The United States of America is a stunningly beautiful country. Be it visiting a national park, going to this nation’s capital, stopping over in a city like Chicago, or simply driving through the countryside, visitor and citizens alike are surrounded by beauty.

Yes, the United States lacks the 1000 year history, and the sights that go alone with such a history, but there is so much beauty to experience regardless of that fact one could easily get lost in what America has to offer.

As I was eating lunch I did a bit of “people watching”. Business folk, students and travelers alike scurried around downtown. Some strictly focused on their next destination, others enjoying what the city had to offer. What disturbed me, however, was the fact that tourists mainly flocked to this…

Cameras were snapping away around this bronze-esque Ronald McDonald statue at the Rock n’ Roll McDonalds so quickly one would have thought the makeuped, hamburger slinging, man was there himself.

Is this what the American legacy will be? Are we relegated to being remembered for our crappy pop culture and fast food? Some part of me wanted to go up to the tourists and say something, anything, simply to have them go experience the true cultural experience the city has to offer.

That said, who am I to say anything about how individuals enjoy themselves – I am no one. Make no mistake about, they were enjoying the experience, and they could be / could have visited the wonderful sights of this city and nation, but I found it rather disturbing to think the United States maybe viewed as a cheesy wonderland where all we have to offer is fast food icons and disposable memories when this land has so much more to offer.