“Truth, justice…and all that stuff.” Perry White, “Superman Returns”

“The Ladies Professional Golf Assn. (note that there is not a single reference to “American” in the title) is meant to be a tour devoted to the best female golfers – period. The tour doesn’t belong to just the U.S. It is a tour of the world, and as such the members come from all corners of the earth.”
George White, “Only Fix, U.S. Must try harder”

Whatever happened to “the American way"? Are Americans becoming more and more afraid to step-up and acknowledge all of the things we have accomplished lest we offend foreign-born reactors?

During the weekend I had the chance to mull over Mr.White’s quote.

Perhaps there is no reference to “American” in the title, but the LPGA was established in 1950 after a brief run as the WPGA (Women’s Professional Golf Association) and was based in the U.S.A.. It was only because Fred Corcoran, Babe Zaharias’ business manager (who was on the payroll of Wilson’s Sporting Goods which heavily funded the early LPGA), suggested the name, that it sounded good, and it stuck. Who knows? He may have been also hoping that one day the tour would be international but it wasn’t when it was founded and for many years after that. Heck, why would anyone have even needed the LET if this was the case?

Let’s not forget that Annika Sorenstam has recently chosen to become a U.S. Citizen but even she refuses to play golf for the American team in the Solheim Cup!

I was also itching to see the new “Superman Returns” movie (come on, everyone loves a great superhero) but heard rumors that nowhere in the film was their a reference to “the American way”. Although it was no surprise to me when Perry White, editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, uttered the above phrase, I must admit I felt displeased with the obvious omission.

We all acknowledge that Superman is an “alien” of sorts, landing in America and being taken care of by the Kents, but let’s be realistic. Superman defends the world but he selected the United States as his base of operations. He lives and works here (as Clark Kent) in the city of Metropolis (we all know it’s Manhattan by the skyline). Most importantly, Superman writers and artists regularly have the hero intertwined with Old Glory, from proudly displaying and defending the flag in the early Superman television series right through to “Superman II” where our hero replaces the White House flag. Frankly, I never saw him flying the flag of Canada, Mexico or France!

Created and established in the good-ole U.S.A., the Superman series is as American as apple pie!

Patriotism is not dead and is not a bad ideology. I clearly saw it during the Ossining and Tarrytown fireworks displays when children painted their faces red, white and blue and proudly waved American flags.

Unfortunately there are some that are anxious to group the world together instead of recognizing its vast diversity. Instead, let’s concede our differences and accept them.