The founder and chairman of the Virgin Group and the Governor of California are both set on saving the planet. So is the six year old mega hit “American Idol”. In “Idol Gives Back”, a historic, two-night special TV event that aired on April 24 and 25, will save and change the lives of children and young people in extreme poverty in both the USA and Africa. So far they have collected over $70 million and are still going. Even the president, Mr. And Mrs. Bush, felt inclined to send a video message to the American Idol viewers and thank them for their generosity and kindness.

Now if only he would not waste billions of dollars every day in a war that was started illegally. The good thing about 9/11 and the war is, that there are that many people less, who will pollute the planet. But let’s not get sarcastic and harden ourselves, neither to what’s going on nor to the fact that we are in a big mess.

Not only has our meddling in other countries made us an even bigger target for hatred. But by choosing to send our young minds to a war that will not have any victors, we gambled with way too many lives. A whole generation has lost their innocence. Atrocities that Americans inflict on the so called enemies are going to cost us all dearly. The VA already is overwhelmed with the amount of Veterans who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. They are in no way equipped to deal with the new and daunting task of healing the minds of the people we sent into war.

I guess the good thing about this war is that it is waking us all up. It is getting harder to find anyone in the US who is not personally affected by this war. Sure there are those that make America the land of the beautiful. The men and women who do not want to get bothered and drown themselves in partying, going on shopping sprees and scheduling the next botox injection and boob, nose or butt job.

However, it does get more and more difficult to adopt the three monkey aditude of: don’t see, don’t hear and don’t talk. Thanks to Bono from U2 “Red” products are in all the fancy stores. Dedicated to giving part of the proceeds to fight poverty. Famous and accomplished people are stepping up and making a statement. Athletes unite, Rockstars are flying to Africa and sending heart wrenching videos of starved kids back. Bill Gates, Richard Branson and other big money and business people have causes they rally for.

What about the rich and famous who don’t care? Let’s look at the poster child of the spoiled-rotten, self-absorbed, consumer generation: Paris Hilton. She is the perfect mirror for the USA. She is the personification of what is wrong with our society. She is the born princess of America. Her status as the “it” girl is unchallenged. She is the role model for so many teenage girls.

The USA as well is not in its infancy but being a misbehaved, on the loose teenager without parental guidance. As for Miss Paris Hilton, I do believe that she will jump on the bandwagon and in time dedicate herself to a cause that is bigger than her own person. She will also inspire all of her groupies to do the same, simply because it is the next big thing and the hip thing to do.

As for the government: I find hope in the ex-terminator and Governor of California who proofs that the term conscientious government is no longer an oxymoron. Yes we are driven by money, but what happens, when the people behind the big money are changing their focus? Money will guide our future. Luckily, the ones who have it also seem to possess values like gratitude, compassion, clear vision and charity.

What will our country look like when the ones in political power also adapt their practices, become conscientious and choose the values of gratitude, compassion, clear vision and charity? Now that would be a country to be proud of.

Let’s demand that we use our position in the world to make peace not war, to be the solution to the problem and not the cause of it, to end hunger, poverty and ensure that the young minds get the education they deserve and inherit a safe and well kept environment.

Let’s show the world that we have grown up, that we are taking responsibility for our mistakes and had a serious change of heart. This way we all can stand up tall and proudly declare: “I am an American” without getting booed at by the rest of the world, but cheered on as we cheer them on, to together save our planet and our own souls.