Chicagoan? American?

Chicagoan? American? Which one am I more? Ten years ago, that would have been a no brainer. AMERICAN! Today? I honestly don't know. The election campaign has highlighted the deep the divisions in this country. So many of them are regional. I do know that I relate to Chicago (and places like it, nationally and globally) than I do to America at large. Chicago has always had more in common with Toronto than with Kansas. Today we very well may have more in common with Toronto than Dallas. Or even London than Dallas. As Chicago turns more and more outward to the globe, our population a reflection of that very process, much of America turns inward and circles the tents, and regresses. Much of America wants to turn back the block to the 1950's, to Father Knows Best (and God knows better), and father was white and there were no nasty terrorists or homosexuals and nobody even heard of a stem cell. Today when I see a flag flying on a car of a t-shirt that says God Bless America, I get the feeling it is not me that they are trying to address and, for some reason, I get a cringe rather than a pride in country and feelings of patriotism. So American? Chicagoan? As I said, I don't really know. And I'm totally surprised that it is a toss up.>