Proud of America’s place in history
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I’m a proud American. As a fifth generation Californian I’ve spent a lot of years apologizing. Not for being a Californian but for moving to states that weren’t California. I have for many years “self identified” as a Montanan. I am however still and will always be a Californian, whether I like it or not. Same goes for being an American.
As a natural U.S. citizen (insert apology) I hear that Americans are despised around the globe. If you listen to the President, one might conclude that the United States is made up of nothing but racist, bigoted war mongers who without him to pull us from the brink, would slip down the slide of history on what he continually refers to as “the wrong side.” I can only assume for him we’ve been on “the wrong side” since the American Revolutionary War. For me it was when we started allowing our elected officials to condescend to us. Now, I know I’m white and I’m not supposed to have a dog in any race, but I’m an American first. So many years of oppressing the downtrodden and planning the ruination of humanity and the planet has me pretty tired, but I think I’m up for it.
My grandfather served in three wars and numerous conflicts. He carried the flag of liberty into the battles he was sent to, came home a hero and lived a good life. He taught me to be honest, hardworking and respectful of all people. He taught me that being an American made me unique, more than special and dang lucky. Growing up I remember a clear and almost tangible sense of American pride in our home and still to this day tear up when I sing our National Anthem or have the rare occasion and honor to say the Pledge of Allegiance. This is odd to me because I feel very little pride in my country these days and find myself gravely concerned for our future, our independence and yes, our freedom. Whether it’s something as simple as the fact that our neighbor diverts their eyes now rather than say hello or something as horrific as an American child being sent home from school for wearing an American flag T-shirt. It’s getting hard for many of us to find the good today for those of us who remember yesterday.
As the Fourth of July comes and goes I am going to settle on one thing. I am a proud American. I’m going to find pride in the country that I know. Not the one we hear about on the news or the one that is being taught in the new textbooks at our underachieving schools. I’m going to remember the men who fought in the American Revolutionary War and I am going to give thanks to God that I was chosen to be special. I’m going to be proud of my family, proud of myself and proud of America’s place in history, regardless of how it is rewritten or erased. Happy Birthday America. God bless us all.
