What's Wrong With America?

America the beautiful is like a well brushed, dutifully flossed, and rigorously gargled tooth. She's porcelain white and perfectly shaped, and yet beneath that flawless enamel there is an abscess festering. We have felt the first warning pangs when the cold water hits, and they're growing more frequent. I see it in our culture, our attitudes, our outlook toward our neighbors, and deep within each of us, eating away at the roots of our dignity and self worth.

I saw it this morning driving to work. It didn't seem like much at first, but as the day wore on and the image gnawed inside my gut, I decided to return to the intersection with my camera, so I could share it with you. Blame it on our lacking work ethic, or on the mayor of Colorado Springs, or on the collapse of traditional family values, or on the prevalence of right-wing fundamentalism. I'll let the image speak for itself.