Why I'm Proud to be an American

I'm sure many would ask: how could anyone be proud of a country always in turmoil? However, I am proud to be an American, living in the USA, because I see everything and not just the various sources of scandalous and inflammatory news to bring us down and rip us apart as a nation. Yes, I see the fear, despair, destruction and crimes, but I also see dedication, kindness, hope and inspiration. I see the actions of so many who hopefully keep us advancing in technology, without suffering serious resource depletion, while facing our ever expanding needs. People who work diligently in keeping America beautiful.

 

I'm also aware that we've had so many, and are still having many, trying times in America. There are a multitude of things we are not proud of but far more we can be extremely proud of. The majority of what makes this country thrive is the good heart of the people in it. The awesome, beautiful, diverse, everyday American people. People who are heros ... including the unsung heros. Including the ones that determinedly do all they can to set the record straight from all the rampant lies being spread ... as if the truth wasn't bad enough. Doing all they can to promote peace because they know that hate and wars only begets more hate and wars. 

 

In my humble opinion, anyone who cannot see this is living, or being kept, in a narrow-minded world. Maybe a world they choose to live in to feed their misery. Maybe a world they're kept in to feed another's agenda. 

 

For instance, I recently heard about a young lady who moved to America from a European country and was amazed in what she saw. She fell in love with America and said it was nothing like what was being reported back in her native land.

 

My thoughts were that maybe it was an attempt to program people out of a leadership's failure in dealing with their internal problems. The concept of bringing down another country, in the minds of their people, so they are not discouraged within their own. Maybe it would serve them best to not show their discontent through corrupt-power and impotent temper-fits and to better themselves without the need to destroy others. 

 

We could be just as guilty of bias thinking; hypocrites who form negative opinions without living there. Especially if we only view another's country based on what our news reports about them.

 

Think about it. 

 

Maybe it's as Goethe said: a man sees in the world what he carries in his heart. I only wish others could see as I do, that the people in power, who distort the truth, are not their country's people. I have traveled to many countries during my life and still have friends in many of them. I would have to state, from personal observation, that their everyday people are just as awesome as we have here and may just be as unappreciated.

 

I know we are.

 

That's why I love a 1973 editorial by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian, who voiced his opinion about how the world wrongfully treated Americans. It should be listened to, or read, by everyone who hasn't seen it before. It can be found by doing an internet search: The Americans: A Canadian's Opinion By Gordon Sinclair. 

 

Based on Sinclair's editorial, I feel that certain things are still true today. It's improved in some areas, for instance: countries that offered aid to America after a major national crisis. Even if we may not have accepted every offer, at least the offers were made. This fact gave me hope that we can change ... we can be a caring world.

 

Yet, after listening to many sources for nearly 66 years, regarding the conditions of the world and the USA, some things haven't changed ... the need of certain countries to crush America ... an opponent in their minds ... based on ignorance, hate or jealousy. To subjugate their people with lies, to distort the facts about us, only makes me more proud to be an American.

 

Just as that woman, mentioned above, and possibly others, came to a realization after moving here: we're not all monsters. They saw with their eyes, and felt with their heart, the real truth. Good and bad people are everywhere. I refuse to allow the few bad to outweigh my opinion of the many good in any country. The many countries who offered aid, when we needed it, proves this.

 

Besides, if we're so bad, please explain why so many people flock here in droves to live ... even illegally? Why do we have to spend billions of dollars to send illegals back home, feed them, give them medical care or fight court actions over them? Still eating up our resources while little to no aid is returned from their counties. If this country is so bad, why does this occur? What perverse nature sends people to a bad country to live ... unless it's worse there than here?

 

Of course, this must be the case, isn't that why our ancestors immigrated here? Wanting to leave behind suffering and misery in hopes of a better life?

 

Sadly, I've learned that miserable people tend to bring their misery with them. I've also learned that miserable people want to bring people down to their level. Discontent multiples into hate. Hateful people want others to hate who they hate just to be hating. It's a prime reason we cannot get along within or outside our country and I'll bet other countries feel the same way. 

 

Americans want peace. I can't imagine who wouldn't. We are battered and weary but our HEART keeps beating. An overall kind heart that has forgiven many transgressions as well as loans to countries we've helped.

 

Yes, even if some strings may have been attached.

 

We're a country ... not God.

 

We're not perfect but when called to help, we do better than our best. Even if some may not want to believe it. Even if some say we're interfering. Even if by helping some we make enemies with others. Many help unselfishly ... giving our time and money ... and many times our lives.

 

After all the numerous forms of help this country has given, the feelings that are often shown is not respect ... not loyalty ... not gratitude ... but to turn against us. The same countries, given so much of our resources ... taking away from us what we so sorely need within our country for our people, stab us in the back for our kindness and then have the audacity to say we've robbed them of their resources.

 

Seriously?

 

When has anyone ever seen our streets paved with gold?

 

How many countries have forgiven us of our debts?

 

Yes, we get kicked down, we falter and fall, yet we get back up. Our struggles have been many but we keep surviving. We will continue to survive even with all those knives in our backs. We may continually have people walk through our country to promote discontent, promote anger in those who are easily persuaded, but we will eventually see the ruse and stand strong and proud against it ... pulling those knives out of our backs at the same time.

 

Every time someone tries to kick us down, they make us stronger.

 

When will they get that?!