What's wrong with our country

I had an epiphany a few days ago.

Well, maybe not actually an epiphany because it is really no secret that our nation is way too obsessed with celebrities.

I guess it was more of a sad realization that even "small town USA" buys into the hype about how great the celebrity du jour is.

As we were approaching my hometown I saw the welcome sign in the distance. Just as I was getting that warm-fuzzy feeling of being back in the area that housed the memories of my childhood I was smacked with a new harsh reality. There was a new sign.

It proudly proclaimed "Welcome to Kennett." That part didn't bother me. It was the second line.

"Home Town of Sheryl Crow."

This is all my little hometown has to be proud of!?

They had replaced "Service Industry Agriculture" with a pop star!

I could have understood if there had been a small sign added proclaiming that the musician had been reared in the sleepy town, but to replace the town's livelihood with one former resident was just sad. Okay, so her parents and a brother still live there.

Seriously. I had tears in my eyes.

Kennett is home to the men and women of the 1137th MP company of the Missouri National Guard. They have been activated and deployed numerous times over the past decade or so. But, I guess that is not worthy of mention.

It is home to C.P. Bridges, recipient of two Purple Hearts and numerous other medals while serving as a gunner on the ACH-47. And, Larry Pritchard who lost a leg while serving his country in Vietnam along with many other men from the town.

It is also home to several World War II veterans like Herman Bone, recipient of five Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. One of seven of his 141-man company which stormed the beach at Normandy on D-Day who lived to see the next day.

But, I guess that's nothing compared to winning 9 Grammy Awards.

They say "you can never go home again."

I don't know who they are, but with skewed adoration like that who really wants to?