm not urging huge make-out sessions that warrant "get a room" comments but rather huggin, kissing, hand holding, cuddling, etc. From being in France, I've grown incredibly concerned over how Americans aren't big fans of public displays of affection. There's nothing wrong with it; you're not going to get an odd disease from kissing in a grocery store nor will stand-up cuddling cause any life-threatening issues other than "Awesome."* Being on the metro, sidewalk, that fancy New Years gig, or any kind of Parisian social situation- in contrast to the United States- There has been an incredible amount of "Awe" moments that I have observed in my travels of Paris.
When I was in a relationship, this was something that I loved to do: Hold hands, kiss, and hug in public. Not as a form of show but I dare say that there should be no reason- at all- to feeling awkward in letting your partner know that "I'm going to kiss your forehead at this crosswalk intersection because I love you." Your partner probably fucking deserves it!
It's not just Paris. Poland is the same and the sentiment I felt and inquired about informed me that Eastern Europe is totally down with the public smooching. I feel awkward about America now, as if it's alright to feel insecure about PDoA. Sure, there's plenty of things that society lets us know we should feel awkward about (i.e. promiscuity) but lets work on the entire public affection dilemma. I'm not hesitating to address it as a pandemic.
Yet since it seems like a pandemic, I urge our President, Barack Obama, to include into his plan of improving our heath system, that we put forth effort in treating this lack-of-public-affection... Infection.
Until then, America, I urge you to make this pandemic more aware to others who may be uninformed or misinformed about it. In times of strife and economic turmoil we need all the love we can put forth and share with others.
Your Concerned Citizen,
-Kenneth M. Piekarski-
*People have been known to die from an excess of "Awesome."
