I was on the web the other day, and I read a story about some company attempting to buy Anheuser-Busch, the company that brews Budweiser.  Now you don't have to be a beer drinker to realize that Budweiser is one of the most recognizable American brands in the world. Now this company, better known as InBev, a Belgian-Brazilian company, has made an attempt to buy Anheuser-Busch. So far the Budweiser brewer has rejected InBev's offer, but the company has left the door open for a purchase by saying that "it was open to consider any proposals that would provide full value to its shareholders. "

Personally, I am insulted by the fact that the powers that be at Anheuser-Busch would even consider the fact of selling the company to some "international" company like InBev. Budweiser is an American staple. For that matter even the design of the Budweiser can features the colors red, white and blue. If you are a beer drinker, what is more American than drinking a cold Budweiser while eating great bar-b-que on a holiday like the 4th of July. I am offended by the mere thought of Budweiser being owned by a foreign company! It is already bad enough that most of the items in our homes are made somewhere in China, Taiwan, or Korea. It is even more sad that some of the most famous brands and landmarks in the United States are now owned by some foreign corporation, but the Budweiser situation should raise the question of, Is anything sacred anymore? 

For me, Budweiser is more than a great beer, it is a symbol of a great country. It represents the spirit of the kind of work that built this country, good old-fashioned, blue-collar, hard work. For many, Budweiser is as American as apple pie, hot dogs and baseball, and most of all it represents American pride. So I caution the executives of Anheuser-Busch to think long and hard when deciding to whether to sell the company or not. While you may please the few shareholder who are raising hell, it would be nothing compared to the scores of millions that you will insult that are the reason you have a company to consider selling in the first place.

At the end of the day, do not confuse this as a rant about beer, as it is much more about keeping America American. Sometimes leaving a legacy is much more important than earning a few extra dollars, but then again that is just one man's opinion. What's Yours?